Wiring the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy [Or: The on-going demise of the Dem Party] (NYT)

The NY Times Sunday Magazine ^ | July 25, 2004 | MATT BAI

[summer]

Re your post #17 again - from the article:

Underneath all the now-tired [Dem] mantras, there remains a vacuum at the core of the party, an absence of any transformative worldview for the century unfurling before us.

[summer]

Re your post #16 - LOL...I don't have time to comment on your posts (and others) right now, but I will when I have more time. :)

[summer]

PS Thanks for sharing your thoughts. :)

[McGavin999]

The thing that is interesting about all of this is that they seem to want to form a power structure but have no basic idea what their core beliefs are. In other words, they are once again just throwing money at a problem.

The one thing they will go for is socialized medicine, the only problem with that is, about the time they start really spending money on getting the idea sold, the countries who have instituted socialized medicine will be conceding that their system is bankrupt and they can no longer sustain it.

If these people actually believed in anything they would spend their money on the actual causes instead of attempting to gain power to direct government money to their causes. The problems they worry about could be wiped out with even half the money they are currently spending.

What it boils down to, is they hate religion and they hate religious people. It's faith they want to wipe out.

[Southack]

"Fine, we've broken their hold on the legislature -- now how do we get them out of the universities and the media?"

The universities are for later. For grade school, we beat them up with private vouchers.

For the media, we attack the credibility of the more partisan sources, we compete using our own outlets, and then we sequentially infiltrate and dominate one medium after another (e.g. talk radio, then the Internet, then Hollywood via a Mel Gibson/Schwarzenegger future path, etc.), or failing that, we bash a recalcitrant medium such as the printed press into oblivion (cancel subscriptions, cancel advertising, boycott, etc.).

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[prognostigaator]

bumping

great insight....

"Rosenberg looked for a way to tap into the genuine passion among Democrats, the sharp ideological divide between them and the Rush Limbaugh right; they were desperate for new policy ideas and for a more aggressive, coherent strategy."

[Southack]

"But the Peoples' belief in the Republicans as change agents was never solidified, and is now fading fast."

Your statement above is purely uninformed nonsense from someone who hasn't paid attention. 2001 - 2004 has seen the Republicans institute more radical changes than in any other timeframe. One form of abortion was banned. That hadn't happened since roe v wade. Missile Defense has been deployed. That hadn't happened before (save for a nuke system that got canned). Prescription drugs for seniors. Campaign Finance Reform. Arming pilots with guns. Waging pre-emptive war on Iraq. Disarming Libya, peacefully. Multiple income, dividend, and estate tax cuts.

You've overlooked *all* of these radical changes:

Presidency of George W. Bush -- the first 43 months

 

President Bush signing a federal ban on Partial Birth Abortion

Banned Partial Birth Abortion

Reversed Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy

Stopped foreign aid that would be used to fund abortions.

Supported and upheld the ban on abortions at military hospitals

Signed E.O. reversing Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical Privacy Act

Killed the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty

Killed U.S. involvement in the International Criminal Court

Killed Clinton's CO2 rules that were choking off all of the electricity surplus to California

Killed Clinton's "ergonomic" rules that OSHA was about to implement; rules that would have shut down every home business in America

First Missile is Installed For NMD on July 23, 2004

Killed the U.S. - CCCP ABM Treaty that was preventing the U.S. from deploying our ABM defenses

Has CONSTRUCTION in process on the first ten ABM silos in Alaska and California so that America has a defense against North Korean nukes

President Bush pledged to Israel on 4/14/2004 that it could keep parts of the West Bank, giving international legitimacy to Jewish settlements there

Denied Palestinian refugees any right of return to what is now Israel, saying they should be resettled in a future Palestinian state instead

Part of coalition (Russia, Israel, EU, Palestine, USA) for Israeli/Palestinian "Roadmap to Peace"

Pushed through THREE raises for our military

Increased Defense Dept funding which had deteriorated during the previous 8 years

President Bush's Grand Strategy (click here)

President Bush's Environmental Record - 2004 (click here)

Signed TWO bills into law that arm our pilots with handguns in the cockpit

Currently pushing for full immunity from lawsuits for our national gun manufacturers

Ordered Attorney-General Ashcroft to formally notify the Supreme Court that the OFFICIAL U.S. government position on the 2nd Amendment is that it supports INDIVIDUAL rights to own firearms, NOT a leftist-imagined *collective* right

Told the United Nations we weren't interested in their plans for gun control (i.e. the International Ban on Small Arms Trafficking Treaty)

Signed the 2004 Omnibus Budget 1/26/2004 that now MANDATES that gun buyers' background check information be fully and permanently destroyed within 24 hours of the completion of the check, no matter what.

