Thank You, Senate Dems, and Other Items

I'd like to thank all those Senate Dems who voted for Hayden and the latest lifetime appointment Kavanaugh for proving right what I said yesterday:

What is undeniably true, as shown time after time after time on appointment votes, acceptance of unconstitutional actions and rationales, waffling to prove themselves "tough," etc., the current Dem leadership, the 21st Century equivalent of the final Roman elites, are not up to the task. No point in lamenting it or trying or trying to reverse it. The Repubs may give them one or two more "victories" that they end up losing, but the fork is in them, the thermometer has popped up. They're done.

People might not have believed me.

Here are some quick hits you should check out:

AMERICAblog catches Krugman echoing points I've been stressing here lately:

But can the sort of person who would act on global warming get elected? Are we — by which I mean both the public and the press — ready for political leaders who don't pander, who are willing to talk about complicated issues and call for responsible policies? That's a test of national character. I wonder whether we'll pass.

Read my review of Stealth Democracy in our Good Books to find out the answer.

Speaking of voters not worthy of the label "citizen," Chris Bowers has a great post showing US counties by predominant religions, which mirrors the red-blue divide well. He also concludes wisely:

I reproduce this map not to argue that certain religions are inherently liberal, and that others are inherently conservative. Truthfully, I do not think that is the case at all. Rather, as we approach election season, I reproduce this map because the progressive netroots is composed of political obsessives. Most of us spend an inordinate amount of time focused on current events, legislative policy, abstract matters of ideology, infrastructure, media narratives, electoral activism, and general strategy. Sometimes, I feel that because we are so obsessed with politics online that we often lose touch with what truly motivates voters. 80% of the country has no idea who Ann coulter is. Hell, 60% of the country has no idea who Harry Reid is.

Over the past year and a half, I have slowly developed an argument that the electorate is, in general, non-ideological, not interested in policy, and generally unmoved by the day-to-day minutia of political events that, within the blogosphere, are treated as cataclysmic events. Sure, most people hold general political beliefs, but in general national voting habits are motivated by something else--something more basic. As we look for ways to motivate voters in November, we need to remember the powerful role that identity plays in political decision-making. As progressives, we shrug off concepts such as the "battle of civilizations," but if you look closely at demographic data, maybe it is a battle of civilizations taking place after all. We may very well be living in an era of identity politics. Who knows, maybe every era of American politics is an era of identity politics.

Motivating voters and pulling off a landslide election will require a gut-level change of attitude about the two parties among millions of Americans. For all of the great policies everyone will suggest Democrats to run on this fall, ultimately winning will be based just as much on how Americans view their identity in relation to the image of the two coalitions as anything else. We need to avoid falling into the wonk trap of assuming that people are motivated by policy details. It is the identity, stupid. We need to explore ways to motivate voters for progressive causes with that in mind.

Let's give Paul Waldman props when he deserves them, and he does today, although you should read the whole thing:

The truth is that if anything, Democrats work too hard to be "respectful" to the people of the heartland. Yes, they talk to them like they're children. But not because they're looking down on them - no, it's because they're trying so hard, after being prompted again and again by the press, to be "respectful." I love you and your heartland values! You people are so down-to-earth, so real, so genuine, so posessed of common sense! Please, please vote for me - look, I can hold up a hunting rifle! Was that good enough for you? No? Then let me milk this cow! Did that do it? No? Then I'll go to a stock car race! Will you vote for me now? Will you, huh, will you?

Democrats need to stop the pandering. The way you treat people in the South and Midwest with respect is to talk to them like adults. An essential part is not to pretend you don't believe what you believe. Because when, out of "respect," you try to hide who you are, guess what happens? People come away thinking you're a weak, pandering politician who doesn't know who he/she is.

And when push comes to shove, they have to have the strength to say, I'll give you a hundred reasons to vote for me, but if you're not going to, then that's just too bad - I'm not going to get down on my knees and beg. Because that does nothing but make everyone everywhere - in red states and blue - think I'm a wimp.

For the hundredth time: Does anyone think Karl Rove sits around wondering how the GOP can win the votes of cultural studies professors in Berkeley and Cambridge? So why is it that Democrats gnash their teeth about winning the voters who hate them the most? Maybe they should just stop worrying about whether they're being nice enough and start campaigning with some spine.

ScienceDaily has a summary of a study of networks that looks at who links to what blogs. The authors found that liberal blogs linked to liberal blogs, conservative ones to conservative ones. Who knew? Still, it's a nice use of network analysis and shows that blogs have become a focus of real academic study, not just derision in J-Schools.

Finally, if you're looking for something sure to spew soda out your nostrils to get the holiday weekend off to the right start, check out AttaTurk's rendition of what Lincoln would have been like if he and Bushnev really were soulmates, as Chris Matthews masturbated on-air last night. The sensation leads to results that aren't pretty, but are oddly pleasurable.