Democrats: Don't Move to the Center; Define It

"The only thing you'll find in the middle of the road are yellow stripes and dead armadillos...Voters want someone to kick ass on their behalf." When the sagacious Lone Star populist, Jim Hightower, made this observation in 1990, it was as if he was anticipating Nancy Pelosi's recent call for President-Elect Barack Obama to "govern from the middle."

At the dawn of the Reagan era, Republicans painted those yellow stripes on the road's far right shoulder. And the marshmallow moderates of the Democratic Party have been navigating by it ever since, being careful not to veer to the left.

The Machiavellian lexicographers of the GOP, such as Frank Luntz, have redefined what were once regarded as mainstream American values. The nation's foundational moral principles have not always (or even often) been honored in the realpolitik of governing. But until the current era of nearly uninterrupted conservative rule, these values were the moral yardstick by which the action of politicians and governments were measured. Nowadays, calls to honor such principles are met with various denunciations that reflect conservative framing.

So, the ethic of fairness that underlies progressive taxation is now eclipsed by accusations of "socialism." That purple mountain majesty stuff? Just the sentimental whining of tree hugging dirt worshippers who oppose "property rights." Are you bothered by torture as official state policy? You're a "terrorist sympathizer."

Presidents no longer commit impeachable high crimes and misdemeanors, or defy the principle of checks and balances; they merely exercise the prerogatives of the "unitary executive." If you're a candidate who expresses a preference for diplomacy over military force and imperial occupation, you'd better prepare to fend off assertions that you're a "defeatocrat" and a "cut and runner."

According to the latest edition of the Republican dictionary of politically correct thought, speaking well and with a command of the facts renders you an "elitist." Advocating the teaching of science in schools is "religious intolerance." Equality under the law means "special rights for minorities." Government help to middle class citizens is an attack on "personal responsibility." Corporate bailouts, on the other hand, are heroic "financial rescue plans." As I pointed out in my first contribution to the Huffington Post, all these conservative frames are subsumed under a once-honorable adjective, which Republicans have succeeded in transforming into a profanity: "liberal."

As it now stands, this perspective is the "center." Barack Obama and the Democratic Party have a stark choice. They can cravenly hew to this well-worn path, and continue to think, speak, and act through Republican metaphors. To do so would doom plans for even the most transformative of new programs to the sort of misguided, short sighted, and banal "pragmatism" favored by corporate media pundits. Settling for the half measures of Clintonian incrementalism would demoralize the freshly inspired and newly expanded Democratic constituency. Hope would quickly devolve into despair; the GOP would see a midterm resurgence in 2010 (as it did in 1994); and the Obama administration would become just another minor chapter in the history of Democratic Party cowardice.

Alternatively, Democrats can reject their traditional role as docile collaborators of right wing propagandists, and use the profound moral authority granted them by a deliriously excited electorate. If they define progressive Democratic policies in their own terms, and put their moral arguments up front, they can claim linguistic custody of the center. New political initiatives will require a new rhetoric, one that conveys progressive values in an emotionally compelling way and leaves no one guessing what change means.

Comments

[vacuumslayer]

Could someone tell me what "far Left" is nowadays? Because the Rethugs have been so good at moving the markers, I honestly have no idea what is considered "far Left." Not a clue.

[knowBuddhaU]

I often use ask.com for searches. The results are well organized, and you can easily narrow or expand your search.

[SueW0]

"Far left" means you live in the real world. :-D

[bayside]

Obama , bring the center to you dont you go to the center. The center, leiberman and blue dogs and right wing have been in charge for 30 years. They didnt vote for you, they dont want your change. The public will have change with or without you. You have our goodwill and the worlds goodwill right now to govern from the left and make us sane again..Dont blow it..

[Ljeff79]

Great blog post!

For years I have been infuriated about this idea of a center-right country. Bush skated into the White House with barely half the people on his side and some serious electoral funniness. Both times.

The hard right went on to to fulfill their "mandate" by using their "political capital".

I don't need to go in to why this made me so mad. I know most of the people who use this site have felt just as angry as I have for the past eight years. I have always thought that the platform of the Democrats was a better fit for the values people want to see in government.

People think that the government should protect them from harm inflicted on the environment by big business. Everybody thinks health care should be more fair. More people than not are pro-choice. Most people want a level of economic fairness that allows them to compete in business and build on their dreams. These values are centrist.

The Democrats are centrist. It's the Republicans that have been way off in Righty Land.

The party doesn't need to spin a center-left mandate. What they need to do is find a way to frame an argument that is effective. Hopefully in the future the people will give the blue team a shot before of the Republicans ruin everything so badly .

[peterg76]

You need to frame this in terms that Democrats genuinely care about. They have been the party that enabled and imitated the Republican Party at almost every opportunity. Remind them that the Republicans *lost*, and if they keep trying to be Republicans, that will happen to them too.

[movecenter]

I agree. We are in an exciting time in our political history where we can not only move center, but define it on our terms. I suspect that Obama will define it to mean intelligence + pragmatism.

[jmpurser]

Thank you. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the one on hallucinogens or the only one NOT on them.

It looks to me like most of the people who voted for Obama are to the LEFT of the Democratic party. And the Democratic party seems to want to go to the right. Obama just nodded left and won. Gore and Kerry ran right and lost. Hello?

