Why Democratic Blogs Undermine Democrats’ Chances of Regaining Power
If you think about it, the Democratic blogs may actually be undermining the Democrats’ chances of taking back the country. Too often, Democratic blogs are bona fide public brainstorming and public strategy sessions. Democrats are cultivating and honing their ideas in public—for everyone to see, especially Republicans.
Today, Democrats face much the same situation that Republicans faced in the 1970s and 1980s.
In the `70s and `80s, liberal Democrats controlled Congress because, by and large, the political & moral template of the country was liberal. The `70s, and even the backlash Reagan `80s, had been forged by the overwhelming liberal renaissance and cultural revolution of the 1960s. The Civil Rights movement, the anti-war movement, the youth movement, the feminist movement, consumer rights, gay rights, environmental protection—all these things blossomed in the 60’s and early `70s and—despite Ronald Reagan’s best efforts—these values completely defined the country for years and years. Heck, Republican President Nixon established the EPA. Republican President Reagan appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court. And the Congress rejected a conservative wing nut like Robert Bork. These were simply the given values of the day. Witness the fact that a powerful, popular personality President like Reagan was forced to wage his war in Central America under the radar, illegally. And he was busted for it during the Iran-Contra affaire. This was because the lessons of Vietnam still carried weight.
However, Republicans were certainly active during this era. The Heritage Foundation, Grover Norquist and his American Taxpayers Union, The Olin Institution at Harvard University were all active during this time—cultivating and fleshing out the ideas that would eventually explode in 1994 with Newt Gringrich’s Republican Revolution. But they were doing it quietly.
And ever since 1994, the tables have been turned. Since that time, the political and moral template of the country has been conservative. Just look at Clinton’s biggest accomplishments: Welfare Reform and a balanced budget. These were Republican agenda items. The country was so conservative post ‘94, that Clinton was impeached by the House of Reps even as he reigned over peace and prosperity.
The key to the Republicans’ success at overthrowing the established order of the `70s and `80s was this: In the `70s and `80s, the Heritage Foundation and Norquist et al, operated below the radar screen. The Democratic establishment was largely unaware of the right-wing thought machine, the right-wing hand wringing strategy sessions, and all the Republican brainstorming. And so, in 1994, the conservatives were able to take Clinton, seemingly by surprise, and unveil an ideology that they’d been stoking and cultivating quietly for years. And, in 1994, they successfully ended the era of liberalism that had dominated this country since about 1970.
In comparison, today, the Democrats do their brainstorming and hand wring and strategizing out in the open. They do it on the blogs. It’s all right there for the Republicans to see. This is why the Democratic blogs, as good as they make us feel, are jeopardizing a successful liberal revolution. Democrats do too much plotting out loud.
If Grover Norquist had had a blog in the `80s, I think the Democrats would have been more prepared in 1994.
But the GOP's blogs are out in the open, too. Also, Dem blogs aren't the center of our revolution. Places like Center for American Progress and the Rockridge Institute are. Besides, it isn't like reading the comment threads on DailyKos are anything Carville-like to gawk at. Blogs are what they are; tools for activists.