As the non-binding Lieberman/Kyl resolution on Iran passed by an impressive margin and included within is Senator Clinton voting yae, it is not surprising to see the angst and anger being written of concerning Clinton. In fact, I would say some are bordering on pure venom at the Democratic front-runner. Most of these folks are from the anti-war left of the Democratic Party. You know the base that helped give power over to the Democrats last November.
What has escaped the anti-war left is where DNC Chair; Howard Dean is courting the evangelical voters for support. In this move, I do feel that Dean has abandoned the very people who helped the Democratic Party out prior to those Midterm elections. This is the thanks they get for volunteering in order to help box Bush in?
On a personal level, after Dean suffered a defeat in winning the presidential nomination to become that party’s candidate back in 2004, I wrote all of the New York Democratic delegates to vote him in as DNC chair. Seeing this move coming from Dean, my time was wasted. Feeling abandoned by the hierarchy of the Democratic Party, I did leave the party a few months ago.
It astounds me to read, "Last November, 70% of white evangelical and born-again Christians voted for Republican candidates nationwide, which is about the same performance as in 2004. DNC Chairman Howard Dean thinks Dems might be able to shave a few points off that number." If the Democratic Party were to stay loyal to their base meaning the anti-war left, they need not look to shave some points from the evangelicals. Who is to say they will be there when these candidates need them in the 2008 election? This is where I do feel that the Democrats have abandoned their base and much to their detriment.
In meeting with Richard Land a Tennessee evangelist, “Dean was there to chip away at Land’s loyalty to the GOP” This is lunacy. Howard Dean should be looking towards those who have only shown loyalty to the Democratic Party.
This is how the Democrats do shoot themselves in the foot every time. They move away from where they are strongest into territories where they are the weakest.
For those Democratic activists that have been working tirelessly defending a woman’s right to choose, according to Land, “Dean told me how the Democrats were pro-life in that they wanted a country in which abortion was rare. I said, ‘I agree, but we disagree how to get there.’ Still, it was certainly a change in tone.”
Land expressed wondering if he sees Democrats willing to compromise the party’s principles and stated, “I seriously doubt it. The point of this outreach is to help present a Democratic message in a way that evangelical voters might find appealing.” I would say that Dean in this move is looking to compromise the party and is throwing its principles in the garbage. One does have to wonder what principles are left at this point.
As one reads where evangelicals “are not necessarily a monolithic voting bloc” this article goes onto say, “Some are open to a Democratic message on everything from global warming to Darfur to poverty,” one must wonder how these evangelicals feel knowing that over one million Iraqis have now died due to their support of both Bush and Cheney. Don’t they equally count?
This article also states where Clinton, Obama and Edwards do have on their staff people reaching out to religious groups; are they also reaching out to those who have been by their side and elected them to office by campaigning for them?
“Burns Strider, director of faith-based operations for the Clinton campaign, stated, “There’s a lot of common ground here with evangelicals on the genocide in Darfur, ending human trafficking and making sure that religious liberty is not static around the world,” Those are all noteworthy causes, but one must ask Strider as he represents Hillary’s campaign; why is she not saying her vote for the Iraq Resolution was a mistake when equal suffering is being felt by Iraqis. This is why the anti-war left base is so furious not only at Sen. Clinton, but other Democrats who voted for this war and act as war-hawks to this day.
If they fail to succeed in persuading this evangelical base, the Democratic Party has its sights set on both Catholics and Protestants. Why not go back to what works for the Democratic Party and that is upholding the values of the party and being the voice of those who have only felt left behind. I would say that the anti-war movement is not only comprised of the left, but where many who have left the party and are now independents or centrists would come running if they stood their ground.
This is where I feel like matching the ‘Dean scream’ in seeing this move by the Democratic National Committee Chair, Howard Dean. To Howard Dean, your base has been there, but you have left the base in the dust.
Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net
