Posted on 09/29/2005 7:15:20 PM PDT by Lando Lincoln
This past weekend a gathering in Gillette, Wyoming highlighted the present, chaotic state of the Democrat Party. As Democrats around the country attempt to portray two faces to their constituencies, one representing moderation, and the other representing fire-breathing liberalism, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal essentially renounced the basic philosophies of his party.
More stunning yet was that he did so in the presence of Democratic National Committee vice chairman Mike Honda. Honda then faced the daunting task of attempting to portray a bridge of commonality between Freudenthal’s pragmatic candor and the image presented nationally by the Democrats.
In front of an audience of roughly seventy-five Wyoming Democrats, Freudenthal blatantly distanced himself from Democrat Chairman Howard Dean, along with such fundamental party principles as gun control.
Honda, while desperately seeking to portray a facade of unity with the Governor, was clearly shaken and tried repeatedly to emphasize the Governor’s stance as being compatible with that of the party.
Freudenthal’s words were certainly not the first occasion of such antics among Democrats in the Cowboy State. Wyomingites still chuckle when recalling the 1996 Senate Race, in which Democrat candidate Kathy Karpan attempted to establish herself as a staunch protector of the Second Amendment.
Having been haunted throughout that campaign by a picture of herself, on stage with Bill and Hillary at the ‘92 Democrat Convention, Karpan recognized the need to impress voters that she would support their right to own firearms. So her campaign ran an ad in which she was portrayed on a duck hunting expedition, complete with 12-gauge shotgun.
Unfortunately for her, it was quickly discovered that the ad was staged in a Cheyenne city park where hunting of any kind was certainly prohibited. Ultimately, Karpan’s deceit proved that she had even more in common with the Clintons than previously known.
Freudenthal, ever the skilled politician, carefully avoided any similar snare. Apparently not wanting any record of an alliance with John Kerry, he invoked the standard excuse of “scheduling conflicts” as reason to forego last year’s Democrat Convention.
In Wyoming, a steadfastly “red” state, Freudenthal’s predicament is glaringly obvious. It is also highly illustrative of the split occurring nationally among Democrats.
On the one hand, the party’s elites regularly posture to the center in order to win elections. But in recent years, an idealistic and radical element has asserted itself. Blinded by an arrogant belief of absolute moral and intellectual superiority, this faction is convinced that it only needs to trumpet its countercultural and anti-American message with sufficient volume, and the rest of the country will enthusiastically follow.
Though both factions ultimately seek to advance the same agenda, they disagree sharply on strategy. And, all too often, the party’s career politicians are caught in the middle. The September 24 anti-war, anti-America rally in Washington D.C. provided yet more evidence.
Ostensibly a peace rally, it rapidly degenerated into a forum for every extreme element of the counterculture. Predictably, “mainstream” Democrats, such as Hillary Clinton, chose not to attend.
Such blatant exhibitions of liberalism make it extremely difficult for Democrat leaders to maintain a coherent and sellable message from a party that increasingly forsakes the character and patriotism of Zell Miller, replacing it with the rantings of Michael Moore and Howard Dean.
Dismayed though Honda may have been that Freudenthal would publicly disavow Dean (his statements certainly will not play well at the national level), the Governor was merely saying what Hillary and others were thinking as they offered their own excuses (“scheduling conflicts,” don’t you know...) for not attending the rally.
Consistently, Freudenthal seeks cover within the political framework of the Republicans. So intimidated is he by the prospect of publicly opposing them that, even on a topic in which such opposition would gain enthusiastic support from Wyoming’s conservative ranching community, he opts to remain uninvolved.
In the September 19 issue of the “Wyoming Livestock Roundup,” Wyoming beef producer J. Randall Stevenson excoriated Freudenthal for remaining neutral (or, as Stevenson bluntly expresses it “neutered”) in response to a USDA decision to open the nation’s borders to imported (and possibly tainted) beef.
Yet despite such posturing, Governor Freudenthal may continue to do well politically. Ironically, this is due in large part to Wyoming’s RINO dominated state legislature, which by its own rampant liberalism makes it infuriatingly easy for Freudenthal to masquerade as a “moderate,” or even a conservative. So he might sail through to reelection next year. Unless, of course, he faces a challenge from a real conservative.
I've always felt that the Congress (federal govt) should be republican --- of course that was when republicans meant SMALLER and less intrusive government --- and that states should be democrats --- social programs (taxes) at local levels only -- that was when democrats were Americans also.
I considered myself a social liberal and a fiscal conservative.
Now? I am just trying to help save this country for AMERICA!
An interesting side light, Wyoming is the only State with a surplus of over $ 1,000,000,000.00. They are so rich with proceeds from Oil and Gas and Coal Taxes they don't know what to do with it. Last I heard they were voting to donate $ 1,000,000 for the relief of the flood victims.
I would rather the Democrats were represented by people like Christopher Hitchins, Joe Lieberman, Zell Miller, and Ron Silver myself.
