DesertFox
03-31-2006, 08:27 AM
Barry Casselman
The Washington Times
31 Mar 06
When I recently wrote about the Democrats' real problems, I thought I might hear from some Democrats who disagreed with me. I did not. But I did hear from Republicans who agreed with me, and most of them said the same thing: Stop giving the Democrats good advice; they might take it and then we (Republicans) would have a problem.
I want to assure these Republicans that, although I offer my comments in good faith, there is little likelihood that most Democrats will heed them. That's because, as I said when explaining why the Democrats have a problem, fixing it will involve not a little pain. That pain will include standing up to the far-left wing of the party, and taking the short-term rhetorical heat for doing so.
When Senator Russell Feingold recently suggested censuring President Bush, his Democratic colleagues cut him off brusquely. Sen. Mark Dayton, one of the Senate's most liberal members, said Mr. Feingold was "over-reaching" and "grandstanding," and he was doing so "at the expense of his own party and his own country." Mr. Dayton and more moderate senators understood this kind of action was only likely to bring out support for the president by Republicans, some of whom were unhappy with the president's policies, but would instinctively rally behind their president as Democrats did when Republicans began impeachment proceedings against President Clinton in 1998.
More (http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060330-085453-1590r.htm)
The Washington Times
31 Mar 06
When I recently wrote about the Democrats' real problems, I thought I might hear from some Democrats who disagreed with me. I did not. But I did hear from Republicans who agreed with me, and most of them said the same thing: Stop giving the Democrats good advice; they might take it and then we (Republicans) would have a problem.
I want to assure these Republicans that, although I offer my comments in good faith, there is little likelihood that most Democrats will heed them. That's because, as I said when explaining why the Democrats have a problem, fixing it will involve not a little pain. That pain will include standing up to the far-left wing of the party, and taking the short-term rhetorical heat for doing so.
When Senator Russell Feingold recently suggested censuring President Bush, his Democratic colleagues cut him off brusquely. Sen. Mark Dayton, one of the Senate's most liberal members, said Mr. Feingold was "over-reaching" and "grandstanding," and he was doing so "at the expense of his own party and his own country." Mr. Dayton and more moderate senators understood this kind of action was only likely to bring out support for the president by Republicans, some of whom were unhappy with the president's policies, but would instinctively rally behind their president as Democrats did when Republicans began impeachment proceedings against President Clinton in 1998.
More (http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060330-085453-1590r.htm)