James Carville and Paul Begala teamed up to write a column about what is wrong with the Democratic Party, entitled "Democrats Must Change Everything." It is, ironically, a lesson not in what the Democratic Party should aspire too, but what they should run from. The two bring to mind a scene from "Oh Brother Where Art Thou," sitting around the porch, drinking mint julips, and exclaiming "We gots to get some of dat dere reform pappy."
They are certainly correct that the Democratic Party doesn't stand for anything, except of course, a nihilistic society (think Flea with a german accent, proclaiming "Dat's right, we care about nussing,") which Carville and Begala predictably fail to mention. They do, however, fall victim to a liberal mentality that insists all political stances fit on a bumber sticker, and the three-inch by eight-inch adhesive philosophy that Carville and Begala have come up with to represent the modern Democratic Party is "reform."
Of course, no reform of the left would be complete without blasting Bush with nonsensical partisan rhetoric for everything under the sun, in order to set up their point. But it is in their point that Carville and Begala reveal a simplicity of thinking that will make the especially shallow politicians weep joyful tears.
They have an answer for the economy:
Democrats should stand for fiscal responsibility, asking the wealthiest to pay their share of the debt — and reform, reform, reform. We should reform trade laws that encourage corporations to ship jobs overseas. We should reform the tax code and replace the current lobbyists' dream with a tax code that is simpler, fairer and more progressive.
This is by far the most complete idea given by the two modern philosophers, which begs the question, will we be getting to the actual reform any time soon? Don't get me wrong, it's not as though the whole column is dedicated to trumpeting socialist mantra from K Street. They do have some answers for anxious leftists desperate for marching orders.
They have an answer for health care:
Democrats should stand for health care reform.
They have an answer for foreign policy:
It's time to reform our foreign policy.
And, they have an answer for political policy:
...it's high time for reform.
Exactly what these reforms will be is anybody's guess, and that would seem to include Carville and Begala. But never fear, the reforms are coming, with the full confidence that they will fit just as nicely on a bumber sticker as this first, in a string of many, original thoughts to come from James and Paul.
The future of the Democratic Party.
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