Archive for Democrats

203 results.
Feb10

Peace Destroyed the Party

by tdaxp on February 10, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats, History

“Dem blues: Can the Democrats find the lyrics to regain the White House?,’ by Roger Simon, U.S. News & World Report, http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/050214/usnews/14dems.htm, 14 February 2005.

Bill Daley, whose father was mayor during the “police riot,” shares his thoughts on the troubles with the Party of Jackson

Bill Daley points out that Democrats have to get over certain hurdles that Republicans do not. “Sure, September 11 made it very hard to win this time,” Daley says. “But Vietnam totally moved Democrats to a party that conveyed weakness, and we are still living with that. Since Vietnam, since the ’60s, since Woodstock and all that, Democrats have had to convince people we are pro-American and pro-military and have values. The Democrats have an obligation to prove it, but it is a given for Republicans, even though they may have fewer values than Democrats.”

Dean may be cementing the Democrats’ Torification, but it is not a new process. It began in the 1960s, and President Bush is just the latest Republican to benefit from it.

This is not good for America. We need two strong parties. Not one strong party and one weak party.

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Feb07

The Last Saniac

by tdaxp on February 7, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats

“Dean Opponent Bows Out of Chairman’s Race,” by Will Lester, Associated Press, http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050207/D883QJKG0.html, 7 February 2005 (from The Corner).

More brilliance from the new American Tory Party:

WASHINGTON (AP) – Tim Roemer, the only remaining opponent of Howard Dean in the race to be chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Monday he’s bowing out of the race – but he offered a warning to Democrats.

Dean, the former presidential candidate and governor of Vermont, is expected to win the DNC chairmanship at the election Feb. 12.

Roemer, a former congressman from Indiana and a member of the Sept. 11 commission, said Democrats must be more inclusive in their outreach to fast-growing parts of the country.

“I got into this race five weeks ago to talk about the devastating loss we experienced in November,” Roemer said in an interview. “It was not about 60,000 votes in Ohio. It was about losing 97 of the 100 fastest growing counties in the country. If that’s a trend in business or politics you’re in trouble.”

Republicans are in the strongest position they’ve been in since the early 20th century, Roemer said.

Roemer, who said top Democrats in Congress encouraged him to enter the chairman’s race, said he wants to strengthen Democrats’ position on national security.

“If there’s one reason Senator Kerry lost the presidential race, it was because he failed to make the American people feel safer,” Roemer said, adding that he also wanted to encourage talk within the party about developing a stronger position on values.

Roemer said he hoped to make the party more inclusive, especially on the issue of abortion. He opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest and the health of the mother.

Roemer would have been the best thing to happen to the Democratic Party since Bill Clinton. Instead, the opposition will further disintegrate into noncompetitive meaninglessness. KJL sums it up best

Such a ridiculous diaster–for Democrats and American politics.

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Feb05

Juan Cole’s Syphilis

by tdaxp on February 5, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats, Iraq, Juan Cole

“Wolcott on Goldberg’s Language Competencies,” by Juan Cole, Informed Consent, http://www.juancole.com/2005/02/wolcott-on-goldbergs-language.html, 5 February 2005.

PKA has described fanatical Bush hatred as a “syphilis.” Some Republicans caught a similar syphilis during the Clinton Presidency. “Syphilis” is a good description because of how the disease progresses. It can be caught and cured, allowing the person to lead a normal political life. Or it can fester unchecked, undermining a source’s credibility and destroying any hope for respect. I will try to post a guest editorial from PKA defining it as only he can.

Those Republicans who came down with it have largely recovered. Is there hope for Dr. Cole?

[National Review columnist Jonah] Goldberg helped send nearly 1500 brave Americans to their deaths and helped maim over 10,000, not to mention all the innocent Iraqi civilians he helped get killed. He helped dragoon [pertinent definition: to compel by violent measures or threats; coerce -- tdaxp] 140,000 US troops in Iraq. And he does not have the courage of his convictions. His excuse is that he couldn’t afford to take the pay cut!

What is Goldberg going to say to the tens of thousands of reservists he helped send to Iraq, who are losing their mortgages and small businesses and have been kidnapped for 18 months at a time (not what they thought they were signing up for) by Rumsfeld? “Well guys, thanks for carrying out the policy I wanted to see, and for putting your own little girls into penury. I’d have loved to help out, by my little girl is more important than yours and besides, I like a good meal and I hear you only get MREs.”

