The Democrats are slipping into impotency

National Post ^ | December 31 2003 | Barbara Kay

[knighthawk]

American presidential campaigns seem to go on forever. It seems like years, not months, that the nine Democratic contenders have been racing for the nomination.

I have some liberal, anti-Bush sparring partners, passionate news and blogosphere junkies whose e-mails keep me abreast of the Left's self-deluding fantasies of success for the Democrats in 2004.

Last month one was gloating because Al Franken's anti-Republican Lies and The Lying Liars Who Tell Them, had become a best-seller. This was apparently a sign that in 2004 Bush would be swept from office by irate Americans fed up with the "fascist" policies of his administration.

Oh dear. I hate to see grown liberals cry, but I expect I will next November. Because, if the economy keeps chugging along at a reasonable pace, and the Iraq situation improves -- with Saddam in hand it's bound to -- and if, as they say, the creek don't rise, the Republicans will not only canter into power in 2004, the Democratic party may find itself on the verge of total meltdown.

It's easy to understand why liberals think Bush is vulnerable. The population has been very divided on Bush personally, and those who aren't for him actually hate him with a passion, including the nine Democrat candidates, who seem to have made Bush-hatred, faute de mieux, their platform. However, the Bush-haters are clustered in highly populated urban centres, on campuses and in Hollywood. States-wide the trend is increasingly Republican.

To find out why, read U.S. Senator Zell Miller's new book, A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat. The title doesn't mince words and neither do the pages inside. Of Howard Dean, for example, Miller says, "Clever and glib, but deep this Vermont pond is not."

Miller's book is a "tough love" analysis of how the tax-cutting, America-first party of JFK devolved into a values-neutral coalition in thrall to special interest groups and unions for campaign funding and policy direction. About to retire, a lifetime Democrat with a distinguished record of achievement at all levels of government, Miller is a disinterested observer. And he believes the Democratic party is at a crossroads similar to that of the Whigs in 1853, who disintegrated because of their stubborn partisanship at a time of national crisis.

Miller's deeply referenced grievances are many, and persuasive. One is that the Democrats' anemic response to the war on terror leaves true patriots cold. Also, the Dems' opposition to tax cuts is the kiss of death in a presidential campaign. And most worryingly, the Dems have lost the pulse of the South, with election losses to prove it.

In 2000 Al Gore was only the third Democrat since the Civil War to lose every single southern state in the Old Confederacy, including his home state of Tennessee, which cost him the presidency. Southern alienation has deepened since then. In the midterm election of 2002, not a single Democrat leader came to the South without doing more harm than good. The old African American Democratic 90% fidelity rate is eroding swiftly as increasingly bourgeois, well-educated southern blacks move into the middle class, turning steadily rightward in their voting patterns. But the Dems ignore such facts. "The modern South and rural America are as foreign to our Democratic leaders as some place in Asia or Africa," Miller says.

The 2002 election, in fact, made clear that Bush's win in 2000 was a trend marker, not a fluke. The Republicans are riding the wave of an incoming tide, and we are presently witnessing the Democrats "fading birthright" as they slip into impotency. "The spectre of a generation in the wilderness haunts the Democratic primaries."

"All left turns may work on the racetrack, but it is pulling our party in a dangerous direction," says Miller. Incoming Dem representatives are uniformly liberal; while outgoing conservative and moderate Dems are not being replaced. Miller's weekly caucus lunches in Washington convinced him that the party sees the nation through the liberal prism of California, New York and Massachusetts.

Democratic policies -- such as they are -- aren't rooted in values, as are the Republicans' (love them or hate them). They are directly linked to satisfying special interest groups' demands: the teachers' unions, Pro-Choice America, environmentalists, and NAACP, to name a few. Because of the powerful teachers' union, for example, the Democrats refused to consider school vouchers for poor black children. Miller says, "Whenever the candidates encounter a Political Action Committee group, they preen and flex their six-pack abs ... like bodybuilders ... or perhaps more appropriately I should compare them to streetwalkers ... plying their age-old trade."

