What Wisconsin Democrats can teach Washington Democrats

[Bluebear]

Here's the key to the Wisconsin battle: For the first time in a long time, blue-collar Republicans - once known as Reagan Democrats - have been encouraged to remember what they think is wrong with conservative ideology. Working-class voters, including many Republicans, want no part of Walker's war.


====

By E.J. Dionne Jr.

Consider the contrast between two groups of Democrats, in Wisconsin and in the nation's capital.

Washington Democrats, including President Obama, have allowed conservative Republicans to dominate the budget debate so far. As long as the argument is over who will cut more from federal spending, conservatives win. Voters may think the GOP is going too far, but when it comes to dollar amounts, they know Republicans will always cut more. In Wisconsin, by contrast, 14 Democrats in the state Senate defined the political argument on their own terms - and they are winning it.

By leaving Madison rather than providing a quorum to pass Gov. Scott Walker's assault on collective bargaining for public employees, the Wisconsin 14 took a big risk. Yet to the surprise of establishment politicians, voters have sided with the itinerant senators and the unions against a Republican governor who has been successfully portrayed as an inflexible ideologue. And in using questionable tactics to force the anti-union provision through the Senate on Wednesday, Republicans may win a procedural round but lose further ground in public opinion....

To this point, Washington Democrats have been too afraid and divided to engage compellingly on the fundamentals of what government is there to do and how the burdens of deficit reduction should be apportioned. Wisconsin Democrats have shown that the only way to win arguments is to take risks on behalf of what you believe. Are Washington Democrats prepared to learn this lesson?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/09/AR2011030904549.html

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Only if one assumes that both groups have the same goals

Sadly, I see no evidence of this. Has Obama even stated outright that he supports Labor in this instance?

[polichick]

2. K&R - Yep, the lesson is: Stand strongly for policies that help people...

...and the people will have your back.

I wish our prez was that kind of Democrat, but he seems fine with letting the other side dictate the narrative.