Now comes this story in the Washington Post, about the party’s plan to brand its candidates as blank slates:
The best way to defeat the conservative, ideologically driven GOP, Democrats say, is to field non-ideological ‘problem solvers’ who can profit from the fed-up-with-partisanship mood of some suburban areas. These districts will offer some of the few competitive House campaigns in the country.
We’re told that party leaders want to play into what they see as the “fed-up-with-partisanship mood of some suburban areas.”
Total Recall
The Post article features Kevin Strouse, hand-picked by party leaders to contest a Congressional seat in Pennsylvania. We’re told that party officials think Strouse is “exactly the kind of candidate who can help them retake the House next year.”
“He’s a smart, young former Army Ranger,” writes the Post, “good qualities for any aspiring politician. But what party leaders really like is that Strouse doesn’t have particularly strong views on the country’s hottest issues.”
Strouse told the Post that Democratic officials asked him very little about politics or policy and said they focused on his background instead. “They’ve just liked the bio,” said Strouse. Politics may be the only profession in the world where a lack of experience, coupled with what seems to be complete disinterest in the job, is considered an asset.
The Job
As a former Army and CIA officer, we’re told, Strouse likes to describe himself as someone who can “solve problems” and who “got the job done.” But which job, exactly?
Polls do show that voters are frustrated with Washington’s ability to “get things done.” But which “things”? The polling’s equally unequivocal on that score: Voters want government to create jobs. They want government to fix the economy. And, by overwhelming majorities, they don’t want government to enact the chained CPI benefit cut to Social Security.
The president understood that. His reelection campaign focused heavily on populist themes — themes he articulated brilliantly, regardless of his intentions. Will we see the same level of talent and expertise from the party’s new neophyte politicians?
“Certainly I have a lot of research to do,” said Strouse.
This Space Available
The Post profiled other blank-slate candidates, including Gwen Graham, daughter of veteran Democratic politician Bob Graham. Her only government experience seems to have been providing legal advice to the local school district.
We’re told that Graham’s campaign presents her as a “consensus builder” with the “skills to solve complicated problems.”
That’s campaign-speak for “lacks qualifications.”
Follow the Money
Then there’s this: “Without a presidential contest to compete with,” writes the Post, “Democrats also believe liberal mega-donors will open their wallets more generously (a PAC) supporting House Democrats.”
Not if Democrats have just voted cut Social Security, they won’t.
Turning Down the Base
While Republicans mobilize their base with “conservative, ideologically driven” candidates, Democrats think they can retake the House in an off-year election by fielding colorless, ideology-free candidates. If nothing else, that would certainly amplify the disillusionment of young people, minorities, and other core Democratic voters in a post-chained-CPI world.
Seniors would already be long gone, if the polls are any indication.
Who thought of this strategy again?
Your Democratic party
It stands to reason that a Clinton operative, in this case Rahm Emanuel, would want conservative Democratic candidates to seek office. Steve Israel is a longtime backer of the Clinton machine and so his reliance on what Rahm thinks is not a surprise. The Clinton’s and their “followers” are what’s wrong with the Democratic Party.
What I imagine the Dems are seeking is a “re-do” of the nice gains of 2006. Recall that back then, they had a lot of candidates who had military experience, and the implication was these people who had seen the mess Iraq turned into, would help stop the war.
They didn’t.
So, now they want a bunch of blank slate candidates who stand for nothing, and will do anything the party bosses tell them to do, and they will try to sell this as “problem solvers”.
People aren’t going to buy it. Not after they’ve been sold out on bank bailouts, no priority given to getting work for people, and in all likelihood will get sold out on Social Security and medicare.
The Dems will not get a re-run of 2006; they will get a re-run of 2010.
It’s time we abandon the idea of a Democratic Party that’s rooted in Democratic values. That crew sold out party members 20 years ago. I’m convinced that a precinct based strategy to take back the party from Republicans in Democrat’s clothing is the way to go without recourse to violent civil action.
The American people cry out for a party that stands for nothing.