The only thing worse than a Republican is an idiot Democrat. Well, the Democrats are being idiots. Again. Getting outplayed at a game a child could play. Currently Dems are in a tizzy over these new radio ads from the RNC that distort Senator Reid’s position and actions on the immigration legislation. The response is to issue a stern press release and to be angry at the broadcast outlets for running the ad.
What the hell is wrong with you?
Why is it the Democrats constantly put themselves on the defensive? Not once since Bush has been president have the Democrats consistently applied pressure to the Republicans. It’s not for lack of power, it is simply for lack of trying. There’s no excuse for this. For days now, the Dems could have put up ads talking about how the most draconian measures in the immigration bill have been pushed by the Republicans.
But they didn’t. They just left it up to fate, and now they are once again on their knees in a defensive posture. In the past I attributed this sort of behavior to cruft, people stuck inside the beltway unable to think their way out of a paper bag let alone outside of the box. But that’s not it. Much like a battered wife, the Democratic party has simply given up its will to defend itself. It gets battered and bruised by the right and simply shrugs in response.
The Democratic party lays down so much, how do they expect anyone outside of Washington to have the will to fight for them? They won’t stand up for themselves, why should everyone else?
Once again, they’ll let the bullies win. God, how I wish I could show them a good sucker-punch or two.
Ruthlessness is a game these guys will always win. But sometimes you win
the battle and lose the war. I think the public has ridden the pendulum
patiently over the past 6 years and have tired of the back-and-forth, They
look past the desperation tactics of the RNC. Of course the die-hards
will ride forever with joy and gladness of heart, but they will not swing
a damn thing in the upcoming elections.
Aw, the Dems are too good to win…
What a laugh!
Kinda blow holes in your “everybody’s basically good, and in the end good will triumph over evil” mantra, eh?
Naw, Frank is saying the left and right are equally evil, only the right is
just a little more equal.
Gee, Frank. I infer from your comment that you admit the far-too-right whoever-they-are’s are… objectively evil and in the end their evil will triumph over good.
Thanks for confirming my worst cynicisms.
Actually, what I was saying was that the Democrats have no trouble fighting dirty, their problem is they have nothing to say, but “whatever Bush is for, we’re against it.”
And the idea that the Democrats need to be more evil to win, is in direct contradiction to the “modern liberal” mantra, that “humanity is progressing towards good, in spite of the evil forces that obstruct it.”
But you knew that, didn’t you?
Correction: I should have said ‘persons’ but dead-eye Dick was an afterthought.
Kinda blow holes in your everybody s basically good, and in the end good will triumph over evil mantra, eh?
For one thing the person who blew a hole in that theory that “everybody’s basically good” for me was none other than George W Bush and Dick Cheney. A long time ago I thought he was basically a good person. Now I have my doubts.
As far as the democrats are concerned, Oliver is right. Other than a little grandstanding, the only democrat in the Senate who actually tried to do something was Edward Kennedy. While he is not my favorite person, at least he tried to come up with a solution. That is a lot better alternative than the “throw them all in jail and build a wall on the border” House of Republicans came up with.
I don’t think Dems need to be more evil to win, but maybe they should start working on being at least as evil as Reps.
“…their problem is they have nothing to say…”
Perhaps you’re not listening? Open-mindedness is an important characteristic. The far-too-right whoever-they-are’s (they’re certainly not the small-government, budget-minded republicans I grew up with) have been proven wrong again and again. Whitewater? Nothing. WMD in Iraq? Nothing. Hussein-bin-Laden ties? Nothing. Can’t win an election? Parse the law, stretch the technicalities.
I don’t trust Dubya, Cheney, Rumsfeld nor the rest of the neo-con possé with their exaggerated dangers nor their evangelical-vigilantes with their imaginary threats any more. I haven’t for a long time.
I still don’t get what the point is, of these now, bi-weekly “purgings” from OW. However, I am beggining to get the feeling that there’s more to this than meets the eye–it seems……well, almost personal, for OW.
One thing I do know. It’s not helpful as we close in on November.
One other thing…if I had bought one of those “Brand Democrat” T-shirts, I’d be feeling a bit “used” right now.
It *may* well be that simply NOT being a Republican will be enough in most close races. It may well be that a need for “change” is enough.
