Democrats - Standing for Something, Anything

Over on Arianna Huffington's blog, there's a debate raging about the position of many Democratic senators, principally Hillary Clinton, on the flag-burning amendment. Hillary, as you may know, sponsored legislation that would criminalize flag-burning or other desecration of the American flag. But she opposed actually amending the Constitution to allow Congress to criminalize the conduct.

The debate amongst the blognoscenti has to do with whether the Democrats should strive for electoral success by adopting "nuanced" positions that will appeal to the center, or by more clearly differentiating themselves and their positions from the Republicans. In other words, the question is, which has the better chance of success -- trying to demonstrate that Democrats are really moderates, or trying to demonstrate that Democrats are liberal and progressive and, darn it all, they're proud of it.

I think the very debate demonstrates the real problem the Democrats have: what do they value? what do they stand for? The whole argument implies a deep distrust for the ability of the American electorate to understand what it is the Democrats would do if they got in control again. It seems to me they need to figure out a way to have a normal "conversation" with the public, one not influenced by focus groups and polls.

If they intend to raise taxes, say so, and say why it's important and what they'll be able to deliver with more money. If they don't like Iraq, what would they do differently and how would it work? Why is a woman's right to choose a value worth defending? And so on. If the Democrats can't trust the public to give them a fair hearing, it seems to me the public will sense that distrust and stay away from the Democratic standard as they have for the past few election cycles, viewing Kerry as an elitist masquerading as Joe Sixpack (on his way to a pheasant shoot), and Gore as a robot.

Bill Clinton, for his many flaws, had the uncanny ability to connect with ordinary people, and they felt like he was in their corner. They didn't feel like they were merely pawns in some game where the second the election was over the Democrats would start making broad social changes that were a slap at the core values of the very people who had elected them.

So Governor Dean, et al.: Just talk to us; tell us what is important to you, and why.