Reid and Pelosi are the cement shoes of the Democratic party. Not the sails.

[WhiteDelyte]

absolutely.

The left won this election.
the left was knocking on doors and banging on the phones.
the left made small contributions
the left showed up by the 100's of thousands.

the left won this election and we should be recognized and rewarded.
if Obama governs from the middle, Im not showing up again in 2012.

[chaz]

Exactly! He's going to have to govern from the extreme left just to correct the problems Reagan and Bush created by governing from the extreme right. If I wanted a "centralist" approach I would of voted for Hillary.

[donndublin]

Since it's an absolute fact that socialism is superior, all progressives should be given more weight to their votes. Those right wing voters and congressmen should be required to be re-educated before they can cast a full vote. If they will not change then their rights should be diminished. We can no longer allow them to have a voice in a world they are trying to destroy. It’s time that the enlightened people of the world receive their destiny to rule. The revolution is finally upon us. LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION!

[batguano]

You have nailed it Stephen! The Dems have been astonishingly inept and/or cowardly at challenging the right-wing views and policies for fear of being labeled. We have seen the Dem "leadership" carry water for the Bush/Neocon regime and Speaker Pelosi pronounce that "impeachment is off the table"....what her words said was "accountability is off the table". They gave Bush nearly everything he wanted with little if any argument or appeal to America to understand the choices and consequences. The "middle" as you correctly point out has been driven to the far right, many would say into the realm of fascism and a betrayal of our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and International Law, with hardly a peep from the spineless Dems. The few Dems who had the integrity to not abandon their principles and commitment to the rule of law were demeaned and belittled by the Dem leadership and side-lined in favor of capitulation. From the wars to Impeachment to FISA, war funding, Habeas Corpus, the "patriot" act, "religion" in government, the Paulson-written 3pg $700 B Bailout give-away, torture, GITMO, taxes and more, the Dems have let themselves and the dialogue be shunted to the far right with devastating consequences that will take years to repair. It is way past time to call BS on Bush fascism and return the "middle" to a progressive place, where it belongs and hold quisling, spinless Dems to account as well.

[3rdCitizen]

If Obama stays true to the life lessons he describes in "Dreams From My Father" & then summarized in his 2004 DNC speech, then he will defy the simplistic classifications of "liberal" & "conservative" (which have largely devolved over time into crumbling anachronisms or grotesque chimeras). If he thinks one approach will work better than another, he'll choose it regardless of whether it's regarded as a victory for the "right" or for the "left." In the early days of his presidency, such an approach would undoubtedly inflame the fears of the right or the sense of betrayal by the left, but if it yields enough success, Obama may be able to purge our political discourse of the though-strangling "Newspeak" that a generation of aging propagandists has polluted it with.
Of course, that would eventually engender a whole new set of ideological dogmas & "-isms" that would eventually become just as inflexible & out-of-date as the current ones, until they inspire drastic revisions by future reformers. That is, after all, what happens in a healthy democracy.

[PATina]

I've always been confused about this so called 'center'. Does that mean people are a little bit liberal and a little bit conservative? Could it mean that someone is fiscally liberal yet socially conservative? Or socially liberal by fiscally conservative? Is someone in the 'center' a science believing Evangelical?

I think that the progressive agenda is all inclusive. It doesn't just benefit people on the right or the left (although some on the right might protest seeing that it doesn't give them the special benefits they think they deserve). In other words... if there was this so called center... it would be filled w/ progressives... people who want government to work for ALL citizens.

[chaz]

I agree with you 100% but it will be very difficult to educate the American public with out reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. Currently the Republicans control the vast majority of the national media which they use all day every day in an attempt to brain wash all Americans. If you don't believe me drive across country and in every city in every state you can listen to Rush, Hannity, Orielly and many others preach their lies and guess what those channels come in very clearly. No static. Like I said I agree with you but reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine is of the highest priority. If it wasn't vital then why are the Republicans already calling it a deal breaker if Obama reinstates it.

[terramartom]

YES WE CAN!!!
Excellant remedy for a faltering Planet - Bold Leadership from President Obama. Not half measured, concepts, instead go the distance changes away from Intolerant, racist, bigoted Conservatism once and for all.
Great read. Keep it up.

[fatherof4]

I agree that the Reps. have made a mess of this country. They're "suppose" to be the party of fiscal responsibility but yet started on the largest beuracracy in our nations history. They also are the holier than thou party, supposedly, but yet have as many moral failures as anyone else. However, I would like to refute a few things. As far as science taught in schools, intelligent design is not taught b/c we say it cannot be proved. Evolution is a only a theory and cannot be proved but is still taught. "Progressive taxation" is just a nice way of saying "Let the govt. have more of MY money." As far as the "Bailout", I think it is a bunch of baloney to give Wall Street a free ride for THEIR mistakes. And it is all at the taxpayers expense. Lastly, "impeachable high crimes", if my memory serves me correct, Bill Clinton lied under oath. I do believe that is impeachable. He got involved in a modern day "witch hunt" by the Repubs. but it was the lying they went after not the act.

[chaz]

Keep drinking the cool aid!

[fatherof4]

No thanks. I don't like cool aid.

[marijam]

You are absolutely correct on each and every point. I just hope someone will listen and take heed.