Pennsylvania Democratic Primary

The Democrats of Pennsylvannia overwhelmingly nominated Bob Casey, Jr to run against Rick Santorum on Tuesday. Casey is a fiscal liberal but is anti-choice, anti-gun control. He has a good chance of winning in November.

Democrats beware!

In a scramble for the center-right, the Republicans will win more than they will lose. It's their agenda and the debate is, therefore, on their terms and in their language. We know that a meaningful and lasting victory will not come about by trying to emulate the more populist elements of GOP policies yet we continue to do it.

Casey may be a great candidate and a valuable asset in the Senate. He is certainly experienced - which is more than can be said for his Primary challengers - but he hardly represents the core values of Democratic politics.

If voters possess conservative values, what is going to make them favor Casey over Santorum?

Controlling the agenda

Democrats have some reason to cheer this morning.

The Post-ABC poll released today finds voters trusting Democrats over Republicans in all ten key policy areas. This in conjunction with the President's low approval ratings must give Democratic challengers a boost of spirits as they look towards November.

Two points of caution are in order, however.

First, there are still six months until the election; plenty of time for the GOP to bounce back. We shouldn't forget that incumbents get overwhelmingly re-elected. Better the devil you know, etc.

Second, since we can assume that this is largely a consequence of dissatisfaction with the Republican Party rather than a connection with the values of the Democrats, the poll numbers may not translate into votes.

So how can the Democratic Party lock in this lead until November?

I don't get the feeling that the Democrats are offering much of an alternative, both in terms of policy and values. More and more they seem like thay are simply running after the GOP and pointing to the things that have been messed things up. I am certainly not the only person to have noticed this; it is exactly what the Republicans themselves are saying, and it is a powerful argument.

It seems to me that the great success of the right over the last 30 years has been in promoting conservative values and linking their policies to these values. If the left is ever to push back it has to remind voters that the current problems in America are the logical and obvious consequences of the policies that the conservative movement has advocated and enacted. Increasing poverty, the war in Iraq, healthcare, etc.

They link policies to values, so we must link effects to causes.

Mothers' Day?

Happy mothers' day!

As much as it feels nice to acknowledge the role that mothers play and to say a thank you for all the sacrifices they have made for us, I can't help feeling that this message has become somewhat lost.

I remember (and this was not that long ago) when some flowers or a card to my mother was all that was expected and, most importantly, it told my mother that I care and that I appreciate her.

This year I cannot make it to see my own mother. Instead two mothers to whom I am barely related have organized a dinner, to which attendance is obligatory. Flowers are now considered cheap so actual presents must be brought. A card is woefully inadequate.

I don't even like these women but unless I spend a minimum of $20 each I am apparently committing some kind of sin.

What happened?

Since every TV ad break for the last two weeks has urged me to by a present for any woman I may have ever met who has managed to push out a little one, the answer is not hard to find.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that I'm stingy. But surely I'm not the only one who finds it a little galling when marketing executives 'decide' what an acceptable gift is, when everyone around me laps it up like a cat at a milk bowl, and I end up being considered mean for not joining in the spending frenzy.

We celebrated Administrative Professionals day at work a couple of weeks ago! Where did that one come from? More importantly, where will it end? Janitors Day is later in the summer I believe, while Burger King staff-member day comes in the fall this year. Lawyers day had to be pushed back a week because it clashed with refuse-collector day; both, of course, fall within Hemorrhoid Awareness month.

It won't be long, I can feel it

An introduction

This is the first post from Sparx. The voices of progressive liberalism appear to be losing their grip on modern America. Can one more voice make a difference? I hope so