One year before the 2006 midterm elections, Republicans are facing the most adverse political conditions of the 11 years since they vaulted t0 power in Congress in 1994. Powerful currents of voter unrest -- including unhappiness over the war in Iraq and dissatisfaction with the leadership . . . (By Dan Balz, Shailagh Murray and Peter Slevin, The Washington Post)
Baltz et al rightly point out that the Democrats are not held in high regard either. To quote the WaPo,
Democrats see hopeful signs in an uneasy public mood. In the Post-ABC poll, Americans prefer the opposition party to congressional Republicans on every issue measured but one, including Iraq. The only exception was on terrorism; there the two parties are tied. But those strengths are offset by two glaring weaknesses. A majority of Americans say the Democrats are not offering the country a clear direction that is different from the Republicans, and on the question of which party has stronger leaders, Republicans thump the Democrats by 51 percent to 35 percent.
"I just think they're sitting back waiting for something to happen," said Diane Mashman, a retired high school teacher who lives in the Denver suburbs and generally votes Democratic. "I don't know if they have anybody ready to run for president. They need to get their act
together."
Ask people to name attractive Democratic leaders and they hesitate, pause or come up empty. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York enjoys clear support, but even several who said positive things about her questioned whether she could win the presidency, given the controversy that attaches to her history and name.
Where the Democrats have the biggest challenges to changing voters minds are in the areas of direction and leadership, and neither issue is a small matter.
On the question of "clear direction different from Republicans," my opinion is that this is the most significant of the two Democratic vulnerabilities. Changing direction means giving up one set of priorities for another. The current party in power's priorities are fighting the war in Iraq and enhancing the relative positions of corporations, special interests and the wealthy. These two goals could not held in highest regard by the larger numbers of ordinary voters, if they really thought about it.
The first priority, went on the path of fighting the war in Iraq, redirected the nation in a counterproductive way. Most believe going after al Queda in Afghanistan made sense, but we lost our way there. A majority of people now question whether we should ever have invaded Iraq. The second priority direction was given to the corporate sector. Which large corporations have ordinary citizens' best interests at heart? Some perhaps do. But look at corporate mainstream media, for example. Profit drives their decisions, not the well being of ordinary citizens. Essential watch dog work and investigative journalism has not been well supported. The most recent campaign finance reform measures, unfortunately, opened the door for "K Street," special interest groups to purchase public officials. The third priority went in the direction of the rich. Tax cuts for wealthy individuals necessitate borrowing vast amounts of war finance money from foreign markets. The other source of money comes from cutting domestic discretionary programs necessary to the well being of the general public. Democrats must find and stand for very different priorities, ones that benefit the majority rather than the minority.
On the question of which party "has stronger leaders," I believe that in this instance Republican traits seen as "strength" are indeed something different. I believe the country began to get it wrong a few months after 9/11. The natural and normal fears engendered by that terrible attack made us a little blind to what we were seeing as strength. Stubbornness, intransigence, arrogance, braggadocio and swagger are qualities that are limiting to good leadership, not enhancing. Our current president's numbers have rapidly dropped in recent months in part because he is now seen as weak and inept. Democrats must now find and grow their leaders. The public is receptive to this, right now, beginning on election day tomorrow, as a matter of fact.
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