Handicapping The Next Congress? MOI???
One of my readers wasn’t too pleased with my comments concerning the Democrats and their initial difficulties getting organized. She chose to write me directly, so I will quote her email with my responses to her below the fold.
Re: Living Down To The Expectations Of The Opposition
>I think you are jumping the gun a little and accepting the GOP propaganda too readily.
What makes you think I’m doing so? The GOP talking points published by the corporate media have nothing to do with my assessment of the Democrats’ organizational shortcomings. I have been waiting for the Democrats to get their act together since they fell apart after Watergate, from Nixon through Ford and Reagan and Bush I. Bill Clinton did do some things of which I approved, but he did too many others (e.g. NAFTA & GATT) that worked against him with me. All his good work, and more, was lost again during Bush II, so the resultant need is great. The Democrats’ initial confusion and division, however, doesn’t bode well for the future.
>Democrats don’t control the media and are bound to give them ammunition. But if the Dems don’t give it to them then they are going make it up anyway (a la Dean Scream). The press is already back in ‘Clinton’ mode.
So I have noted. One has to broaden one’s media sources to include those located outside of the borders of the US to get anything resembling real news and valid opinion. Despite what our “leaders” want us to think, the rest of the world understands us much better than we do ourselves, a natural condition due to the interest, curiosity, and fear we as a nation generate in the people of the world. Thus, through trial and error, I have learned to trust their media much more than our domestic version, even though I do still use them as sources.
>So why not judge the Dems on what they actually do, or don’t do, and not on the latest contrived GOP media blitz.
As soon as they do something, I will. Until they do, they rate no slack just because they won the Congressional election. There are numerous reports in the world media that the White House is intending on using their partisans in the House to tie up the Dems while they proceed to do everything they set out to do back in 2001. Are the Dems even aware of this? I remain waiting for signs that they do.
>So Nancy Pelosi supported Murtha. Big deal! Republicans can do things like this but Democrats can’t?
Pelosi should have remained above the fray while the membership shook itself out themselves. Now, certain Dems will hold grudges against her, which will emerge at the most inopportune moment. It indicates that she doesn’t know her membership very well - not a good sign for a leader.
>We should be fighting the battle with the press for treating the Dems and Repugs so differently.
I agree. What are you doing about it? I write, on this blog and others, or you wouldn’t have reason to be taking me to task for violating your standards.
>Not attacking Dems because whatever they say and whatever they do is going to be manipulated by the press.
I will ignore the grammatical errors of this sentence and respond to your thought.
One of the problems with the way the GOP ruled for 12 years was that their supporters never questioned their party or representatives. You saw what resulted, especially during the last six years, when there are no restraints on those in power. One way to assist the effort to prevent the return of the GOP to that sort of power in 2008 (a very real possibility the longer it takes the Dems to get it together) is to keep the Dems honest.
This means not drinking the Dems variety of kool-aid.
Blind followers were not what the Founding Fathers had in mind for the citizenry of the US, but Blind followers are what too many Americans are. The only way to keep this nation alive as a democratic republic is for the voters cease being so and to become more involved, and that will mean criticizing the party one tends to support when it drifts off the path one sees them required to follow.
As for the media and their openly partisan coverage, anyone who pays them as much attention as I do (a necessary evil when one publishes opinion) will have noted a shift in their coverage. There has been a slight but noticeable improvement in the image of the Dems presented by the media, an improvement earned through their electoral victory. It isn’t enough for real balance, but it’s a start. It shows the media is paying attention. Are the voters?
But I digress.
Winners are expected to exude confidence and certitude if they are to continue winning, which is why the media is currently piling on Pelosi and the Dems. It is a way of testing them to see if they deserve continued support (not that I approve of this method), or if they are weak and vulnerable. If they can’t stand up to this mild early abuse, what are they going to do later on when they actually are running things?
To remain with the sports metaphor for a bit, the Dems are still at the start of their season. They have time to rise above their early mistakes if they correct them quickly. If they delay the improvements into next year, the GOP will wreak havoc upon them, playing spoiler from Day One of the next Congress. Such a display of Democrat malleability could erode the confidence of the voters enough for the GOP to exploit every advantage they can manufacture (such as with those holding Pelosi grudges) and retake the Congress in 2008.
It is very necessary that we who oppose this outcome see to it that the Dems don’t muff their opportunity. We will have to boo them every time they make a bonehead play, even if the game has only reached the point where the lineups are exchanged.
We will also cheer when they win.
That is more respect and support than the Democrats are going to get from Murdoch’s FAUX “Newz” no matter what they do.