That may be one of my biggest gripes about centrist Democrats. They act as if amelioration -- both economic and social -- is embarrassing and has to be handled under cover. Let's not talk about poverty. Let's pretend racism is now confined to the kind of white trash that dragged James Byrd to his death, but that drug wars and disenfranchising African-American voters have nothing to do with it. Let's not talk about gay rights because it makes some voters squirm. (Could all you gay people just try to blend it and shut up, so no one notices you're here?) Just trust us that we'll do whatever is politically feasible to make things better, but let's keep it quiet so we don't offend anyone.
-- Body and Soul
I sometimes think a major problem with politicians is one of tone. We sometimes hear that basically they are mostly alike, especially within a certain party, so what is the big deal? After all, what really was the differences between the major Democratic candidates for President this year? I think the difference was one of tone, which was why so many liked Dean -- his passion, if not his electability, was appealing to many people. Others liked Edwards for the same reason -- rhetoric that was strong enough that it hit home.
The complete discussion is worthy of reading in its entirety (she also has some good things to say about the abortion editorial I wrote about). The basic message is that our leaders have to reach the people themselves. And, people are not really inspired by bland centrist policy talk, even if it does result in some good things being done. Sometimes, just talking about problems, admitting they exist, and stating that they need to be faced is impressive. As is (in the case of a local official she discusses) directly interacting with the public, listening to their concerns, and suggesting you actually care about them. And, I don't mean just by going through the motions; I mean proving it by your actions.
National security is said to be the name of the game now. And, sure enough, it is in many ways. All the same, as important on some level, is having a government we can trust and believe in. This is true for many of us at least -- the level of despair at the way the government is being run is clear, even among those who support the war and other policies of those in power. I'm a sucker for good rhetoric and passionate and intelligent turn of phrase, especially if it is used for things I believe in. I also want the hard stuff to be addressed, understanding the limitations of possible solutions, but demanding a true accounting is made. And, I want basic democracy, including openness, discussion of ideas, and respect of the people themselves.
I fail to see how this is truly now the m.o. of our current leaders.