“In order for the Democrats to win in 2004 they don’t need to adopt the policies of the Republicans. They need to adopt the personality of the Republicans.”
Insightful thoughts from Chris Andersen at Interesting Times. I’m quite skeptical that anyone can beat GWB in this insane climate, but I agree that we need someone with the courage of their convictions, and Howard Dean seems to have that. Andersen’s point is, people respond to those who are confident and assertive – that’s what won in 2000, not the policies.
If we’re not careful, we’ll end up with a moralizing milquetoast Bush supporter like Joe “Iraq Yes!” Lieberman, and lose anyway. He was second on a ticket that couldn’t capture Gore’s home state, and now he wants to be President? Dean looks better with each passing day.
It seems to me what lost in 2000 was a lack of policies.
I know plenty of registered Democrats who work actively in state government, and just about every single one of them would be ashamed to advocate for job parity, social safety nets, affirmative action, or tax hikes that benefit society. The fact that people can’t get a second SUV to lug around all those lunchables and cases of Mountain Dew Code Red qualifies as social injustice, even as UW-Madison spends thousands on promoting their SOMEWHERE BEYOND COLOSSALLY LAME swing band while entire neighborhoods sink into poverty, drugs and murder.
We need Democrats who have Democrat values and the unrepentant pride of conservatives.