Ouch! Hell hath no fury like a Democrat betrayed by his party.

[knighthawk]

Ping

[Baynative]

[Puppage]

The Democrats are slipping into impotency

I DON'T LIKE THAT WORD

[1smallVoice]

Hey, do not tell Mayor Dailey or the democrat machine running Illinois.

[Maceman]

I hate to see grown liberals cry

Not me. I'm planning to spend a good part of election night '04 at DU watching the Democrat gnashing of teeth and renting of garments. Hope the site doesn't crash. I'd hate to miss that.

[1smallVoice]

Who is this? Is this the guy who had fun for 8 years while terrorists attacked the US numerous times? Is this Bill binClinton whose lasting legacy is 9-11-2001?

[AD from SpringBay]

That's the custodian who was president for 8 years. We are undoing at a terrible cost his negligence of office.

[Hand em their arse]

he sure does look "impotent", doesn't he??

[HarleyD]

"Miller's book is a "tough love" analysis of how the tax-cutting, America-first party of JFK devolved into a values-neutral coalition in thrall to special interest groups and unions for campaign funding and policy direction.

I'm not very good with history but I wonder when this first started. I would speculate LBJ was a driving force behind catering to the special interest which he was well known for. From there it must have escalated.

[Vigilanteman]

This memory from 2002 election coverage was priceless.

[knighthawk]

LOL!

[Tacis]

Fine, but dems are still lying, untrustworthy, deceitful, crooked traitors, siting on mountains of union money. They will still be potent for a while, even if they never win another election.

They can continue to block (court nominations), delay (Texas redistricting), and obscure (Senate committees) and, as always, pee in the pool. They are desperate and filled with hate and rage against Bush because of what Willie the Sleaze made them do. Yes, it is Willie's fault. He lied to them and forced them to defend him and, when it was proved Willie was a liar, it made them liars, too. They can't attack Willie (or Hillie) but they can take out their bile on Bush and America.

Don't sell the sleazy dems short; a cornered rat can be nasty, nastier than usual.

[facedown]

bump

[Phantom Lord]

I can only imagine how nasty the TV and Radio commercials are going to be this year.

The "vote republican and a black church will burn" and the ads linking Bush to the dragging death of James Byrd will be mild mannered and polite in comparrison I believe.

[KarlInOhio]

Make sure to get an account before hand. At one time (I think it was the 2000 election) they shut down new accounts and didn't allow access without an account.

[Salgak]

The time to register there is now, then. . .they tend to block off new users on and around Election Day. . .I guess they don't want us gloating

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

That's a good idea. Maybe we can have a suicide watch?

[Hand em their arse]

I agree, but also have the feeling our camp has been lying in wait for the dems to name their guy and we will POUNCE!!!!! Bigtime! I think the days of us laying back and taking the "higher road" may be coming to an end. We are living in much different times...

[Gritty]

One can only continue to pray Democrats continue on their highway to doom.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

[1smallVoice]

I agree totally but their time is over. The internet is being used to tell the truth in spite of their media control. Minorities are finally wising up as are women. This is their last stand and Bush will clean house come November. Bigtime.

The Party of the democrats will cease to exist come November.

[expatpat]

Who was the guy with the hat?

[international american]

The DNC has just puchased a 55 gallon drum of Viagara, hoping to stave of rumors of its national impotency.

developing..................................

[CommandoFrank]

Bill binClinton ...ROFLMAO!

[mwl1]

The "vote republican and a black church will burn" and the ads linking Bush to the dragging death of James Byrd will be mild mannered and polite in comparrison I believe.

The best response to these hyperbolic, ridiculous ads is to string them together and voice over with a laugh-track.

Ridicule is a powerful political weapon.

If we would confront and expose the nonsense directly, the RATS will be left politically naked with nothing left to say.

[talleyman]

The DNC has just puchased a 55 gallon drum of Viagra, hoping to stave off rumors of its national impotency.

"We had no choice - the Lie-agra wasn't working..."