Disarmed Libya of its Chemical, Nuclear, and biological WMD's without bribes or bloodshed

Won an agreement that U.S. Navy sailors may now freely board thousands of commercial ships in international waters to search for weapons of mass destruction under a landmark pact between the United States and Liberia, the world's No. 2 shipping registry (signed Feb 11, 2004), and Panama 5/10/2004 http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/11/international/americas/11ship.html).

Successfully executed 2 wars: Afghanistan and Iraq. 50 million people who had lived under tyrannical regimes now live in freedom

 

Executed a WAR ON TERROR by getting world-wide cooperation to track funds/terrorists (has cut off much of the terrorist's funding and captured or killed many key leaders of the al Qaeda network)

Bush Administration diplomacy led to the 5/25/2004 peace accord that ended a massive 20-year civil war between Sudan's Islamic north and Christian south after two million deaths Click Here

 

Brought back our EP-3 intel plane and crew from China without any bribes or bloodshed

Started withdrawing our troops from Bosnia and has announced withdrawal of our troops from Germany and the Korean DMZ.

Signed the LARGEST nuclear arms reduction in world history with Russia

Initiated comprehensive review of our military, which was completed just prior to 9/11/01, accurately reported that ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE was critical.
Created NATO's Rapid Response Force
Changed the tone in the White House, restoring HONOR and DIGNITY to the Presidency

Reorganized bureaucracy...after 9/11, condensed 20+ overlapping agencies and their intelligence sectors into one agency: the Department of Homeland Security.

Initiated discussion on privatizing Social Security and individual investment accounts.

Improving govt. efficiency with .8 million jobs put up for bid...weakening unions and cutting undeserved pay raises. Wants merit based promotions/raises only.

Orchestrated Republican control of the White House, the House AND the Senate.

Killed the liberal ABA's role in vetting federal judges for Congress.

GWB signed an executive order enforcing the Supreme Court's Beck decision (re: union dues being used for political campaigns against individual's wishes)

Turned around an inherited economy that was in recession.

Passed tough new laws to hold corporate criminals to account as a result of corporate scandals.

Signed 2 income tax cuts ---- 1 of which was the largest Dollar-value tax cut in world history

Reduced taxes on dividends and capital gains

In process of eliminating IRS marriage penalty.

Increased small business incentives to expand and to hire new people

Eliminated the Estate Tax (AKA "Death Tax") that was taking small farms and businesses from families

Signed into law the No Child Left Behind legislation delivering the most dramatic education reforms in a generation (challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations)

Reorganized the INS in an attempt to safeguard the borders and ports of America and to eliminate bureaucratic redundancies and lack of accountability.

Signed trade promotion authority

Committed US funds to purchase medicine for millions of men and women and children now suffering with AIDS in Africa

Passed Medicare Reform (authorized $39.5 Billion per year for preventive medicine such as drugs and doctor visits as well as included a ten year Privatization option)

Urging federal liability reform to eliminate frivolous lawsuits

Supports class action reform bill which limits lawyer fees so that more settlement money goes to victims

Submitted comprehensive Energy Plan--awaits Congressional action (works to develop cleaner technology, produce more natural gas here at home, make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy, improve national grid, etc.)

Endorses and promotes The Responsibility Era ("In a compassionate society, people respect one another and take responsibility for the decisions they make in life. My hope is to change the culture from one that has said, if it feels good, do it; if you've got a problem, blame somebody else -- to one in which every single American understands that he or she are responsible for the decisions that you make; you're responsible for loving your children with all your heart and all your soul; you're responsible for being involved with the quality of the education of your children; you're responsible for making sure the community in which you live is safe; you're responsible for loving your neighbor, just like you would like to be loved yourself. " -----this quote was too good to leave out)

Started the USA Freedom Corps

Initiated review of all federal agencies with a goal to eliminate federal jobs (completed September 2003) in an effort to reduce the size of federal gov while increasing private sector jobs.

