Are the Democrats Saying the Serenity Prayer - Backwards?

Christians, alcoholics, and drug addicts everywhere know the Serenity Prayer, but only the Democrats say it backwards. When it comes to those things they can't change, they're riding high. But as for the things they can? Well, let's just say things go well for Democrats sometimes - until Democrats get involved.

"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

The Dems can't change Republicans behavior, and that's been their greatest source of good fortune lately. Take that DeLay-driven post-Abramovian clusterf**k now driving up their Congressional poll numbers. By a margin of 49% to 36%, Americans want Democrats to take control of Congress. Sounds great, but like Bush's plunging poll numbers, it's another example of an odd phenomenon: Democrats do best at the things they're powerless to change.

The bad news about this kind of poll result - driven as it is by Republican shortcomings, rather than Democratic strength - is that sometime between now and election time actual Democrats will get involved. People will not be given the nebulous choice of voting for "Democrats" - meaning "non-Republicans" - but will actually have to pull the lever for a living, breathing Democrat. In recent years, that's when the trouble has started.

The campaign for "non-Bush"was doing fine in February of 2005, before Bob Shrum and the usual gang of Democratic hacks began their general election campaign for Kerry. By April, approval ratings for Bush were below 50% and historical precedent suggested his re-election was in serious trouble. Instead of the usual post-election honeymoon, the voters immediately woke up, looked at the head on the pillow beside them, and said "What have I done?"

So what happened in between? Democrats. Electoral shenanigans too (according to mounting evidence), but - Democrats.* The diffused, inviting glow of "non-Bush" was replaced by a Democratic campaign - one made up of the usual suspects peddling the usual generalities, while earnestly trying to avoid risk by taking clear positions on Iraq or economic fairness.

Democrats should not get fat and happy on these poll numbers. It looks good now, but between today and November they're actually going to have to run a campaign. They've shown great aptitude for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. These poll numbers are not an excuse to keep dodging the important issues of the day, Rahm Emanuel-style.

The Democrats should say the Serenity Prayer forward, starting today. The things they can't change have gone their way - thanks to fate, luck, and the venality of their opponents. Now, they need to find the courage to change the things they can. A good way to start is by finding the voice to speak truth to power, and to the public.

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* And please don't send me flames like you did last time, saying that Democrats aren't doing anything wrong and have been winning by huge margins - unless you can demonstrate multi-million vote swings in the Presidential election, as well as massive fraud in House, Senate, and gubernatorial elections. You're my comrades on the barricades and I love ya, but I still say the Dems are dropping the ball ... tho' we need to fight electoral fraud tooth and nail, too!

A Night Light