Ah, that fresh clean journal smell. I normally post at the
world's first county Democratic Central Committe weblog, but I've been thinking of experimenting with posting up here every so often as well. Today's lovely story outta the CBO has so moved me. Anyway, since I compulsively check dkos an average of 82,497 times a day, it's well past time for me to give something back, yes?
Without going into too much detail, I am a recovering AMT victim. (if you do want the details or are into financial schaudenfreude, you can read the congressional testimony I submitted a while ago) The fact that Bush has put the budget in this fiscal straightjacket makes me just shy of completely insane. I keep a stiff board near my computer to pound my head against every time I read any tax related story. Thump thump thump.
Here's where it gets worse: in the minds of most Americans, the Democrats aren't suggesting any kind of viable alternative. More...
I've been reading Stanley Greenberg's
Two Americas and the focus group results he presents are just astonishing. Thumpity thumpity thumpity. I think I might've scared a guy on the train yesterday, I really wanted to throw the book out the window when I read this part. If the congregation wants to follow along in their hymnals, it's pages 170 to 173.
My wife wasn't in the least bit suprised by this little tidbit, but I am, and I think I know why. I often consider the Democrat's economic message to be the alternative one that I've been constructing in my head. There is a coherent picture emerging here. Unfortunately it's all below the surface right now. What's in my head ain't exactly persuading voters.
I'm going to write up my thoughts on just what this soon, they're still crystallizing. Greenberg points to this as being a BIG, BIG problem since it's the main reason the Dems have yet to capture the increasing number of cultural creatives in any significant quantity. Yet to get them, all we really have to do is come up with some kind of reasonably attractive package and offer it up to the people.
Everything seems so awfully frustrating right now.