The Other 'Confederacy of Dunces'

[LuminousX]

Seems to be a favored title in reference to the Anti-Dean Eight.

Salon's 'Confederacy of Dunces'

Certainly, the Confederate flag is a divisive symbol, and certain Republican politicians have in fact embraced it while campaigning in the South. In the 2000 Republican presidential primary in South Carolina, both George W. Bush and John McCain refused to criticize the Sons of Confederate Veterans' campaign to restore the flag to the top of the statehouse (Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges had moved it), though McCain later expressed regret for his position. And in the 2002 midterm elections, as Sean Wilentz showed last year, the GOP defeated Hodges, along with Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, with a campaign that quietly pandered to flag backers while avoiding outright racist appeals. Post-election surveys showed that rural whites in both states crossed over to vote Republican, and that the flag controversy was a crucial reason why.

Was Dean's statement in that same tradition? Clearly it was not. For one thing, such appeals by Republicans are usually confined to the South -- and ironically, they're normally a little less open than Dean's. Although it hasn't gotten much attention until now, Dean has made his flag remarks before. Last February, he told a winter meeting of the Democratic National Committee in Washington: "I intend to talk about race during this election in the South. The Republicans have been talking about it since 1968 in order to divide us, and I'm going to bring us together. Because you know what? White folks in the South who drive pickup trucks with Confederate flag decals on the back ought to be voting with us because their kids don't have health insurance either, and their kids need better schools, too."

After his remarks last week drew criticism, Dean released a statement saying: "I want people with Confederate flags on their trucks to put down those flags and vote Democratic -- because the need for quality healthcare, jobs and a good education knows no racial boundaries."

Dean put his finger on something crucial that explains the Democrats' lack of nationwide mass appeal: While they correctly addressed the problems of racism from the 1960s on, they lost sight of the issues of class, which don't always dovetail with race. Defending his remarks yesterday in Iowa, Dean explained: "What Franklin Roosevelt did was to get the Southern white working class to vote with the Southern African-American working class," said Dean, about the former Democratic president. "The only time we're ever going to make progress in this country is when black people and white people and brown people work together and put race aside." I happen to believe that, too. It's disturbing if other candidates don't.

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This nails it for me. This explains the whole mess and why KerEdGep's 'outrage' seems far to phoney.

[montanacowboy]

1. Dean is right on

It is high time that poor white southerners come back on board with the Democratic Party. He is absolutely on the mark when he makes the point that they are in the same boat as poor white, black and brown people all over this country, and what has the GOP EVER done for them? This must be shouted loud and clear.

I am sick and tired of Kerry Edwards Gephardt and Holy Joe, and even Rev. Al trying to stick it to Dean. Their fake outrage is very regretable. Just look at what happened yesterday? two more Democratic Governorships lost to the GOP - it's a sad state of commentary on the Democratic Party -

We must rid ourselves of the Terry McAuliffe's and the DLC'ers. How many more elections must we lose?

[asjr]

2. dean

This brouhaha about Dean's remarks shows spite by others. The Dems are bashing each other far too much. It puts in the minds of people that if one Dem doesn't like another, how can we trust any of them.
Dean doesn't have to apologize for anything. He came right out and said what needed to be said. I wish the others would do the same. I find you don't win votes by being a follower. It takes a real leader.

[helleborient]

3. Liberal Democrats are at their best...

When they bring people together.

When they pass Civil Rights legislation.

When they create Social Security.

When they pass serious environmental legislation.

You get the picture...these embrace everyone and help everyone.

Liberal Democrats are at their worst...

When they refuse to listen to those who disagree with them.

When they shout down others in a "holier than thou" voice.

When they use political correctness as a weapon to ostracize groups of people.

[Padraig18]

4. Well said:

"...Liberal Democrats are at their worst...

When they refuse to listen to those who disagree with them.

When they shout down others in a "holier than thou" voice.

When they use political correctness as a weapon to ostracize groups of people."

This is the proverbial 'bug up my ass' with the liberal wing of our party--- it's the whole "You can't say that, even if it's true!" self-righteousness.

[no name no slogan]

5. Ah yes those damn "Liberal Democrats"

Great way to marginalize the heart and soul of this party-- the ones who kept hope alive during the 80s and 90s when the "moderates" were getting elected and selling our asses down the river to the Repubs, all in an effort to appeal to the racist, homophobic a-wholes who vote for Trent Lott and Jesse Helms.

WTF is wrong with this picture? Do you REALLY want to create another far-right party in this country? These racist f*cks are STILL going to vote Republican like they have been since the 70s, no matter what kind of pandering our candidate does to them. Not only that, but that pandering is going to alienate a lot of liberal supporters who are the backbone of this pathetic excuse for a party.

Sure, the racist vote may come out and vote for Dean for president, but chances are they'll still vote for their current Republican congressman and/senator.

So instead of a REAL Democrat in the White House, we'll get yet another DLC-style "moderate" whose ass will be in hock to the "moderates" who elected him, and will have to contend with yet another Repub-controlled congress.

Yeah, that's REAL change. Replace the head, but keep the same body. Here comes another four more years.

[Padraig18]

6. No one *owes* you anything.

Other than a simple 'thank you'--- maybe. The looney left visited electoral disaster after electoral disaster on us from 1972 until 1992.

We all have one vote.

[no name no slogan]

7. Yes, keep marginalizing your base

And you'll have yet another Bush-Gore 2000, where we may have "won", but it was close enough that the election could be stolen.

Because all we really need is another good Repuke-Lite candidate, who will "excite the voters" by telling them whatever they want to hear (or project on the candidate) to get elected.

"Politics as usual" my ass. It's the "usual politics" but with a different face.

:eyes:

[helleborient]

8. I'm a liberal Democrat...

I was critiquing myself.

Wow - you must have a full arsenal of bombs and such to throw at whomever sets it off.

I still do think that true liberalism stands for inclusion and improving the lot of everyone.

[Padraig18]

9. Keep exaggerating the *size* of the base, and I will. n/t