7/23/2003
Have Democrats gone insane? It’s a question I’m hearing often these days from liberals and conservatives alike. Political infighting, lack of a clear and consistent message, failure to address key issues that concern the majority of voters, angry comments to the press, shortsighted campaign speeches… All these problems and more seem to be at play right now for Democrats. The DNC bears more resemblance to a runaway train headed for the proverbial canyon wall than an organization capable of rational thought or coordinated action.
To me, this is no more stunning an occurrence than when the Soviet government collapsed in December of 1991. Conservatives are used to seeing a much more coordinated, aggressive, and “on-message” approach from our liberal rivals. Granted, their opposition often times comes in the form of scare tactics or class warfare; such as when Texas Democrats ran the TV ad comparing then-Governor Bush with the racists who dragged James Byrd, Jr. to his death behind their truck in 1998, or claiming that GOP stands for “Get Old People.”
By the way, shame on Democrats for using such a non-PC term as “old.” Are they so desperate to bash their conservative rivals they must insult our senior citizens to do it? Please note; if any liberals are reading this article, the question above is rhetorical. Thank you.
I’m not the only one who has been noticing this chaotic trend; articles by Peggy Noonan, David Brooks, Fred Barnes, Howard Kurtz, Susan Estrich, and many others, have catalogued this phenomenon in detail. For some, the temptation to point the finger squarely at the Clintons and pronounce them guilty for this disarray has been too much to resist. On this issue, however, I entirely disagree.
The fact is, as controversial as this may sound; the Clintons are NOT the problem. In truth, the Clintons are to their party as the cough is to a cold… a mere symptom of a much more dramatic problem.
Yes, we all know about the downward spiral experienced by the DNC since President Clinton took office in 1992. At that time, Democrats controlled both houses of congress, the White House, and held a majority of the governorships in the United States. On top of all that, theirs was THE dominant voice in the media. Rush Limbaugh was a mere voice in the wilderness at the time.
By 2002, just 10 years later, Republicans were in control of the White House, both houses of congress, and a majority of the governorships in the country. What’s more, growth of the alternate and new media has given conservatives a wide array of options for reaching out to mainstream Americans.
So, what is this fundamental problem that has our Democratic rivals in such a state of disorder? Simply this; a complete and utter lack of principled leadership.
With the lack of leadership comes a lack of all those qualities that leaders can impart to their constituents; such as a vision for the future, the ability to act rather than simply react, the desire to serve rather than be served, an understanding of the principle of sacrifice, and consistent adherence to a set of common values, no matter what the cost.
Which brings me back to my original point; the Clintons are not the problem for Democrats. Yes, they have maintained their status as central figures in their party and, when they make public appearances or address members of their party — a common occurrence — they take the limelight from their fellow party leaders.
But understand this; they remain in the spotlight, not because everyone in their party necessarily wants them there, but because no one has arrived to take their place. When you have no leadership, no vision for the future, and no unity, you take whatever you can get. It just so happens that what you can get right now as a Democrat, sadly enough, is Bill & Hillary Clinton.
Lets face it, this is an enormous problem for Democrats. The problem, however, is made worse by the fact that other Democratic leaders seem oblivious to the true nature of their problem. That too is a clear indication of how impoverished they are right now when it comes to true leadership.
The fact is, until they see this problem and act to bring in new leadership, there will be no light of day for them. Rather, what they WILL see is a continuing erosion of their party’s power.
What should Democrats do about this? As liberals so often say these days, “regime change starts at home.” My recommendation is that they begin to practice what they preach. I’m not holding my breath.
1 Comment
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