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Democrats' special interest problem
CNN ^ | Monday, September 26, 2005 | Mark Shields

Posted on 09/26/2005 8:25:50 AM PDT by Fun Bob

For several elections, Democrats have been hurt by the widespread perception that the party consists of a confederation of interest groups to which Democratic leadership is slavishly beholden.

You know the knock: Democrats are forever meeting with special interests like the Irish-Jewish Home for the Short or Transvestite Taxidermists Against the Metric System and then caving to the groups' non-negotiable demands.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; democrats; interests; lostdems; markshields; platform; special; specialinterests
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Good article, worth a read.
1 posted on 09/26/2005 8:25:51 AM PDT by Fun Bob
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To: Fun Bob
With friends like Kim Gandy, Harry Reid and the Democrats don't need any enemies.

Uh-oh.......they're startin' to get it...........Maxi-Shields wrote this?.....

2 posted on 09/26/2005 8:30:29 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Fun Bob

Of course, when it's politically expedient, they will screw each and every special interest group in their coalition. Of course, they make it a point to only screw 'em one at a time so as to avoid a "rush to the exits". One group they absolutely will not over even obliquely offend are the abortionists. They're sacred to Democrats.


3 posted on 09/26/2005 8:32:19 AM PDT by Emmett McCarthy
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To: Fun Bob

Perception???? Pretty much undisputed truth if you ask me....


4 posted on 09/26/2005 8:33:25 AM PDT by NRA1995 (When liberals speak I hear the Vonage music playing.....woo-hoo, woo-hoo-hoo....)
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To: Red Badger

"widespread perception that the party consists of a confederation of interest groups to which Democratic leadership is slavishly beholden."

"Perception"?......Bullsh!^, it's a reality.


5 posted on 09/26/2005 8:33:50 AM PDT by traderrob6
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To: traderrob6

NRA LOL, great minds......


6 posted on 09/26/2005 8:35:11 AM PDT by traderrob6
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To: Fun Bob
Enjoy this for what it is, the closest approach to honesty and common sense that Mark Shields will ever get. If he had cut off the article just before he dragged Abramovich in by the ears, it would have been impossible to tell that Shields was the author of this.

But Shields has always been a partisan, and old habits die hard. Still, his advice to the Democrats is spot on, and they will lack the self-perception to follow it.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column: "The 'Hard Bigotry' of Incompetence at the NY Times"

7 posted on 09/26/2005 8:35:14 AM PDT by Congressman Billybob (This Freeper was linked for the 2nd time by Rush Limbaugh today (9/13/05). Hoohah!)
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To: Emmett McCarthy

I believe it was a former Dem Speaker of the House that once quipped, "You have no business bing here if you can't drink some lobbyist's wine and eat his dinner and then turn right around and go in and vote against him."...........


8 posted on 09/26/2005 8:36:45 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Fun Bob
Cokie Roberts on NPR this morning after deriding the President was asked about what the Dems are doing, she said they are doing nothing, they have no leader, no leadership, no agenda.
9 posted on 09/26/2005 8:38:44 AM PDT by SF Republican
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To: Fun Bob

Shields only worries about the perception that the Dems are beholden to the special interest groups, not the reality of it. He is like every other Dem. He simply wants to be able to fool the voters long enough so that they can get power.


10 posted on 09/26/2005 8:42:33 AM PDT by DeweyCA
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To: Red Badger
Maxi-Shields wrote this?

One day, probably the day before he retires, he might actually name the groups that are doing the most damage to this party, the trial lawyers and the unions.

Calling NOW to task is hardly a bold move. They don't command a voting bloc and they don't provide money or party workers to the Dems. Easy target.

11 posted on 09/26/2005 8:42:39 AM PDT by siunevada
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To: Fun Bob
rights of African-Americans and women, which Democrats had historically championed.

Again the Bie Lie. African-Americans have been ill served by democrats for over 100 years.

12 posted on 09/26/2005 8:42:50 AM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: siunevada

They don't provide money or party workers to the Dems?...........


13 posted on 09/26/2005 8:48:00 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger
They're gettin' it alright but don't expect the lefties who seem now to pull all of the strings to go back, raise money, and shut up. Never gonna happen.

Maxi Shields can write all of the eds he wants but this pack of rabble who think that they control the party will continue to threaten the pols just enough to make most of them cry Uncle - as the only thing they fear more than ed writers in WAPO and NYT, is losing their day job and being forced to join some lobbying group and run to places like the Aspen Institute, etc. and grovel for speaking fees.

Ain't nearly as much fun as sitting on a podium with mike in hand and threatening business people with "Contempt of Congress."

14 posted on 09/26/2005 8:52:29 AM PDT by zerosix (Native Sunflower)
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To: Red Badger
They don't provide money or party workers to the Dems?...........

Not too clear, was I? I'm sure they make contributions of time and treasure, but not in numbers comparable to the unions or trial lawyers. When I think of groups that could swing an election through money and effort, NOW isn't on the list.

15 posted on 09/26/2005 8:55:32 AM PDT by siunevada
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To: Fun Bob

I've always believed that the Democrats so-called "big tent" was getting a little too big for its own good. In their attempts to appeal to so many disparate groups, the Democrats have created coalitions that are often at odds with each other.

How do the Dems continue to appease big labor and claim support for the working class...and at the same time, embrace environmentalist's policies that are often at odds with workers and their jobs. You can already see this split happening as many union people aren't happy with the Democrats and their own leadership.

You could even see some of this divide when Lieberman was chosen as VP. Many black groups...especially the Congressional BC and members of the NAACP, just didn't want to accept a Jewish man at this position. These divisions have become even more apparent with the war and anti-Semitism that is running wild with many of the Dems supporters.

It's ironic that just as the Democrat Party is made of a number of coalitions, so is the Democrat Congress. The "party" that claims to hate labels and to be color-blind, has among it's own congressional members a number of "caucuses," represented by blacks, Hispanics, women, etc. The hypocrisy that these people are going to bring the country together when members of their own party are split among racial and gender lines is a joke.


16 posted on 09/26/2005 8:58:49 AM PDT by cwb (Liberalism is the opiate of the *asses)
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To: Red Badger

Ummmm, Red...you forgot the part about screwing their women. Money, food, and sex...that about sums it up. That's why you enter politics, loyalty and principle be damned.


17 posted on 09/26/2005 9:01:43 AM PDT by mngalt (Access to universal health care is code for access to a 6 month waiting list.)
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To: mngalt

Dang! I've got the wrong job!.......


18 posted on 09/26/2005 9:04:07 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: cwb
The Demokratz theory:

You CAN screw all of the people ALL of the time!.......

19 posted on 09/26/2005 9:06:32 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Fun Bob

So Shields has discovered the Democrats have a "special interest" problem? Many of us figured that out many years back. They also have a leftist dingbats problem.


20 posted on 09/26/2005 9:13:11 AM PDT by popdonnelly
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