Reply #6: er

[salin]

when was the last time democrats were in a position to "legislate our 'better' beliefs down their throats?" Eleven years ago? For about a year?

History lesson time - for the past twenty four years there has been exactly one two-year window where this could have happened - and then the dems were too divided to get anything done.

The tone of what you are describing is just more of the vilification for the right ... creating an image that isn't true- and is incorrect as in the past thirty five years (plus) there have been only a very few moments in time where this could have even possibly been true as the Republicans controlled the White House (veto power over the congress) and often held at least the senate, and then took over the house and has maintained it for the past eleven years.

Clinton couldn't lead very far as he was obstructed at almost every turn. Remember his big issue per the election - concern over national health care. Turned back. Big time. I liked Clinton - and think he had the potential to do many great things - but he couldn't do them, because he did not have control of the congress and the 1994 model of republicans was no longer the compromise folks of earlier generations (where the two sides could negotiate policies) but instead was a warrior mentality GOP where defeating just about anything proposed by Clinton ... whether or not they agreed with the intention of the proposal... was a "victory".

While I find your anaylsis more than lacking - and the insults both to the left and to those in the middle rather offputting and counterproductive... I do agree that one has to lead by getting ideas out there - and having public support for those ideas as a prerequesite for making change. And that most of america is moderate. Indeed that point rather counters the perpetual republican control - as the republicans are increasingly doing things that make them appear less and less moderate and they are quickly losing support of the middle (more people are now wanting to see a dem controlled congress in 2006 than those wanting to see continued repub... this isn't about dems being perceived as better - this is because repubs are beginning to be viewed in the exact way that you start off claiming that dems are being viewed).

However, even if dems do succeed in taking a house or two of congress back - I agree that until the public has a shift in thinking - nothing will be able to get done (legislatively) -as the warriorlike mentality of obstruction 'of the other political side' is now the active tone in DC. Until there is a public outcry for something different - this will continue.