The GOP is on the wrong side of most issues this time around. Recent polls show that Americans “trust” Democrats more, on most of the hot button issues, even national security!
No one will remember this in November. So, I don’t quite buy into OW’s pessimism.
Stap on a pair, OW. Man.
JK
As soon as Sensebrenner’s bill came out, the Dems should have plastered Univision and Hispanic media markets with ads showing body-armored FBI and INS agents kicking down the doors of churches, hospitals, and hospices and dragging pregnant women and screaming children into windowless vans, and then ending with the lines of such vans disgorging people in the middle of a deserted highway with agents pointing guns at them and motioning them south, with a Spanish voice over explaining that this is what the newest Republican immigrant legislation wants to have happen to you and your relatives.
Good one, Rheinhard, slanderous and inflammatory at the same time!
How many beers long did it take you dream that one up!
You could have added a few scenes of bayoneted children — too over – the – top, eh?
Hehe
Here’s the thing, JK. First off you should know that I subscribe to Andy Grove’s theory of business, only with politics. I don’t believe in being an optimist because there’s so far to fall and I believe it leaves you weak and open to exploitation. I hate football coaches who sit on leads, in other words.
I believe in Democratic values and have Democratic positions (thats why I did Brand Dem), but I can’t shake the feeling the national Democratic party simply has no killer instinct. The polling you cited has all been a result of Republicans screwing up, not Democrats asserting themselves. We’re the beneficiaries of a zero sum game in American politics – if people dislike one party they go to the other. Being “the other” and getting support by default is not much for the Democratic party to be proud of. So I will hammer them, hammer them until they get a clue and hammer them until they decide to start acting like Democrats again and winning support not just out of a “default” but because people are actively coming over to our side. This radio ad is just one incident and not the linchpin to the election, but it’s just the latest in a never ending parade.
Death by a thousand cuts, I believe they call it.
I agree with you and Rheinhard. And since Howard Dean’s usually reliable, I wonder why he took a pass on publicity since last December? Is it because undocumented immigrants don’t vote and he feared this was a fresh set-up of the Southern Strategy?
Sometimes, just like the transformation that took place within RFK, it’s no longer a strategy to promote principles, it’s just the only way to live.
Happy Easter, everybody!
The Easter tradition precedes Christianity by thousands of years, into prehistory.
It is a celebration of rebirth, when the sleeping, almost dead Earth comes “back to life” with the revitalization of plants, flowers and trees; the awakening of hibernating animals; the return of migrating animals; and the birth of newly conceived wildlife.
It’s a time to recall that “Everything old is new again”.
So let us look for change, and make meaningful resolutions about changing ourselves, rather than the usual 1st of January blather about losing weight and quitting smoking.
Do you even remember your “New Years’ Resolutions”?
And, if you really hate Easter, there’s always Buzzard’s Day!
Frank D — Changing the world, one keystroke at a time…
“Terrorists coming across our borders. Drugs smuggled to America’s shores. But just last week, there was hope. Congress was working on immigration reform . . . to secure our borders and protect American families. But Democrat Leader Harry Reid let us down. Harry Reid played politics and blocked our leaders from working together. Reid’s Democrat allies voted to treat millions of hard-working immigrants … as felons.”
The moron republicans in the house did not want to compromise and the Kennedy McCain Bill was the perfect chance. Now, as usual, they’re attempting to do a little “swift boating” of another democratic leader to cover their asses. But it’s not going to work. Next Month they’re going to find out just how much they did screw up when millions of Hispanics, including lots and lots of voters, will show them.
While I agree with OW’s outcome, I don’t agree with his reasoning.
This has a great deal more to do with the complete dearth of ideas coming from democrats. They are simply not giving anyone anything realistic to vote FOR.
I think part of the problem is that the democratic party wants to be seen as small “L” liberal, that is, inclusive (well, for the most part, pro-lifers may be an exception). This leads to an inability to take a clear stand on anything though, for fear of offending someone. With a lack of clear philosophy, comes a lack of clear direction.
People like strong, decisive leaders. And while the world is made up of “gray areas”, people want the leaders to be black and white. I think most understand that the process of government with deal with the subtleties.
Just my two cents
All I can say is, I hope the Democrats fight dirtier than they ever have…
As dirty as possible, as soon as possible…
Then they can kiss ‘06 and ‘08.
