Real Talk

By Cernig

From James Joyner:

It’s not inconceivable that the November elections return the White House to Democratic hands, increase the party’s House majority, and even provides a filibuster-proof margin in the Senate. But it’s a lead pipe cinch that they’ll screw it up, became the corrupt, power-at-all-costs goons that they now accuse their opponents of being, and piss off enough of the country that they’ll be thrown out on their butts. Not because they’re bad people who hate America but because that’s what people in power do.

Yup. A Dem White House and Hill will be better than a Republican one - but let's not kid ourselves that it will be that much better. I've said before that I think the Bush Years screwed conservativism up so much that they're going to have a decade in the wilderness - somewhat akin to the UK's conservatives during Blair's reign - before the Dems become as James describes above and the Repubs find a Cameron to lead them back to electability. But that the cycle will eventually turn again isn't worth betting against.

Comments

[Ron Beasley]

So true and the way it will be until there is some real campaign finance reform which won't happen because the politicians of both parties like it just the way it is.

[Klaus]

It always turns, given enough time, but Cameron is lucky Brown is inept and far too beholden to Blair politics. In the meantime Cameron's running as Blair 2.0. Essentially, I don't feel that Brits have fallen in love with the Tories, nor at all prefer Tory politics to Labour, they're just fed up with the current Labour leadership. Just a change of the guard is what it takes. The Overton Window has moved to the left in the meantime, and that's what matters. So when Republicans do come back, they will be more leftwing. Well, they could hardly be more rightwing at this point.

[empty]

I agree. And I wish the "progressive" blogosphere would spend some time trying to figure out strategies to push the Democrats in a progressive direction - instead of expending most of their energy in sniping at the primary candidate they do not like. There was a great opportunity with Feingold redeployment bill (S. 2633). I cannot figure out what it's status is now but back in February when it passed the cloture vote it looked like it was a great opportunity to push the various Democratic candidates running for election (or re-election) to vote for it. Nothing seems to have happened. Nobody seems to care much.