The Winds of Change has a long and very readable series of posts about why the Democrats are in trouble in 2004, and while they bring up many points (some good, some not so good), I think this comment by Kevin Drum goes farther to illustrate why Democrats are in trouble more than anything described by the folks at the Winds of Change. While discussing FCC Deregulation, Kevin states:
Heh, heh, just kidding. See, the problem is that I’m not sure I’m actually opposed to deregulation. There, I said it.
Roughly speaking, here’s where I stand: despite my liberal leanings, my conservative readers will be either surprised or amused (depending on temperament) to hear me say that I’m not especially in favor of government regulation of industry without a compelling reason.
I don’t recall the party of JFK (and that is Kennedy, not Kerry, thank you) beig culturally and politically defined as the anti-business party, yet that is where the Democrats find themselves today, at least rhetorically. All the years of faux-populism, railing against business, and using the class warfare rhetoric has placed the Democrats in a position where even Kevin has to excuse himself and explain- “Hey- even though I am a liberal- I am not overtly and instinctively anti-business.” When a proud member of the supposedly liberal party has to excuse himself for choosing the primacy of the individual over government, of the primacy of private enterprise over heavy-handed government involvement and regulation, it goes a long way to explain some of the problems the Democrats currently have to overcome.
Kevin Drum
Actually, it’s worse than that. As near as I can tell, *everyone* (in the blogosphere, at least) is opposed to media deregulation.
And I know I keep saying this, but most Dems are basically DLC Dems. Not anti-business. But the Republican Party these days is so incredibly incestuous with big business that it’s almost impossible to be in an opposition party without also opposing their business agenda. Most Dems are anti-business only to the extent that they aren’t as pro-business as Republicans.
JKC
Actually, I’d like to consider myself anti- “Enron/Global Crossing/HealthSouth” types of businesses, with a healthy distaste for Clear Channel thrown in.
John Cole
I agree with you- the problem for the Democrats is the perception, not necessarily the reality.
FWIW- I am in favor of deregulation.