January 6, 2010 :: Permalink

Aloha Kolea ~
Glad to hear something I've written is clear ... LOL

Let's get some reference in history. I would argue progressive Democrats initiated their defect and punish strategy in 1968, as they were mad at Johnson over the Vietnam war. Thus their tactic of eating of their own led to Nixon's election and allowed his abuses of democracy to wreck havoc in America.

Jimmy Carter was unable to win a second term - although he was a good president. The Right convinced America and Democrats he was soft on security. The Right then held serve for 12 years.

Reagan reinforced his 11th Amendment - thou shall not criticize a fellow Republican, which played a major role in this domination.

Ross Perot violated this rule. The libertarian wing of the Republican party defected - because GHW Bush had increases taxes. They made their point about taxes - criticizing their own - at the cost of the presidency.

Bill Clinton didn't win in 1992; Republicans divided and beat themselves. Clinton then suffered a terrible defeat in 1994, as Democrats fell apart over health care - they lacked unity.

After 8 years of solid progressive management Democrats lost in 2000 - due to Democrat defection over Clinton's immorality. This disunity led to eight years of the greatest tragedy in the American presidency.

Even after four wretched years under GW Bush Democrats fought amongst themselves debating whether John Kerry was running a "good" campaign. Therefore the horse was not changed in the middle of the stream and Bush got four more years to collapse American and the world.

Barack Obama did not win either. He would not have become president had GW Bush not failed so miserably. And after all Bush had done wrong Obama and McCain remained neck and neck - until McCain added Sarah Palin to the ticket and destroyed his chances. Again Republicans beat themselves - Democrats did not win.

It is undisputed that Democrats led the effort to defeat fascism that had threatened the entire world - yet the party is considered soft on national security. Democrats engineered the recovery from the greatest financial crisis in our nation's history while building the largest middle class in world history yet they are pejoratively labelled "tax and spenders."

Conversely Reagan and GW Bush ran up more debt faster than ANY presidents in U.S. history combined - yet they are considered fiscally conservative, libertarians and "true" Americans.

You've been both a member as well as leader of the Democratic Party for many years. Would you say the party has a winning record? As I consider 1968 to be a pivotal year let's start here. There have been 11 national elections for the presidency. We'll call these political Super Bowls and the Democratic record since 1968 is 4-7.

I would fire a coach with such a record. The public would as well. The coach in this case is the strategy and related tactics.

Should you criticize Obama? Did he veto something you wanted? No. Yet you are luke warm about him because Bill Nelson, Mary Landrieu or Joe Lieberman held up progress on health care reform - you gave Obama a "C". I would focus on those who obstructed the progressive agenda. I would put my energy toward removing some of the DINOs and give Democrats a true progressive majority.

I would be realistic. Obama carries the progressive torch. I would surround him with praise and progressive people - provide him the voting block he needs in both houses to implement a progressive agenda. I would rally around Obama - demonstrating strength and commitment - and terrifying the Right.

Instead we are 11-12 months into his presidency and he's the problem. GW Bush, conversely, was playing cowboy on his ranch to manage his image and missed 9/11 during his first year. The nation rallied around him.

Uncle Barack is pulling us out of the failed war in Iraq; fulfilling his promise to focus on Afghanistan and actual extremist nests; rebuilding our collapsed economy; and initiating the historic first steps in national health care reform.

Progressive Democrats are jumping on the band wagon to criticize him. Americans see the poll numbers and hear the complaints by Democrats against their own. Tying this to the false political rhetoric from the Right and the perception currently is 2010 will be a bad year for Democrats. Two years ago Republicans collapsed the world!

If we were in the locker room during half time of our current Super Bowl I would wager progressive Democrats are going to lose BIG in 2010 - if they follow their current strategy.

I'm not a leader like you. I'm simply an analyst. You'll have to decide how best to proceed.

I watched Evita over the weekend as I am a fan of Madonna. See this movie sometime. This woman was a whore. Who can count all her failures? Yet she mobilized the masses more than anyone in their history. People loved her - still do - imperfections and all. And they moved Argentina to the progressive left.

Maybe progressive Democrats should - for once - try loving their leaders, their Commander-in-Chief. I wouldn't be so proud of a 4-7 record. This would lead me to look hard at my strategies and tactics.

A*L*O*H*A