Regardless of the polls -- Leaders can't lead us into the future if they keep on looking back at the past -- voters will be, rightly, satisified if and only if "liberal" or any other policies actually work -- that is, if they get people back to work and otherwise address their families' real, everyday needs and concerns (like often-bankrupting health care expenses and life-and-death medical outcomes). Fail to deliver "the change we need" and you'll fail to deliver the votes you need -- regardless of whether the district or state has been traditionally Red or Blue. Violet is the color of change, in either direction ("Change" -- a double-edged sword -- was the message of discontent, in both Election 2008 and Election 2009).
But regardless of all the notoriously unstable labels -- and all the other political folderol that usually matters more in the Beltway than out on Main Street -- the best way for Democrats to govern the country is to just be Democrats. Why? Because our policies -- from economic stimulus and health care reform to global warming and green jobs -- work, while those of the other side -- which we've had a belly-full for eight, long years -- don't. And why is that? Because our policies are the fairest -- investing the most in everyday people and their needs -- and, thus, the wisest (70% of the Gross Domestic Product is "personal consumption expenditures," spending by households, as has been crippled in this recession and is just beginning to come back, probably making this Christmas shopping season better, for most, than last, although not yet as good as the holiday season before that).
Oh, and as for any Democratic legislators heeding any calls to scale back, delay, or even kill health care reform, in order to be more "moderate" (allegedly, more electable), remember what happened to Democratic Centrists who helped kill Pres. Clinton's first-year signature initiative, of health care reform (when the health care crisis wasn't even as dire as it is today): It was the "moderates" who were thrown out in greater numbers in the next election than the "liberals." Even if the defeat of Clinton's health care initiative was not a major factor in those 1994 congressional losses -- considered by many a simply overdue, historic realignment -- the Right today is framing any delay or defeat of Obama's health care reform as a victory for them (as if retaining a system that kills tens of thousands and bankrupts a million Americans -- Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike -- year after year, could in good conscience be considered a "victory," for anyone but those making millions of dollars from the status quo).
Fortunately, the demographics and political scene today pretty much rule out a sea change like in 1994; but that should only encourage, not discourage, moderate Democrats to be true to the roots of our quite respectable party -- which gave us Medicare and Social Security and pulled us out of the Great Depression and now this great recession as well. Not a bad track record -- especially considering the GOP was vehemently opposed to every one of our efforts in each of those achievements (Now, those were true victories).
We mustn't forget that independents are independents because they don't have much respect for either party to begin with. To be quite blunt, their general lack of respect for big government leads them to not be Democrats; their general lack of respect for big business leads them to not be Republicans. Who do independents respect? Mostly, if anybody, the military (and cowboys). In other words, just like in the military, you have to earn the respect of independents. And you don't do that by being "lily livered" (liberal comes all-too-easily, alliterally, after that) and not getting the job done.
At this critical time in our nation's history -- when the economy was on the brink, when health care expenses are bankrupting families and businesses and government, and when we either develop new green jobs or get overtaken by the environment or our international competitors -- a big majority of Americans elected Democrats to get the hard work of governance done, and done right. And that doesn't mean Right. It takes guts to stand up and fight for what you believe in -- and if you're a more conservative Democrat, to compromise with those you share more in common with, in the Democratic, not Republican, Party (at its best, standing up for "the little guys"). But that's what the voters, of all stripes, expect. And they, we, deserve -- and can afford -- no less.
Fortunately, for our party and our nation, most Americans still have confidence in Pres. Obama's handling of the economy and health care (the elements of which -- including the public option -- are supported more than the entire, "confusing" package); and although opinions of Democrats in Congress are low (during this time of continuing distress in the nation), opinions of Republicans in Congress are even lower (and lower than ever).
Every politician (well, just about every one) ends his or her speech with "God bless America!" I second that motion, but also add this: God helps those who help themselves. If we really, truly believe in the fair and wise policies we talk so much about, then by God, let's act upon them! And in the very best way that we can -- not some second-rate, watered-down version (For example, the stronger the public option is, the better it will control health care costs). Who knows, we might actually be right -- to not be Right. Our policies -- on the economy and health care and green jobs and so on -- might actually work. And people might actually, rightly re-elect us.
Heaven forbid!
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