Over at Daily Kos there's all sorts of posing going on (and on) about what kind of tough guys they'd like to be. Here's Billmon on who the Democrats should emulate:
The Dems don't want to be like Fredo -- weak, insecure and eager to earn the good will of people who are inevitably going to be enemies of "the family." (That's where too many of them are at now.)
They shouldn't be like Sonny -- impulsive, emotional and a few quarts short of a full crankcase. Shrub is like that and it's usually what gets him into trouble. ("Bring 'em on!")
The Dems need to try to be more like Michael -- cool, analytical and totally pragmatic. "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business."
Sometimes that means ordering a hit, sometimes it means biding your time. Sometimes it means striking with everything you've got [...]
Sometimes it means offering to talk peace, while secretly preparing to wack the guy. Sometimes it means just plain talking peace.
But it has nothing to do with fairness or open-mindedness or listening to opposing points of view. It has to do with what's best for the "family" -- which in this case we can define broadly as those groups and constituencies in American society who oppose the GOP machine and want to see it destroyed (or at least kicked out of power.)
Get it? "Shrub"? Ha! Markos Moulitsas--the godfather of the lefty blogs--seconds that emotion, saying:
Exactly. It's being smart about it, coldy calculating. It's not about giving anyone a free pass, but laying the foundation for what might come forth. . . .
So we demand a full airing of [Roberts's] views and prepare for what might emerge. If we don't like what we see, then whack. We let loose the artillery. There's a time and place for everything.
They're so butch!
Moulitsas and Billmon want to see "the family" succeed--and bully for them. The problem is, they define "the family" as the people wanting to destroy the Republican party. Not exactly a formula for electoral--or even intellectual--success.
It may sound a little naive, but political movements are supposed to believe that they are working for the broad benefit of all Americans. This segment of the Democratic party self-professedly does not. How many elections do they have to lose before the responsible center of the Democratic party (which makes up the vast majority of the caucus, by the way; just ask Howard Dean) decides to throw these people overboard?
People who dance around in front of the mirror preening about how very, very bad they are shouldn't be part of any serious political movement.
5 comments:
Perhaps they're forgetting what happened to Sonny.
I note that they chose murderous mafia scumbags to model themselves after. We Republicans should chose which one of "The Sons of Katie Elder" we want to be. (a gunfighter, a gambler, a layabout, and a college dropout--much more wholesome)
John Elder, the gunfighter, played by The Duke, seems the obvious choice--plus who wouldn't want to hit George Kennedy in the face with an ax handle.
But my money's on Tom, the Gambler, played by Dean Martin. Because, you know, Dean Martin.
Leave the Democratic Party! But take the cannoli!
Perhaps I am obtuse. Wouldn't be a stretch really. But if "[i]t has to do with what's best for the 'family' -- which in this case we can define broadly as those groups and constituencies in American society who oppose the GOP machine and want to see it destroyed (or at least kicked out of power.)", then what are their goals? Anarchy? The end of the democratic electoral process that is the basis of our federal republic? Their "family" includes a small fraction of the population, whose goal is the death or at least removal of a political foe by means other than electoral defeat. The analogy barely fits, too. Definitely uncool. Fughedaboudit, Paulie.
Leave the gun. But take the tofu.
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