In 2008, Dems Can’t Afford To Play It Safe
The Party Will Have To Do More Than Just Recount GOP Failures
The Bush administration has demonstrated an appalling incompetence in handling the machinery of government. It started a war under false pretenses, produced a fragmented economy, revealed contemptible callousness after Hurricane Katrina and has shown a shocking disrespect for the Bill of Rights and the balance of powers that are the heart and soul of our Constitution.
The administration’s failures were so plentiful and so blatant that all the Democrats needed to do to win control of Congress in the 2006 elections was to recount them loudly.
The elections in 2008 will be a different matter. The burden of proof will be on the Democrats. To hold on to control of Congress — and win the presidency — Democratic candidates must detail what they propose to do and how they propose to get it done, including how to pay for it. How do we deal with our failing public schools, the looming insolvency of Social Security, the escalating costs of healthcare? Can we reverse our huge trade and budget deficits? What must we do to halt global warming? What do we do about 12 million undocumented workers?
How will we know when it is safe to bring most of our troops back from Iraq? Who will stay behind and for what purpose? Who will rebuild Iraq, and who will pay for the rebuilding? And how will we continue to fight the real war against terrorism in Afghanistan and beyond? As for Iran, should we increase sanctions, or negotiate, or seriously consider bombing?
It’s hard to recall another time when we had so many vital issues before us. That makes it more regrettable that the leading Democratic presidential candidates are so far avoiding specifics.
The proliferation of candidates — eight declared Democrats so far — and the extraordinarily early primary season threaten to give us another primary campaign of sound bites, elusive responses and negativism. Those leading the pack seem reluctant to engage in any meaningful debate — or say anything that might risk their standing in the polls.
Candidates are afraid of making a mistake or advocating a position that they believe is correct and important but that might prove politically problematic — like New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s recent stance against illegal guns. Instead, they take shelter in the safest political positions. They utter benign generalities about the more controversial questions, leaving those questions to be dealt with until after the election.
There is still plenty of time to have a more substantive campaign. We can have real debates with ample time for consideration of the questions and presentation of answers as well as more thorough and objective interviews and more on-the-record statements addressing the hard questions, such as, “How will you pay for that program?”
Intelligent attempts to illuminate the issues and propose solutions should replace the 90-second answers allowed during many recent presidential debates, the distortive 28-second commercials, the fierce diatribes, the coyness and the simplification we have seen so often in the past.
The electorate must be able to base its vote on candidates’ actual proposed solutions. Otherwise, a victory at the polls won’t constitute the mandate the next president needs to leverage action out of Congress.
A campaign that reveals all that voters should know — or at least most of it — would be novel, but we have never needed it more. Voters should demand it loudly and insistently.
Some years ago, I said in a speech that politicians “campaign in poetry but have to govern in prose.” In fact, if our candidates win based on their poetry rather than good, hard specifics, they may wind up governing in vain.
Mario M. Cuomo was governor of New York from 1983 to 1995.
© 2007 The Los Angeles Times
Without addressing the problem of stolen elections it doesn’t matter who runs.
Without addressing the culture of empire and the attendant corporate control of the national political agenda as well as foreign policy, it also doesn’t matter who wins.
I expext that, as usual, we will be left with the choice of who will do the least damage, who will keep the body count down to the minimum required to ensure the continuation of US gluttony and excess.
I sat out the 2004 presidential election beacuse I didn’t like Kerry’s attitude of “Me too, bit I’d do it better!” attitude in Iraq.
Wow…what a disappointment. I was excited to see Cuomo’s name and looked forward to a scintilating read. Blah blah blah elementary school civics.
“To hold on to control of Congress — and win the presidency —Democratic candidates must detail what they propose to do and how they propose to get it done.”
Mario Cuomo hit on just about every important issue that Dems need to address in length.
There are some missing that also need to be addressed:
1) How will Democrats resolve the issue of a president having the authority to “unilaterally interpret the law”?
2) How will Democrats revise the PATRIOT ACT and MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT to restore the rights of all U.S. citizens, whose “god given” rights are now subject to the whims of this so-called “unitary executive”, otherwise known as a dictator in countries that don’t have a Constitution of, by and for the people? The ever increasing abuses (rule by decree) and interpretations of the law support the ambitions of the state, not the liberties of the people!
