First, you have one point that is flawed in a major way:
22) The Economy is now in the best shape it has been in our lifetime.
By the time the fall elections roll around, it will be clear to most Americans that there are significant flaws in the economy and when people begin to think about the economy that will be "supporting" the boomers when they retire, it will gradually dawn on an ever increasing number of Americans that the existing socialistic model of our economy which is cast in concrete by current law is actually terminally flawed.
The disconcerting part of your case relates to labeling and how products can change. They still call them FORDS, but there is a vast difference between a 1930's Ford and 2006 Ford, or a 1930's airplane and a 747 or F18. The problem with current labeling is that a 2006 Republican is much more like a 1950's Democrat than a Reagan or Goldwater Republican. The Democrats have become radical socialists, but Republicans have been following the Democrats to the left. What are the "big" things Republicans have done under Bush? Campaign Finance Reform, Transportation and Farm Bills designed to gorge a hog, and Medicare Prescription Drugs, not to mention appointing a lunatic to head the Federal Reserve. Where have Republicans balked? Complete voluntary privatization of Social Security, ending the Department of the Education, ending the IRS, and except for genuine conservatives threatening to boycott the party, the Meirs appointment to the Court.
While the labels might lead one to think that Republicans have been winning and show genuine promise of continuing to win and therefore the country is becoming more conservative and returning to its Constitutional roots, the reality is very different. The problem with this scenario is that the Democrats are becomming communists and the Republicans are adopting the positions being vacated by the Democrats. While the labels are the same, the politics haven't changed, only now it's the Republicans in office who are becoming the closet big government socialists. It is very important not to be fooled by this.
Yet this depth doesn't seem to show in upcoming Senate races. The GOP is having a hard time going after vulnerable 'rats because no serious candidate seems to want to run, e.g. Washington state vs. Cantwell.
Good stuff:
Democrats stand for:
Your 13year old daughter can have an abortion without telling you;
Two queers (their word not mine) “marrying” is a healthy alternate lifestyle;
America is a force for evil in the world;
An American defeat in Iraq would be a good thing;
America is always wrong. Europe is superior to America;
We should cut and run in a quick surrender in Iraq;
Hollywood values are American values;
Voters are stupid and liberal activist judges know better;
Patriotism is child like and corny;
School prayer was the cause of problems in our government schools;
All money belongs to Washington;
All of this is true
But complacency can still kill us
But they don't act that way. Furthermore, both Gore and Kerry came within a single state of winning. Most people don't like to be labeled extreme on either side--it does not, however, change who they really are.
Florida’s demographics
Overall favors Republicans, true. Just remember: it was won by a hair in 2000. These people are fully capable of supporting a Democrat.
The war in Iraq is not the quagmire the black table -phone media and the Democrats have spent the last three years telling us it is. Americans know this and have stop responding to these lies half truths and distortions.
The war in Iraq is going neither so well as Bush says nor so badly as the Democrats are saying. The problem is that most of the American people hear that it is a quagmire from the media and are starting to believe it. To sum up: Iraq is not a positive subject for the Republicans
Big Labor’s pull back from the Democrats will hurt them. In some races it will be the difference, no matter how the old media will try to spin it.
Any pullback hurts and yes, it may hurt them next election--but probably not on a massive scale.
Howard Dean has crossed the line from “not helpful” to hurtful.
To the contrary, Dean is perfect for the Democrats right where he is. I truly believe that Dean was made the DNC chair to get him out of the way. See, he would always be a threat to win the nomination, but never a threat to go all the way. Most people think he is a little off his rocker, sure. But for most of them, it will not change how they actually vote.
No voter fraud means trouble in many locations for Democrats
True, but voter fraud changes few races and what makes you think it is about to stop?
The loss of Louisiana after the investigation
The "investigation" is a sham. If it does not condemn Bush it will be shoved under a rug. If it succors Bush, the media will declaim it and it will eventually vaporize.
The conservative blogosphere: 527 times stronger
The majority of people still watch CBS/NBC/ABC/CNN (no one watches MSNBC) or read the NYT. The view of the average person is colored far more by the MSM than by the blogosphere.
Blacks are slowly leaving the Democrats
Shrinkage is minor and not enough time has passed to see how things work out. Bush was a state away from losing in 2004 to a BAD candidate. Clinton, evil though he was, was a great politician. Kerry is a pathetic one--and Bush couldn't crush him.
Democrats have come to rely on liars who give them phony poll information.
From an electoral point of view, it doesn't matter.
Redistricting make the numbers impossible
Temporary. Advantage/disadvantage does not stipulate victory.
