Dean says Republican party has become the "big-brother" party.

[madfloridian]

A discussion in which Dean puts forth the theory that Democrats might win without Florida because of the western states.

A New Map Out West

Overall, service and professional jobs are multiplying throughout the West as farming and mining employment, economic staples for years, have declined. Demand is growing for public services such as mass transit, healthcare, and schools, making the Democrats' pro-government image more appealing and the GOP calls for lower taxes and less government more problematic. Increasingly pragmatic voters also appear less interested in the "values issues" that have tended to help Republicans, such as same-sex marriage, abortion, and gun control.

Add it all up, and Democrats hope a new day is dawning. "We intend to contest Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada as a unit next time in the presidential because we think we can win there," Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told U.S. News. Dean's theory is that, with a combined total of 29 electoral votes, those four states would make it unnecessary for the Democrats to win Florida, with 27 electoral votes, which they have lost in the last two down-to-the-wire presidential elections. "Bill Clinton won every single one of those states at one time or another," Dean added

Big brother.
Dean said the key to the Democratic resurgence lies in what he sees as the rightward, interventionist shift of the national GOP. "The Republican Party has become the big-brother party, and this is a very libertarian part of the country. ... don't believe it's the government's place to tell them what to do with their personal lives, and this is a government that specializes in telling people what to do in their personal lives."

And this statement that ends the article is pretty typical of voter mindset of those who have not been paying much attention.

But neither candidate should rest easy. After the Wheat Ridge forum, a waiter at the chicken-and-pasta luncheon was asked his impression of the candidates. He preferred not to give his name but admitted he hadn't paid much attention to what O'Donnell and Perlmutter were saying because he had been too busy serving food and clearing dishes. He will make his decision later. Like many other westerners, he said he usually votes Republican but is open to the other side this year.

[derby378]

1. The "win without Florida" argument has been my argument since 2000

Sure, I'd love for the Democrats to take Florida, too. But if Gore had just taken his home state of Tennessee and a couple of Western states, Katherine Harris would have been a nobody, and George W. Bush would still be stuck in the governor's office in Texas.

[madfloridian]

7. You may be right.

The GOP is so completely in charge, has so penetrated every part of government here....that it might be a wise choice to try the western thing.

I always say we won't have a clue what damage Jeb has done until he is out and a conscientious unafraid Democrat is in charge.

[janx]

2. NM District 01 is going to deliver a great Dem to the House.

That much I can tell you. ;-)

[madfloridian]

8. Ok, had to think a minute...Madrid, right?

Did I get that right? I try to keep up with as many as possible because we have so few running here as Democrats.

[iamahaingttta]

3. And the Democratic Party...

...has become the Mommy Party.

Sorry, but it's true.
Balance is what's needed.

[madfloridian]

6. Sounds to me...

like you did not get the big brother reference.

[Vidar]

4. Howard gets it right again.

[SpreadItAround]

5. Yup, the GOP is very scary