The Constitution DID NOT grant the Supreme Court the power to rule over the president, Congress, or the states. Neither does it give the president power to rule over Congress! The distorted interpretations of the Constitution and Bill of Rights have got to be addressed and the necessary changes implemented.
Along with my cell phone and ID, I carry with me at all times a pocket copy of the US Constitution (courtesy of the Cato Institute). This document was intended not for the attorney but for the lay person.
My suggestions to Americans is to arm yourself with a copy. In the days ahead, you might find it more relevant to quote than the Bible for the revival that needs to take place.
www.raycarlson.com
An HR Clinton presidency will just be more of the same neo liberal reaganomics disaster.
I honestly believe the US is beyond salvation. Every empire falls and the US is no exception. The question I believe is not will it fall, but what will happen after. An FDR type liberal renaissance, or a Hitler fascist disaster.
A agree with Gail’s comment above. However I want to add another vital point about the 2008 elections. One of the critical things that would get ALL presidential candidates to start debating real issues is requiring publicly financed federal elections. Stop the all important money primary now going on. Then also adopt the proposal by Walter Cronkite and others that all candidates only get a specified amount of free TV air time. But give them 5 minute increments so they have to talk about their policies not just sling 30 sec of mud & lies. These campaign changes would make candidates accountable to voters instead of just wealthy contributors. Finally, we need to ban DRE computer touch-screen voting machines and require all voting be on written optical scan or hand counted ballots so that there is a clear audit trail. The Alliance for Democracy and dozens of other grassroots organizations have been struggling to strengthen voting rights and voting integrity for many years. Now they need strong public support so the 2008 elections can’t be manipulated like has happened repeated in many cases since 2000.
Mario–I loved your “Tale of two cities” speech in ‘88. But, what we need is a Roosevelt in reverse.
When FDR was elected in ‘32 the problem was a supine government doing nothing to help the economically desperate. Today it is an intrusionist government doing too much to destroy the freedons and rights that distinguish us from some 3rd. world banana Republic.
We need at least 4 years to begin to undo all the devastation wrought by Bushco and their Fascist government(by which I mean corporate–for profit and without responsible regulation.
I believe that Mario Cuomo has a brilliant and sensible mind. If he sounds like a professor giving a basic lecture it’s OK with me. Maybe the American people could use a lesson or two on plain common sense. If you love living in this country in spite of it’s hideous problems, I suggest you vote in every election. You may have to choose the best of two not-so-goods but that is way better than ignoring one of the rights that people have fought and died for!
And please don’t tell me that both parties are the same! My husband was furious with Ralph Nader for saying that and helping Bush win. We are all suffering the humiliation of watching Bush and his cronies pounding their chests, braying orders to other countries and making a shambles of our reputation. Not to mention this deranged war! But, even worse than all that is the uncaring and ignorant attitude toward global warming and wanton destruction of our environment. The weakening of protective laws such as the Endangered Species Act, allowing more pollution, drilling and logging in our National Parks…..
The two parties are NOT, I will say it again: NOT THE SAME!!! If you think they are then you may not be thinking rationally. I know that it is hard to let go of a belief that one has accepted as fact. I’ve been there myself. My “head was made up!” as the saying goes. However, I’ve learned to look more closely. Tried to listen, to sort out what was real as opposed to what I chose to believe. On top of that, I don’t want to be stuck, like the president, with tunnel vision! Talk about a head that is “made up”! I AM willing to be confused with the facts. At least then I can try to sort it all out.
Here we go again with Dem’s being left to mop up after repugnant Republicans. Here’s the VERY FIRST THING Dems need to do after 08: make damn sure the checks and balances that insure a Bush never rises again are steel reinforced and bulwarked to the max! The Union can’t take another Bush, or another Reagan, or another Nixon. We need to radically boost the anti-regressive immunity of our country or the whole thing is going to die by Republican infection.
Seriously, an opportunity like 2008 may not come again. I’m convinced the American voter is in a suicidal mood, but they may MAY just call that lifeline in 08. But if we blow it then, it’s light’s out.
“The two parties are NOT…THE SAME”. No, just the candidates. It doesn’t matter if the two parties are different. Look at Bill Clinton. Look at Hillary Clinton. Look at EVERY candidates stance on bending over backwards for Israel and every candidates ties to big money. If it looks like a dog and barks like a dog then let’s have it put to sleep when it is decripit and pisses itself and is painful to look at.
