Bryon Scott gets the fundamental problem that the Democratic Party is facing for 2004 and manages to boil it down into a few concise sentences.
If the only unifying force in the Democrat party is to remove Bush, the cause is already lost. Removal of Clinton was the only thing for the Repubs in 1996 — see how well that worked? The Democrats need to learn the lesson that the Repubs have learned, they exist to represent the people, to help them realize the fulfillment of their inalienable rights, and most importantly, to cast a vision for the future.
Right now the Dem’s vision for the future goes no further than November 2004. That just won’t cut it.
To his credit, Gephardt is actually trying to put some policies on the table that will differentiate himself from Bush. However, the overall mood of the Democrats that I know is less about ideas and more about getting rid of Bush. That may play fine for hardcore Democratic activists, but it will alienate the swing voters who make up the majority of the American electorate. If the Democrats can’t come up with a message that appeals to more than dislike of Bush, they don’t have a prayer in 2004.
Deficit-spending the country bankrupt is an effective gimmick for Republicans at multiple levels, and keeping opposition Democrats from being able to promote a proactive agenda for desparate lack of funds is at the top of the list. At this point, the “vote for someone besides Bush” approach is their best option since any Democratic initiative put forward will be dismissed as unaffordable…and rightfully so. The biggest problem this country faces is the massive debt we’re willing to future generations, specifically since this problem will come to a head at the exact time as our revenues will need to skyrocket to cover retirement entitlement commitments.
Thus, rolling back tax cuts is the best the Democrats can reasonably do in this campaign since the treasury has been looted. Requesting citizen sacrifice for the good of future generations is not a popular message, but one that was made strategically inevitable by the gluttony of Republican tax policy. It will definitely be a colossal challenge for the Democrats to overcome the stupidity of the American electorate, but with the Bush family’s track record of economic self-destruction, it can be done.