Programs, not Pogroms

No better summary exists of the lost-in-the-headlights Democratic “leadership” than this NYT piece.

Some excerpts, starting with Senator Barack Obama:

“I think that two-thirds of the American people think the country is going in the wrong direction,” ” said Senator Barack Obama, the first-term Illinois Democrat who is widely viewed as one of the party’s promising stars. “They’re not sure yet whether Democrats can move it in the right direction.”

Mr. Obama said the Democratic Party had not seized the moment, adding: “We have been in a reactive posture for too long. I think we have been very good at saying no, but not good enough at saying yes.”

The problem might be that two-thirds of Americas DON’T believe the country is going in the wrong direction. Nothing like actually believing you own polls, Sen. In addition, Democrats have been nothing but proactive in engaging in constant scandal-mongering. There is a neverending litany of ‘outrageous’ abrogations by the Bush Administration of 1) the Constitution, 2) International decorum, and 3) common decency, all of which, however contrived, contribute to the unstoppable feeding ritual of innumerable media denizens. At least one of these overreaches of power must stick. MUST!

Then there’s the hapless John Kerry, who still believes the message is OK–it just needs to get out louder and to the right people:

“Our megaphone is just not as large as their megaphone, and we have a harder time getting that message out, even when people are on the same page.”

Uh, John, I think the problem might be that the message did get out. Oh yeah, might want to get a new PR hack. Last couple of edicts from the slope weren’t too well received.

Adding slush to mush, Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA) can only submit Student Council boilerplate:

“We have a strategy (for regaining influence). First is to convince the American people that what’s happening in Washington is not working. We have achieved that. Now we have to, at this stage, convince people that we are the ones to bring positive change.”

(yawn–sorry). . OK. . moving along. Some Democrats are wary of putting their heads on the block (again). Take Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, when talking about the timing of launching new initiatives:

Some Democrats argued that the party had time to put up its ideas, and that it would be smarter to wait until later, when voters would be paying attention.

“When you bring it out early, you are going to leave it open for the spinmeisters in Rove’s machine, the Republican side, to tear it to pieces,” said Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois.

Since a good idea can withstand overbearing scrutiny, I can only assume that he’s referring to partisan attacks. “Ya know, the Texas Air National Guard story floated too early, and Rove sank it several months before the election. Let’s try this again on Oct. 30. Somebody call Lockhart!” Dick–What’s wrong with coming up with a solution to a problem that PEOPLE CAN DEBATE? The Social Security debate, although a failure the Bush Administration, was such a debate. We talked about it over chicken wings in bars, living rooms, at Target and at wifi-enabled gas stations. Americans love earnest debate.

Perhaps there WILL be new ideas brought forward. Perhaps the Democrats WILL propose new solutions to old problems. But–duh–they have to be good ‘uns. Nobody needs any more obstruction–we need more constructive debate.