Noemie Emery writing for the Weekly Standard (H/T: Power Line, watch out for Pop Ups!) has an unusual name and an unusually clear insight of the woes of the Democrat Party. From Noemie:
EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WRONG with the Democrats in the past several years was on vivid display during Hell Week: the teeth-grinding shrillness; the race card, misplayed with such gusto; the self-interest so blatant it defeats its own purpose; the crippling dearth of ideas. With a few brave exceptions (a faction of one named Joe Lieberman), the Democrats split into two major camps: the wingnuts--Dean, Boxer, and Kennedy--who know what they think, which alas sets them at odds with the rest of the country; and the caucus of cowards--Bayh, Edwards, and Kerry--who believe in nothing so much as their own career prospects, and change their minds on the gravest of war and peace issues on the basis of what serves their ends.
And then there's this:
And there you have the real vision gap between the two parties: Republicans want to win wars and spread freedom; Democrats want to save their rear ends. Bush thinks freedom is better than terror and tyranny; Democrats think they themselves are better than Bush. In 2004, Bush made it clear he was willing to lose on the basis of his convictions--and won in spite or more likely because of this. Democrats had no convictions beyond the end goal of winning, and therefore quite properly lost. No party deserved to lose more than the Democrats did in these past two elections, and unless they make changes, they stand to lose many more.
Since Black Tuesday last November, Democrats have spent hours of airtime, gallons of newsprint, and billions of words trying to find out why wonderful people such as they keep on losing. They'd be better off taking a hard look at Hell Week. All of the answers are there.
Take a look at what is happening here in Washington State and apply Noemie's Democrat Formula and it rings true. Far more concern about winning and saving their places of power and control. What is happening in our governor's race is not a symptom, it's the disease. Unfortunately for those of us who support a strong two party system, I believe that it may be fatal. I'm a dyed in the wool conservative Republican, but I want a strong opposition party. As the Democrat death spiral continues I grow more and more concerned about what that means for the future of our Republic...
Well, as a Dinocrat, I concur.
There's only two GREAT Democrats (in office) left on my list federally: Lieberman and Cantwell, who's not THAT far behind.
Statewide, we got Brian Sonntag (State Auditor) and Mike Murphy (State Treasurer) and Brad Owen (Lt. Gov'r) - the latter was praised to the skies by... John Carlson a short while back.
And of course Dr. Howard Dean - let's give the good doctor 6 months as DNC Prez. If he's just going to reenact 2004, then woops! We need 2005 leadership, not 2001 and not 2004 "leadership".
If not for those 5 and a half, I'd join the GOP.
Posted by: Josef | 09 February 2005 at 09:25 AM