Comments on: A Lament About Centrism http://donklephant.com/2005/10/10/a-lament-about-centrism/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:03:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: michael reynolds http://donklephant.com/2005/10/10/a-lament-about-centrism/comment-page-1/#comment-2809 michael reynolds Tue, 11 Oct 2005 22:49:24 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2005/10/10/a-lament-about-centrism/#comment-2809 There's no point blaming the GOP for successfully hammering an issue that throws the Dems off stride. It's a bit like blaming defensive linemen from breaking up a running play. It's a game, we all know it's unfair, but given that Dems have the same leeway to play rough their whining doesn't go over too well. The Dems are in trouble because they don't have a narrative. They don't have a brand that works. Think "Democrat" and you think poor, black, old and Subaru-driving college professor with a pony tail. And of course you think abortion and two guys kissing. None of this works as a brand nearly as well as "small government, low taxes, strong defense and old time morality" which is the GOP brand. The GOP has done the job, played the game well, and the Dems have not. Yes, most Americans agree with Dems on a number of core issues. And thankfully for the Dems the GOP is killing off the last of their reputation for small, efficient government. But still Dems retain a whiff of Marxism and pacifism, big government, high taxes and cringing surrender. The Dems need a major brand relaunch. They aren't anywhere close to doing it yet. They won't be doing it with Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean and Harry Reid. There’s no point blaming the GOP for successfully hammering an issue that throws the Dems off stride. It’s a bit like blaming defensive linemen from breaking up a running play. It’s a game, we all know it’s unfair, but given that Dems have the same leeway to play rough their whining doesn’t go over too well.

The Dems are in trouble because they don’t have a narrative. They don’t have a brand that works. Think “Democrat” and you think poor, black, old and Subaru-driving college professor with a pony tail. And of course you think abortion and two guys kissing. None of this works as a brand nearly as well as “small government, low taxes, strong defense and old time morality” which is the GOP brand. The GOP has done the job, played the game well, and the Dems have not.

Yes, most Americans agree with Dems on a number of core issues. And thankfully for the Dems the GOP is killing off the last of their reputation for small, efficient government. But still Dems retain a whiff of Marxism and pacifism, big government, high taxes and cringing surrender.

The Dems need a major brand relaunch. They aren’t anywhere close to doing it yet. They won’t be doing it with Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean and Harry Reid.

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