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In a column in today's UL, Katrina Swett responds to Fergus Cullen's "advice" that she run as an independent. Swett, who is exploring a run in the CD-02 Democratic primary, counters with the conviction that the Democratic Party has a large enough tent to hold moderates as well as more liberal and progressive outlooks.
The Democratic Party has truly become the big tent party of this country, where the passion of the progressives is linked to the pragmatism of the moderates to achieve real solutions. Indeed, the most effective moderates bring deep passion to their work, and the most inspiring progressives leaven their advocacy with a healthy measure of pragmatism.
Instead of working toward consensus, the opposition has chosen to demonize reform with phony accusations of "death panels" and "government takeovers." But at the end of the day, I believe we will enact significant reforms that will make health care more accessible and affordable without compromising quality, innovation or choice. These solutions will command the strong support of the American people if they are built on the terra firma of common ground.
Looking at the primary, it seems Swett is positioning herself as a "centrist" Democrat, the only party to claim that territory.
The Republican Party has become the party of extremism and unhinged behavior, as evidenced by the disruptions at Town Hall meetings on health care reform. Tim C's photo essay of anti health care demonstrators in Portsmouth bears this out. Remember people were removed from Bush's events by police for wearing t-shirts his handlers found offensive. But people carrying sidearms are allowed to roam at Obama's events with signs that signal a call to violence.
Notice that no Republican leader, at the state or federal level, has condemned the violent and anti-American nature of the protests. None. Their silence is complicity. It means they are in agreement. It means they believe the lies and distortions being put forward by industry shills and radio/teevee demagogues. I remember all too well how anyone criticizing Bush for the least little thing, such as creating torture chambers, was branded a traitor and unpatriotic. Now people say Obama isn't a citizen, hold signs with him as Hitler (the ahistorical and ignorant nature of this is mind boggling), and that's somehow okay.
I hope voters realize this as we move forward toward the 2010 elections.