MaxedOutMama
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Dick Meyers To Dems: Face It
In an astonishingly blunt and down-to-earth column, Dick Meyers offers Dems some advice:
I hope the Dems take Meyer's advice, although the Rovian message only works because the average American does believe that we should we trying to figure out if Al Qaeda is making contacts in the US. It's not really Rove against the Dems, it's Dems against the average American on this issue.
Anyway, I have some advice for Republicans in Congress: You are spending money like water and are not taking care of urgent domestic issues because you are gutless. If we see a feasible alternative, some of you are history! If Dems ever could get off non-issues like anti-religious hysteria, they might be able to get down to business of presenting a feasible platform. A realistic energy policy might do it for them, but they would have to flip the extremist environmentalist groups the finger to craft it. Will they? Can they?
But you know, Bush's numbers are basically fluctuating with gas prices, and that tells pretty much everything. Read the article about the theocracyphobia; it is written from a secularist's perspective:
The controversy over domestic surveillance without warrants illustrates the efficient, black and white clarity of the Rovian message. Rove said, "Let me be as clear as I can: President Bush believes if al Qaeda is calling somebody in America, it is in our national security interest to know who they're calling and why. Some important Democrats clearly disagree."
Please draft a two sentence response that will work in a TV ad; my guess is it will sound as convoluted as John Kerry explaining why his vote for war was a vote against war.
Democrats thought the domestic surveillance revelations were a boon; if that were the case, why would the administration be devoting this week to a public campaign to trumpet the issue? Simple: because they think they have the gut punch: we'll protect you, they won't.
I hope the Dems take Meyer's advice, although the Rovian message only works because the average American does believe that we should we trying to figure out if Al Qaeda is making contacts in the US. It's not really Rove against the Dems, it's Dems against the average American on this issue.
Anyway, I have some advice for Republicans in Congress: You are spending money like water and are not taking care of urgent domestic issues because you are gutless. If we see a feasible alternative, some of you are history! If Dems ever could get off non-issues like anti-religious hysteria, they might be able to get down to business of presenting a feasible platform. A realistic energy policy might do it for them, but they would have to flip the extremist environmentalist groups the finger to craft it. Will they? Can they?
But you know, Bush's numbers are basically fluctuating with gas prices, and that tells pretty much everything. Read the article about the theocracyphobia; it is written from a secularist's perspective:
Superstition and prejudice should continually be countered by rational argument. But the vitriolic invective hurled at Christian believers today is symptomatic of the passions normally associated with a fanatical Inquisitor. Like the old Spanish Inquisition, anti-religious fanatics are constantly on the look out for fundamentalist plots. Richard Dawkins' recent two-part TV rant against religion on Channel 4 demonstrated the fanatical intolerance of critics of religion. The language and tone adopted by the anti-religious crusade - especially in the US - frequently acquires pathologicalThat's what we are seeing from all too many of the Democratic leaders. They look hysterical. Passion cannot substitute for policy, and until the Dems can get serious about policy they will remain in this uncomfortable limbo.
dimensions.
