Wednesday, August 31, 2011

No Viable Democrat Might Run For Any Louisiana Statewide Office

The progressive blog Daily Kingfish does not exaggerate it's plight when it said yesterday at Hitting Bottom when the bad news came from down state that Senator Joel Chaisson, of Destrehan was not going to run for Statewide Office. Which means that for the first time in modern history (since reconstruction) there is a real possibility that not on viable Democrat might run for any Statewide office.

....That's the state of the Democratic Party in Louisiana. There is none. But this story is more about Democratic politics in general. Think back, many ages ago (it was only 20 years ago perhaps) when Democrats dominated all of the top offices. Small, but passionate, pockets of Republicans forwareded their best candidates in hopes they would have a breakthrough. Dave Treen was that breakthrough when he was elected in 1979. Even despite being the minority party for decades, Republicans fought to forward their ideals upon the electorate, even if they were constantly rejected.

What will the Democratic Party do when that is their only option? That times seems to be approaching. The time when Democratic politics is an unpopular, but legitimate, alternative with a few passionate believers hoping to one day recapture popular opinion. The question is whether Democrats will embrace the obvious: the party and the leadership must be toppled and replaced, and then rebuilt as a leaner, more focused and determined core of individuals that want to win the argument about ideas. Present the alternative, give people a reason to take a second look at your ideas. Be bold. Because this is the very bottom

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