Democrats, progressives, independents, and disaffected Republicans, have an incredible opportunity in the next nine months. Thanks to the now cliche “culture of corruption” in Washington, D.C., more and more voters are looking for an alternate to the current governing party. They are looking for a Congress that puts principle before campaign accounts and leadership that puts the interests of all Americans before ideology.
While it would be easy for the Democratic message in the 2006 elections to become a laundry list of complaints, misdeeds, and outright lies of the Republican party, we cannot let this be the case. The American people are sick of petty politics and extreme partisanship. The American people understand that arguments and debate are necessary, but they don’t believe that our differences are irreconcilable or that pragmatic progress is impossible to achieve.
So while the Beltway is abuzz over Casino Jack, Michael Scanlon, Ralph Reed, Bob Ney, and Tom Delay, the progressive community must define a positive vision for America. While certain groups and elements will want their issues at the fore, the more important aspect, the overarching theme, should be easy to agree on: REFORM. Education your big issue, we’ll reform it and invest more in public schools at all levels. Taxes got you down, we’ll reform the tax code too. No more loopholes for lobbyists. We want a tax code that rewards work and levels the playing field for all. Frightened about the mess at DHS. Yep, we thought it up, so we’ll reform it. Make FEMA an independent agency, promote career professionals over partisans and appoint individuals with real expertise, not political ties, to run the show.
Much has been said, predicted, or prognosticated about what the 2006 Midterms could, should, might, and will be. But words, like faith, without deeds, are empty. Democrats must take up the mantle of reform and idealism. We must talk about just how great American can and will be. If anything, the Abramoff scandal has shown us that Republicans will take care of the rest.
I agree completely. We, as a party, need to do more with the “vision thing.” Let’s let some of the specific issues take a little bit of a back burner to a larger message for what we want for America.
but there’s just about no one better on the vision thing than Ronald Reagan. If Republicans can strip lines from FDR and JFK, I have no problem stealing some of Reagan’s lines (not the policy, the vision rhetoric).
<
p>
Clinton came pretty close taking about a “new convenant.” But lately we’ve been too much of the “this is bad, thats bad” party.
<
p>
Best part about the “vision” is that everyone can agree on the end point. It’s getting there that we have disagreements on. Why not leave the arguments til later?