[talleyman]

"Lie-agra - it's how the Democrats keep it up!"

(Couldn't help myself...)

[Vigilanteman]

Clinton hack James Carville.

[geedee]

The Democrats are slipping into impotency

And Monica and dozens of Pee Wee Clinton's rape victims shout "Thank God!"

[expatpat]

Ah thanks -- priceless!

[international american]

Good shot there:) The Viagra wont work either, and if it does, they will abort it.

[GOPJ]

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel...

Fine, but dems are still lying, untrustworthy, deceitful, crooked traitors, siting on mountains of union money.

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

The Democrats have blown it on values, on taxes, and on national defense. Largely because of that, the South has bid them adieu.

[goldstategop]

Yep. And I'm still waiting for Nikita Dean to blow his gasket. That should provide plenty of comic relief in the soon to be heralded presidential election year.

[The UnVeiled Lady]

He lied to them and forced them to defend him and, when it was proved Willie was a liar, it made them liars, too. They can't attack Willie (or Hillie) but they can take out their bile on Bush and America.

I heard a theory that the dems hate Clinton for bringing down the party but can't admit it, so hate Bush instead.

[mrtysmm]

The dem/libs just don't grt it....do they? Chance after chance and they blow it every time. Their major complaint has been that their message is not getting out. I see it that the message IS getting out and is being rejected time and time again. Taking a good long look at their lack of solutions and their inept leadership, I don't see anything changing before the '04 election date.

[mrtysmm]

Along with winning the WH back again...we must make sure we increase the majority in the House and the Senate. Without that increase, Bush will be a lame-duck right from the beginning. We need time to implement our agenda and we need the majority to do that.

[mrtysmm]

Along with winning the WH back again...we must make sure we increase the majority in the House and the Senate. Without that increase, Bush will be a lame-duck right from the beginning. We need time to implement our agenda and we need the majority to do that.

[mrtysmm]

Along with winning the WH back again...we must make sure we increase the majority in the House and the Senate. Without that increase, Bush will be a lame-duck right from the beginning. We need time to implement our agenda and we need the majority to do that.

[mrtysmm]

Sorry about the repeat...didn't know it took.

[Tall_Texan]

Democratic policies -- such as they are -- aren't rooted in values, as are the Republicans' (love them or hate them). They are directly linked to satisfying special interest groups' demands: the teachers' unions, Pro-Choice America, environmentalists, and NAACP, to name a few.

I disagree. Those ARE their values: unlimited abortion, unlimited taxes, unlimited central government, racial preferences, blame America first for the world's problems, opposition to morality - except as defined in their PC terms.

She wants to think better of them but she's wrong. This is what they believe and bleed.

[Tall_Texan]

I'm not very good with history but I wonder when this first started. I would speculate LBJ was a driving force behind catering to the special interest which he was well known for. From there it must have escalated.

The 1960s were where the foundation was built but not really with LBJ. What evolved the Democrat Party was the Vietnam War and the hippie/druggie/treehugging/pro-commie movement. They *hated* Johnson and Humphrey.

But as the hippies grew up, dried out and got jobs (at least some of them) and the Democrat old guard died off, the hippies replaced them, learned networking and grew in power.

One thing is true about socialists - they see big government as their true god so they are relentless in pursuing it. They show up at the precincts. They volunteer, organize and evangelize.

They see the likes of Clinton as "one of them" and the true believers need no Kool-Aid. They've already bought into it all like a Scientologist dupe. They forgive the lies and half-truths of their leaders because the opposers to big government are their Satan. And any lie at any cost is worth defeating the non-believers.

I don't think the likes of Lyndon Johnson or even JFK would be happy with what the Democrats are today. They'd shake their heads and ask "what went wrong" just the way I imagine Martin Luther King would respond if he saw the Jesse Jacksons and Al Sharptons that have assumed his mantle.

[Prov3456]

Yes, but if those ads run within 30/60 days of the election, no one will be able to correct them. Isn't that what CFR gave us?!