Challenged the United Nations to live up to their responsibilities and not become The League of Nations ( in other words, completely irrelevant)

Nominated strong, conservative judges to the judiciary.

President Bush opened up an additional part of Alaska for domestic oil drilling. In 2004, the National Petroleum Reserve, an area west of the existing Prudhoe Bay field, was approved for new energy exploration and production.

Changed parts of the Forestry Management Act to allow necessary clean-up of the national forests in order to reduce fire danger.

As part of the national forests clean-up, the President restricted judicial challenges (based on the Endangered Species Act and other challenges) and removed the need for an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) before removing fuels/logging to reduce fire danger.
New Forest Rules Gives States Power Over Federal Forests Inside Their Borders
Significantly eased field-testing controls of genetically engineered crops.

President Bush signed the workplace verification bill to prevent hiring of illegal Aliens
S. 1685, the Basic Pilot Extension Act of 2003, was signed by President Bush on December 3, 2003.
It extends for five years the workplace employment eligibility authorization pilot programs created in 1996. It expands the pilot programs from the original five states to all 50 states.

U.S. Forces In Baghdad

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[woofer]

thanks for your comments here

Very kind, summer. However, I am but a mere, faint shadow to many on this forum that are far more articulate and studied in their reasoned posts and responses.

A day never passes that I am not awed and enlightened here.

[Lancey Howard]

As long as single welfare-mothers, athiests, screeching feminists, abortion enthusiasts, Hollywood drunks, condom throwers, government-addicted minority "victims", gold-chained union thugs, France-appeasers, pornographers, and all the rest of society's losers, parasites, and weirdos constitute the Democrat "base", the Democrat Party will never be viable on a national (or even statewide) level.

The fact is that normal, traditional American families look at that Democrat base and ask themselves, "Why would we vote along with THEM?" To do so would be like taping 'kick me' signs on their own backs. Of course, there are still many normal, working, traditional Americans who DO (inexplicably) vote along with those core Democrats listed above, but as this article points out their numbers are shrinking every day. Traditional America is waking up.

All the Republicans need to do is relentlessly and mercilessly continue to show the American public the faces of the Democrat Party.

[Tamzee]

A day never passes that I am not awed and enlightened here.

Amen. I've always felt that I learn more from other Freepers than the articles posted. This article was truly remarkable, though, and I find it truly scary that these millionaire/billionaire progressive liberals are finding it so easy to buy the Democrat Party and shove socialism down the throats of the American public.

[Tamzee]

Between March 3 and June 26...


The Bush campaign spent $59.6 million on ads
Kerry's campaign spent $56 million
Outside liberal/progressive groups spent $38.6 million


These leftie 527's are almost MATCHING Kerry's campaign spending.

Per USA Today...http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-07-11-kerry-ads_x.htm

[Dems_R_Losers]

I went to the New Democrat Network conference in May and saw Rob Stein's PowerPoint presentation. The whole conference was so amazing, I wanted to put a long post about it here on FR but I didn't even know where to start. It was a whole day of sessions devoted to trying to launch a "progressive" counterpart to what they perceive as the "conservative echo chamber." Almost nothing about policy. Really remarkable.

This conference convinced me that younger Democrat operatives who do not hold office themselves are extremely frustrated with Terry McAuliffe and the DNC. They long for a more ideologically focused party with a real meaty policy agenda that they can rally around. At the same time, you have the Rob Steins who are convinced that the conservative ascendancy in America has been all tactics, money, and organization. They think all the left needs to do is emulate what conservatives did, starting with the formation of the Heritage Foundation in the late 1970s. They don't think it has anything to do with ideology or policies. So you see the millions spent by Moveon.org and other left groups this year that do not indicate any kind of positive policy agenda, just bashing Bush. They think if they can spend as much money as the Republicans they can win. They do not have a clue about what really moves voters in America.

[LiberalBassTurds]

Yes, but the real meaning of this article is that the Rats now see that they need to reinvest billion in their disinformation machine and bring it to new venues such as the internet.

True CasearianDaoist.

I don't think this potential influx of cash is something conservatives should fear however. At least not as it relates to diluting mind-share for our core values. The wrong ideas of the Democrats ring hollow with the majority of Americans and simply repeating them more often, due to increased funding, won't make them anymore palpable. The Democratic party however should fear this change as it contributes to further splintering of their base. The old 'house divided" adage comes to mind.

All the best.

