There is a new link to the right. I have found Glenn consistently correct, occasionally funny, and always insightful. His outrage at the moral and intellectual midgets who (used to) govern and (still) pollute our airwaves has been nothing short of inspiring. His refusal to buy into the normal discourse, but to shred it with common sense and moral force is inspiring. His bitch-slapping to Democrats to stop thinking and acting like losers is much needed, and something I echo.
With that in mind, I think the Democrats in Congress need to take a page from Newt Gingrich of all people. Newt captured the minority leader position from retiring (in all senses of the word) Rep. Bob Michel with the intention of creating a Republican majority. He did it by refusing to assume the Republican minority in the House was perpetual; by refusing to accept inside-the-beltway wisdom on how those who get along will go along; by being aggressive, cantankerous, and occasionally borderline psychotic and megalomanical; and most of all by acting like a winner once he actually won. Democrats in Congress (and those who plan on running for the Presidency in 2008) need to start accepting the fact that (a) they won; and (b) in winning they have earned the right to a little goddamn respect. When someone in the MSM starts bleating Republican talking points as if they were deep thoughts, the Dem in question should forcefully insist that such is no longer tolerated, that public discourse is no longer in the hands of the insane, the criminal, or moral cripple. Bi-partisanship, like any date, only works if both show up. If the Dems are stood-up, as they have been for the past 12 years, there is no reason to expect them to accede to minority demands simply because they are made.
In order to govern, the Democrats need to remember that they have won. They are beholden to no one but the millions who voted for them - not "Dean" Broder, not Rahm, not Chuck Schumer, not EJ Dionne, and certainly not the flapping-lip class on television. One of the biggest mistakes the Republicans made is assuming that they could manipulate reality through their control of the discourse on television and talk-radio. As reality and discourse parted company, a majority of Americans seemed to prefer reality, so we were treated to the amusing scene over the past month to six weeks of their discourse becoming increasingly shrill, increasingly hostile towards their audience, and even more divorced from reality. This should be an object lesson to any and all who believe that Americans are "sheeple" (h/t to rudicus), waiting to be eaten by the big bad wolf named Karl Rove.
Newt was successful because, as loony as he was at times, he never accepted the Republican Party's status in the House. Once they were out of the majority, too many Democrats seemed to believe that, since they had the House for forty years, it was the Republicans' turn. Well, that lasted 12 years. The hard part, of course, comes next; they have to prove they have earned the trust we have put in them.
