As Republicans battle Republicans in the Presidential nominating race, in the U.S. Congress and in the U.S. Senate race in Florida, and demonstrate repeatedly their shocking lack of concern for the broad middle class and those who hope to join the middle class, Democratic prospects for victory in 2012 seem to be improving.
The Republican Presidential nominating competition has become a circus. Donald Trump’s role as moderator/ringmaster of a candidate debate, most candidates’ refusals to participate and Trump’s withdrawal as moderator and threat to run himself on an independent or third-party ticket are just a sampling. The rise and decline of Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich add to the picture of disarray. Mitt Romney’s continued flip-flops and elitist disdain and disregard for the middle class and the highly eccentric Ron Paul round it out further. Rick Santorum is the latest “flavor of the week” in the wake of his strong showing in Iowa, but his far-right ideology and lack of effective campaign infrastructure make him less than credible as a candidate over the long haul. The gross Republican appeals to racial and ethnic hatred and homophobia are another part of the toxic G.O.P. mix. President Obama’s steady leadership in defense of the middle class and diversity offers a sharp contrast that should be apparent to anyone who is paying any attention to national politics. Perhaps even more than previously, Romney -- the darling of the top 1% -- appears to be his most likely Republican opponent for the general election.
Meanwhile, the Senate and House Republicans’ infighting over the payroll tax-cut and unemployment compensation extension led even the Wall Street Journal editorial page, a bulwark of Republicanism, to voice disgust with their performance. According to most surveys, popular assessments of Congress are now at an all-time low; and public anger rightly focuses far more on the Republicans than on the Democrats.
The encouraging signs of economic recovery should further boost the prospects for victory of President Obama and the Congressional Democrats if they prove durable. Unfortunately, most Republican leaders are doing everything they can to wreck the economy and will undoubtedly continue to do so. The 2008 McCain campaign slogan of “Country First” apparently has no appeal whatsoever for the current Republican leaders. Their approach is to put the interests of the top one per cent and narrow partisan advantage ahead of the national interest – again and again and again.
Here in Florida, Senator Nelson has opened up a lead over the fractious Republican candidates. Though Connie Mack once appeared likely to win the Republican nomination with ease and seemed to have a good chance of defeating Nelson in the general election, Mack’s long record as a champion of questionable earmarks and right-wing causes, as well as attacks from fellow Republicans, appear to be dimming his attractiveness to voters. Nelson led Mack 46%-35% in the PPP public opinion survey completed in early December, after trailing him in two previous polls, and the Times survey of experts in both parties in late December showed 7 in 10 now give the edge to Nelson.
It is still a long way to November 2012, but Democratic prospects have been improving over the past month. Here in Pinellas, we still have a shortage of declared Democratic candidates, though I hear that several are on the brink of announcing their candidacies. Good Democrats need to step forward and rev up their campaigns if they hope to take advantage of an improving political environment at the national and state levels.
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