Informed Speculation

It’s Funny Because It’s True

Jacob Weisberg at Slate has a blistering critique up on the Democratic leadership, the ‘Three Stooges’ Pelosi, Dean, and Reid. His conclusion, which will come as no surprise to the Viking Pundit and readers of this blog:

…[M]ore important than what the three stooges do wrong is what they can’t seem to do at all, namely articulate a positive agenda for reform and change. Voters have grown disenchanted with Bush’s mishandling of the war in Iraq and the country’s finances, and with the evangelical tilt of many of his policies. But there remains a baseline mistrust of Democrats on security, the economy, and values issues. For a sweep big enough to recover both houses of Congress, the party will almost certainly need an affirmative message as well as a negative one. Democrats need to demonstrate they won’t just cut and run from Iraq, that they see security as more than a civil liberties issue, and that their alternative to tax cuts isn’t just more spending on flawed social programs and unchallenged growth in entitlements.

Thus far, Pelosi, Reid, and Dean have been literally unable to develop such a national message for the party’s congressional candidates. Not just a good message—any message. Their “legislative manifesto,” originally promised for November, has been delayed more often than a flight on Jet Blue. When it eventually arrives, expect something benign and insipid. In 1994, Gingrich had the Contract With America. In 2006, Democrats will have another glass of merlot.

Dead on…

GordoM

March 9th, 2006 at 5:39 pm

How ’bout this gem from MoveOn.org? Be vewy afwaid….

Taking just the House of Representatives, here is a small slice of who will be leading:

Nancy Pelosi—a progressive—becomes Speaker of the House of Representatives.

John Murtha—a veteran and anti-war champion—would become chair of the House subcommittee on defense appropriations. He would be in charge of the budget for the war in Iraq.

John Conyers—who forced a national debate on the Downing Street Memos—would be chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Henry Waxman would be chairman of the Government Reform committee—he has a bulls-eye on war profiteers like Halliburton.

Barney Frank—who has led efforts to rein in out-of-control CEO pay—would be in charge of the Financial Services Committee.

David Obey—who led opposition to the Republican budget—would be chair of the House Appropriations committee—protecting Medicaid, food stamps, veteran’s benefits, student loans and more.

Charles Rangel—who predicted the Medicare debacle—would be chair of the House Ways and Means committee—protecting Social Security.

George Miller—a big advocate for working people—would be chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and could bring a vote to raise the minimum wage.