Thom Hartmann wrong on DLC characterization [View All]

On his radio show this afternoon, Thom Hartmann said the DLC has a major influence on the Democratic party, and that's what caused some of the problems the party is currently going through
Basically, Hartmann said that Bill Clinton started the DLC because union members during the previous two Republican administrations fell, and that Clinton didn't think union support alone could put him over the top, so he strayed away from unions in order to become president.
Union membership fell because of the union heads themselves. They were corrupt, and left the little man without much influence of the political scene. Plus the Republicans made union life hell to begin with, and the union heads couldn't keep themselves relevent.
The DLC had nothing to do with busting unions. The DLC is made up of moderates who think the liberal wing of the party has gone too far. Hartmann suggests some grand conspiracy involving Clinton, and other DLCers to shaft liberals, when that's not the case in the first place.
The DLC, while relevent, is not the 500 pound gorilla Hartmann is making them out to be. Most of the party is still controlled by the left, and will remain so. But in order to win elections, Democrats have to make a concerted effort to woo moderates and some conservatives disatified with their own party. Just counting on liberals in the country, isn't winning you any elections in the near future, witness Al Gore and John Kerry, (and I don't want to hear anyone with the stolen election crap, it's irrelevent). The DLC and the DNC must work together to win, not only in 2006, but 08 as well. George Bush, and the Republicans are the enemy, not each other. The sooner we find that out, the better off we'll be.