Daschle Loss

[SDW2001]

Thoughts on this? I can't stand Daschle, but I kind of feel bad for him. A leader hasn't lost his seat in a long time.

[Jubelum]

So long, Tom. Thanks for your 18 years of lies, intellectual dishonesty, and DEM-agoguery.

Good riddance. :D

[THT]

I think it is good. He hasn't been a very good leader for the Senate Democrats. Democrats have to start over, both from a philosophical stand point and a people stand point, so it is about time.

[SDW2001]

Originally posted by THT
I think it is good. He hasn't been a very good leader for the Senate Democrats. Democrats have to start over, both from a philosophical stand point and a people stand point, so it is about time.

I agree with that. They need a new platform and philosophy

[THT]

Originally posted by SDW2001
I agree with that. They need a new platform and philosophy

Along with a real local grassroots game, they need more people to run for local offices. The political power at the top needs to change. That's why it's good that Daschle is gone. McAullife at the DNC needs to go to. Lastly, they need good message people at all levels. For the last few years, Democrat talking point representatives at all levels have been terrible.

My platform proposal:

1. Fiscal accountability
2. Isolationist foreign policy
3. Pro-Education
4. Pro-Healthcare
5. Pro-science and R&D
6. Go right on abortion with better gov't support for mothers
7. Go right on guns with sensible controls
8. Alternative, effecient energy
9. Social security reform, not privatization

[dmz]

'can I get me a HELL Yea!!


(I heard about it this morning and thought it was Christmas)

[BRussell]

I never really understood the fascination with him. Wait - yes I do. He was in a very Republican state, so he was vulnerable. That's all this was about. The opposition party leader is supposed to oppose when there's a disagreement. They just knew he was vulnerable because of his state so they targeted him.

[rageous]

Well his being outted is particualrly significant at this poit in time because not only are democrats in no position of power, they have lost possibly their highest ranking member and could potentially get caught up in an internal power struggle at precisely the time they need to unite and redefine themselves.

[bborofka]

Daschle's loss was sort of insult to injury last night. As if losing the presidency, seats in the House, and seats in the Senate as enough, we lose the Democratic minority leader.

Republicans now have a majority dominance on our gov't, and the Democrats have nothing to lose now. It's the best time to start from scratch.

[THT]

The unfortunate thing is that it appears that Harry Reid and Chris Dodd are in the running for Senate Minority leader. They are not very good replacements.

Yes, Daschle was destroyed by the Republican slime machine. Another thing the Democrats have to improve upon.

[trumptman]

Daschle was destroyed because he started representing himself and his interests in Washington.

This is from http://daschlevthune.typepad.com/

Second, I think the chickens-coming-home-to-roost theory which I've been going on about for some time holds water. Daschle first ran as a conservative anti-gun control, anti-spending, anti-tax, anti-abortion, pro-balanced budge amendment Democrat, but in later years cast all this aside. It was a classic case of political cynicism, especially this year when Daschle tried to backtrack and re-don the mask of conservative Democrat. There are several examples to bolster this case, but perhaps the most stunning case was abortion, where Daschle went from calling abortion "murder" during his first campaigns to then giving speeches to NARAL and Emily's List to then saying during this campaign that abortions shouldn't be allowed. The stunning parade of Daschle hypocrisies and double-talk added up. The chickens came home. And enough people thought it was time for a change.

People find it hard to believe that guys like Al GORE, Tom Daschle, and Dick Gephardt all started their political careers as pro-life candidates. They all basically flipped in the mid-eighties. This sort of radical 180 has occurred on a host of issues. It isn't that ol'Karl Rove is so brilliant. It is that the party members have abandoned all pretense of the values they once held. I mean for goodness sake, there was a time in the past when you couldn't be Catholic and NOT BE Democratic. Now it's easy because the party has no values in common with the church. In fact it hates any pretense of religion.

As they often say, it isn't that I left the Democratic party, the party left me. South Dakota is voting the same as it did when Daschle entered office. It is Daschle that changed.

Nick

[bunge]

Originally posted by rageous
Well his being outted is particualrly significant at this poit in time because not only are democrats in no position of power, they have lost possibly their highest ranking member and could potentially get caught up in an internal power struggle at precisely the time they need to unite and redefine themselves.

Actually ,it sounds like perfect timing to me.

[Towel]

Originally posted by bunge
Actually ,it sounds like perfect timing to me. Yup, without a shake-up at the top there would be no chance to redefine (maybe just define?) the party. In retrospect, they should have done this after 2000.

[SDW2001]

Originally posted by THT
Along with a real local grassroots game, they need more people to run for local offices. The political power at the top needs to change. That's why it's good that Daschle is gone. McAullife at the DNC needs to go to. Lastly, they need good message people at all levels. For the last few years, Democrat talking point representatives at all levels have been terrible.

My platform proposal:

1. Fiscal accountability
2. Isolationist foreign policy
3. Pro-Education
4. Pro-Healthcare
5. Pro-science and R&D
6. Go right on abortion with better gov't support for mothers
7. Go right on guns with sensible controls
8. Alternative, effecient energy
9. Social security reform, not privatization

I disagree with #2 and #9, but most of it looks good to me. In place of #2 they need to be hawkish on national security...attack Republicans from the right. They also need to be pro-growth and cut spending, like Republicans used to be. #9 requires either raising taxes, cutting benefits, or limited privitization.

[a_greer]

Originally posted by Jubelum
So long, Tom. Thanks for your 18 years of lies, intellectual dishonesty, and DEM-agoguery.

Good riddance. :D great post - if this were slashdot, Iwould mod you 5...:)

[THT]

Originally posted by SDW2001
I disagree with #2 and #9, but most of it looks good to me. In place of #2 they need to be hawkish on national security...attack Republicans from the right. They also need to be pro-growth and cut spending, like Republicans used to be. #9 requires either raising taxes, cutting benefits, or limited privitization.

On number 2, I wouldn't go to the right. I would prefer soft power and diplomacy over anything else.

On number 9, my idea of reform is to raise the age limit in concordance with life expectancy.

[Jubelum]

Daschle lost because he failed to win the cemetery precincts and lost the dead Native American vote. Pollsters are still researching what went wrong. More to come... 8)