NYT: Baffled in Loss, Democrats Seek Road Forward

Baffled in Loss, Democrats Seek Road Forward
By ADAM NAGOURNEY

Published: November 7, 2004

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 - The Democratic Party emerged from this week's election struggling over what it stood for, anxious about its political future, and bewildered about how to compete with a Republican Party that some Democrats say may be headed for a period of electoral dominance.

Democrats said President Bush's defeat of Senator John Kerry by three million votes had left the party facing its most difficult time in at least 20 years. Some Democrats said the situation was particularly worrisome because of the absence of any compelling Democratic leader prepared to steer the party back to power or carry its banner in 2008.

"We really need to work on the question of what we are for," said Walter F. Mondale, the former vice president whose 1984 loss to Ronald Reagan was invoked by some Democrats in assessing the party's spirits now. "Unless we have a vision and the arguments to match, I don't think we're going to truly connect with the American people."

the Times and Congressmen/womans' assessments.

First of all, yes we do need to connect with more Americans, but Mondale is almost implying that the only AMERICAN PEOPLE out there are the ones to the right. I'm sorry but there were 55 million people that connected with Kerry (well not necessarily connecting all the way) and they (we) cannot be forgotten.

Secondly, it will be much harder for democrats to build a vision because we encompass such a diverse group of people. Dems and other progressive parties know that there is a diverse population in American and realize that there are many realities out there, not just one. Trying to create a vision that will be inclusive to all of this diversity will be damn hard, but once the vision is realized it will be revolutionary, it will be democracy at its best.

Third, Gov. Napolitano needs to realize that Dems and progressives now their values. The only reason people view us as values-less is because Republicans have unfairly demonized our image (which is ironically very IMMORAL). In fact, I think the easiest obstacle for dems and progressives is defining their core values. Gov. Napolitano says that its okay to say this country was built on faith and its okay to say "God," I think we know that already, but I also think we know that there is separation between church and state. I would also like to remind her that this country was also built on freedom, civil rights, justice, scientific inquiry/processes, TOLERANCE, and compassion. C'mon, Jesus should not be this country's only rallying point of shared values, not everyone is Christian.

Mr Ickes said, "I'm not saying that Kerry did anything wrong on this, but I think that we ignored in large measure the three big cultural issues of this election: guns, abortion and gay rights, epitomized by gay marriage." I think that looking at it now people did make a big deal out of these issues, but in times when the nation's security is in jeopardy due to war and terrorism and when millions are edging closer to the abyss of financial ruin to join millions that have already fallen, this country needs to set its priorities straight. Unless the basic needs of life and safety can be assured, everything else is non-existent, i.e. MASLOW'S HEIRARCHY OF NEEDS.

Lastly, I want to address where our pary should stand on three very divisive issues.


Guns- gun control and gun safety is needed no matter what the NRA
thinks. No one is going to take anybody's gun away, we just
need good arms control to keep them from going into the wrong
hands.
Gays- I believe in human rights and the last time I checked this is
America's hallmark. It is the issue of civil rights and human
rights that has defined our remarkable history. To abondon
and take away the rights of Gays/Lesbians for political gain
will jeopardize that hallmark. I think this country needs a
serious dialogue discussing the differences between legal
marriage, religious marriage, and the separation of church and
state.
Abortion- I am simply pro-choice


I need a confirmation that this is where we stand on these issues. ANYBODY??????????

Can I get back to you on the three issues?

I'll be waiting. These so called "MORAL" values need serious dialogue.