My uncle was a volunteer in Korea, and by President Truman’s order had his tour extended. He experienced dangerous enemies and an overseas military hospital. He’s been an anti-Truman Republican since, and still speaks bitterly of career officers and well-paid contractors. I imagine in his shoes I would feel the same way.

But he was not kidnapped and not dragooned. American, Korean, and “coalition” (at the time, United Nations) victims were not maimed by fellow Americans, and certainly not American columnists. They were injured and killed by the enemy. And he did not fight for a militarism that says only veterans may have political views.

Juan Cole is a good source of Iraqi election news and litle else. In his slanderous attack on fellow non-veteran Jonah Goldberg, Cole is an embarrassment.

But he’s not a killer.

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Feb05

Social Security Personal Accounts

by tdaxp on February 5, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats, History

“Message to Congress,” by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, New Deal Network, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/32_f_roosevelt/psources/ps_socsecspeech.html, 5 February 2005 (from Sibby Online).

Another politican comes out in favor of personal accounts. His approach is simlar to President Bush’s, and rests on three principles: one, those at or near retirement should be protected; two: the current public social security system which will function as an old-age welfare payment; and three: personal accounts that should make up half of retirement income.

“In the important field of security for our old people, it seems necessary to adopt three principles: First, noncontributory old-age pensions for those who are now too old to build up their own insurance. It is, of course, clear that for perhaps 30 years to come funds will have to be provided by the States and the Federal Government to meet these pensions. Second, compulsory contributory annuities that in time will establish a self-supporting system for those now young and for future generations. Third, voluntary contributory annuities by which individual initiative can increase the annual amounts received in old age. It is proposed that the Federal Government assume one-half of the cost of the old-age pension plan, which ought ultimately to be supplanted by self-supporting annuity plans.”

I think FDR’s on to something.

Update: No Illusions is on the story too.

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Feb04

A New American Tory Party

by tdaxp on February 4, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats

“A Suicidal Selection: With Dean as party chairman, the Democrats wouldn’t need enemies,” by Jonath Chait, Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-chait4feb04,0,4714338.column?coll=la-news-comment-opinions, 4 February 2005.

“Hewitt versus Beinart,” by “Steve in Sacto,” MyDD, http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/2/3/142723/3608, 4 February 2005.

The Democratic Party decides to commit suicide. After all, there’s nothing wrong with a confederation of regional parties. Unless you want to govern. Torification continues:

The article sums up Dean’s failures

The conventional rap against Dean as DNC chairman is essentially the same as the conventional rap against him as presidential candidate a year ago. Namely, he reinforces all the party’s weaknesses. Democrats need to appeal to culturally traditional voters in the Midwest and border states who worry about the party’s commitment to national security. Dean, with his intense secularism, arrogant style, throngs of high-profile counterculture supporters and association with the peace movement, is the precise opposite of the image Democrats want to send out.

And the coup that is sweeping him into office

So, how did Dean manage to trounce all comers for this position? Dean’s supporters see his triumph as the victory of the masses over a tiny Democratic elite desperately trying to cling to power. As one left-liberal blogger gloated: “The fact that Howard Dean will most likely be heading up the Democratic Party is our victory. It is the voice of the grass roots lifted up into the halls of power once owned by the ‘aristocracy of consultants.’ ” That actually has it backward. A recent Wall Street Journal poll found that only 27% of Democrats approve of Dean.

In the latest issue of the New Republic, Ryan Lizza described how Dean had prevailed in a process of third-rate intrigue. The choosing of the DNC chairman has been dominated by state parties, whose concerns revolve around expanding perks, including a demand for a $200,000 handout for each state party from the national party. Nobody seemed to pay much attention to the good of the party as a whole. Meanwhile, Dean touched those leaders’ ideological erogenous zones, promising to “feed our core constituencies” and not be “Republican-lite.”

As the last election showed, the core constituencies are plenty well fed. There just aren’t enough of them to win the White House.

Relatedly, MyDD unloads on the editor of “Bush-lite” The New Republic.

I was going to post yet another Bienart takedown/outrage, him cavorting with the extended Republican Noise Machine, blah, blah… But instead I’m posting this just for the sheer hilarity of it as written. You just can’t make up stuff like this…

America needs two sane parties. Not a GOP behemoth and an American Tory Party.

