My Democartic brethern are up in arms, as well they should be. With the lack of substanial progress in Iraq, the disaster of a response to the Katrina disaster, the leaking of a CIA agent's identity, a ballooning deficit, and the Tom DeLay inditement, the door would seem to be wide open for Democrats to make some gains in the House and Senate races this year, as well a a decent shot at the precidency in 2008 if the situation persists. The question is simply, How?
The biggest problem the Democratic party has right now is that nobody wanst to run on issues. As a result, the party message gets hijacked by those segments of the left that are more off putting to the middle or worse the party leadership cowers in fear of having a "Dean moment", a halting moment that can just kill a campaign. Still, there are legitimate questions that can be asked without sounding like a lunatic. You don't have to believe that Republicans are fascists to believe that the war in Iraq is badly mismanaged. You don't have to believe that George Bush hates black people, yet have a problem when FEMA director Brown's dinner can't be interrupted while New Orleans is flooding. Legitimate concerns over policy and implementation should be addressed, it is what makes us a better country, the (to steal a Republican phrase here) "marketplace of ideas". Of course that also means that Democratic solutions have to be offered. It is not enough simply to complain, if, at the end of the day, you can offer nothing better.
Recent polling shows the President's approval rating at 39%. The problem is that the Democrats approval ratings aren't going up as a result, America is getting sick of both parties. One party can't govern, and the other can only complain without offering an alternative. If I am a Democrat, I am working on those solutions now, cause Republicans are starting to jump ship on President Bush, who is seen now as a hindrance rather than a help to many. Whichever happens first, a Democrat with answers, or a Republican that can distance himself from Bush, will have the leg up in 2008.
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