Comments on: Springtime Democrats in December

By: Schieffer To Drop Out. White to Drop In? | Dog Canyon

Schieffer To Drop Out. White to Drop In? | Dog Canyon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:13:35 +0000

[...] DogCanyon reported last week that a shakeup was coming at the top of the Democratic ballot. Here it comes. [...]

By: Springtime Democrats in December

Springtime Democrats in December — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:26:07 +0000

[...] Glenn Smith | DogCanyon.org [...]

By: Glenn W. Smith

Glenn W. Smith — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:49:18 +0000

There’s no member of the Bush cabinet running as a Democrat. Unless I’m missing something. Tom Schieffer was an ambassador appointed by Bush, and had earlier been in private business with Bush.

By: Doran

Doran — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:52:45 +0000

You’re correct: Bill White is not the Republican turned Democrat. But there is, or was, some member of George Bush’s cabinet who is, or was, considering a run for office as a Democrat in 2010. Help me out, someone. Who is that person?

By: Glenn W. Smith

Glenn W. Smith — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:55:23 +0000

That local district focus has been the Dem focus — with great discipline — in 2004, 2006 (to Chris Bell’s dismay), and 2008. This includes local judicial offices. It’s been very successful. We still need a much more focused effort on school board races etc. This year is a bit different. I’ll give a reason, but it’s not the only reason, nor the main reason Dems will have a great candidate for governor. If Rick Perry is allowed to use his resources down-ballot because he’s not opposed, well Dems will have an uphill struggle in some of the tougher districts. We have been building from the ground up as you suggest, but we now have to do more.

By the way, Bill White was never a Republican to my knowledge.

By: Doran

Doran — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:40:09 +0000

Glenn, a healthy, realistic skepticism is not the same as defeatest thinking. The former can lead to clarity of thought, realistic expectations, meaningful action, and eventual success.

Defeatist thinking leads, of course, to defeat. And so will a generalized, unrealistic appraisal of what exactly can be achieved. I think it unlikely that Mr. White can take the Governor’s office. I doubt that people/voters know him. He has little, if any, State-wide exposure or experience, so far as I know. Is it true that he was at one time a Republican? If he was Bush Repubican like Rick Perry was a Bush Republican, why not vote for Sen Hutchison?

If I may, I want to piggy-back on your reference to “…all the successful movements of recent years — Poland, Czechoslovakia, South Africa.” As I recall, none of those movements concentrated on storming the palace/governor’s mansion/whatever as their first or primary target or effort. They organized. They took postions in local or regional offices. They did the hard work of building from the bottom up.

There are seats to be had by Texas Democrats. In the Courts, and in the executive branches of State government. There are local seats to be taken. Those are the positions where the Democrats need to concentrate their efforts and money. Take enough of them, and the electorate State wide will start to pay attention to giving the Dems the top offices.

By: Todd Hill

Todd Hill — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:27:19 +0000

Glenn, as usual you nailed it.

Keep up the fine work, man.

Todd

By: Glenn W. Smith

Glenn W. Smith — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:21:41 +0000

I know what you mean, but it’s not really true that “the best lack all conviction.” Maybe it’s true of some of the best, but not all. I know some of ‘em with plenty of conviction, and they’ve made plenty courageous sacrifice on behalf of those convictions.

By: Gary Bennett

Gary Bennett — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:50:35 +0000

It is all well and good to talk about changing demographics, but the saddest political factor in my life is that, from the late 1960s on, “the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”

By: Glenn W. Smith

Glenn W. Smith — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:56:20 +0000

Thanks for the kind words, Doran. Realistic appraisal of strategic shortcomings is absolutely essential, of course. If you will permit me to make a point not in response to you, but on the subject of skepticism: I have never seen the point of a generalized skepticism in the struggle for justice. No movement ever succeeded that was permeated by it, for obvious reasons. I think of all the successful movements of recent years — Poland, Czechoslovakia, South Africa. None succumbed to defeatist thinking, not even imprisoned leaders.