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Feb01

Torification

by tdaxp on February 1, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats

“Dean looks like a sure thing,” by Hans Nichols, http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/020105/dean.html, The Hill, 1 February 2005 (from Roth Report).

“Dean rolls on,” by Jerome Armstrong, MyDD, http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/2/1/131627/1332, 1 February 2005.

The Hill reports Dean has all but won the race to become the next Chairman of the Democratic National Committee

Howard Dean yesterday took a major step toward securing the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee by grabbing the endorsement of powerful state Democratic leaders.

After the Association of State Democratic Chairmen (ASDC) formally backed Dean, several operatives for rival campaigns said that the former governor’s dominant showing among the key DNC constituency could mean that the race, to be decided on Feb. 12, is all but over.

Dean’s 56 ASDC member votes were indicative of the broad support he has throughout the Democratic Party, and was all the more telling because the ASDC’s executive committee had rallied behind party strategist Donnie Fowler as its candidate to stop Dean over the weekend.

MyDD gives adds some figures, citing a Hotline story

Number of endorsements Percentage (50% plus 1 vote)
Dean 102 23
Frost 15 3.5
Fowler 10 2
Rosenberg 4 1
Roemer 4 1
Leland 2 .5

This is terrible. America needs two sane parties. We need a debate on how to grow the economy and win the Global War on Terrorism. We need a debate on improving general welfare. While I am a Republican, I know of many Democrats who have serious proposals that should be addressed.

Instead, we’re going to get a minority party lead by an unstable failed Presidential candidate. One who’s entire campaign was built on anger against Bush and shallow support from homosexuals. One who backs away from any original ideas he has when they become unpopular among Leftists, and shouts louder when he’s denounced from the center.

Britain is not served by a marginalized Conservative Party, and the U.S. will not be served by a marginalized Democratic Party. The Torification of the Democratic Party is a tragedy, and if the Democratic machine does not succeed in stopping or sabotaging Dean the nation will be worse off.

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Jan30

The Isolationist Left

by tdaxp on January 30, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats, Iraq

“Even if this were true,” by “patsified,” Democratic Underground, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1196550&mesg_id=1196634&page=, 30 January 2005.

I don’t typically reply to individual posts from Democratic Underground here. The forum moderators are quite aggressive and the posts are not “fringe” for DU’s moderating community. However, one struck me showing exactly what is wrong with the isolationist Left. It also struck them, which is how it was linked to on the front page of the Daou Report.

Even if all the Iraqis in the world are jumping up and down and clapping and dancing and crying for joy; even if there were really and truly 100% turnout for this election; even if the winner of this election were truly the choice to represent the majority of all Iraqis:

Was this worth destroying the United States of America? Was this worth sending our nation tumbling into the toilet? Was this worth destroying our reputation and the worth of our word in the world? Were the lies worth it? Was this worth the billions and billions of dollars emptied from our nation’s treasury? Was the enrichment of Halliburton and the Carlyle Group worth it? Was this worth the bloodshed of soldiers and of innocents? Was it worth losing your arms, little Ali? Was there NO OTHER WAY to have achieved this? Am I supposed to jump up and down and clap and dance and cry for joy that MY nation has been turned into a shitpile and everyone in the world hates MY nation now? There is no democracy here in America, but I am supposed to be overwhelmed with good cheer that it exists for the Iraqis?

Reading this, I was trying to answer it in my head. “I don’t care if military contractors get rich,” I thought. “Every war requires treasure,” I thought. But her last paragraph sums everything up

I can’t think of a single cause outside of the borders of my country that would be worth destroying my country for. And that’s what has happened, I don’t care how happy the Iraqis are. I mourn what my country has become, and I am bitter because I know what she could have been. So I’m sorry if I can’t join in the joy today.

Let us hope our country is never destroyed. Let us hope that a wicked enemy never occupies our land or blockades our ports. Let us hope the White House is never again burned down and we never again fight conventional battles in our cities.

No one so embodied the poster’s cowardice like Lord Halifax. After Chamberlain’s resignation Lord Halifax could have become Prime Minister of Britain and ended the war. Thank God he realized his weakness and allowed Churchill to lead the British in the air and on the beaches.

Isolationists with introspection are bad enough. Millions might have been saved if Halifax opposed Germany sooner. Isolationists withouch such knowledge of themseleves are simply dangerous.

