Everyone is complaining about how early the campaigning has started this time around. I have to tell you, I think this is nothing but a good thing for Democrats.
Before this election cycle, when was the last time you heard anyone talking about Democratic Values in the media? Hell, Conservatism has dominated the media for so long, and the center has moved so far to the right, that people were talking about universal health care like it was some kind of a crazy far-out loony-leftist idea but, on the other hand, the thought of pre-emptively NUKING another country somehow made it into the national conversation.
I hear people, who are otherwise Democrats or at least civilized (or both) in every manner, spout Republican buzz words and talking points without even blinking: “I heard Bush is raising fuel mileage standards.”, “I’d rather fight them over there...” - even the whacked out ones: “We aughtta to just nuke that whole country.” And this phenomenon happened so fast! I almost pissed myself on that day in 2001 when a close friend said, “I got my tax relief check in the mail!” Ahh! She even bought the premise! (Of course, we’ve all been paying the same amount of taxes, or more, ever since because we’re not in Bush’s favored tax bracket.)
I read
an editorial the other day about how the difference between Democrats and Republicans has been illustrated ever-so-clearly by what they choose to talk about in their Primary Debates. I’ve been dwelling on it ever since and I don’t think it’s possible to exaggerate the importance of that point.
Personally, I watch the Republicans and think everything they say and do is mean spirited to someone. The Right is driven, mainly, by what pisses them off. Republicans are the kings of writing legislation to satisfy their pet peeves regardless of whether it’s their business or has any actual real-world value: English-only, flag burning, gays, sex, homeless people, prairie dogs. Nothing makes the Right happier than having their personal meanness supported by the government. Sadly, it’s the same crap that the media seems to latch onto.
How long did we hear that Democrats, “have no good ideas”, or, “aren’t for anything” (even though it wasn’t true, we still heard it). I think people have forgotten what our country’s values are, let alone Democrats’. Seriously.
What this country really needs - what the Democrats really need - is precisely what we’re getting; a nice long time for the country to compare value systems. Face it. Karl Rove has taught us all that the LESS people think about things, and the more bumperstickerized issues become, the better Republicans do. Conversely, the long, reasoned, conversation always favors Democrats.
I know what you’re thinking... (Move away from the comment button.) “But will the media allow us to have a reasoned conversation?” (Believe me, I know what you mean. The recent trend toward raise-your-hand debate questions has got my boxers bunched up more than they have been in quite some time.) I think the media will have to allow the conversation. There’s just too much time not to. Hell, I’ve already heard Chris Matthews whip out the, “Who would you like to have a beer with?”, and, “Who would stop and help you change a tire?” questions. Once he uses up his arsenal of shallow bullshit questions, he’s going to have to dig deeper. The year-and-a-half long campaign will, also likely, overwhelm the tendency to bumperstickerize issues. Candidates will have to explain what the fuck they mean or end up sounding like George Bush saying, “We gotta fight ‘em there so we don’t have to fight ‘em here”, for the one hundred thousandth fucking time.
This entire situation plays to the strengths of the Democrats (reason) and will create an awareness of the spirit from which Democrats draw their values contrasted against the mean-spiritedness of Republicans. It will also hinder the Republicans’ habit of using bumper-sticker-sized psudo-logic to fool people into voting against their own best interests. Given the choice of allowing people a longer or shorter time to compare parties, Democrats choose “longer” every time.
You know, it made me a little giddy the other day when Hillary hammered Wolf for his hypothetical raise-your-hand bullshit question on Darfur. That’s exactly how the Democrats are going to need to behave in this situation and it helps point out something out we need to remember: It’s not good enough that the long campaign season is better for Democrats; our candidates have to know it, too, so they can use it to their advantage.