Paul Krugman

(back behind the firewall, unfortunately)

...Ever since movement conservatives took over, the Republican Party has pushed for policies that benefit a small minority of wealthy Americans at the expense of the great majority of voters. To hide this reality, conservatives have relied on wagging the dog and wedge issues, but they've also relied on a brilliant marketing campaign that portrays Democrats as elitists and Republicans as representatives of the average American.

This sleight of hand depends on shifting the focus from policy to personal style: John Kerry speaks French and windsurfs, so pay no attention to his plan to roll back tax cuts for the wealthy and use the proceeds to make health care affordable..."

Every time I hear someone talk about how we have to nominate a Southern governor or how we need to nominate someone like Brian Schweitzer, I cringe inside. It's not because of the dismissal of Kerry (though of course that bothers me); it's because this is another way of buying into the old marketing plan. These people want the democrats to out-good-old-boy Bush and Macaca. Can't we change the terms altogether to talk of nominating the person with the best ideas? The smartest? The most experienced? The most trustworthy?

Well said, Mr. Krugman.