This should have been titled Why Democrats Suck. One key - TopicsExpress

This should have been titled Why Democrats Suck. One key paragraph: Of those writing on this subject, Kevin Drum of Mother Jones is one of the most compelling. In a recent blog post, Drum writes that Democrats have a serious problem: What can they do? That is, what big ticket items are left that would buy the loyalty of the middle class for another generation? We already have Social Security and Medicare. We have Obamacare. We have the mortgage interest deduction. What’s left? Drum then elaborates on his question: I’m all in favor of using the power of government to help the middle classes. But what does that mean in terms of concrete political programs that (a) the middle class will associate with Democrats and help win them loyalty and votes, and (b) have even a snowball’s chance of getting passed by Congress? Expansion of Social Security? Expansion of Medicare? Bigger subsidies for Obamacare? Universal pre-K? A massive infrastructure program? Let’s get specific, and let’s not nibble around the edges. Little programs here and there aren’t going to make much difference to the Democrats’ political fortunes. Nor will heroic but vague formulations about rescuing unions or raising taxes on the wealthy by a few points. Ahhhhh, now were getting to it. Whats the point of being a Democrat if your platform doesnt provide opportunity? All youre left with is redistributing wealth, a process which can provide some key benefits, but which also has clear limits not only regarding size, but also regarding perception. One other devastating drawback to redistribution programs: the inherent nature of them makes fairness and/or the perception of fairness a continual political problem. Thats why I despise the party now. Its platform distills to the degrading scuttling about for money from its safe precincts, vineyards of new wealth playing both sides, appeasing their consciences with money over here, praying for lower taxes and enhanced wealth over there. Everybodys become far too comfortable. The Democratic party deserves to be scuttled. Moving leftward wont solve the problem. That way lies nothing but the politics of whine, identity politics writ large.