The question is would a candidate run the country for the people of for corporate oligarchies? There is not one of them who would do the things needed to really break thte ties of government from business in the ways necessary.
In the end the problem is that we are discussing an election when what we need is a revolution.
Cuomo is just trying to do damage control for the DLC. When will it be “safe” to bring the troops home indeed! What a tool.
Anybody who thinks the two parties are the same has not been paying much attention these last six years. That said, the DLC cares about corporations more than people and we in the grass roots have to take our party back. Liberals/progressives - get active in your local Democratic group! And demand more than sound bites from those running for president.
“And so it goes……
There will be no 2008 election if Bush succeeds in expanding his Iraq War to World War Three, his biblical Armageddon! Impeach Bush and Cheney now, while there is still time.
I disagree that ALL of the candidates are just spouting meaningless generalities and avoiding the tough issues.
Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich spoke the truth loudly, directly and pointedly in the just-finished Dem candidate debates. And, of course, have been ignored and marginalised on account of it.
The real problem is the corporatist media and its intentional marginalisation of anyone who does not toe the corporatist line. They are pushing the DINOs Clinton and Obama on us whilst ignoring true Democrats, because said DINOs do not threaten corporatist control of the government.
This article is all well and good, but who will tell us how to break the corporatist media monopoly and the “Matrix” they are spinning which keeps so many Americans in ignorance and fear?
alamac,
Organize a permacultural community and form a continental network of eco-tech villages that are free to trade with each other independent of the mainstream economy.
Why do people keep looking for the Democrats to be the saviors? I’ll grant you that they’re preferable to Republicans but why not look to the party that actually opposed the war from the beginning — The Green Party!
Oh that’s right, you don’t want to “throw away your vote”. Consider however, that Big Business has both of the major parties by the purse strings. So you are already throwing away your vote until we finally ban commercial advertising by candidates and simply open up public air time to give all candidates the opportunity to “sell” their ideas instead forcing them to “buy” votes with commercial sound-bites.
Thank-you Governor Cuomo for asking Americans to demand proposed solutions loudly & insistently.
The Demands:
Enforce existing immigration laws (including foreign worker visa H-1B). Under the law, illegal immigrants do not belong here.
1) First we need to demand free press and free speech TV, publicly funded. Why do I have to “root out” the news on the internet?
2) Demand fair accountable voting. Otherwise, why vote?
3) Equal Time for All Candidates, multiple parties, publicly funded elections.
4) Demand Campaign Finance Reform, No Electoral Vote
5) Demand Out of Iraq NOW!
6) Demand restoration American liberties! (PATRIOT ACT and MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT)
7) FAIR trade, not free trade with INEQUITABLE countries. Living wages.
9) Regulate big industry so they pay their fair share of taxes. The “SPIRIT of the law” should apply over the “letter of the law”.
10) Stop the revolving door. Five years moratorium should apply (1 year is a vacation)
Demand an explanation
- Why does the US Pentagon budget need to be 5+ times the size of the next biggest defense budget (Russia)?
- Why does the US need to have bases in more than 1/2 of the countries of the world? (sounds a little predatory)
- Why can’t we use some of the Pentagon budget to ramp up environmental programs that will create jobs and develop alternative energy technology?
Credibility Problem:
Last of all, since it was the last Democrat, Bill Clinton, that is responsible for the loss of hundreds of thousands of American jobs by supporting NAFTA (750,000 est jobs lost), and foreign worker visa increases that promoted the outsourcing of America’s treasured technical jobs. (and caused a generation of computer science professionals to lose their careers)…
DEMOCRATS HAVE TO REGAIN THEIR CREDIBILITY
that they truly represent the interests of the American people, and not the RACE to globalization that is in the interests of big corporations looking for cheap labor and to circumvent environmental and worker safety laws.
Civic Participation, or BUST?
I’m with ya, Communitarian.
Unfortunately, that solution–eco-villages with local food, distributed energy production, and the whole works–is easy to say, but it runs into the same question: HOW do we bring about this utopia?
In other words: To state what the ultimate solution is, is to beg the question of HOW we get there. And I still don’t see an answer to that…