The root of the problem

[ewagner]

I noticed at least one and maybe even two of today's "toons" reflect on Democrats being indecisive, adrift, confused or generally not focused on any plan of action in particular. The over-reaching message is, of course, that the Democratic Party is in disarray. To some extent, it's true.

Just look at where prominent Democrats are coming from...from Hillary to Murtha, Feingold to Biden, Lieberman to god-knows-where. Just take a look, also, at the DU threads on almost any issue. WE'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE TOO!

The root of the problem, in my most humble opinion, is that we lack leadership. We are not in the middle of a Presidential Election Campaign, so we don't have a symbolic head-of-the-party around whom we could rally and we've never actually given the head of the DNC that kind of authority or mantle of leadership before.

Howard Dean did a lot to rally the party faithful last year but his voice has been muted by those Democrats who are vying for the nomination in '08 by trying to steal the spotlight and give the appearance that they are speaking for the "right people" in the party. I'm thinking primarily of Biden who seems to think that he is the one and only repository for wisdom and knowledge within the party...and only those who agree with him are the "right people". However, Lieberman and Hillary are probably thinking the same, exact thing. One characteristic of these voices is that they seem to be speaking to a niche of the Democratic Party and have not or will not try to speak to the party as a whole.

Until a charismatic, articulate leader emerges with a unifying message, our party will continue to appear "adrift" due to the cacophony of competing voices and agenda. The first person to come up with a unifying message wins. Poll after poll shows that the majority of the American people are in step with the Democratic platform more than they are with the Republican platform. If that majority is solidified, we are unstoppable.

thoughts?