"Politics of Cynicism" editorial derides Dems for acting like Republican-lite

[NewJeffCT]

This is the Manchester (CT) Journal-Inquirer, which was probably the most stridently anti-Lieberman paper in the state last year... (and the one printing my letter about Lieberman.) But, this is something that is frequently mentioned on DU - Democrats need to stand up for what they believe in, not just be less Republican than Republicans.

>>>>

A wag said this the other day: "If the Democratic Party cannot win the White House in 2008 it should disband."

After all, President Bush and his party have led us into a tragic war that we cannot end (for we have not the troops, the bucks, or the stomachs for a prolonged occupation of Iraq); they have bankrupted the federal government; and they have divided the nation.
And yet the Democratic Party seems to find ways to lose, or almost lose, in sure-fire elections.

There may be many reasons for this, but one is surely that the Democratic Party has trouble figuring out what it stands for, at least with any sort of specificity or courage. It is a party in search of a soul.

Put more crudely, many Americans think that while the Republicans are kind of nuts, the Democrats are posturing wimps.

Granted, the Republicans are more literally corrupt. When it comes to taxing the middle class and poor and giving to the corporations and the rich, they are the champion anti-Robin Hoods of all time.

<snip>

Again and again the Dems run as Republican-lites and wonder why voters gamble on high-test. The Democrats are also willing to gut the Constitution to fight the "war on terror," but only a little. And they can no better define that war than George Bush can.

a lot more at:
http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18028945&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=565859&rfi=6

[redqueen]

1. *sigh*

Sometimes it just seems frickin pointless.

Too much money in DC to expect anything better, I guess.

God damn the DLC for giving the republicanization of this party an air of legitimacy.

[Phredicles]

2. "If you give the people a choice between a Republican and a Republican,

they'll pick the Republican every time." -- Harry Truman, I believe.

Are you listening, DLCistas and advocates of "bipartisanship"?

[NewJeffCT]

4. good quote

and, aren't Truman & JFK two Democrats that DLC types point to?

[w4rma]

5. “Given the choice between a Republican and someone who acts like a Republican,

people will vote for the real Republican all the time”
- Harry S Truman
http://en.thinkexist.com/quotation/given-the-choice-between-a-republican-and-someone/408747.html

[Morgana LaFey]

8. the quote

as I picked it up from somewhere:

"The people don't want a phony Democrat. If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time..." -- Harry Truman

[Phredicles]

9. I read whatever it is I'm remembering in a Molly Ivins essay years and

years ago. It's good to see what the man actually said.

[European Socialist]

3. Posturing wimps--Well said--K&R.

[bigtree]

6. OOh! a Dodd hit piece hidden behind an title feeding into one of DU's favorite activities

bashing Democrats first

[NewJeffCT]

7. they called Dodd & Lieberman "the 1 percenters" a week or two back

referring to their 1% support among Democrats in the last presidential race (Lieberman) and this one (Dodd)

[Joe Chi Minh]

10. One thing's for sure. It will mean Lincoln's anti-slavery legislation will

cease to be operative. Only we'll all be enslaved. More than we already are. Now we're merely menial servants. Anyone who didn't understand the value of strong trade unions will learn the hard way.