18-11-2014, 07:56 PM
Drew Phipps Wrote:I'm gonna take issue with your use of the term "moral weakness." Far as I can see, Obama has been one of the most "moral" presidents I've ever seen. Certainly he has a better track record on "morality" than Clinton and GW.
Ineffective, yes. I see that more as a sign that democrats are losing core voters, because the democrats have shifted to the far left on issues such as gay rights and gun laws. Individual democrats are faced with the unattractive alternative of either losing financial support (which is unlikely to come from their constituents), or alienating their voting constituents. The Republicans were shocked when they didn't beat Obama in 2012 for the same reason, their "out-righting" each other cost them votes.
I doubt the ideologues in either party can see this basic truth.
Until a political party adopts moderation instead of extremism, the safest bet for American voters is to make sure that both Congress and the President are of different parties, partially hamstrung by having to oppose each other.
Other than the social issues, the Democrats are now more conservative than the Republicans were 40 years go. And the Republicans are in Bircher-land. Most Americans are tolerant on social issues (a majority now support gay rights, for example).
The real problem is that on economic, foreign policy and environmental issues, the two parties are in bed with Wall St, big polluters and the military-industrial complex. This is why the wars continue, why the banks are bailed out, why the surveillance state grows, why no one goes to prison anymore for looting and defrauding the country or committing outright treason.
The Democrats have been losing their core working-class voters since the late 60s for many reasons: the corruption and decline of organized labor; outsourcing of good jobs; the GOP pushes the fear-based cultural buttons (racial, religious, social, sexual) so that white working people will vote against their own interests; Japan, Germany and other countries rebuilt after WWII and the short period of American economic dominance (1946-1970) is over; and of course the assassination of some of the best people in politics.
Since the Dems long ago let the lobbyists start writing legislation for them, and the last Democratic Congress that was worth a damn (1975-78) was stymied by the CIA/FBI/military, Americans have figured out that neither party is on their side. One reason why voter turnout was 36% in the recent election.