Before you abuse, criticize and accuse, walk a mile in my shoes -- Yet another perspective on the RNC's keynote speaker
When I started this blog, my heading included the following: "Conventional wisdom is that in order to win, a Republican must veer right for the primary, and then veer back left toward the center for the general election. Is the reverse now true for the Democratic Party?"
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The 9-03-04 issue of the Savannah Morning News has an article entitled " Many politicians have walked Zell's trail -- Political defections reflect major shifts in both parties."
This article is well-researched and reviews our nation's recent political history to reveal the reasons behind our two Parties being where they are now.
The article's author Larry Peterson is to be commended for his fine piece of work; without question it was time-consuming to produce.
As recently as 20 years ago many conservative Democrats were more conservative than the most liberal Republicans. But with time there has been an exodus of conservatives from the Democratic Party and liberals from the Republicans,
The obvious result -- the GOP has become more conservative and the Democrats more liberal.
Larry Peterson in his article picks up here:
_______________
Why does all this matter?
Many politics watchers think such intense partisan divisions divert attention from pressing issues such as Social Security, health care and the economy.
"There aren't any solutions that the leadership in either party can sell to its hard-core supporters," said Los Angeles political consultant Harvey Englander. "So while many people grow older, sicker and poorer, all our politicians do is posture and point."
Atlanta political analyst Bill Shipp agrees.
"Governance has become secondary to scoring political points," Shipp said. "And when that happens, it gets in the way of solving problems."
What makes things even worse, [Michael McDonald, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington D.C.,] says, is the disappearance of conservative Democrats, the low-key leaders who could cross party lines to broker mutually acceptable deals.
_______________
The above is just where we are. To see how we got there, I strongly encourage you to read Mr. Peterson's full article.
Having informed of this, Mr. Peterson then gets back to the part of his article's title on walking "Zell's trail."
For those of you who might not know, Larry Peterson is a good reporter, which many in the profession will tell you means that he reports more and opines less.
Regardless, unlike so many stories on Sen. Miller's speech this week, I don't think the author of this article has an agenda or intentional slant.
After his background, the story picks back up with Zell, and what followed is quoted from the article.
_______________
Zell Miller climbed the ladder of state government in the old political climate, when horse-trading rather than debates between liberals and conservative dominated.
Isolated from liberal trends in the national Democratic Party, UGA's Bullock noted, the former governor was seen as something of a liberal himself.
All that changed when he was appointed to the U.S. Senate after Republican Paul Coverdell died in 2000.
"Zell knew intellectually that the national party is more liberal than Georgia's," Savannah consultant Simons said. "But he found himself face to face every day with people like Teddy Kennedy and all these interest groups that seem to have a veto over every bill."
In an almost evenly divided Senate, Bullock said, Miller found himself under intense pressure to toe the party line.
"He also watched what happened to Max Cleland," Shipp said.
Prodded by Democratic Senate leaders, Cleland, Georgia's other U.S. senator, voted against anti-terrorism legislation because it lacked provisions labor unions wanted. Portrayed as soft on terrorism, he was defeated by Republican Saxby Chambliss in 2002.
Indeed, Miller, a Marine veteran, has cited the Sept. 11 attacks and what he says was his party's weak response as one of the things that drove him to support President Bush's re-election.
"The Iraq war has dominated everything this year," said Jason Harvey, another Savannah political consultant. "It's been the big dividing line. And Zell was on the other side from the rest of his party."
When it came time for Miller to toe the party line, he balked, especially when it came to the war, taxes and judicial appointments.
"I guess it's an understatement to say he reacted negatively to attempts to maintain party discipline," Bullock said.
By the time he wrote his recently published book, "A National Party No More," it was clear Miller was miffed.
How miffed?
Americans found out Wednesday night.
_______________
Some time this past week I heard Zell quote from Joe South's song about walking a mile in my shoes before you abuse, criticize and accuse.
I cannot recall the context of the Senator's remarks about these words, but I'm almost positive when he cited them he wasn't talking about himself.