Doom and gloom, rooting for the terrorists, doesn’t sell very well
But that is not how most people will view it. They will take the doom and gloom as genuine criticism and, except in the most egregious cases, not even realize who the Democrats really favor.
Scandals can carry you just so far
But probably just far enough. All they need to do is make the other person look worse than themselves...and they're succeeding. Most people never see just how flimsy the charges are.
America knows and understands the Democrats stand for:
To the contrary, most Americans (the liberals and then the "moderates") don't understand in the slightest.
Evangelicals are in the game to stay
If the Republicans keep antagonizing them by snubbing their goals and priorities, maybe not.
Banning guns still won’t win elections
But "reducing crime" does, and that's how they sell it.
Cindy Sheehan is the crazy cat woman from the Simpson’s
True. Once again, most people will not project this onto other Democratic candidates.
Queers (that’s their word not mine) marrying? No thanks.
Most people feel that way, but not strongly enough to repudiate the Democrats, who are blatantly in favor of it. The people who regard this as a defining issue would never vote Democrat anyway, so no loss.
The candidate Gap
Disagree. Democrats have some decent prospects on the horizon and certainly are no worse off than the Republicans.
The message Gap
They have a message. Not a meaningful one, but they have it. Because Kerry was a bad candidate who almost won on this "message gap" I think we have to assume that a decent candidate can readily win.
The money Gap
Soon to be closed. Who do the Democrats have behind them for fundraising? Practically all of Hollywood. Quite a force in the monetary arena. The Clintons have also proven that, through legitimate means or no, the Democrats can raise ridiculous amounts of money.
The Economy is now in the best shape it has been in our lifetime
But the media has convinced the "middle-of-the road" people that this is not the case.
The meaning of Bush’s improved voter numbers
He ran against a bad candidate and, if things are as glorious as you say, he should have done a lot better.
The Clinton magic is over
Didn't we say that after Lewinsky? You're a fool to count them out now.
Bungling the Alito hearings
Alito will be confirmed, but I can't bring myself to believe that anything they have done will haunt them. They have done so much smearing in the past that one more time won't make a difference.
The never ending millstones around their neck
Those "millstones" comprise the majority of the party and give them a legitimate chance to win.
Bravo
GREAT READING,
Thanks.
Your final point is the most telling.
The Democratic Party, in order to regain national prominence, must distance itself from the raving moonbats in its party. Think back to the 80s, to the rise of the conservative movement. The Republican party had to actively dissasociate itself from the white supremacists (think David Duke), the blatant anti-Semites (think Pat Buchanan), and the other extremists within the party. Do you really think we would have had 5 victories in the last 7 presidential elections, or taken control of both houses of Congres, had we embraced Buchanan, Duke, and their ilk? Of course not.
The problem for the left, however, is that the moonbats are their biggest financial supporters. Until they accept the short-term pain and cut ties, formally and officially, with Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan, Harry Belafonte, etc., their death spiral will continue.
Eventually, I believe the Democrat Party will split. There will be an ultra-liberal faction that will be small but influential due to the amount of money they bring in. They will likely create a "new" party with a new name. Eventually, due to inability to actually win any elections, that party will fade to obsolescence. The larger, more centrist party will retain the name Democrat, and, in time, will move towards the center and become a serious challenge to Republicans again, probably around 2020.
bumping
Thanks so much. Just forwarded this list to all of my concerned friends...with the subject line: Positive Stuff
Great post. Of course they still have major $$$$ on their side in the likes of MMoore, Sooroos, and other left likes. The division in this country is the reason why they shelve out the big bucks. I hope they spend their last dimes trying to do so. Evil cannot win and will not win. They can do nothing without permission of our One and Only God...the One in whom those athiests do not believe.
The Dems have a long way to go to get as far down as they were in 1924. A mere eight years later they were in charge and stayed there for a generation. Granted it took the collapse of the economy to bring them back from 1924 but it just shows you that you cannot count them out. Stay eternally vigilant.
Good list - worth bookmarking!
Very well done. All of what you say is true, and indeed the Dems have many problems going forward. That said, our side has one HUGE problem, and it has to do with how most of our citizens get the their bread buttered. More on this here.......http://axiomattic.blogspot.com/2006/01/two-americas.html
millstones = constituents. That's how they win.
I like it!
Excellent analysis. We still need to contribute money and effort to campaigns, but victory is clearly available to us.
Don't worry, we have a solid contingent of religous FReepers doing their darndest to beat this emerging movement into the ground. Their motto, "If it has a drum set, it must be a false sect."
Right On.
I'll read the whole post later.