The politics of Ellen James

Edward Kennedy to the National Press Club:

We cannot move our party or our nation forward under pale colors and timid voices. We cannot become Republican clones. If we do, we will lose again, and deserve to lose.

Let me say again that it pleases me that Dean is running for DNC chair. Lately I have really been wondering if the better part of the Democratic "leadership" (let's hear it for oxymorons) has been lobotomized or whether someone has slipped paxil into their coffee or what. Yes, yes, they are the minority party. Yes, the reelection of Bush is a drubbing to be sure. But where are their voices? The elimination of social security, the rise of the deficit, the utter disregard--no contempt--for civil liberties and human rights...the list of issues from which to build a platform of attack on the crypto-fascists is long and getting longer. And somehow the dems have decided to position themselves as the Ellen Jamesian party. Come out swinging guys! Watch some old boxing movies or something.

Here's Dean via The Nation:

That word--'values'--has lately become a codeword for appeasement of the right-wing fringe. But when political calculations make us soften our opposition to bigotry, or sign on to policies that add to the burden of ordinary Americans, we have abandoned our true values.

What he said.