As some will remember, I have little tolerance for anything that isn't "Practical Politics". We as a Party can't win a damn thing with policy debates and fractured Party divisions.
As a rule I stay away from Presidential conversations until the appropriate year. Right now I concentrate on 2006 as it's the best chance we've had in 12 years to take back the House and establish real power.
All that said, I read this morning, from the most unlikely source, George Will a piece of pure Wisdom that dovetails perfectly with a book I've pushed repeatedly 'The Power and The Story or How the Crafted Presidential Narrative has Determined the Winner from George W. Washington to George W. Bush'. After 35 years of activity I understood more from that one book published in 2004 than I had with any other work. [Unbelievabily this book is available in brand new condition for 1 penny plus shipping!]
Now comes a columnist I don't like with two paragraphs that dovetail into that wonderful book. (If you haven't read it I've linked it to the used book section of Amazon.)
More on the flip
From Will's column today,[Talking about Andy Stern of SEIU]:
Democrats, he says, think presidential elections are like the quiz show "College Bowl." They think it is important to put forward someone like Al Gore or John Kerry who can demonstate mastery of minutia. Repubicans understand that presidential elections are like "American Idol": It is best to put forward someone people actually like.
While many in the 'Grassroots' will disagree, thinking that 'policy' is the name of the game, the reality is that the 'Grassroots', which I personally define as the activists who are ready to put up time, energy and money, make up well under 10% of the US electorate. We cannot expect our views to reflect the majority of the electorate as they simply don't work at the issues as hard as we do.
While having core Democratic principles isn't hard, crafting detailed policy proposals is extraordinarily difficult. Witness the disagreements and flame wars that break out here on Dkos and most other political sites.
Too many, in my opinion and the opinion of some Party leaders, base their support for the Party or Candidate on litmus test on their 'personal' policy issue be it ADA, Health Care or dozens of others that may be the 'hot button' for that activist/'Grassrooter'.
Polls are useful for identifying the core issues that cross party lines and are supported by a majority of potential voters. It is my experience that these issues are generally core Democratic Party issues that we can use time and time again without trying to formulate exact, detailed policy proposals. For a list of such poll supported issues from June, 05 check back to The Political Dogfight at this [link]
While Primaries are healthy for the purpose of airing differing views of central issues, we need to remember that the overwhelming majority of the voting public (still a minority of eligble American Citizens) will make their choice on a very different standard: their gut instinct!
Once we accept that reality then the choices of Presidential Candidates become more clear and eventful.
Do we need to nominate an empty head like Bush? No.
We have a deep bench to draw on. But do we eliminate possiblities because we as individuals and organizations disagree with a few votes? No. We create the greatest possible series of choices...from across the spectrum and accept the two central truths of all politics:
- We will never agree with everything a Candidate says.
- We must consider their electability. If we don't elect someone we have violated the Prime Directive: First, Get elected.
At the end of one year and the beginning of another, I think this reality that the American Public makes their choices largely with their gut is an important one to assimulate.
Issues like 'wiretapping', 'corruption' etc transend policy issues in general because they can be understood by anyone. And those Mega-Issues are the one sending the Republicans into the dumpster today. But they have a lot to time for repair and rehab. First we need to take back the House...then concentrate on 2008...and remember the lessons of how the general electorate make their choices.
Think about it.