"memo to democrats"-*This is both bad politics and bad policy*

[dajoki]

from The Nation http://www.thenation.com/blogs/outrage?bid=13&pid=15883



Memo to Democrats

"Split" seems to be the new buzzword in Democratic Party circles.
"A split over the war, the wimp thing, and how to win," read a Philadelphia Inquirer headline on Sunday. "Democrats Split Over Position on Iraq War," followed the Washington Post yesterday. "Democrats are Split on Questioning Roberts," the New York Times wrote the same day.
<<snip>>

Instead of adapting to meet the bloody realities on the ground in Iraq or the profound shift against the war in public opinion polls at home, party leaders like Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and Harry Reid are sticking to a flawed stay-the-course strategy. Bold bipartisan criticism of the war from Democrat Russ Feingold and Republican Chuck Hagel has yet to sink in. Former Clinton press secretary Mike McCurry presents a prime example: "Credit the Democrats for not trying to pour more gasoline on the fire, even if they're not particularly unified in their message," McCurry told the Post. "Democrats could jump all over them and try to pin Bush down on it, but I'm not sure it would do anything but make things worse. The smartest thing for Democrats to do is be supportive." Translation: Democrats should help prolong the war, not end it
<<snip>>

This is both bad politics and bad policy.

"Bad Iraq News Worries Some in GOP in '06," the Times reported last week. "There is no enthusiasm for this war," said Tennessee Republican Rep. John Duncan. "It certainly is not going to help Republican candidates, I can tell you that much." Added conservative mastermind Grover Norquist, "If Iraq is in the rearview mirror in the '06 election, the Republicans will do fine. But if it's still in the windshield, there are problems."

Defense expert Juliette Kayyem nailed the policy component in a must-read post Sunday at TPMCafe. "The question--what about Iraq--seems to me to be the pivotal, and only, question for Democrats right now," Kayyem writes. "What should the Dems be saying? Not more troops, please. The fact that many Democratic leaders are the ones clamoring for more troops, long after the American public has abadoned them on this one, is disconcerting to say the least. We have long passed that point."

Kayyem then admits what so few of her fellow Democrats have been willing to: "This was our war too. We ought, as a party, to be saying that we were wrong, and we ought to be saying it now. The notion that all we are complaining about is how they waged this war, rather than the war itself, strikes me as not truthful. It was--both from its inception, its reasoning, and its engagement --a bad war.

[JAbuchan08]

1. When even Republicans are saying "stay the course" is a bad idea

Democratic leaders should be getting their heads out of their asses...

[louis-t]

3. I have begun to e-mail my reps and senators

Everytime Kerry, or either Levin (Sander or Carl), or Stabenow send me an e-mail that asks for my opinion, I end with the phrase "Please act like Democrats". Politely, of course.

[dajoki]

5. oh, i know...

i get emails from Kerry at least once a week to sign petitions or to ask shrub this or that. WHY THE HELL DIDN'T HE DO IT DURING CAMPAIGN!!

[louis-t]

6. Good point!

[Carolab]

2. They didn't hammer it in the 2004 campaign (except for a few)

and if they don't do it now they can kiss 2006 goodbye as well.

People will either defect the party or they will not vote at all.

They are, once again, ignoring the base--AND the majority opinion of the citizens of this country (as well as world opinion).

[kenny blankenship]

8. They're addicted to losing now

and if they didn't have the GOP's ass over their heads anymore, impatiently waiting to be kissed, they wouldn't know what to do with themselves.

[endarkenment]

4. Plain and simple: we need new leaders.

The shitheads at the top have got to go. Every last Democratic Hawk should be handed his or her walking papers.

[dajoki]

7. yes, but...

maybe i should put my tinfoil hat on for this post. we always seem to lose our decent leaders; cleland(fixed, i think), daschle(again fixed) and tragically, wellstone(questions about that also). look at their replacements, especially coleman, i can't understand how he beat a good man like mondale.(you know what i believe).

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[XScharlie]

13. unfair

That's REALLY unfair. I'm as dyed in the wool BLUE as you... but I just disagree on HOW to help our party... why are you so hateful?

[dajoki]

18. check out...

his post below "does it matter" what an analogy LOL

[LittleClarkie]

20. Doesn't look like anything but an opposing viewpoint

One to be agreed or disagreed with, but certainly not trollish.

We're not to call them out ourselves, btw. Suspicious? Alert then.

[jonnyblitz]

11. yeah...being gay-friendly is a bad thing..

being a homophobe is good! war is peace, up is down, etc. etc.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LeFleur1]

17. Daschlewon for decades until he was painted with moveon and moore

What have Micheal Moore and Move On done that is so terrible that a party would not want to stand with them?

Why they tell the truth. They love their country. They work in and defend their democracy.

All Republicans know That kind of left wing whacko behavior can't be tolerated.
Don't associate with them.

[Scout1071]

19. This sap in Kansas thinks you are dead wrong.

Now run along.

[ElectroPrincess]

22. Oh please, US LEFTIES are the only one's who wake up the media

Do NOT trash PACs like MoveOn.org. I can't believe that YOU BELIEVE all the disinformation that the corporate media is feeding you.

MoveOn.org is not a commie and evil organization. You have to read more newspapers. Gee, I can't believe this discussion!?!

My tin foil hat has it's "alert on".

[dajoki]

12. come on now...

i know i'm wasting my time with a freeper, but you know who owns the machines and who does the disenfranchising. one question and i'll know everything i need to know about you. who won the 2000 presidential election? do you have the balls to answer?

[XScharlie]

14. does it matter?

By the way the votes were counted and the WAY the courts reacted, BUSH won.

Did BUSH DESERVE to win?? Now that's another question, lol...

In baseball if a fly ball misses the foul line by 1 inch it's still a foul, even if 1 inch to the right would have menat a 3 run double.

By the way the "rules" are written, he won, yeah.

[dajoki]

16. good enough...

now leave me the fuck alone and go crawl back in your hole.

[ElectroPrincess]

21. Gee, and here many of us think it's wacked-out to the far right ...

I wonder who is telling the truth?