Howard Dean has just been elected as head of the Democratic Party. At this rate, before long the Democrats will become irrelevant to national politics and likely be surpassed by the Libertarians as the primary opposition party. They just don't get it. They continue to believe the religious right is solely responsible for their recent losses in the presidential and congressional elections.
If one is paranoid about something, they will see it everywhere they look. In order to explain why the majority of Americans do not buy into a particular point of view, there must be some sinister force at work the voters just don't understand. For the Democrats, the sinister force is religious zealots. It certainly could not be possible that the majority of clear thinking voters would actually prefer lower taxes or fighting against terrorists where they live. It has to be the religious nuts.
Do religious nuts exist? Of course. Do they all vote Republican? Probably. My mother is a perfect example. She wants the government to do everything for her - provide free health care and subsidized housing as well as clean air and the elimination of any bug that might enter her apartment. I tell her that she is really a Democrat, but since she is a religious nut she always votes Republican. Do I think religious nuts are scary? Yes, I do. But I am not arrogant and judgmental enough to believe I am 100% right and they are 100% wrong.
But the Democrats also have a significant number of rabid single issue nut cases who will always vote for Democrats. In my humble opinion, those who fanatically believe the world is a peaceful utopia and the United States of America is the source of global evil have severe intellectual issues. Those who unthinkingly hate George Bush because the New York Times, CBS and other major networks incessantly tell them to are downright scary. And those who believe abortion and gay marriage are the most important issues of our times are seriously mentally impaired. Yet those folks are arrogant, judgmental and self-righteous enough to believe they are 100% right, and they all vote Democrat.
Personally, I am not George Bush's biggest fan. I do not agree with many of the details of economic policies he has put into place, and I certainly could care less if democracy ever comes to the muslim countries. But raising taxes will not stimulate economic growth nor reduce the budget deficit, and the war against terror is not only a justifiable war, it is a necessary war - one that was declared on us way back in the late 70's but we ignored for too long.
Blaming the religious right for the Democrat's inability to sell their message is just plain wrong. And I see no evidence that every action George Bush takes is based on his religious faith. Again, in my humble opinion, it seems to me the actions he takes are designed to promote economic growth and protect American citizens from foreign enemies. That is his job. At the present time the economy is unmistakably growing, and those who dared to wage war on us are finally paying for it. And, last time I looked, women are still getting abortions, gays are still able to practice whatever disgusting behaviour they want, those who don't like the war don't have to fight it, and no government agency has closed down the New York Times or CBS News - and none of their biased writers, reporters or talking heads have been censored or incarcerated.
