Charles Pierce: Republicans' real goal is in the legislatures, federal and state
They do not stop, even when they're losing. The country told them, through the 1998 midterms, that it didn't want Bill Clinton impeached. Bill Clinton got impeached. In 2005, everybody including their Democratic colleagues told them that they were going off the cliff in their meddling in the life and death of Terri Schiavo. There were gobs of polling data to back them up. The Republicans kept meddling even after Ms. Schiavo passed.Is there any evidence that the Republicans are moving "toward the middle" in their presidential contest? Ask poor Willard Romney if that's the case. The current frontrunner is a nutball ultramontane Catholic who lost his last race by 18 points, at least in part because he was one of the more noxious of the Schiavo meddlers.
The fact is that the presidency is not really that important to them. They have found a way to make it impossible for any Democratic president to govern as a Democrat. Their real goal is in the legislatures, federal and state, where they have been able to exercise their power on the issues they care about. They will not change themselves. They are going to have to have the wingnut flogged out of them over several losing election cycles, and they've arranged things in the states so that may not be possible. The president should not be talking about "Congress" and "Washington," and expect the country to clue in that he's nudging and winking in code about the Republicans. He should make it clear that one of our two major political parties is now an extremist party from its lowest levels to its highest echelons. This should be an issue in the campaign as imporant as income inequality or campaign finance, but it won't be. Barack Obama's just not built that way. And, out in the states, things are getting crazier by the day. In Virginia, by the way, Bob Marshall's running for the U.S.Senate in 2012. In any party that was halfway sane, they'd have sedated him by now.
Read more: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/states-rights-next-generation-6655303#ixzz1mPQ7XaiD
Examples of the extreme laws being pushed in state legislatures at the link.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)on the long game. .
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)republican religious right and what they did starting at the local school boards. Sarah Palin is a good example of that. That is how she moved up the chain. We are getting religious people in these offices who really aren't qualified. We need to have people who are liberal to start running for school boards.
BlueMTexpat
(15,376 posts)This is why Dean was probably the most effective DNC Chair in my political lifetime - but he had to fight too many others who still haven't learned the lesson.
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)BlueMTexpat
(15,376 posts)Then there are a bunch who make it to the national level and suddenly think that the prevailing conventional "wisdom" is the way to go, forgetting the guy(s) who "brung 'em." The press smear of Dean in 2004 still reverberates with those of little backbone, who find that it's easier and more comfortable to befriend the corporate PTB. Plus there may have been a lesson intended by Dean's treatment - and it worked, for the most part.
There are some who are the Real Deal at the level of governors. The Governor in my US state of residence, Maryland, Martin O'Malley, is one of these and Gov Brian Schweitzer in my birth state of Montana is too. I also believe that Elizabeth Warren is and will continue to be, whatever the outcome of the Mass election. You may also know some among your own state and local legislators.
But we do need to keep the focus firmly on the local and state levels - the DNC under the usual management just ramps up every four years and could care less. Under Dean, the DNC was rebuilding ALL the state networks that had been neglected for far too long. That is what helped Dems win in 2006 and REALLY helped them in 2008. Dean was very badly treated after 2008, IMO, because Rahm and the "conventional wisdom" guys attributed the wins wholly to enthusiasm for Prez Obama. Yes, Obama's popularity as a candidate helped - a lot - but it wouldn't have worked half as well or as smoothly without Dean's DNC infrastructure and networks everywhere, not just in "key" states, i.e., the "Rahm approach."
But Dean still works very hard through DFA to get liberal candidates elected at all levels. And he will continue to do so. Perhaps someday Dems will finally acknowledge this as they should. But I won't hold my breath.
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)I sure miss being there. I also have lived in your home state of MT, big sky country and pretty nice people. I lived in Great Falls for a little over a year on the Air Force base. I have to tell you it is a beautiful friendly state. But you have to be an outdoor kind of a person to live there. I wasn't. I couldn't wait to get back to the east coast. I am more of a city suburb type person. I like to hop on the train and go all the way to NY for the day or drive about 1 hr away to DC or VA. There is so much to see and do. Now MT is so open. Such beauty and to see the wild animals was something. Oh we had a friend and his family that always went fishing. My the fish was just great. They always had so much left over and they would give us some. We sure enjoyed it.
BlueMTexpat
(15,376 posts)What they don't do right, they try to fix for the most part, bless 'em.
But although it's my US state of residence, I actually live abroad right now.
It's great to hear that you know MT too. While I do love the outdoors, I really love the kind of rural-urban environment I now live in, with much of MT's natural beauty - although without as many of the beautiful wild animals - but where I too can either take public transportation or drive to a truly cosmopolitan setting within literally minutes. I realize how fortunate I am now. That may not always be the case.
Anyway, more power to you! And may the national Dems remember that those good Dems in "flyover America" should also count and be supported!
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)where I have my Italian cousin still living there. Yes people there know how to go out and enjoy the day by sitting at the cafe' enjoying the people go buy and sitting with your friends. Enjoy it while your young. Now am sitting at home in the morning peace and quiet of rural Tn. I have to say I like that to because I'm older now and my health isn't like when I was young. Enjoy it and do all the what if's you can. You don't want to look back and say what if. LOL
elleng
(131,423 posts)Thanks
LongTomH
(8,636 posts)The tide may be turning, thanks to OWS; but, the GOP still has huge resources to rebuild American society to their liking.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)And rightly so, too.
RainDog
(28,784 posts)secondwind
(16,903 posts)a prime example of their dirty dealings. And they know that we know..... so are we powerless to stop them? This will be the election of our lifetimes, because there will be 2 if not 3 SCOTUS seats to be filled.....
Richardo
(38,391 posts)WTG Charlie.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)If they should get the House, Senate and SCOTUS - we are done.
DebJ
(7,699 posts)Very few people pay attention to local elections.
Though I think Governor Gashole (Pa) and cronies have awakened quite a few with the
cuts to education. It is becoming hard to ignore.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)me the most about Democrats is their unwillingness to see the larger picture.
Many of us are busiy being angry that we didn't get what we wanted when we wanted. In the meantime, the Teabaggers and wingnuts have been busy running extremists at the local and state levels and KILLING us!
It's time to get wise, Democrats!!
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)the republicans had no problem investigating ACORN