Boxer's rebellion and Democrats' new tone

[NVMojo]

WASHINGTON – Still smarting from the loss of their party leader in November's vote, Senate Democrats are setting a deliberately lower and softer profile at the start of the 109th Congress - except for the ones tossing bombs.
The leading flamethrower would be Sen. Barbara Boxer, who rocked the opening days of the session by initially blocking the presidential electoral vote count and, more recently, by ripping into Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice during her Senate confirmation bid.

The contrast between Senator Boxer's moves and the more modulated tones of the party's new Senate leadership team is partly a matter of personal style, but it also reflects the challenge that Democrats face as the minority party after an election that left many shellshocked. They want to expand their reach into the American electorate and avoid the "obstructionist" label, while reassuring core activists that the party is not going soft.

"It's the old good cop, bad cop routine: The leadership will take the high road, and others will aggressively oppose every move of the Bush administration," says Marshall Wittmann, a former GOP adviser now with the Democratic Leadership Council. "A sophisticated opposition doesn't take just one approach."

more...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0126/p01s02-uspo.html

[ixion]

1. a former GOP adviser now with the Democratic Leadership Council

I think that pretty much says it all.

[struggle4progress]

7. Bingo.

[Botany]

2. 'bout time.

I live in Columbus, Ohio and Ms. Boxer is my senator. We must fight
this unelected criminal enterprise called bush and company NOW!

LLBR

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. Do The same rules apply now?

If you believe a large chunk of the electorate, the electoral process in America is broken. In addition to Democrats being denied voting rights using good ol' fashioned techniques of ballot box allocation, dirty tricks and suppression, we now have "vapor balloting" to deal with. To firm up this fine souffle of ca-ca we also have to deal with a media so totally concentrated and co opted, our messages are not heard by a large chunk of Americans unless it comes spewing forth from the corpulent faces on hate radio and cable news.

The Democrats need to fight on every level and concentrate on fair voting and media reform/infrastructure. They also need to incubate the "buy blue" philosophy of punishing corporations that attempt to subvert our Democracy by subsidizing the networks that bring us our daily serving of lies, deceit and misdirection.

[doodadem]

4. Obstructionist???

So.....what's so bad about being labeled an Obstructionist? It sounds like a good thing to me: obstructing Republicans/BushCo. from waging war, destroying domestic programs, destroying the earth. How is that a bad thing?

[Emillereid]

5. Obstructionist??? I think it's supposed to be called the

"Loyal Opposition" and for those democrats who don't remember, the Opposition is supposed to OPPOSE!!!!

I mean What part of OPPOSE don't they get!?!?

God help us -- I can't' even imagine what's in store for us, given wimpy democrats and fire-breathing repukes, who can't wait to privatize just about everything except for those things they'd rather bomb. Go Barbara Go -- I am so proud to say she's my senator! She's our only glimmer of enlightenment during these dark, dark days.

[KissMeKate]

6. embrace obstructionism!

Thats why they call it the opposition party!


and dont just make it about Tone, make it about policy too!