LBT

-=-=-

[LiberalBassTurds]

I know what you mean -- however, I think some of these guys have actually split from the Dem Party. But, the Dem Party continues to put on a brave face, and knowingly turn a blind eye, not yet ready to acknowledge those defections.

I agree with your analysis summer. The fact that this funding is going to alternative "Democrat" groups speaks volumes. Clearly the org cited in this document has done a great job putting a "sales spin" on the core parties shortfalls and is using it as a revenue generating wedge.

PS I read your profile page. My sincerest sympathies to you, for those you lost on 9-11.

Thanks for your kind words. It's amazing how many folks were directly impacted by that event. Six degrees of separation and all that.

Thank you for your efforts education our future leaders. It's refreshing to meet a teacher like yourself in light of all we see in the press. Keep up the great work.

Regards,

LBT

-=-=-

[LiberalBassTurds]

Err...make that "educating." My English teacher would smack me for not proof reading better. :)

LBT

-=-=-

[Bob J]

self ping

[happygrl]

''Now, you're a 32-year-old Democratic state legislator, and what you do is you learn how to check boxes,'' he continued. ''You learn how to become pro-choice. You learn how to become pro-labor. You learn how to become pro-trial lawyer. You learn how to become pro-environment. And you end up, in that process, with no broad philosophical basis. You end up with no ideas about national security. You end up with no ideas about American history and political theory. You end up, frankly, with no ideas about macroeconomics and economic policy, other than that it's scary.''

Nothing in this analysis has indicated that these new Entrepeneurs want to be Idea Men.

They are just Anti-Conservative and want to jump start, with venture capital, the anti-conservative movement. But as indicated below, the Democratic Party may roll up and die, not for lack of funds, but because they are a party of Bad Ideas, and the ones that Moveon.Org are selling, a shrinking minority of the voting population is buying.

Every time I talked with someone about the Phoenix Group, I posed these questions: even if you succeed in revitalizing progressive politics, might the Democratic Party, like the G.O.P., be pushed toward extremism? And if so, might that make it all but impossible to repair the party's standing in huge swaths of the country -- the South, the West -- where Democrats are fast becoming a permanent minority? ''Deep down, that question is in the subconsciousness of all the people who are involved in this, if not in their consciousness,'' Stein said. But he didn't have an answer.

What seems all but certain is that the future of Democratic politics will more closely resemble MoveOn.org than it will resemble anything that happens on the convention floor in Boston.

[happygrl]

IMHO the glue that binds all the liberal elites is an intense dislike for traditional values and mores and a marked antipathy or barely restrained tolerance for religious belief. We are in an undeclared culture war and the outcome is yet to be determined.

I agree. It's not about economic policy, or social programs.

It is a Culture War. They don't relate to Middle America and see us as The Other (as we do them, to be honest).

I also agree with the comparison to the Whig Party.

The Democrats had a long run, over half a century of dominating the governance of the US. Conservatives need a good thirty years to undo the damage. Meanwhile let the Democrats go in the dustbin of history.

[FastCoyote]

"Yes, but the real meaning of this article is that the Rats now see that they need to reinvest billion in their disinformation machine and bring it to new venues such as the internet. "

It is quite clear now that someone is wrong, the philosophy of the left and right diverges and cannot be brought together. Almost by definition the Right believes in hard facts and truth while the Left believes in jawboning and lies. Hence, Moveon.org is transparently a quest for power (they spend little time searching for fundamental philosophical truths that can be represented in a Constitution).

Therefore, their billions will do one of two things, either convince all the sheeple to self destroy by becoming socialists. OR perhaps this money will simply build a bonfire of special interests all screaming at the top of their lungs but mostly just irritating the bejeebers out of ordinary people.

How long can the nation stand the ravings of Moore, Gore, Teddy, Dean, Jesse, et. al. no matter how well they are funded? If you buy soapboxes for a whole insane asylum, will anyone listen? Maybe for a while, but freak shows get boring pretty fast.

[Bob]

I am always amazed how many former Dems I meet on this forum. :)

Other than Jumpin' Jim Jeffords, I can't think of many folks who have switched the other way.

I've seen a lot of former dems become independents and some become Republicans. I've seen far fewer Republicans switch to independent but none switch to democRAT. I have to wonder if there are any solid numbers to back up my observations. If there are, I haven't been able to find them. :=)