Embrace Partisanship

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Democrats need to get their minds around this, and they need to do it in a hurry. The 2006 Congressional elections are not about "reaching across the isle" in any way whatsoever. On the contrary, they are going to be, as they have been for the past three election cycles at least, totally about partisanship.

Tony Snow threw down the gauntlet, tipping us off as to Rove's scheme for the upcoming elections. And in a nutshell, Rove will have the main stream media explaining over and over about how far to the left Democrats have moved, and how Americans cannot trust a bunch of extreme left-wingers to run the country. For Rove and the Republicans, it is a pretty good plan. Rove is a master of deceit and misdirection, and let's face it, the man knows how to scheme. Painting Democrats as a threat is old hat for this bunch - and you'd better believe, they are poised to do it again.

However, there is one certain way, and as it happens, a necessary way, to defeat this strategy.

Embrace it.

Embrace the partisanship Republicans have been practicing for the past six years, and do it enthusiastically.

Conservatives and Republicans have shown that they cannot be trusted to run the government. They have demonstrated how their cherished ideas, when put to action, fail miserably in the real world. They have only abused their power, even when they had the opportunity to do such massive good with it, choosing instead to squander it on personal greed.

So to all of you Democrats out there running for office, and to all who support Democrats, I say, EMBRACE PARTISANSHIP IN 2006. Take the fight to the Republicans, put them on the defensive. Don't DEFEND yourself when Republicans or the press say you are a left-winger, instead turn it around on them. I mean, come on - these Republicans are so far right they would accuse Francisco Franco of being left-wing!

Think about it: Only a right-wing whacko would consider someone like Ned Lamont a far left extremist. So don't argue with the pundits and Republicans who say we are left wing. Because compared to how far on the right these loonies reside, everyone who disagrees with them - even a little bit
- ends up left of them.

Republicans, over the last decade, have been completely and utterly partisan. There has been no meaningful "reaching across the isle" from Republicans, unless they have some plan to make use of Democrats enthralled by the offer of bi-partisanship. Even the vaunted Gang of Fourteen was nothing more than a ruse created by Republicans, and enabled in no small part by Lieberman, to ensure President Bush's far-right judges got onto the Supreme Court.

True bi-partisanship, has as its goal, the intent to do better for America. True bi-partisanship is so much more consistent, than the scattered photo-op moments that have passed for bi-partisanship in the last six years. So stop believing the right-wing propaganda which shouts loudly about how great bi-partisanship is with the Republicans. Stop buying into the offers to "work together" when Republican's own behavior has made it quite clear they cooperate for their own ends - and their "bi-partisan cooperation," when it comes, is not intended in any way to actually serve America.

Rove's Republican strategy depends upon Democrats taking this bait, and running towards the "center" - or in other words, the right - in a feeble and predictable attempt to defend themselves. John Kerry fell for it, leading to his disasterous, "I voted for it before I voted against it" remark. Rove needs Democrats to defend themselves from the left-wing label. So, Democrats, don't give him what he needs.

Embrace partisanship. Loudly and proudly proclaim the Democratic way is better, and shove the left-wing label down their throats by pointing out just how far to the right Republicans have gone. And Democratic strategy must include this fact, else Republicans will once more control the debate, will control the language, and will be free to label Democrats, and move America's future even farther right - off the deep end.