"America Can Do Better"

That is my memory of Gov. Tim Kaine's closing line. Which is right up there with "Beef, it's what for dinner" and "Knowledge is good" in terms of really rousing a crowd.

I'd like to think that the Dems can do better--not because I'm a partisan but simply because I'd like to see an actual debate of ideas between the two major political parties.

Comments

[James]

It's been going around the blogosphere that the Democrats have been working for months on their campaign theme for 2006 and settled on "America Can Do Better" in December.

They have yet to tell us where we will find a better political party. I'm really looking forward to that part.

[kgsam]

I didn't know you were such a dreamer Nick.

[Jeff P.]

They are hopeless. Worse, they are incompetent. I seriously think that card-carrying Dem voters should demand impeachment for their reps who fail the "opposition" portion of the phrase "loyal opposition."

[Windypundit]

An increasingly unpopular war, spying on citizens without a warrant, political corruption, incarcerating citizens without a trial, torture...and the Democrats still can't find their message.

It's a race to the bottom.

[mediageek]

They could always go for gun control. Look how awesome that's worked for them in the past.

[Sandy]

I watched episodes of the original boss-hair Battlestar Galactica instead. Thought you'd appreciate that, Nick.

[Warren]

I'd like to see an actual debate of ideas between the two major political parties.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
ROFLMELAO

[Nat]

"An increasingly unpopular war, spying on citizens, etc...."

One gets the impression that perhaps the "opposition" isn't seriously opposed to these things.

[CantankerousFart]

How about "Washington: It's Time to Flush the Toilet" for a slogan? I think it should have plenty of appeal to all the sane people out there who are sick of having one party that's cartoonishly evil, and another that's a bunch of spineless pussies who are afraid to take a stand on *anything* for fear of offending anyone.

Might be a tad lengthy for a bumper sticker, though...

[Mr Succinct]

Bush sucked, but that Kaine guy sucked worse.

[Jeff]

Rove et al. have successfully convinced the Democrats that they cannot, under any circumstances, actually come out in opposition to all the things that real people oppose about the Republicans. The Iraq adventure and our torture regime were going great guns during the presidential campaign, and yet Kerry was for the most part terrified of making anything of it. Americans are clearly opposed to wiretapping of citizens without a warrant (like 55 to 43 percent according to the most recent poll-- a depressing number in my mind, but still a majority), and yet you have "journalists" like Chris Matthews already claiming that Bush has made a political winner out of his system of law breaking, and I don't think Kaine even mentioned it last night. A bunch of half-assed religious bromides and that TERRIBLE "America can do better" line. Terrible, because with the current two-party system (or one and a half party system), we apparently cannot do better. It is fucking depressing.

[keith]

I'm confused. Does "America Can Do Better" refer to whichever Democrat ends up running for President, or for the Republican opponent?

[NoStar]

Republicans? Democrats?
America CAN do better!

Someone call the Libertarian party. We've found the perfect slogan for them.

[theCoach]

"because I'd like to see an actual debate of ideas between the two major political parties."

wouldn't that also require Republicans to come up with some ideas as well (as opposed to slogans like "privatization", which involved no actual policy).

And if you are interested in actual policies, instead of posturing about how tedious it is to be a lone idea man in a sea of idealess people, there are many you can find them at different sites for Democratic policies. The Center for American Progress is an example.
Dems not being in power have no ability to enact any policies -- as far as Republican ideas, with a lock on power they have been implemented.

[Stevo Darkly]

An increasingly unpopular war, spying on citizens without a warrant, political corruption, incarcerating citizens without a trial, torture...and the Democrats still can't find their message.

I think something along the lines of "Individual freedom, individual responsibility" could be a winner, but I don't think the mouth of a Democratic pol can say all those particular words in that particular order.

[ChrisO]

And if you are interested in actual policies, instead of posturing about how tedious it is to be a lone idea man in a sea of idealess people, there are many you can find them at different sites for Democratic policies.

There are plenty of GOP-oriented thinktanks out there brimming with ideas, as well. Problem is, little of it makes it into the actual debate between actual politicians. Espousing actual ideas entails taking a risk--much easier and safer to spout off poll-tested platitudes. Such is true of all mainstream federal politicians nowadays. Anyway, most of the ideas coming out of left and right thinktanks nowadays involve government expansionism, although it doesn't sound like theCoach finds that problematic.