But Mr. Peterson's article story that concludes with "Americans found out Wednesday night" reminded my of Zell having used these words this week, and without question, the article presents what one could safely call another perspective.
_______________
The 9-03-04 issue of the Savannah Morning News has an article entitled " Many politicians have walked Zell's trail -- Political defections reflect major shifts in both parties."
This article is well-researched and reviews our nation's recent political history to reveal the reasons behind our two Parties being where they are now.
The article's author Larry Peterson is to be commended for his fine piece of work; without question it was time-consuming to produce.
As recently as 20 years ago many conservative Democrats were more conservative than the most liberal Republicans. But with time there has been an exodus of conservatives from the Democratic Party and liberals from the Republicans,
The obvious result -- the GOP has become more conservative and the Democrats more liberal.
Larry Peterson in his article picks up here:
_______________
Why does all this matter?
Many politics watchers think such intense partisan divisions divert attention from pressing issues such as Social Security, health care and the economy.
"There aren't any solutions that the leadership in either party can sell to its hard-core supporters," said Los Angeles political consultant Harvey Englander. "So while many people grow older, sicker and poorer, all our politicians do is posture and point."
Atlanta political analyst Bill Shipp agrees.
"Governance has become secondary to scoring political points," Shipp said. "And when that happens, it gets in the way of solving problems."
What makes things even worse, [Michael McDonald, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington D.C.,] says, is the disappearance of conservative Democrats, the low-key leaders who could cross party lines to broker mutually acceptable deals.
_______________
The above is just where we are. To see how we got there, I strongly encourage you to read Mr. Peterson's full article.
Having informed of this, Mr. Peterson then gets back to the part of his article's title on walking "Zell's trail."
For those of you who might not know, Larry Peterson is a good reporter, which many in the profession will tell you means that he reports more and opines less.
Regardless, unlike so many stories on Sen. Miller's speech this week, I don't think the author of this article has an agenda or intentional slant.
After his background, the story picks back up with Zell, and what followed is quoted from the article.
_______________
Zell Miller climbed the ladder of state government in the old political climate, when horse-trading rather than debates between liberals and conservative dominated.
Isolated from liberal trends in the national Democratic Party, UGA's Bullock noted, the former governor was seen as something of a liberal himself.
All that changed when he was appointed to the U.S. Senate after Republican Paul Coverdell died in 2000.
"Zell knew intellectually that the national party is more liberal than Georgia's," Savannah consultant Simons said. "But he found himself face to face every day with people like Teddy Kennedy and all these interest groups that seem to have a veto over every bill."
In an almost evenly divided Senate, Bullock said, Miller found himself under intense pressure to toe the party line.
"He also watched what happened to Max Cleland," Shipp said.
Prodded by Democratic Senate leaders, Cleland, Georgia's other U.S. senator, voted against anti-terrorism legislation because it lacked provisions labor unions wanted. Portrayed as soft on terrorism, he was defeated by Republican Saxby Chambliss in 2002.
Indeed, Miller, a Marine veteran, has cited the Sept. 11 attacks and what he says was his party's weak response as one of the things that drove him to support President Bush's re-election.
"The Iraq war has dominated everything this year," said Jason Harvey, another Savannah political consultant. "It's been the big dividing line. And Zell was on the other side from the rest of his party."
When it came time for Miller to toe the party line, he balked, especially when it came to the war, taxes and judicial appointments.
"I guess it's an understatement to say he reacted negatively to attempts to maintain party discipline," Bullock said.
By the time he wrote his recently published book, "A National Party No More," it was clear Miller was miffed.
How miffed?
Americans found out Wednesday night.
_______________
Some time this past week I heard Zell quote from Joe South's song about walking a mile in my shoes before you abuse, criticize and accuse.
I cannot recall the context of the Senator's remarks about these words, but I'm almost positive when he cited them he wasn't talking about himself.
But Mr. Peterson's article story that concludes with "Americans found out Wednesday night" reminded my of Zell having used these words this week, and without question, the article presents what one could safely call another perspective.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 4:15 PM
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