Losing battle - Why the Democrats should pursue defeat in 2004 (Democrats as Martyrs Alert)

Boston Globe ^ | 7/6/2003 | Alan Wolfe

[Lance Romance]

RESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH and his Republican allies, following a course of avid partisanship and truth-be-damned rhetoric, have changed the rules of American politics. Would-be Democratic presidential candidates in 2004 therefore face a dilemma. They can play by the new rules and increase their chance of winning, but at the risk of weakening the country. Or they can opt for responsible, moderate proposals that would strengthen American society-and almost certainly consign themselves to immediate electoral defeat.

[Lance Romance]

In contrast, Bush and his allies in Congress have followed in-your-face strategies that abhor all restraints on partisan priorities.

Those poor little Democrats always getting beat up by those mean spirited Republicans. This article is supposed to pass for analysis, it was not in the OP-ED section.

Time for some Kaopectate.

[Support Free Republic]

Hi Mom!

[My2Cents]

Where was this guy during the Clinton years?! Guys like him have lost all perspective. I consider it a judgment on them and their party for selling their souls to Mr. and Mrs. Rodham Clinton, and their lack of desire to buy their souls back.

[ClearCase_guy]

If this were an Op-Ed piece, it would make me mad. The fact that this is a news analysis is staggering (even for the Boston Globe).

[My2Cents]

The first is that sometimes a leader ought to do the right thing rather than the politically advantageous thing. No better example can be provided than Lyndon Johnson's decision to back effective civil-rights legislation in the 1960s.

The only place this was a disadvantage was among Southern KKK-Democrats.

[Onelifetogive]

For only then can they position themselves to become the governing party when Americans begin to care about the unhappy state of their country.

Currently, Americans don't care about the unhappy state of their country? I don't find that to be a bit demeaning!!!

[sargon]

"PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH and his Republican allies, following a course of avid partisanship and truth-be-damned rhetoric, have changed the rules of American politics. Would-be Democratic presidential candidates in 2004 therefore face a dilemma. They can play by the new rules..."

NEW rules? Avid partisanship and truth-be-damned rhetoric are NEW?

What is this idiot smoking?

[Onelifetogive]

The only place this was a disadvantage was among Southern KKK-Democrats.

One of whom is still in the Senate!

[LS]

Rush is right, these people are apoplectic and see the writing on the wall.

[JimSEA]

LBJ knew that his action would doom his party to electoral defeat (as it did, in 1968). Yet he also understood how poisonous segregation had been to American democracy. His choice, however politically suicidal at the time, is now widely admired; even conservatives who oppose affirmative action proclaim their allegiance to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

This is absurd! Absent Vietnam, LBJ would have been handily reelected in 1968. His own party activists in the Chicago riots and Nixon's "secret" plan to end the war beat the Democrats. Very little that the "journalists" of the left say is without major untruths, necessary to their views and anti-American retoric.

[Tacis]

You want a great example of Republican overreach? How about trying to appoint a greaser to the federal bench. Thank god the non-partisan democrats were there to stop and protect America.

This auhtor speaks of a time when both Republicans and democrats were acting in the interests of America. Today, most of the dems are America haters who would do/say anything to weaken the nation and destroy the democratic and capitalist systems that have worked so well for us in the past.

[Lance Romance]

http://www.boston.com/globe/sunday/message_boards/070603/msg1.shtml

Here's something else you will enjoy. It's the Message Boards for this article.http://www.boston.com/globe/sunday/message_boards/070603/msg1.shtml

[nothingnew]

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH and his Republican allies, following a course of avid partisanship and truth-be-damned rhetoric, have changed the rules of American politics.

Well, I got that far at least.

FMCDH

[nothingnew]

Yet he also understood how poisonous segregation had been to American democracy.

I could be wrong, but isn't there a real quote by lbj, something like, "We'll have the niggras in our back pocket for generations". Like I said, I could be wrong.

FMCDH

[deport]

Bush has consistently sought extreme conservatives capable of winning confirmation by the narrowest majorities rather than less reliably ideological candidates who could win bipartisan support.

---

I believe ol' Wolfe is crying wolf with the above statement. I like him to detail out which of the 132 Judges that the Senate has confirmed since President Bush took offices that were by the 'narrowest of majorities'... I bet he'll find most were confirmed by some number X for to 0 against.

[My2Cents]

How about trying to appoint a greaser to the federal bench.

Bush has nominated Al Davis to the bench?

[CaptRon]

RESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH and his Republican allies, following a course of avid partisanship and truth-be-damned rhetoric

Where was this guy during the last administration, the one that invented avid partisanship and truth-be-damned rhetoric?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Fresh Wind]

Politicians are intensely partisan creatures.

If I could come up with gems like this, I could write for the Boston Globe too!