It's up to the liberal blogosphere and some members of Congress to shift the narrative away from bipartisanship after Obama enacts his agenda so the country will know that it was liberal and or progressive values that has saved our country from Conservative ruin.
And I agree with the great Digby.
Progressivism needs progressive rhetoric to match policy if it wants to be around long enough to make a real impact. If Democrats make things better without making it clear that their ideology (I know that's a bad word) is superior, the country will simply continue to treat politics like entertainment and vote for whoever puts on the best show and makes them feel good about themselves at a particular time, irrespective of their policies. It would be foolish to think the Republicans will never again be able to compete in that arena. They have shown themselves to be very adept at that kind of politics.
Now, if their ideas could be so discredited that nobody wants to ever be associated with them again it wouldn't matter if they ran the reanimated Elvis, nobody would want to vote for them. But that's not going to happen if progressives believe that it doesn't matter if our politicians distance themselves from progressivism simply because it's easier than challenging the myth that the country is center-right.
This is a two party country. You can say you aren't "ideological" and that you are a pragmatist, as Obama does, but polarity is the norm. This isn't just semantics --- it matters in a very prosaic, practical way if the country identifies itself with the party that has staked out the conservative side of the line. You can see from the two different responses to presidential victories by Gergen how that plays itself out politically.
There's a reason why armies wear identifiable uniforms and it's so their own fellows will recognize them.
Suit up and show up, ladies and gentlemen. We have a lot of work to do, and it's up to us to make sure we set the record straight because conservatives will re-brand themselves yet again, as the above video demonstrates. They'll put it in a nice little Lee Atwater package and the media will try to suck America into it all over again. I wrote this in an earlier post:
And Gerson has a secret plan to save the GOP. He's going from the phony "Compassionate Conservative" to the "Heroic Conservative." Comedy Gold...I can see him now---Red Cape at his back as he swoops down on the evil Sylar---sucking the powers out of him that he has stolen from all the other Heroes!
Sit back and watch the show. "Heroic Conservatives" is idiotic, but what would you expect from a former Bush speechwriter?
So give me your best shot.
What do you think Conservatives will come up with as a new label? Or will they just try to turn back the clock and be run-of-the-mill, "Old Fashioned Conservatives?" I know the media would lap that one up in a heartbeat.
