It's the War, Stupid [The NYT's Frank Rich blasts Dem Party "leadership"]

The NYT ^ | Oct. 12, 2002 | Frank Rich

[summer]

I think the same holds true for the Dem FL gov candidate - he has lots of "dirty secrets" IMO, because other than a vague notion that Gov Bush is wrong about education policy, McMumble has no plans and no platform on any issue.

[Joe Boucher]

Summer, very good post and very good post post analysis. I hope you are right on your hopes and beliefs.

[summer]

LOL...

[summer]

Thank you, Joe Boucher! We'll find out soon enough! :)

[Joe Boucher]

She's hanging out at a gay bar on south beach.

[Paul Atreides]

Oh yeah, MotherTruckers, for all the lesbo truckers.

[jalisco555]

It has been my observation over the years that when the NY Times writes about Republican disarray it can usually be disregarded as wishful thinking or agitprop but when they write about Democratic disarray it should be taken seriously. Since they always hope for Democratic victory complaints like this reflect genuine fear that the party is in serious trouble.

Thanks for the enjoyable read.

[RoseofTexas]

I'm gonna add my two cent worth here, for what it's worth, there has been SOOOOO much prayer asking God to confuse and confound the Rats that I believe God is answering our prayers. He also sees how VICIOUS the ANIMAL RATS have been towards W! I'm bias I guess, cause I really believe in the POWER of prayer!
"A nation that elects a righteous Leader will produce MUCH good fruit!" delcares the Lord!!

[Real Cynic No More]

"Yeah, I would think someone, somewhere, is shoving this editorial in McAuliffe's face, and if he cared one bit for the voters in his own party, he would make a move - and step aside."

BUMP

[T Lady]

Poor Frank Rich has been driven to it himself-- speaking the truth. He must be very frustrated. It is rewarding to see him forced to criticize his own-- particularly that little ball of slime, McAuliffe.

This is absolutely delicious! The truth is like krytonite to the Left, particulary the Dems. As of late, they have become the Party of Obstruction (Leaky Leahy & His Merry Band on the Juduciary Committee), Hot Air (Robert "KKK" Byrd's ramblings on the Senate Floor), and Pacifism (Rep. Barbara Lee's questioning of why we need to use Military force against Iraq and her subsequent recommendation of continuing the failed policy of sanctions and containment).

Need I say more?

[Tom Bombadil]

the GOP will pick up more seats than predicted.

One hopes.

[rwfromkansas]

I wish I was hopeful like you.

[Notforprophet]

[caltrop]

The Democrats are in a bind. They'd like to seek a bigger Department of Education but GWB asked his pals Teddy Kennedy (D-MA) and George Miller (D-CA) to write a big Department of Education bill and funding increase and they did. They wanted to increase overall government spending but, once again, GWB beat them to it. GWB did get a tiny tax cut passed and signed into law, so small it had almost no effect on the economy but the Democrats have made it sound like something Ronald Reagan would have been proud of. GWB did nominate conservatives to the bench but, when push came to shove, he didn't either fight for them or recess appoint any.

Yes, GWB is certainly a skillful politician. After all, he's taken lots of the Democrats' natural issues and made them his own. By cleverly referring to his policies as "Compassionate Conservatism" (instead of the Rockefeller Republicanism it is) he's managed to continue to take conservatives, at least the ones too lazy to look at what he's doing, for granted and still get their support.

[citizenK]

One of the problems with Democrats is that they talk alot, but don't ever get anything done. The last Dem President to accomplish anything was LBJ - if you can call the War on Poverty an accomplishment. Clinton and Carter typify Dem leadership - all talk, no action and no results.

Of course, many critics of the Dems have said that they don't want to solve problems, they just want to create issues on which they can run their election campaigns. Frank Rich is right - this is not the frivolous '90s anymore. The terror attacks on 9/11 were a wake up call for Americans, who know that they cannot afford to take chances with the lame leadership of the Dems.

I think one of the major problems the Dems face is that they are too much beholden to special interest groups that are not in synch with mainstream America - even with the media doing it's best to sell the product.

Unfortunately though, the Left has a firm grip on many of our society's important institutions, like the press, schools, colleges and universities, and the bureaucratic/regulatory framework that comprises much of the government. Midterm elections during some troubling times are one thing - but conservatives and lovers of the Constitution shouldn't count their chickens before the eggs have hatched.

[cardinal4]

particularly that little ball of slime, McAuliffe.

Couldnt have said it better myself..

[LS]

I always get in trouble for saying this, but if you read carefully the ORIGINS of the Democratic party under Van Buren, Jackson, and Crawford, you will see that they NEVER had any principles, and were ALWAYS, only about getting and holding power. Back then, it was so they could perpetuate slavery.

Agree or disagree with the Lincoln-era Republicans, they were founded on a moral principle that slavery was wrong. Political power was a means to address that. Not the Dems. They were founded on power as a means to protect slavery. You cannot get good fruit from a bad tree, and therefore I'm convinced the Dems can NEVER bear good fruit.

[LS]

Paul, the House is a DONE DEAL. We will gain 8-16 seats.

The only question is the Senate, because we have to "beat the spread"---not only win a higher percentage of contested seats, but also we have to have enough of a margin that Chaffee cannot bolt.

IF we win the Senate by +3 (i.e., and it becomes 52-47-1) then I think there is a strong motivation for Miller and/or Breaux to jump, or at least caucus with the GOP.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

BUMP.