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Keep the Big Tent big (A Dem calls for a pullback)
Washington Post ^ | Thursday, December 24, 2009 | William M. Daley

Posted on 12/24/2009 6:40:14 AM PST by saganite

The announcement by Alabama Rep. Parker Griffith that he is switching to the Republican Party is just the latest warning sign that the Democratic Party -- my lifelong political home -- has a critical decision to make: Either we plot a more moderate, centrist course or risk electoral disaster not just in the upcoming midterms but in many elections to come.

Rep. Griffith's decision makes him the fifth centrist Democrat to either switch parties or announce plans to retire rather than stand for reelection in 2010. These announcements are a sharp reversal from the progress the Democratic Party made starting in 2006 and continuing in 2008, when it reestablished itself as the nation's majority party for the first time in more than a decade. That success happened for one major reason: Democrats made inroads in geographies and constituencies that had trended Republican since the 1960s. In these two elections, a majority of independents and a sizable number of moderate Republicans joined the traditional Democratic base to sweep Democrats to commanding majorities in Congress and to bring Barack Obama to the White House.

snip

The party's moment of choosing is drawing close. While it may be too late to avoid some losses in 2010, it is not too late to avoid the kind of rout that redraws the political map. The leaders of the Democratic Party need to move back toward the center -- and in doing so, set the stage for the many years' worth of leadership necessary to produce the sort of pragmatic change the American people actually want.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: healthcare; obamacare
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1 posted on 12/24/2009 6:40:15 AM PST by saganite
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To: saganite

“The leaders of the Democratic Party need to move back toward the center...”
LOL. They will probably make noises of that sort towards election time, then swing back to maniacal scum politics after the election. It’s what they always do. What’s amazing is that so many in the electorate fall for it every time.


2 posted on 12/24/2009 6:48:38 AM PST by Scotsman will be Free (11C - Indirect fire, infantry - High angle hell - We will bring you, FIRE)
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To: saganite
The leaders of the Democratic Party need to move back toward the center ....

Unfortunately I think that the majority of the electorate is now on to your little "talk centrist, vote leftist" sleight-of-hand.

3 posted on 12/24/2009 6:49:14 AM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Obey the law, or you'll go to prison and be raped.)
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To: saganite

Sounds like he doesn’t get it, marxism doesn’t have room for compromise.


4 posted on 12/24/2009 6:49:43 AM PST by cripplecreek (Seniors, the new shovel ready project under socialized medicine.)
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To: saganite

Yeah, saying there are centrist Democrats is like saying there are centrist vampires. They’re still bloodsuckers who deserve a stake through the heart....


5 posted on 12/24/2009 6:51:00 AM PST by freebilly (No wonder the left has a boner for Obama. There's CIALIS in soCIALISt....)
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To: saganite

So I forget, does Chicago Thugery on Parade consitute part of the democRAT “center”, the Commie democrRAT side of things or just the plain old totalitarian Big Brother democRAT core?


6 posted on 12/24/2009 6:51:40 AM PST by rod1
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To: saganite

Remember their mantra. “I won”, (I rule). They can call themselves Jack-in-the-Boxes for all I care and it won’t change their real purpose.


7 posted on 12/24/2009 6:53:55 AM PST by rod1
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To: saganite

They are no longer capable of being a centrist party. The money from MoveOn.org, George Soros, and a host of left-wing think tanks and organizations has them bought and paid for.


8 posted on 12/24/2009 6:55:23 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: rod1
Chicago Thugery on Parade consitute part of the democRAT “center”...

There are probably more people that work (and vote) for government in Chicago than anywhere west of Pennsylvania...normal people don't vote.
When you go to a government office, the people that work there are not the most pleasant (Mostly, they are thugs)...you see a pattern?

9 posted on 12/24/2009 7:00:02 AM PST by Ganndy (Merry Christmas you freaky little kenyan.)
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To: saganite

LOL LOL It’s too late, now! LOL LOL


10 posted on 12/24/2009 7:01:01 AM PST by A. Morgan (The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, and a killer. It has never yet melted. Lawrence)
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To: saganite

A shot across the MAO-bama bow by one of his handlers telling MAO-bama to “get with the program”?


11 posted on 12/24/2009 7:01:44 AM PST by newfreep ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." - P.J. O'Rourke)
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To: saganite
And Jimmy Carter should apologize to the Jews sometime around the start of the political career of any of his progeny!

Oh, wait!

12 posted on 12/24/2009 7:03:28 AM PST by SonOfDarkSkies (Al Qaeda only hijacked commercial aircraft...Obama hijacked the White House!)
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To: saganite
Wrong again Demtards. The pubbies got tossed b/c they betrayed the folks that sent them there. They are somewhat resurgent b/c they have started standing up for Constitutional rule and the Republic. Even the RNC, arguably made up of the densest people on the planet, seems to be starting to understand. Dems, if the election is fraud free you won't be a majority party for generations. If not you won't be a majority party anyway.
13 posted on 12/24/2009 7:09:19 AM PST by Nuc1 (NUC1 Sub pusher SSN 668 (Liberals Aren't Patriots))
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To: saganite
"Either we plot a more moderate, centrist course..."

Course towards what exactly?

14 posted on 12/24/2009 7:17:22 AM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.)
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To: saganite

Do not underestimate the author:

“The writer was secretary of commerce in the Clinton administration and chairman of Al Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign.”

What he is saying is that they held on longer and made more progress with Fabian socialism rather than the Pelosi/Reid stormbitching, which is hardening opposition.

In other words, to use the shopworn but true analogy, he is calling for the heat to be turned down, and to keep boling the frogs slowly. The current high heat is making too many of them jump out.

He is scared.


15 posted on 12/24/2009 7:21:30 AM PST by Psalm 144 (What did you think NEW WORLD ORDER meant? The Constitution? States' rights? Individual liberty?)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

They are no longer capable of being a centrist party. The money from MoveOn.org, George Soros, and a host of left-wing think tanks and organizations has them bought and paid for.


The scum which are their base are also whipped up for the biggest jack in human history. The leadership rides the tiger and cannot get off or back down. They are doomed.


16 posted on 12/24/2009 7:24:40 AM PST by Psalm 144 (What did you think NEW WORLD ORDER meant? The Constitution? States' rights? Individual liberty?)
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To: saganite

This is further evidence that the Tea Party movement is working, and working much better than people are giving it credit for, as Rep. King (R-NY) stated on the radio this morning. He believes between now and March, when the reconciled bill is up for the final vote, the Tea Party movement could have the biggest impact.


17 posted on 12/24/2009 7:27:38 AM PST by balls (Sarah, get off your facebook and do something!)
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To: saganite

The Republicans need to call this out right now. They need to tell the American people the Democrat playbook and then when October comes around say “I told you so.”

The Republicans need to start calling Democrats and Obama “socialists” every chance they get and calling their “socialist” policies out.


18 posted on 12/24/2009 7:31:19 AM PST by truthandlife ("Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." (Ps 20:7))
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To: saganite
“Keep the Big Tent big (A Dem calls for a pullback)”

The dem party are trying to steal America. Taking casualties is acceptable when the prize is permanent power to the elite

19 posted on 12/24/2009 7:43:20 AM PST by TalBlack
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To: saganite

Change a few words in this piece of crap, and you have David Frum or David Brooks urging Republicans to be more “centrist.”

- JP


20 posted on 12/24/2009 7:53:39 AM PST by Josh Painter ("We cannot spare this woman. She fights" - David Karki re: Sarah Palin)
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