Amazingly, I think Tom Delay has given the Democrats some good advice!
Democrats should assume the missionary position, and get used to it!
But, does that mean that the Democratic Party should continue as "Republican-Lite?" Definitely not! It was Kerry's attempt to be "meaner" than Bush that defeated him in CERTAIN KEY STATES.
States like Ohio and Florida were winnable. And, this triumphalism of Delay and other Republicans will come back to haunt them SOONER THAN THEY THINK.
And, the pundit driven drivel about Inter-Generational Dominance of Republicans is just pure nonsense!
THE REPUBLICAN DOMINATION OF GOVERNMENT WILL BE VERY LUCKY TO SURVIVE THE 2006 ELECTIONS!
BUT, WHAT SHOULD DEMOCRATS DO NOW?
FIRST, DON'T STOP BEING DEMOCRATS! PLEASE!
SECOND, FORGET ABOUT THE DEEP SOUTH, WHERE POLITICS AND RACE ARE TOO CONNECTED.
THIRD, MIX IN A LITTLE HYMN SINGING WITH THE SOCIAL JUSTICE MESSAGE.....JUST A LITTLE.
WE AGNOSTICS ARE BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE IT. In fact, some of us agnostics are really pan-religionists! We can "hold court" on the world's religions with the best of them......we, or at least I, won't be put off by a little more religiousity in the party. Ok?
LAST, DEMOCRATS SHOULD ASSUME THE MISSIONARY POSITION ON THIS "RED STATE-BLUE STATE" ISSUE.
Here's my plan:
EVERY BLUE STATE SHOULD "ADOPT" A NEIGBORING RED STATE.
For example, Michigan can adopt Ohio. Illinois can adopt Indiana. California should sent "missionaries" to Nevada and Arizona. Colorado is not a lost cause; Colorado could be the catylst for "more blue" in the intermountain west.
Democrats should forget about the Mormon Empire in Utah and Idaho; and the Slave States of the Deep South like Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia--these states are lost causes for Democrats for the immediate future. Texas is also beyond redemption for a number of reasons.
There is no good reason why Kerry should have lost in Ohio. And, Florida was very doable. Those intermoutain and plains states that have at least one high ranking Democratic official should be targeted by DEMOCRATIC MISSIONARIES.
AMAZINGLY, THE DEMOCRATIC MESSAGE IS NOT A HARD SELL IN MOST RED STATES!
Most red states are net recievers of Federal Tax dollars---most blue states are net contributors to the Federal fisc. If these red states are so dependant on the in-flow of Federal Monies, how can they be in the "starve the beast" camp of the Republican Party!
IT'S "THE FEDERAL BEAST" THAT FEEDS THESE RED STATES! to wit: THE BLUE STATES!
ALSO, THE SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES MUST BE RE-PACKAGED BY DEMOCRATS, SO IT'S NEVER JUST "GOD, GUNS AND GAYS" PLUS ABORTION!
MAKE IT SOCIAL SECURITY, HEALTH CARE AND JOBS! Is that really so hard to do?
This can be done with hymn singing, through the local churches.
Or at the school board and city council level.
In short, there is no rational reason why BUBBA AND WALL STREET should in on the same political page! NONE!
DEMOCRATS NEED TO START SENDING MISSIONARIES FROM THE BLUE STATES INTO THE NEIGHBORING RED STATES IMMEDIATELY.
THESE RED STATE PEOPLE ARE "NATURAL DEMOCRATS," IF ONLY SOMEONE WOULD EXPLAIN IT TO THEM...
Additionally, Democrats will be aided by the "second term "curse that afflicts most presidents. The Dubya Wars will likely lead to such total chaos in the world, that even the "red" folks will be ready for a change by 2006.
THERE IS NO REASON FOR GLOOM AMONG THE DEMOCRATS!
YET TOM DELAY IS RIGHT. DEMOCRATS NEED TO ASSUME THE MISSIONARY POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SOME "RED STATES"
---AND JUST WRITE OFF THE OTHERS!
THE LAST THING DEMOCRATS NEED IS SOMEONE WHO WILL BE: "ACCEPTABLE" IN ALABAMA! OR MISSISSSIPPI! OR UTAH!
FORGET ABOUT THOSE STATES! THEY WILL DESTROY THE DEMOCRATIC BASE. JUST LIKE THEY DID IN OHIO AND INDIANA THIS YEAR!
In a way, Kerry's attempt to be "acceptable" in the redest of the red states is what got him into trouble! Kerry sold his soul to the deep south, and got nearly nothing for his trouble.
If this election taught us anything, it's that it's better to be Strong and Wrong; Than a vacillating over thinking egg-head!
Can a northern liberal win nationally? Yes, but never in the deep south or the Mormon West. Yet, there are still plenty of states that Democrats can compete in; in the plains! in the intermoutain, non-Mormon West! In the middle south!
And, the middle west is really the THIRD COAST! The potential of the THIRD COAST COALITION for Democrats is huge.
But, they have to start the "ground game" for 2006 RIGHT NOW!
Delay's triuphalism will be very short lived. There are numerous disasters looming in the wings; The dollar! The deficits! The bond market! China's roll in the world! And, of course, the Iraq debalcle.
And, last but not least Osama. What's he up to?
IN FACT I WOULD SAY SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HERE, I THINK: THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS "RUNNIN' ON FUMES!"
THE NEEDLE IS ON EMPTY FOLK!
TRUE, GOD, GUNS, AND GAYS CAN WIN SOME CLOSE ELECTIONS!
BUT, IT REALLY DOESN'T SOLVE ANY OF OUR PROBLEMS!
IRAQ WAS GOING BAD FOR DUBYA, BUT NOT THAT BAD....NOT YET.
THE JOBS AND DEFICITS WERE BAD FOR DUBYA, BUT NOT THAT BAD....NOT YET.
WHAT THE REPUBLICAN RULERS IN WASHINGTON NEED TO FEAR MOST IS THAT WE MIGHT GET TO "YET!"
EVEN YET!
