Liberal Talk Radio

Matski’s dad was in town a few weeks ago. Something about the site of a 60-ish man sleeping on my futon-couch strikes a great fear into my heart … but that’s not what I want to talk about now.

Dad, see, still lives in flyover country, or what this year we’re euphemistically calling a “swing state.” He’s also, ahem, “one of them,” and so I couldn’t resist the urge — in spite of my better judgement — to ask him how anyone in his or her right mind could possibly vote for Commander Cody.

I say “in spite of my better judgement” because my dad — all 250 pounds of couch-living older man — has been known to kick the rhetoric into high gear after a couple of cocktails, and when he’s on vacation, he IS a couple of cocktails.

So, as predicted, dad let loose with a torent of invectives against all things Democrat. “Blah blah Democrats suck. Blah blah big government. Blah blah welfare mothers on crack.”

“But dad,” I countered, “surely the sins of the current president — real, tangible things like lies that’ve gotten thousands killed and got us hopelessly mired in a new Vietnam — surely that must be more important than things which the Democrats may or may not have done 10 or more years ago?”

Short pause. Then dad continued, “Democrats blah blah. Take our guns away blah blah. Kill babies blah blah.”

And that’s when it occured to me — the Democrats have an image problem.

Now, that in itself is no news. But let’s assume that this presidential election is truly a referendum on Bush vs. the old ideas of Great Society/Rainbow Coalition Democrats (i.e., let’s concede that the Republicans have succeeded in framing the election to their advantage). And consider:

* Bush has consistently taken action to harm the economic prospects of the middle-class and the working-classes
* Bush lied about Iraq and got us mired in a hopeless mess at the cost of countless lives and billions of dollars
* Bush has used the Constitution as ersatz Charmin when it has suited him
* Bush has allowed religious influence into the Executive Branch to a degree probably never before seen in the U.S., thereby negated one of the most sacred principles of our democracy
* And more!

Now, these are all things we know already.

But consider what this truly means. Despite these horrible, terrible actions — things that have already undermined the reputation and the very foundations of our democracy (when was the last time India sent election observers to the U.S., for example?), the reputation of the Democratic party is so bad THAT IT IS GOING TO LOSE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN U.S. HISTORY — and one that should be a cakewalk for the good guys.

My conclusion? The Democrats have a brand problem almost unheard of — it’s so bad, it’s almost a marvel that they manage to keep it together at all. The Democrats are the Firestone, the ValuJet, the Silverado Savings and Loan of politics. Which is to say — this horse is dead.

It’s time for well-meaning centrists (including the radical centrists, like Bruno and me) to leave the Democrats behind. As we approach another ass-trouncing in November, it’s time to say that there’s really nothing worth saving, except maybe a mailing list or two, and more one once and for all to greener pastures. There’s just nothing left to save of the Democratic name.