hat Democrats need at this point in time is building alliances, party allegiance and not alienations of potential voters as a result of what some may term intra-party castigation and aspersions from their candidates for higher offices. Most experts agree this election is Democrats to lose. After what amounted to eight tumultuous period of discontent over the war in Iraq, the soaring budget deficit due to post 911 military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and the fragile nature of the current economy most agree Americans desire and deserve a transition to an Democratic government that espouses change and not the continuation of status-quo.
So it behooves Democrats to fight tooth and nail, to leave no stone unturned and to make the necessary sacrifice to re-claim their mandate in 2008 elections. Therefore, observers of current Democratic race often cringe upon seeing the kind of personal attacks that could jeopardize this golden opportunity for Democrats to gain the white House.
In the spirit of building a lasting alliances in the fall of 2008 against their common political enemy the Republicans, Democrats competing in the presidential election should reflect on the possibility of capturing the white house and not blow this golden chance that is almost handed to them on a platter of gold.
Having said that, other obstacles standing in their part to capturing the white house in 2008 are the following: apathy, complacency, lack of youth involvement in the political process, tendency to exclude and marginalize the poor who ostensibly devote more of their time fighting daily to make ends meet. Who cares about the party process when they are consumed with how to put food on the table for their family? To ignore this fact of life or reality is to do so at ones peril.
To make matters worse, even the so-called experts agree that an average American is basically ill-informed about the political party process, many don't understand politics and some hate politicians whom they claim always promise heaven on earth and never delivers after being elected. Such misconceptions are very detrimental to democracy and good governance. As a result, it seems to me that what needs to be done is to begin at early age or as early as primary education to begin to inculcate political values in the young and not wait until adult age to begin, when chances are their opinions are already formed and fashioned.
Furthermore, the election time table in America seems too long drawn and sometimes lasting more than a year. Naturally, people get turned off after some time. Maybe the best way is to shorten the electioneering timetable; my suggestion is to shorten the presidential campaign to one year. No more and no less. Because candidates does not have to stretch themselves thin fundraising, speech making and you guessed right , promising people heaven and earth. This way the time they spend chasing those who donate to their campaign is lessened. They may also decrease the influence of money on the polity. Many good candidates who have humility to serve their nation are unable to do so because politics whether you agree with me or not is fast becoming an exclusive sport for the rich and billionaires.
Pertaining to current presidential campaign - we have seen the enormous amount of money candidates have to raise to stay relevant in race. Consider the expectation of those who give to the candidates. Now factor that with the illusion of crafting legislation on campaign finance regulations. Naturally, people who give to candidates do so with the expectation of something in return. This is natural in less advanced political society where god-fatherism, favoritism and extended kinship usually held sway. American political parties of today seem less beholden to the influence of the military-industrial complex which was very dominant years ago. Nor has politics stayed the exclusive bread and butter for the so -called WASP (white Anglo-Saxon Protestants.)
So regarding the thesis of this piece, Democrats on one hand and Republicans on the other, must be careful how they plan to conquer the white house next year. Even as Democrats appear to have more upper hand this time around, they must be mindful and not blow one of the Democratic best chance to win the white house since John F. Kennedy in 1960. The Democrats advantage is due to the cyclical nature of presidential transition in America. Who will argue why it's the Democratic Party turn to take over the white house after eight years of President Bush dispensation? Can you foresee another four more years of Republicanism? It's like after eating the same food for a long period of time one naturally begins to crave for a different food.
In the final analysis, Democrats must learn to fight fair and not tarnish their opponent's image in this primary. To do so is to create an advantage for their opposition in the general election. Democrats must remember they come from the same party. Democrats must note what can happen to a house divided. Any careful political observer must agree in the saying United We Stand and Divided We Lose again. Personal attacks instead of discussing the issues about how to help the middle class and those Rev. Jesse Jackson once called the boat stuck at the bottom are unnecessary and will be counter-productive in the general election, when their opponent in the Republican Party will use same to add to their brick and mortar arsenal. Such an attack could be equally detrimental as those of 'Swift Boat'villification against John Kerry in 2004. In the words of Chris Matthew of MSNBC fame 'Life's a Campaign' and incidentally the title of his new book. And for those who understand football, to recover a fumble in the field of play, you got to be in the field. Or if baseball is your passion and not just pastime, remember you do not change the rules of the game in the ninth inning. Conversely, Democrats and especially those who are contestants should adhere to the rules of political sport and stick to message and not manipulations.
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