Is today's Democratic Party an effective political force?

[welshTerrier2]

We have many battles on DU about all sorts of intra-party controversies ... we argue about Dean, the DLC and the Party's leadership ... we argue about about potential 2008 candidates ... we argue about Iraq and other critical policy issues ...

This poll is about none of those things ... the question being asked is very simple: What grade would you give today's Democratic Party on political effectiveness?

The question is NOT whether the media are against us ... the question is NOT whether you agree or disagree with the Party's platform ... the question is NOT whether you like one candidate or another ...

the question is whether the Party is "taking care of business" (no pun intended) and getting the job done ... are we informing the American people about what we, as a Party, believe is the right course for the country? are we convincing Americans that we, as a Party, have the right solutions? are we, as a Party, getting our message out so that voters understand the distinctions between a Democratic vision for America versus what the republicans have been doing?

this poll has been setup with a simple letter grade on the Party's political effectiveness ... HOWEVER, ideally, DU'ers will provide their thoughts on what the Party is doing that they approve of and also on areas that need improvement ...

What grade would you give today's Democratic Party on political effectiveness?

[kentuck]

1. Present and accounted for....

Just waiting for the Repubs to fall on their faces and they will be their to take over the reigns of government...

[longship]

2. I voted "B", but that's just the benefit of doubt.

My actual grade is C+. The benefit originates from Dr. Dean, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Pelosi, and the CBC, and all the rest who are all carrying the water for the feckless rest of them. I have no use for Biden, Clinton, Lieberman, and those who are undermining party unity.

I also give the House Democrats a "B". They seem to be quite united against the steamroller of their Repug congressional management.

Unfortunately, on one issue I must give the Dems a "D" at best. That's the Iraq war. This is the most important issue in the land and they are not together. I worry that if this does not change by next year, we will again lose to the Repugs. The calculus is simple. The extent to which a Dem candidate supports the war in Iraq is the extent to which they will lose.

[obreaslan]

3. I say "C"....

Because I see a good basis for what the party should become. Like the poster above pointed out, Dean, Pelosi, Boxer, Kucinich and the others like them have the potential to take the party where it needs to go. Unfortunately the likes of Lieberman and Biden are blocking the way to real progress. So I say a C for now. If they can get around the Lieberman types, I would raise that to at least a B+/A-.

[MercutioATC]

4. "D"...mostly because of the scared Dems who are afraid to speak out.

You know, the ones that tell Dean to "shut up" whenever he opens his mouth. The ones who spend more time strategizing about gaining seats than supporting good candidates. The ones who temper their statements according to the momentary direction of the political winds.

This is our party.



The Republicans, by contrast, have a clear and consistent message. They don't nuance ANYTHING. They may be dead wrong, but they give the people what they want...consistent leadership.

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. "C". Up from a "D".

Reid and Pelosi have done a better job of using their positions in Congress to get a message out than previous Democratic leadership. Which is not saying a great deal.

[Al-CIAda]

6. Are American citizens left to hang by the millions on the Gulf?

Are the Dems pressing for the Coast to be restored and levee protection?
Is there ANY co-ordinated effort to actually help ANY American worker or average citizen at all?

Pffft....

[Michigander4Dean]

7. Far from perfect, but better than before

Howard Dean is a hell of a lot better than Terry McAuliffe as chairman. If this were two or three years ago, I would've said 'D'. Now, though, I'm calling it a 'B'.

Obviously they're not perfect; they have room to improve (and plenty of it). But they've grown spines.

Hurricanes, the war, scandal, etc., won't push Bush's approval below 40% by themselves. Democrats like Dean, Reid, Murtha, Hackett, and many others have curbed Repubs' arrogance, if only by so much.

Remember, Frist has not been able to invoke the 'nuclear option' yet. Bush's Social Security deform plan would be in effect if not for Dems standing up. That closed session a couple months ago was gutsy on Reid and Durbin's part. Hell, given what the media told us about Roberts, I'm surprised he only got 78 votes for confirmation.

So, in short, I'd like to see more from our party leadership, but they are proving to be more effective than I expected in 2005.

[welshTerrier2]

8. employing anti-gravity technique ...

iow, kick ...