There is a great deal of talk about framing and about themes and about message for the Dems. All the message that the Dems need can be summarized by saying: "They haven't provided essential services, we will."
My house is now in day 11 w/o power post-Wilma. My local utility will not tell me when I can expect to have power. This experience has given me an entirely new perspective on the issue of the provision of essential services.
The GOP has dominated American politics for the past 26 years by arguing that the "magic of the marketplace" can be trusted to supply all essential services. Katrina gave the lie to that canard on the large scale, and Wilma has given the lie to it on a smaller scale. Wilma has not produced the large-scale catastrophe that Katrina did, but it has produced a great deal of smaller scale misery for a metro area of about 6 million people.
As FEMA aid (surprise) failed to timely materialize last week, Gov Lil' Bro said that it was the state's fault, not the Feds' fault. Of course, he also said that people who were suffering failed to properly prepare. As interminable lines snaked around the gas stations that were open, he rejected the idea that the state should provide generators to gas stations. He didn't like the idea of giving state aid to private businesses (as Dave Barry would say, I am not making this up).
For over 40 years, the Dems dominated American politics b/c they were visibly better at providing essential services. FDR and LBJ clearly understood that fact on the national level. The likes of Mayor Daley equally understood it on the local level. It's long past time for the party to return to this fundamental truth.
Yes, Scalito is important, and the Plame Affair is, too. Iraq is obviously very important. If, however, the main priority is to regain the Congress in 2006 and to regain the WH in 2008, then the provision of basic services has to be the central focus. It is the issue on which the party can most easiy distinguish itself from the GOP.
People need disaster relief. They need reliable utilities. They need health care. They need education. If a party provides them w/ those things, a sizable majority will vote for that party virtually w/o fail.
All other issues are secondary to that basic fact.