Blaming Moral Values - 2004 Election
The dems are busy finding some morally reprehensible way in which the republicans won. Rather than admit they just got it wrong on the major issues, or taking some honest to god risks with their coalition, they repeated the same fearagogy and personal greed issues they have for the last 20 years.
Unfortunately, they are so well invested in the labor movement they are going to ride it into the dirt. Seriously, why do they still insist that they are the party of the working man when the working man has decided that republicans care more for what they think than the democrats?
Here in labor locked Cleveland times couldn't be worse, the democrats couldn't be more entrenched, and things just get worse for the workers because big labor won't even talk to the republicans. Not even the courtesy of an interview for endorsements. Believe it or not, there are pro-labor republicans - just not the way labor officials want to hear. Meanwhile the jobs bleed to the free labor market elsewhere . What's that leave them - minimum wage increases? Those have the benefit of not costing the government much. But hell, only the young worry about that - and they don't vote. Fools.
The dems are also losing the senior citizens. These people are loaded. The voted and continue to vote themselves huge benefits. Now they are set, and vote republican. As recently as a year ago if you had told me that AARP would endorse a republican plan I would have said you were insane. In fact, I would have said that right up to the point I heard about it.
Social Security has been overplayed until people have begun to realize something should be done about it - which deprives the dems of the old favorite "sky is falling" scenario. And really, who would you rather see revise Social Security? Only a second term president can mess with it, and dealing with it now rather than 8 years from now is much better.
Feminism is its own issue, and is changing. Apparently, some women have the nerve to want to stay home and raise a family and vote republican, or, god forbid, be pro-life. The feminist cause, as defined by its leaderesses will certainly be advanced as gay and lesbian "rights" evolve. These issues cross party lines, but the dems don't want to admit it. Their core here is fragmenting as well.
What does that leave? The war - they could have taken the other route - and campaigned to escalate the war. Might have won some respect. Might have sold us on the "better war management" thing. Kerry should have tried to convinced me that he could manage it better - but he was only going to manage us out of it. It would have been a complete sell-out. I believe that is the single greatest reason he lost the election.
So afraid were the democrats afraid of offending one of their core groups they've fallen short, once again, of serving any of them. Someone needed to tell them Kerry that these issues peaked with Gore once 9/11 came along, and just didn't friggin matter right now.
The Democratic core groups will continue to bleed off to the Republican party as it "sells out" a consituency, such as gay rights, thereby making no discernable difference between the parties on this issue. Yet it continues to ignore groups it thinks has had no place else to go - such as blacks.
Yeah, it was "moral issues" which decided this election. Anything is better than admitting the possibility of a real problem.
Unfortunately, they are so well invested in the labor movement they are going to ride it into the dirt. Seriously, why do they still insist that they are the party of the working man when the working man has decided that republicans care more for what they think than the democrats?
Here in labor locked Cleveland times couldn't be worse, the democrats couldn't be more entrenched, and things just get worse for the workers because big labor won't even talk to the republicans. Not even the courtesy of an interview for endorsements. Believe it or not, there are pro-labor republicans - just not the way labor officials want to hear. Meanwhile the jobs bleed to the free labor market elsewhere . What's that leave them - minimum wage increases? Those have the benefit of not costing the government much. But hell, only the young worry about that - and they don't vote. Fools.
The dems are also losing the senior citizens. These people are loaded. The voted and continue to vote themselves huge benefits. Now they are set, and vote republican. As recently as a year ago if you had told me that AARP would endorse a republican plan I would have said you were insane. In fact, I would have said that right up to the point I heard about it.
Social Security has been overplayed until people have begun to realize something should be done about it - which deprives the dems of the old favorite "sky is falling" scenario. And really, who would you rather see revise Social Security? Only a second term president can mess with it, and dealing with it now rather than 8 years from now is much better.
Feminism is its own issue, and is changing. Apparently, some women have the nerve to want to stay home and raise a family and vote republican, or, god forbid, be pro-life. The feminist cause, as defined by its leaderesses will certainly be advanced as gay and lesbian "rights" evolve. These issues cross party lines, but the dems don't want to admit it. Their core here is fragmenting as well.
What does that leave? The war - they could have taken the other route - and campaigned to escalate the war. Might have won some respect. Might have sold us on the "better war management" thing. Kerry should have tried to convinced me that he could manage it better - but he was only going to manage us out of it. It would have been a complete sell-out. I believe that is the single greatest reason he lost the election.
So afraid were the democrats afraid of offending one of their core groups they've fallen short, once again, of serving any of them. Someone needed to tell them Kerry that these issues peaked with Gore once 9/11 came along, and just didn't friggin matter right now.
The Democratic core groups will continue to bleed off to the Republican party as it "sells out" a consituency, such as gay rights, thereby making no discernable difference between the parties on this issue. Yet it continues to ignore groups it thinks has had no place else to go - such as blacks.
Yeah, it was "moral issues" which decided this election. Anything is better than admitting the possibility of a real problem.
posted by Ed C:\> at 10:48 PM
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