The Nanny Party
THE SHOW FROM LOS ANGELES PROVED ONCE AGAIN THAT DEMOCRATIC conventions are more fun than Republican conventions. Everybody just seems more excited and more emotional.
I think this is because Republicans tend (note the emphasis) to see government as “the problem,” and reining it in as the way to make the world better. Democrats, on the other hand, see government as “the solution” and its expansion as the way to improve things. So GOP conventions are essentially a call to arms against a sea of troubles, while Democrat conventions are a celebration of what dreams may come.
Another reason Democratic conventions are more fun: More show biz celebrities.
The Music Men
LOVED BILL CLINTON’S SHAMELESS THEATRICS AND JESSE JACKSON’S “KEEP out the Bushes” rap, Joe Lieberman’s eloquent ideological cave-in and Al Gore’s liberal orthodoxy. But my favorite, as always, was Ted Kennedy’s bluster. When Teddy railed against Washington’s Old Guard, I applauded my TV set.
Still the Economy, Stupid
AL GORE’S BEST CHANCE TO WIN IS TO PLAY THE PROSPERITY CARD, AS THE dems did repeatedly last week.
The economy is indeed going great guns, and it’s silly for George W. and his backers to try to suggest otherwise or to contend that the issue isn’t who caused the prosperity but which party is better suited to manage it.
Truth is, the American people, especially risk-taking high-tech entrepreneurs, are the heroes of the current prosperity, and entrusting the American people to manage their own prosperity is a better alternative than letting politicians of either party decide how best to manage (spend) it.
Having said that, does Clinton deserve some credit for prosperity? Yes, but mostly for re-appointing President Bush’s Fed chairman and for promoting free trade,in league with Republicans and against the will of most of his own party. Two other things Clinton and Gore like to take credit for, the “balanced” budget and welfare reform, owe less to them than to the first Republican Congress in a lifetime.
Congress isn’t popular (it seldom is), so there’s reluctance in George W.’s camp to sully his “compassionate conservatism” by conjuring up Newt Gingrich. But if the GOP doesn’t embrace the prosperity issue, it will fall by default to Gore, and that could propel him and maybe a Democratic Congress to a come-from-behind victory.
If that happens, it will increase the likelihood that instead of debating about who deserves credit for the ’90s, we’ll be arguing over who deserves blame for the 2000s.
