Before I assume this is a genuine warning to Obama, I'm more likely to believe Obama knew full well it was coming. Now that he thinks he may have his health care bill en route to passing, he says he is going to pivot toward jobs and fiscal responsibility. Is an old Chicago pal simply helping to give him some cover and an assist in beginning to portray himself as a moderate, which he is not? I trust Daley less far than I could throw him.
The announcement by Alabama Rep. Parker Griffith that he is switching to the Republican Party is just the latest warning sign that the Democratic Party -- my lifelong political home -- has a critical decision to make: Either we plot a more moderate, centrist course or risk electoral disaster not just in the upcoming midterms but in many elections to come.
Rep. Griffith's decision makes him the fifth centrist Democrat to either switch parties or announce plans to retire rather than stand for reelection in 2010. These announcements are a sharp reversal from the progress the Democratic Party made starting in 2006 and continuing in 2008, when it reestablished itself as the nation's majority party for the first time in more than a decade. That success happened for one major reason: Democrats made inroads in geographies and constituencies that had trended Republican since the 1960s. In these two elections, a majority of independents and a sizable number of moderate Republicans joined the traditional Democratic base to sweep Democrats to commanding majorities in Congress and to bring Barack Obama to the White House.
Pivot? Yeah, that smells.
Code-talking to lapdog media, urging distraction while HC sausage is made.
Maybe, but it just has a smell of rot.
Posted by: Mr. Sauce | Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 04:26 PM
Total head fake. Reid and Piglosi are gonna jam this bill through come he'll or highwater. Itz the framework for the socialist coup. Maxine Waters said she wants socialism so don't count on the CBC to oppose obowma care. Now that they have the two bills, obowma can move to the center and better his chances for re-election. Just in time for this thing to be cemented into American life in 2014. Secession or Socialism, only two choices, pick one.
Posted by: Ashen | Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 05:04 PM
OT - But ...
Merry Christmas to you and yours Dan.
Posted by: davis,br | Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 06:41 PM
Merry Christmas, db! And thank you.
Posted by: Dan Riehl | Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 07:19 PM
"I am William Wallace. And I see a whole army of my countrymen,
here in defiance of tyranny! You have come to fight as free men. And
free man you are! What will you do without freedom? Will you fight?"
"Two thousand against ten?" - the veteran shouted. "No! We will
run - and live!"
"Yes!" Wallace shouted back. "Fight and you may die. Run and you
will live at least awhile. And dying in your bed many years from now,
would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for
one chance, just one chance, to come back here as young men and tell
our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take
our FREEDOM!"
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night..
Posted by: hogtrrashhd | Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 09:42 PM
For the dems to go all centrist now and act like nobody noticed the corrupt socialist mob they have become lately is a huge laugh. What are we demented? Merry Christmas all. It's still legal to say that I hope.
Posted by: joyMc | Friday, December 25, 2009 at 02:45 AM
Somehow I don't think those "Independents" he has lost in supporters will be STUPID again! The D's had their shot and decided HARD LEFT was their mission and We The People will be nipping at their ankles from now until November when the House is taken over by +80 and Pelosi's face devolves into the mass of WAX it is onto the floor of the House handing over the gavel!
Merry Christmas Dan!!
Excellent year in information and I thank you for all the work you do, it is GREATLY appreciated :)
Posted by: JadedByPolitics | Friday, December 25, 2009 at 06:16 AM