At the New Republic, writer Jacob T. Levy is disappointed that Joe Lieberman isn't translating well as a viable Presidential candidate these days. He claims that Howard Dean is "distancing himself" from Bill Clinton. In my opinion, the distance has already naturally occurred in the past 3 years
of daily, systematic Clinton-dismantling activities by the Bush Administration. Howard Dean is not Bill Clinton. He is Howard Dean. He respects much of what Clinton did, as we all do. Yet we must remember we are no longer standing on the precipice of a new millenium with the hope that Clinton was afforded. In the late 90s, we could imagine taking flight from that precipice.
We cannot forget Clinton's fall.
It hurt us all so very much.
It was a immense help in the bringing forth of George W. Bush.
Mr. Levy writes:
"....New Democratic moment was a fragile one, and its highlights more than a bit accidental. Welfare reform, NAFTA, and the WTO were all essentially products of the interaction between Clinton, a small minority of moderate Democrats, and a majority (but not an overwhelming majority) of congressional Republicans. The budget surplus was the result of a bitter standoff between Clinton and Newt Gingrich's GOP over fiscal policy; for a brief moment, both sides decided they would rather let accumulating revenues just sit there than let the other side use them.
But the good news is that, accidental or not, some of the most important New Democratic policy triumphs of the '90s are more or less locked into place. And that may contribute to changing the political climate a few years down the road..."
While this may be true, you just cannot change the fact that too much water has run under the bridge.
Clinton was able to snuggle the center during his terms as President. In 1998, the lies about Lewinsky and the ensuing GOP witch-hunt blew the swing-voters, who had been caressed in the GOP-lite center so long by Clinton, back to the old-values right. Gore was damaged goods to swing-voters by 2000, thanks to a tarnished White House and the abandonment of Gore even by the fickle mainstream press (Maureen Dowd and Frank Rich were two of the worst). While many would love to have blamed Gore, we people outside Washington aren't that stupid. We see things for exactly what they have been.
Low, petty journalism and a kick to the stomach of the body of swing-voters by Clinton's ethical fall caused the election to come down to the Supreme Court being able to step in and overtake Florida's right to govern their own electoral process. It will always be one of the lowest points (if not THE lowest point) in the history of true freedom and democracy in America.
The Gingriches and Norquists make it crystal-clear that they want to crush and kill our education system, our unions, our social programs. They do not wish to diminish them....they wish to crush the life out of them.
No, this coming election in 2004 is NOT a time for a DLC/New Democrat centrist.
Not after three years of Bush's destruction and tearing down all the good Clinton tried to do.
It is time to be optimistic about Howard Dean.
The nay-sayers are only sabotaging their own party, which consists of far more than just the "New Democrats".
"....Tendencies are not destiny, to be sure. But, thanks to decisions made in the '90s, the tendencies are good ones. The New Democratic agenda may currently be crushed between union-backed, left-wing Democrats like Gephardt and Dean, and a pro-business but anti-market Republican administration. But perhaps this election will be something of a last gasp for those interest groups on both sides. The foul season may pass..."
I think Levy is being pie-in-the-sky to think the "foul season", as he sees it, will pass anytime soon.
This is war, my fine sir. The GOP started it when Bill Clinton got into office, regardless of how he tried to please
the center. And now we stand looking at a government gone far right and twisting every policy Clinton ever held as dear.
It's time for the toughest, most honest optimism we can summon.
The press will never be on our side while old-school DNC continues to begrudge and lament.
Stand tall...we need to see where it is our party must go to survive.
Let's join together and show one another what it means to be American. Let's use our power to take America back from those who wish to crush every good Clinton ever did for the People.
To "New Democrats":
No tears.
No hoping for something that no longer exists, save in your fond memories of a time that was and is no more.
The People are on the move.
Move with them...or die as the GOP would like you to do.
We can still be a party who can win with a war of ideas.
But the 2004 election will be.. must be war....and certainly not a war with one another.
We have so much to lose.
We can progress only if we progress together.