I’d really like to see somebody provide some real evidence that the people who voted Republican of late, who used to vote Democrat, did so, because the Democrats haven’t fought dirty enough.
I have commented here on many occasions why the Democrats continue to lose the important elections. I won’t do it again here.
But “fighting dirty” is the last thing they need.
I’ll ask you a simple question: How does fighting “dirtier” change the “Whatever Bush is for, we’re against it” paradigm that permeates every liberal MSM editorial, every response to the Saturday radio messages, and, of of course, the State of the Union, as well as every Democrat campaign and press conference?
Frank,
The language of Sensenbrenner’s own bill criminalizes the offering of aid, even religious counsel, to illegal immegrants. there is very little stretch to go from that to what I suggested.
But even if it were — so what??
This is called balls to the wall politics. In the last elections, republicans ran ads and distributed flyers indicating that if Democrats were elected they would “ban the Bible“!! If the Rethugs are going to throw out inflammatory outright lies like that, I see no problem whatsoever with the ad I suggested which is far more based in truth. An exaggeration it may be, but if the Dems don’t get serious about kicking the Rs in the nuts at each and every turn, things won’t change.
All I can say is, I hope the Democrats fight dirtier than they ever have&
As dirty as possible, as soon as possible&
Then they can kiss 06 and 08 goodbye.
I d really like to see somebody provide some real evidence that the people who voted Republican of late, who used to vote Democrat, did so, because the Democrats haven t fought dirty enough.
I have commented here on many occasions why the Democrats continue to lose the important elections. I won t do it again here.
But fighting dirty is the last thing they need.
I ll ask you a simple question: How does fighting dirtier change the Whatever Bush is for, we re against it paradigm that permeates every liberal MSM editorial, every response to the Saturday radio messages, and, of of course, the State of the Union, as well as every Democrat campaign and press conference?
Yes, the ideas thing is the worst canard. The big ideas pushed by the GOP have been privatizing social security and invading Iraq. Those were awesome “ideas”.
What good ideas have the republicans put forth lately?
Just to name a few:
Invading Iraq for WMDs that didn’t exist now claiming that they did it to liberate the Iraqi people. Somebody should ask them if they feel “liberated” enough so that we can leave now.
Social Security Privitization anyone?
Trying to make tax cuts permanent so we can keep exploding the deficit and borrowing money from China.
“People like strong, decisive leaders.”
Strong decisive leaders like the ones who give the impression that they dont know of anyone “leaking” classified information, but they are going to fire anyone who “broke the law”, etc, etc. Now by his own admission, Bush is one who “declassified” the report so part of it could use it as a political tool.
actually I posted a demonstration of good republican ideas, and that post was summarily purged.
I wouldn’t call the Republicans, The Party of Ideas, and I certainly wouldn’t point to two ideas you don’t like, if were you, to prove they don’t deserve that name.
You can’t even mock the Republicans properly!
Is it any wonder you can’t beat them?
My point has always been that Democrats do not understand the American people, particularly, the conservative / Republican American voter.
Until you do, all this “cowardly lion” – style huff, puff and bluff will get you nowhere.
49 million people vote for John Kerry and have 44 US Senators represent them.
You remember what they call people who come in second?
Yet, somehow the Democrats understand the people enough to have 49 million people vote for John Kerry and have 44 US Senators represent them. Funny how that perates.
Pedro: you simply cut and pasted talking points (that’s why the system red flagged it). If you post something independently or cite a link, no problem but I don’t like people on either side just cutting and pasting talking points into their replies.
Its your blog, but those “talking points” make up the republican parties platform, and in the context of this thread, seemed very useful.
Frank: I’m not disputing that the Dems came in second. This whole post is about doing better than that. But your thesis that nobody anywhere ever wants anything to do with Dems is bunk.
Pedro: well link it somewhere. I no more want people cut and pasting stuff from the DNC than the RNC.
Ok, fair enough….I’ll do that in the future…
[...] that Republicans are for criminalization. Oliver Willis is upset with Democrats for allowing the Republicans to [...]
All they have to do is point at the new immigration bill passed in Georgia. Criminalize, deny services, punish. The dems should point at that and claim it is a blueprint of what the Repubs want to do to immigrants.