Democrats Seek to Outmaneuver Republicans by Imitating Their ...

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Strategy

February 14, 2005
Ronald Brownstein:
Washington Outlook


<snip>
Democrats aren't taking ideological cues from these Republican leaders. It's their tactics and political strategy that's attracting Democrats.

Over roughly the last 15 years — but especially since Bush's election in 2000 — Republicans have imposed a level of order and unified direction on their party unmatched in recent history. Recovering from the drift and division that crippled George H.W. Bush's presidency, Republicans have molded themselves into a party with a common conservative ideology that largely follows central direction from the White House and congressional leadership and punishes dissent on its top priorities, like tax cuts.
<snip>

Bush did split Democrats last week on legislation restricting class-action lawsuits — 18 Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to pass the bill. But mostly, Democrats have unified behind a fervent resistance to Bush, which discourages internal dissent and aims more at mobilizing their core supporters than converting swing voters.

That direction is evident from the near-unanimous opposition among Democrats to Bush's Social Security and budget plans and the selection Saturday of Howard Dean, the left's great hope of the 2004 presidential campaign, as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
<snip>

more...
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-outlook14feb14,1,2317074.column?coll=la-headlines-nation

[corbett]

1. That's Good News

And Dean is the man to make it stick because he has passionate logic and zeal on his side. Besides, who could resist a line like, "The Democratic Wing Of The Democratic Party"?

I supported Gephardt during the early months of the 2004 primary process but have a renewed sense of hope about the future now that Howard is DNC chair.

Go, Dr. Dean!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. Indeed it is.

We will finally beat them at their own game. Don't believe the rhetoric that we're a wounded party. The truth is we were just playing by the old rules. We've begun change all that. There's a new day dawning and it looks bright and clear.

[corbett]

3. Self Kick