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Jan27

Election, Still Stolen

by tdaxp on January 27, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats

“GOP says it found 300 illegal votes,” by David Postman, Seattle Times, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002161949_vance27m.html, 27 January 2005 (from The Corner).

The Kyiv on the Pacific scandal continues to grow

TUKWILA — The state Republican Party said in court papers filed yesterday that it has found 300 illegal votes and more than 400 that can’t be verified in the governor’s election.

With Christine Gregoire winning the governor’s race by 129 votes, Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance says he now has found far more than enough evidence to persuade a judge to nullify the election and call for a rematch between Gregoire and Republican Dino Rossi.

Lawyers and Republican staffers are continuing to look county by county for votes cast by felons, in the name of dead people or by people who voted more than once, casting second votes either in other counties or other states.

“I expect this number to literally grow every day,” Vance said.

I’m not surprised at the stolen election. I am surprised about how the issue is being kept alive. It is good for democracy that old Democratic tactics are no longer working. From Jim Crow to union thugs Jackson’s party has instutionalized tainted voting. It’s good they are being called on it.

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Jan27

Fiscal Imprudence

by tdaxp on January 27, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats

“Pataki for UN?,” by Robert Novak, Townhall.com, http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20050122.shtml, 22 January 2005 (from Dayton v. Kennedy).

An advantage of living near Sioux Falls is that during elections, you get triple the fun. The “Sioux Empire” media market extends to Minnesota and Iowa We get Iowa Caucus advertising every four years; additionally, we watched Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy’s rise from the sidelines. As small-government South Dakotans naturally despite Minnesota Democrats, and thus Senator Dayton, this news was all the more interesting

First term Sen. Mark Dayton of Minnesota, who depleted his fortune as Dayton-Hudson department store heir by spending $25 million in four statewide political campaigns, is being targeted by Republicans as the most vulnerable Senate Democrat in 2006.

Dayton spent $12 million of his own money to provide nearly all funding for his election in 2000, and his net worth is now officially disclosed as $5 million to $15 million. Facing the need to raise money for the first time, he recently fired his top fund-raisers after he finished the third quarter of 2004 with just $271,000 cash on hand.

In addition to money problems, Dayton slumped in the polls after he alone among U.S. senators closed his Washington offices because of an alleged terrorist threat. Former Rep. Bill Luther is considering a Democratic primary challenge against Dayton. The senator’s Republican opponent is expected to be a well-funded Rep. Mark Kennedy.

Way to destroy the family fortune, Mark!

Dayton is not sitting pretty. Hopefully Mark can knock him Mark in ’06.

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Jan24

Saniacs

by tdaxp on January 24, 2005 at 12:00 am
Posted In: Democrats

“The Rise of the DLC,” by Chris Bowers, MyDD, http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/1/24/16457/4867, 24 January 2005.

Personal connections often trump politics and ideology in South Dakota. Republican Governor Bill Janklow is close friends with Democratic former Senator Tom Daschle, for example. And the state is so one-party internally, that ideology has little meaning. Plus, its next door to Iowa. What this all leads to is that I was peripherally involved with Dean’s campaign in Iowa. Nonetheless, I was delighted (for the country) when he went down in flames and the “Deaniacs”/maniacs/insaniacs were replaced by “Saniacs.”

Perhaps no wing of the Democratic Party better promotes saniacs and sane policies than the Democratic Leadership Council. MyDD excepts a fascinating article on the DLC’s rise

Privately funded and operating as an extraparty organization without official Democratic sanction, and calling themselves “New Democrats,” the DLC sought nothing less than the miraculous: the transubstantiation of America’s oldest political party. Though the DLC painted itself using the palette of the liberal left–as “an effort to revive the Democratic Party’s progressive tradition,” with New Democrats being the “trustees of the real tradition of the Democratic Party”–its mission was far more confrontational. With few resources, and taking heavy flak from the big guns of the Democratic left, the DLC proclaimed its intention, Mighty Mouse-style, to rescue the Democratic Party from the influence of 1960s-era activists and the AFL-CIO, to ease its identification with hot-button social issues, and, perhaps most centrally, to reinvent the party as one pledged to fiscal restraint, less government, and a probusiness, pro-free market outlook.

Though it is undergoing turmoil now, I hope the DLC can gain control of the DNC and give President Bush real competition. I believe America already has one party worth voting for. We need two.

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