Why We Won

After the 2004 elections, you couldn't run to the liquor store for another three bottles of scotch without hearing blowhards talk about 'values voters.' And at first, I hoped that this time our talking heads would claim we won because of values voters: we value accountability, competence, fiscal responsibility, military professionalism, education, Social Security, civil rights, privacy, and the rule of law.

But that's not the explanation that makes the most sense--or allows us the best strategic position. America voted for Democrats to restore our system of checks and balances: that is the explanation we must offer, the frame we must reinforce.

If a right-wing pundit claims we won by running 'conservative Democrats', explaining that this isn't true puts us on the defensive. Yes, we all know it's not true, there've been a dozen posts on the leftie blogs explaining exactly this. But for the purposes of TV, responding to this lie with 'Uh-uh, no way, did not!' is a terrible strategy.

Instead, we answer: "No, the reason Democrats swept into Congress was to restore checks and balances."

When they try scare tactics about Pelosi burying the House under an avalance of subpeonas, we say: "We were elected by such an overwhelming majority precisely because Americans want to restore our system of checks and balances. We owe the voters our very best effort to stop the conservative rubber-stamping, to check and to balance this out-of-control administration."

This shifts attention from vague desperate ideological claims (as Republicanism lost, conservatism triumphed!) to action and accountability and Republican malfeasance. It also cuts off a conservative attack at the knees: if the very reason we won is to restore checks and balances, attacking us for trying to check and balance this administration is laughable.

This Congress gave Bush a blank check, and maybe it won't be pretty, maybe it won't be painless, but someone has to balance the checkbook. And that is why we won.

•  Well, this is what I'm hearing

  from my middle of the road friends.  It works - none of them want to hear my litany of horrors, so I'm all for what works.  It's the work that counts - the legislation - as long as I can read and converse and rant here - I'll be fine.  

  by xanthe on Thu Nov 09, 2006 at 04:56:46 AM PDT

•  According to cannoneer 4 ,,,

  from Free Republic, it's because al-Qaeda wanted us to win. http://www.freerepublic.com/...
      Just who is this "al-Qaeda" anyway?

  by irate on Thu Nov 09, 2006 at 04:57:23 AM PDT

  •  You say 'checks and balances,'

    I say 'taxes and terra.'

    Can't  we all just get along?

    by GussieFN on Thu Nov 09, 2006 at 05:05:31 AM PDT

  •  answered you above -- sorry.

    by xanthe on Thu Nov 09, 2006 at 05:06:41 AM PDT

•  What worries me, Irate -

  is that they may attack now after the Dems won -- and not because the Dems love terraists but to throw the country into a tailspin.

  Tell me I'm wrong someone.

  by xanthe on Thu Nov 09, 2006 at 05:06:11 AM PDT