Friday, December 19, 2003
Evolution at Work
MSNBC - Labor's McEntee Powers Dean0 comments
This is the graph that stands out, I believe:
Why is AFSCME backing [Howard] Dean, instead of [Rep. Richard] Gephardt, whose voting record on labor issues is well-nigh impeccable?
“It was much more than Iraq,” [AFSCME President Gerald] McEntee said. “It was Dean’s stand—it was his stand,” he repeats, emphasizing the word “stand.”
“He would stand up to Bush. Our people have been disappointed in Democrats in leadership, particularly in 2002. Our activists believe they just gave Bush almost whatever he wanted, for example, on the tax bill. On all of these issues, on Iraq, on the economy, on health care, on education, Dean has been willing to stand up against Bush, stand up straight and talk against them.”
...stand up straight...?!
That, ladies and gentlemen, seems to be what this entire election season is coming down to in a nutshell. Who among us can stand up straight in this time of constitutional peril?
That also seems to be the basis of Dean's whole appeal.
Spine.
Dean, to this juncture, seems the ONLY candidate with even the appearance of giving a damn about anything other than himself. And he obviously cares mightily for himself.
I don't see Dean pulling ahead, necessarily. Rather, I see the others falling further behind, becoming more flabby and inconsequential with each passing day.
I look at the other Democratic candidates, and keep looking for the bedrock concern for the state of and future of the American people. Or even a charismatic sense of leadership. I keep seeing instead: basic core ambition. No vision; just lust for another shining trophy for the resume. A cap for the career. A higher profile for the future. An acknowledgement that it's "my turn." A hunger for the most powerful job on the planet. In essence, a whole lot of whining and precious little leadership.
The core message so far from them all is: "Look how badly Bush has done. How could I be any worse? Just give me the job; I'll figure out what to do with it later."
Which apes the message that's come from George W. Bush since 2000, and is the basis of his re-election campaign: "Just give us time; we're still working on it; everybody else would be worse. We're almost there..."
These violent attacks on Dean have nothing at all to do with Dean or his record, policies or agendas. It has nothing at all to do with his being "too left." He is not "too left."
He is, basically, "too far in front."
If former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun or Sen. Joseph Leiberman or any other derby entrant were to be this far in front, they would face the same level of outraged attack.
The remaining candidates have so far refused to acknowledge the facts: that they have been out-manuevered, out-thought, out-spent and, what's most telling, out-worked. Period. Dean's machine has been better—so far—than their's. That's all there is to this. The yowling from the tar pits seems to bear this out.
Dean has built a better mousetrap, and people seem to be responding. So, the others must re-tool, compete and become better, right? Nahhhh...
A centerpiece plank of the established centrist DLC is the ongoing support of business interests and the free marketplace. Well, this primary season is turning into a microcosm of that free marketplace. Politically, everyone has been comfortable doing business in a certain way for quite some time. But an innovator comes along, trying new ideas, and lo and behold, those ideas seem to resonate with the consumer.
So, in traditional business fashion, instead of seeing the public wants this new mousetrap and revamping to serve the needs of the public and competing for their attention, the established players do everything they can to hobble and destroy the newcomer. If done early enough, this can succeed. If the innovation is allowed time to root, the established companies become unable to compete, are bypassed and usually face extinction.
This is the scenario we see acted out before us currently.
The danger of this intraparty lashing out at Dean was pointed out in yesterday's New York Times poll which reported that 25% of Americans already have a negative impression of Howard Dean.
Gee, I wonder where that came from? The Republicans haven't really even started yet.
And someone please tell me, how can muddying the face of anyone who tries to climb out of the tar pits possibly help the effort to defeat Bush next November?
Pop Quiz:
When's the last time that your representative in Congress,
or your Senator represented YOUR interests?
Get Angry! Have your say. Write your elected officials now!
Here's the Realtime Iraq Invasion Cost Clock!
posted by Gotham 12:51 PM
0 Comments:
