Disclaimer: The following post is written with love and affection for the party of Jefferson, FDR, and Kennedy (all of them). As in any good family quarrel, we are obligated to to point out every zit, wart, and wrinkle - real or imagined - of our "siblings". Yet, should any "outsider" presume this to be a sign of weakness; they do so at their own risk. Now on to the main course:
"A primary contest between Maria Cantwell and Mark Wilson will divide the party."
"A primary for Maria's senate seat will only weaken her in the general election by dividing the party."
I would suggest that the folks who trot out this line are either in denial or just flat dishonest about their motives. If you do not recognize the existing divide in this party, you just haven't been paying attention. Let's examine some of the dividing lines:
* Mark Wilson didn't invent the invasion of Iraq, yet there it is. (By the way, Cantwell has "No Regrets")
* Mark Wilson did not invent the Bush Tax Scheme of tax cuts for the rich. (By the way, Cantwell must not have any regrets; she twice voted for these cuts)
* Mark Wilson did not invent NAFTA or CAFTA. (You guessed it, Cantwell voted for both)
The last time I checked with my Democratic associates and friends, they were pretty much opposed to the invasion and occupation of Iraq. They are largely against the policy of tax cuts for the rich while eliminating vital programs for children and the working poor. Oh yes, the folks who come from Union households or folks who have lost jobs to "off-shoring" are coming down pretty much on the opposing side of those so-call Free Trade pacts. Come to think of it, I believe you will find statements in opposition to all of these things in the Democratic Party Platform on both the national and state levels.
No, Mark Wilson is no Pied Piper; just a guy who is willing to stand up and say STOP!
In 2004, Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich ran campaigns that challenged the status quo of the Democratic Party and asked why the Democrats had lost their way and had quit standing up for the issues that defined Democrats; support for working families, fiscal policies that addressed the needs of all Americans and not just some fortunate few, and a foreign policy that was based on international cooperation, to name a few. The messages of these two "dividers" accounted for the largest caucus and primary turnout in years. In the end, the "beltway boys" were awarded the mantle of nominee and the "divided masses" turned out to contribute to the largest vote count in history for a Democratic presidential candidate. Some divide there, huh?
I would suggest that, on the issues that matter most to Democrats (war and peace, tax fairness, domestic job creation and living wage), Mark Wilson is closer to the base than is Senator Cantwell. This isn't hard. On these issues, I am closer to the base than Cantwell is. Ignoring this creates the divide. Adhering to some "unwritten law of incumbency" does more to alienate good Democrats than embrace them. If we stand for anything Democrats should stand for Democracy.
Agree with Mark or disagree but don't deny. It is unbecoming of good Democrats!
Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue
P.S. A short note for Mike McGavick: Golden parachutes do not make for soft landings.
Mike's Blog Round Up
46 minutes ago
2 comments:
Chad, very much agreed.
What ever happened to dialogue within the party?
We Democrats have had much too much handed on to us from on high, from seeing Dean torpedoed in 2004 and being told that Kerry was the anointed one, to seeing Debra Zenn torpedoed much earlier and being told that Cantwell was the anointed one, not to mention the recent event involving Hackett in Ohio.
I passionately concur.
It feels to me like it has reached a terrible state of affairs where our elected officials’ key goal is to make sure they maintain their seat, whether or not they represent our interests. What scares me most about the Republicans is that they have become lock-step, non questioning, if-you-don’t-fall-in-line-you’ll-be-blacklisted Orwellian politicians.
I’d rather lose an election than vote for someone who displays the same traits.
The way I feel about Cantwell these days is that she votes more like a Republican than a Democrat, and if we’re going to send a Republican to Washington, it shouldn’t be able to reflect on our party.
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