I had a post written, but then thought better of it. What I want to say can be said simply:
We need Democrats to stand up for what they believe in.
I run hot and cold on Ben Nelson. He's not my favorite Democrat, but he is, I think, a Democrat.
I put together a long, ranting post on why the Nebraska Democratic Party is losing, but the truth is, I don't have a clue. This is a conservative state, but there are a lot of things that bother me.
What bothers me is a Democratic Party unwilling or unable to challenge the Bush administration.
What bothers me is a Democratic Party that seems to have lost sight of a significant number of minorities.
What bothers me is a Democratic Party that can't seem to get a cohesive message on anything.
And the problems with the Nebraska Democratic Party become somewhat clearer. They aren't just problems with the Nebraska Democratic Party. They are problems throughout the country. There is very little emphasis on party-building. There is almost no concern on a national level for anything besides reelection campaigns. Petty personal politics always come before the good of the party. Democrats are still afraid to speak the truth. Democrats are still unable to break out of Republican framing. Democrats are still unable to challenge the media. These are things that need to be fixed, or we cannot win.
We can't just hope for the Republicans to be so unbearably bad that we win by default. We need to win the hearts and minds of Americans - and Nebraskans - to build a permanent majority.
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2 comments:
Dave-
I don't think a "permanent majority" should be our goal. Neither political party is so wonderful or incorruptible that they deserve such status. The only things that should be permanent in a functioning democracy are the framework and institutions that make democracy possible. Everything else can and should be on the table come election time. Sadly, because of gerrymandering and the influence of PACs, that really isn't the case.
It just so happens that this is one of those election years when voters should throw the bastards (in this instance, Republicans) out-of-office. By God, they deserve it.
"Permanent majority" probably is the wrong frame, but the issue is still my concern: Democrats aren't actively engaging in creating change, they're just pretty much hoping the Republicans fuck up enough that they can take things back.
As it is, this is a year where Democrats may be able to pick up a couple dozen seats in the House, maybe half a dozen in the Senate. If the party actually comes up with a coherent strategy - offer a viable alternative and actually engage the issues at hand... it could be a huge shift in power.
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