RK ARCHIVE - The Sick Rose

Would-be congressional Democrats need look no further than the front page of the Washington Post today for the roadmap to electoral victory in this year's mid-term elections.

In a stunning defeat, Rep. John Boehner of Ohio trounced Tom Delay's chosen successor, Roy Blunt of Missouri, to become Speaker of the house. This is potentially the final nail in a Tom DeLay's political coffin, but it's much more significant than that.

The soft spin on this is that Republicans are "nervous". The truth of it is that Congressional Republicans are scared.

Republicans are scared that constituents will kick them out this year as a result of the series of Republican scandals that have rocked the Republican controlled Congress and beheaded the Republican leadership. Republicans want the voting public to go to sleep for the next 11 months and just ignore realities of their corrupt governance that's why Blund was defeated. Republicans are scared that they will be held responsible for the pervasive Culture of Corruption that DeLay and Blunt represent. They are scared that the American people will realize that they are the "money changers in the temple". They are scared that Democrats will arise to turn the tables. The rose is sick, and Republicans are scared Democrats will fumigate the worm.

American's are ready for a change. Americans overwhelmingly favor the direction of national Democrats over Republicans. Still, they say, the Democrats lack a coherent message.

Democrats who fail to champion the cause of true change this election season will miss the best opportunity in a generation to take the helm of this listing congress. This election can be a nationalized referrendum on corruption. Democrats can dramatically change everything from election finance, to voter registration, open government, to lobbying rules. If Democrats rode in to power in Congress on a "public funding for elections" platform it would transform the nation forever. Big money and immortal "persons" (corporations) would lose their trump on the true interests of the American PEOPLE.

Provide a powerful vision, Democrats. Make it as bright and as profoundly universal as you like, but don't shy away from this fight. "We can do better" doesn't do it. We've got to kick the bums out.

Comments

Maura has a point. M (Teddy - 4/4/2006 11:31:43 PM)

Maura has a point. Maybe with Herring's victory we will spark a sudden surge of grassroots candidates running in "safe" Republican gerrymandered districts. Here is where the grassroots can kit DLC butt. Don't y'll recognize that a crisis looked at one way is an opportunity looked at another? Quit belly achin' and put your shoulder to the wheel here, gang.

Your enthusiasm is c (Maura in VA - 4/4/2006 11:31:43 PM)

Your enthusiasm is contagious, Josh! What concerns me, though, is the failure of our party to seriously contest enough seats in order to even realistically TRY to regain a majority. With the "right track/wrong track" numbers the way they are nationally, we should be poised to take back Congress. But do we have even a snowball's chance at this point, given how many seats seem to be going uncontested again?

Willis: http://le (Josh - 4/4/2006 11:31:52 PM)

Willis:

http://lessonsfromtheright.com/
Take a few hours to read this. You'll be very glad you did.

Well, we could sure (Will Evans - 4/4/2006 11:31:52 PM)

Well, we could sure learn how to hate gays and women from them.

Other than that, I'm not sure.

Conservative Democra (Josh - 4/4/2006 11:31:58 PM)

Conservative Democrats and Moderate Republicans need to know that somebody's going to get the job done. That's just what Tim did last night, with eloquence and humility that are his special gift.

Several of my "left- (Doug in Mount Vernon - 4/4/2006 11:31:58 PM)

Several of my "left-wing" friends in NoVA that agreed in the beginning that Tim Kaine was a bad choice to deliver the response, today admitted they were wrong.

I have heard nothing but universal praise for Tim's speech, which I share, and I would venture so far as to guess that those in Mahattan and Hollywood may not be as disappointed as you suggest.

It was a fair criticism of the administration, and yet, "showed the better way!"

Having read some of (Teddy - 4/4/2006 11:31:59 PM)

Having read some of the few acid anti-Kaine comments in the Times Dispatch letters section (yes, there were a few, blessedly not many)I say that it is clear the sneering Republican base are still alive and well. Also, there were a few others, apparent moderates, who still think all of Bush's current problems stem from the treacherous Democrats and the liberal media. Sigh. But mostly the American people, even in red states, seem to be stirring, starting to pay attention. Let's not let this sudden attention die down. Kaine delivered a powerful message to those willing to hear, and it's now up to the Democratic base and grass roots to keep it going without alienating moderates by strident rhetoric (like the Republicans). How refreshing Kaine's approach!

Did you notice how Bush tried to take over the Progressive agenda? No one really believes him. I wonder why.

As for your insistan (DanG - 4/4/2006 11:32:02 PM)

As for your insistance that Virginia elect "Progressive Democrats", well, that won't work in all places. I live in the 2nd, and the only way to win here is with a centrist. David Ashe isn't one. Phil Kellam is. Plus, Ashe has raised $40,000 over 6 months, Kellam has raised $100,000 over 1. It's pretty clear who has the support.

I came across a 1965 (PM - 4/4/2006 11:32:02 PM)

I came across a 1965 editorial from the Post about Vietnam which nearly duplicates a Post editorial yesterday about why with more men and money we can wrap the Iraq war up properly. In 1965 we had about 120,000 troops over there, about what we have now in Iraq (I think). LBJ got his wish and we soon had over 400,000 troops there, on the way to 500K+. If anyone at RK wants to see this pdf file just e-mail me.

Bush may run as A Re (Teddy - 4/4/2006 11:32:02 PM)

Bush may run as A Republican, but he is NOT "Republican." At least not in the old, time-honored tradition of Republicanism. And some one asks me why I left the Republican Party? Here's a trillion reasons right here. Not to mention the lies, the religiosity, the environmental degradation, the cronyism, the clear misogyny, the hidden bigotry, the robber baron culture, etc etc etc

And still some worship him, "he is changing the world! I love how he thinks," said the man behind me on the bus. How he thinks?