Winning Cases, Losing Voters

[rodeodance]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/26/opinion/26starr.html?oref=login

January 26, 2005
OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR
Winning Cases, Losing Voters
By PAUL STARR

Princeton, N.J.

AS Republicans revel in President Bush's inauguration and prepare for his agenda-setting State of the Union address next week, many Democrats would like to consider almost anything but the substance of politics as the reason for their defeat last November. If only John Kerry had been a stronger candidate. If only the message had been framed differently. If only the party's strategists were as tough as the guys on the other side.........





......Under these circumstances, liberal Democrats ought to ask themselves a big question: are they better off as the dominant force in an ideologically pure minority party, or as one of several influences in an ideologically varied party that can win at the polls? The latter, it seems clear, is the better choice.

Rebuilding a national political majority will mean distinguishing between positions that contribute to a majority and those that detract from it. As last year's disastrous crusade for gay marriage illustrated, Democrats cannot allow their constituencies to draw them into political terrain that can't be defended at election time. Dissatisfied with compromise legislation on civil unions and partner benefits, gay organizations thought they could get from judges, beginning with those on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, what the electorate was not yet ready to give. The result: bans on same-sex marriage passing in 11 states and an energized conservative voting base.

Public support for abortion rights is far greater than for gay marriage, but compromise may be equally imperative - especially if a reshaped Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade by finding that there is no constitutional right to abortion and throws the issue back to the states. Some savvy Democrats are already thinking along these lines, as Hillary Clinton showed this week when she urged liberals to find "common ground" with those who have misgivings about abortion.......

[cornermouse]

1. And how much further do we slide to the right

in an attempt to appease people who will only see this as weakness, waffling and not having any real core beliefs?

That's not even taking into account the fact that as we slide to the right, the right will go even further which will then raise calls for more compromise from the democrats?

How much more before we give up all of our own principles and find ourselves adopting former republican principles?

When do we stop and say "That's enough."

[fasttense]

2. This is nothing but B*sh Sh*t

We might win an election or two if we bothered to count the votes actually cast by the people. Until there is a fair and transparent election system that can be verified and audited without going to court all the time, Democrats will lose every election. Don't bother with anything else. Repukes are the best cheaters and they are going to win every vote from here on out. Give up Democrats, you have lost the knack of rigging elections and don't have as many criminal friends as Repukes do. Nothing Democrats do will make a difference when rigged elections is the name of the game.

[ixion]

3. sorry NY Times... I will NOT shift to the right

You know, this country wasn't founded on the lowest common denominator. It was founded as a place where people could make choices for themselves and determine how they wanted to live their life.

You can take your repug-lite leaning ways and stick'em where the sun don't shine. :grr:

[forgethell]

4. I've been saying

this all along, and gotten flamed for it, too. And I'll probably get flamed again, now. But political issues are decided in the political arena, and the writer is right. We can no longer rely on the courts. Didn't we learn that in 2000?

[bemildred]

5. Have some KoolAid, it's grape, I put some sugar in it ...

Good, that's all of it. Now just hold my hand and soon we'll all be
together in the alien spaceship behind the comet.

[moobu2]

6. a lot of truth and wisdom in this article, thanks for posting it..n/t