The Dems are Dancing
Watching the President's first joint session talk is to watch Democrats who are smiling-not only happy to be in power, but as if there is a collective sigh of our new reality, new leadership even in the midst of all this economic hardship.
But listening to the President is to listen to the seeds of building not only a governing majority, but a mature left.
In the early part of his remarks, he talks about the importance of markets--but regulated--and the importance of loans to consumers and entrepeneurs, speaking to the middle class that needs to be rebuilt and rejuvenated.
Today, finally, the Republicans allowed Obama's Labor Secretary, Hilda Solis, to be confirmed. My ears are still ringing with the words of this president who said recently in the White House, that labor unions are part of the solution not part of the problem. It truly is a new day-but it is also a new left, or an opportunity for the left if we are smart enough and resourceful enough to grab for it.
Amen.
I think there's so much we can do and we have the tools in place. I've got a renewed commitment to building something that lasts instead of spending all my time complaining about the government and screaming in alarm. I'm thinking of devoting a lot more of my time locally, to turning Texas blue. Dallas County is already voting Democratic, but I don't want to see the coalition that we've built with new voters from all kinds of demographics melt away. We had precincts that saw a total of 56 voters in '04 with turnouts of 4000 voters this time. I desperately want to see those voters continue to turn out in those precincts - many of which are in areas that desperately need attention and help and that's what I want to see the left do - accomplish things and leave the right speechless in the dust not through fighting them to a standstill, but by winning them to a standstill.
And I just as desperately do not want to see the left sour on Obama. I worry about it because he is not going to dismantle the entire war on terror in fell swoop. He's far too careful to do anything like that quickly, but by the same token he has not failed to begin to keep his promises and has given us no indication that we really have to worry about his intention to
follow the law and the constitution.
I have faith in Obama. I do think right now all energy should be concentrated on moving his agenda forward. That's how we begin to build the kind of majority that lasts for 40 years, like it did the last time we had it.
February 24, 2009 11:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lets hope so. The nation can't withstand any more of the right.
Now, when the results of their policies are on everyones minds, is the time for Obama and the rest of the Democratic Party to drive home to the country the fact that the Republican conservative philosophy of government doesn't work. Period.
That will lead to a New Deal type of majority and New Deal types of results.
February 24, 2009 11:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
That will lead to a New Deal type of majority and New Deal types of results.
I don't get this - how will telling America any more than he has already that the Republicans failed going to build anything?
That's not enough. Bitching about it isn't enough. You can only build by building.
February 25, 2009 9:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can only hope you're right....
February 25, 2009 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink