[Dean's World] Dave Price: 0-19 And Still Not Getting It

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Posted by Dave Price:
0-19 And Still Not Getting It
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1141840933.shtml


   I watched the Ciro-Cueller Dem primary race with some interest, as Kos
   has been pushing Ciro=E2s South Texas congressional candidacy pretty
   hard on his blog because he says (with some justification) that the
   conservative Cuellar, who often votes with the GOP side of the aisle,
   is not a =E2real Democrat=E2. Ciro ended up losing by 12 points, probably
   a lot closer than he would have been without the =E2netroots=E2 support
   but still not even close to winning. It=E2s interesting to look at the
   [1]reaction on the left:

     The sad, hard truth is that the GOP has gamed the system so
     thoroughly that we're going to have to challenge it brick by brick
     from the bottom up and that's going to take a lot of commitment, a
     lot of patience and a lot more time than many will comfortably
     admit. But that is the reality of the situation we're in.
     Wyonate supplies this Chomsky quote

     "John Hamilton, who drove from Ithaca to see Chomsky, stood up to
     ask a question during the question-and-answer period following
     Chomsky's speech. "My question is, what do you find hopeful?"
     Hamilton said.
     "I think one should be very optimistic for the reasons I just
     mentioned," Chomsky said. "The large majority of the population
     already agrees with the things activists are committed to."

     The talking heads would have you believe that we're so far out of
     the mainstream that we're just marginal, angry extremists. In point
     of fact we only seem extreme when measured by the yardstick of
     those they themselves have allowed to dominate the debate.

   This does seem to be the prevalent attitude on the left right now:
   we=E2re right, everyone knows we=E2re right (except the wingnuts, who are
   insane thugs), and we=E2re only losing elections because the GOP always
   cheats and the media is against us, so all we really need to do fix
   the system and we=E2ll win like we=E2re supposed to. Kos himself often
   says he=E2s =E2tactical, not ideological,=E2 and even authored a book on=
 the
   subject of how his tactics are =E2crashing the gate=E2 of traditional
   politics, despite being about as dismal a tactical failure as it=E2s
   possible to be.
   And therein, I think, lies the problem. When you=E2re fighting to
   persuade people to support you without really having a clear
   understanding of what you=E2re fighting for and why it=E2s the better
   alternative beyond some dogmatic assertions and ad hominem attacks,
   you=E2re likely to lose. To paraphrase BSG: it=E2s not enough to win
   elections, you have to be worth electing.
   Sadly, it appears, for the moment at least, Dems are mouthing these
   self-affirming platitudes and clinging ever more tightly to nutty
   extremists like Chomsky (though there are some [2]glimmers of light.),
   rather than doing what=E2s necessary: excommunicate or marginalize their
   anti-American extremists and nakedly selfish interest groups like the
   NEA, and forge a consensus on a moderate, pro-defense, ethics-heavy
   agenda agreeable to centrists and party faithful alike.
   While the GOP enforced term limits on committee chairs and a clause
   requiring Tom Delay to step down because of his indictment (neither of
   which rules the Democratic Party has adopted) and is about to pass an
   anti-pork line-item veto, the Democrats drafted Paul Hackett as their
   =E2war hero=E2 Senate candidate, promised him their support, then prompt=
ly
   stabbed him in the back when a career politico changed his mind and
   wanted the candidacy. This kind of aborted gimmickry is not the way to
   convince people you're honorable.
   Really, I=E2m starting to think the best possible scenario for Dems
   right now is a big loss at the 2006 polls that acts as a cleansing
   flame forcing them to jettison the hysterical Dean/Pelosi leadership,
   and re-unite behind Hillary and the centrists, who could ride the
   resulting GOP overreach to a 2008 victory.
   I=E2m 31. I=E2d like to think the Dems will put up a Presidential
   candidate I can vote for in my lifetime.

References

   1. http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_03_05_firedoglake_archive.html#1=
14179732371875402
   2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/07/AR200=
6030701860_pf.html