A recent video blog on politicsTV entitled "Media Wars - Episode 2006: A New Hope" purports to advertise the Democratic plan for recapturing our country from the team of Conservatives that presently control it, but instead, ends in the void of candidates and proposals that will/can/should get the job done.
As the spoof vblog shows, it's going to be difficult to counter what's been done. There are no heroes to make those changes nor are there any immediately evident workable plans. Can you think of any? Sure there's a lot of good ideas and needed plans. But can you propose a single plan that has a chance of working in our present highly antagonistic and polarized political environment? As I see it, something needs to happen before things can begin to happen.
Possibly it's this: in his new book, Dick Morris thinks there will be a presidential duel between Hillary and Condi where these ideas will actually be discussed.
Perhaps he's not too far off. Certainly there's been a void of that kind of dialogue: educated, informed, passionate, articulate. Neither of them presently play to their personal strengths -- Hillary's thorough understanding of every social issue, why and where they're needed, and the impact their passage has had and will have, and Condi's brilliance with long-term economic and geo-political issues. Come campaign time some smart consultant is going to insist that each change her ways and let surrogates cover the other bases. Presently, neither of them strays far from [Condi] following Presidential instructions or [Hillary] attacking Presidential proposals.
What about John McCain and all the other candidates you might ask? McCain at Bob Jones U? Or Campaigning for Bill Kristal and the Neo-Cons? And now bowing to Jerry Falwell. These are the fodder of campaign attacks that could seriously hinder McCain's chances for the presidency. McCain had his bipartisan moment when he stood up against the smears on Kerry's war record by the Swift boat veterans. That moment won't be enough to offset Falwell, Bob Jones and standing by Bush as he has done. There's so many others but are there any that you want to support? That you can sink your teeth into? Invest your heart and passions?
It's still early in the process of presidential campaigning but here's something for you to think about now: the President doesn't count half as much as the representatives in your city, county and state. And those elections are happening this year and next. The President (and presidential campaigns) can open and pursue the dialogue but the action happens on the playing field where you live, work and play.
Care to vote?