I'm not even a big fan of Liebermen, until he renounces this lunacy they won the election my opinion will remain low, and sometimes Hitchens drives me up a wall with his comments about religion, but recognizing the Dem Party is more Liberal I'd prefer it be represented by people with the thoughts of the four above I cited.
Sane. Intelligent. Patriotic. Representing the range of reasoned Liberal to conservative thoughts that used to make up the Party. I guarentee if they were the "face" of the Party they'd do better in elections.
Instead we have Pelosi, Reid, the Clinton's and Michael Moore.
It's not good for America that portions of our country are represented by extremists. Nor is it a healthy competition that spurs us to kick it up a notch to compete.
Truly, the 20-25 of the Dem Party that are not in love with Michael Moore need to separate from them. Vote them out. Even if it means voting Rep. temporaily. Then vote in sensible Dems that don't think the President bombed the levies. I hold them accountable for allowing loyalty to a party to trump their knowledge of what the right thing to do here is. They have the power to destroy the moveon'org faction of the Dem Party by not automatically voting for a "D". Until they do, this will persist.
Congrats on the 998!!! only two more to go. When you hit it, I'll drink a beer for you!
I would like two conservative parties. Parties would agree on values and compete on integrity, competence and courage. (I know -- dream on).
Problem is, the weaker the dems become the weaker the republicans become and this is not good as the quicksand to socialism only hastens.
See govt drug handouts, out of control spending, borders looser than the levees Bush blew up, and RINO's breeding faster than mosquitoes in New Orleans.
This is not good.
It is a scary thought that we need some dems to step-up to the plate and get the republicans moving again.
Even scarier, there are no dems up to that task.
This next year is going to be hell for the Democrats. Republicans haven't even begun to attack and they've got enough material to last several election cycles. They've got a tarbaby stuck to their back called "Moveon.org". I'm not even especially happy with the President on spending , immigration and the lack of forceful rhetoric but I can't help but see the continued successes but on any day Republican lite is better than Anti-American Crazycrats.
Let's look at the successes.
1. Afghanistan elections went off again without a hitch.
2. John Roberts was confirmed easily.
3. Gas prices are returning to normal.
4. The economy is still growing in spite of the Hurricanes.
Now the negatives:
1. Committing to huge increases in spending.
2. Iraq still not as stable as we would like. (4 provinces)
3. Mismanagement of Katrina.
4. Tom Delay indictment.
5. Continued ambiguity on immigration.
These negatives are not disasterous and the first 4 are working themselves out and 5 is only a problem if Democrats take up the banner of antimigration. (Is it snowing in hell yet?)
There are good things yet to come.
1. The next Supreme Court Nomination.
2. The Trial and execution of Saddam. (Don't forget the wake held by the ACLU and Moveon.org. They will hold candle light vigils and march on Washington DC.)
3. Iraq will vote and more insurgents will die and violence will peak and then drop off especially after the death of Saddam.
4. Delay will not be convicted.
5. Democrats will continue to say stupid things about how much they hate America and hate their country.
6. Democrats will overplay their hand on abortion concerning the nomination of the next Supreme Court Justice.
7. New Orleans will be fully functional a year later and better than before. (Lousianna Democrats will be caught mishandling funds.)
So there is a reason to be hopeful. The Democrats have so far over-extended themselves and have cried wolf so many times that they have no credibility left. Republicans have huge room for improvement but they are in a political class by themselves now that the Democrats seem content to thrash around in their political rubber room.
In the red states, they have to act 'conservative', but the true 'rats like Boxer and Pelosi in blue states can be themselves.
That's nothing. How about TWO CONSERVATIVE parties (nationalist and internationaalist) and the LIBERTARIAN party?
It amuses me that my home state even elected a Democrat. We're pretty much always in the running with Utah for the highest percentage of votes going to the Republian presidential nominee.
Hey Ho Wyo!
Nice list of positives, negatives, and possible benefits. I hope you're right.
As my former US Senator, Al Simpson used to say, one can't get elected dog catcher in Wyoming if voters ever think you are not for gun owner's rights.
Simpson once told of going into a grocery store to glad hand. The first and last questions he was asked, where do you really stand on gun control? People from Wyoming don't allow no wiggle room on that issue.
To get elected, the dem WY gov not only said he was for the 2nd. He had to promise the voters he would give everyone of them a handgun and rifle. :>)
Yeah, it's like the Republican convention in Minnesota.
They hold it during the the twelve-minute summer thaw.
Full Disclosure: Love the scenery & natural features, can't stand the DFL. And no, DFL *doesn't* stand for Dumb Freaking Liberals.
The liberals I know in Wyoming, mainly in Laramie and Cheyenne, often travel to Fort Collins in Colorado. There, with all the photo radar units, monitors on intersections and multiple dui checkpoints, they feel like they're back home in the warm arms of big government.
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