I've been reflecting recently about the schism between the DLC and Howard Dean.
What surprises me is that many Dean's actual domestic positions are much more in line with DLC strategy than seems to be generally acknowledged.
As I understand it, a central component of the DLC critique of liberal Democrats is that the left is too focused on identity politics, which is a political loser.
Instead, they say, Democrats should focus on bread-and-butter issues in order to win back the white man. In essence, I think Dean was trying to say the same thing, only he did so clumsily.
They say that the middle class is up for grabs, and the way to capture them is to convince them that you stand up for them.
As far as I can tell, Dean has dropped many of the issues that the DLC doesn't like: gun control or gun "safety," the death penalty, spending increases, etc. And his economic policies are largely in line with the DLC's, with the exception of his new mumblings about "fair trade" and his avowed promise to repeal all of the tax cuts.
I also note that the DLC is very uncomfortable with the gay marriage wedge issue, which we all know is going to get ugly. As far as I can tell, their strategy is to change the subject.
Consider this Will Marshall speech:
And the Republicans have been masters of taking wedge issues, like abortion -- the one that's so current right now is gay marriage and the so-called homosexual agenda, whatever all that means -- gay marriage, homosexual agenda, guns, patriotism, other issues. But they come up with these wedge issues, and let me tell you something. Let's be honest about it. It's worked. It's worked. And it's time for Democrats to fight back.
It's time for Democrats to stand up and be counted on some of these issues, but you and I know -- you and I know that if you look at the issues out there that are facing this country -- your blue collar, your working family, your middle America, whatever the case may be -- chances are Democratic policies are much, much, much better for you than Republican policies.
That's not an answer, as far as I can tell. They have no clue what to do about this issue.
Anyway, the point is that it's really a question of tone, Dean's vaguely neo-Marxist critiques of the Bush cronyism, Iraq, and middle class tax cuts, combined with his perceived vulnerability on gay marriage.
Say what you want about the political cravenness of the DLC, but they do represent a decent swath of the electorate. So Dean will need to figure out how to tack right on these in the general election. Obviously, he's not going anywhere regarding Iraq, so the more fungible parts of his campaign strategy are tone, and middle class tax cuts. As for gay marriage, that's a tough one.
Regarding Iraq, Bush took much of the wind out of the sails of the DLC's "progressive internationalism" with his recent democracy speech.
Republicans will always be able to outflank us like this. Of course, we here at dailyKos know that this administration can't be trusted with a complicated thing like trying to install democracy in the Middle East, but most voters will probably swallow this hook, line, and sinker.
It's really Clark that hits all of the DLC talking points, yet compensates for their weakness. Too bad his campaign manager sucks.
Oh, dear. What a rambling, confused post I've written. Tell me what you think.