Sunday, March 12, 2006

The Race to unseat Katherine Harris

Its apparent the current political climate is a great benefit to Democrats. Corruption is rampant within the Republican Party. Many forget that these patterns of corruption coupled with bending the rules for ones political advantage began with Ms. Katherine Harris, then Republican Secretary of State whom awarded Florida’s electoral votes to G.W. Bush under the governorship of his brother, Jeb Bush.

Politics is a sport about people & winning. The Republicans have relentlessly held onto to this principle in jeopardy of the integrity of their party.

Rep. Katharine Harris, the GOP poster child of corruption is challenging Democratic Senator Bill Nelson. She is currently no competition to this veteran senator. Harris’s decisions as Sectary of State have always cast a shadow on her tenure and now evidence is coming to light linking her to Jack Abramoff.

Surely the Democratic Party can win this 13th Congressional seat?

The Democratic Party moves at the speed of a turtle. Politics as usual will not win Democrats this seat in Sarasota County where the number of registered Republicans is double that of Democrats.

People say its all about money and fundraising. I disagree. The GOP has and will always out fundraise the Democrats. So why haven’t they always been in power? Because fundraising can be trumped by organization.

I differ with the folk who claim to be political experts and whom are in the leadership of the DEMS. Why do I? These are the same folk that were in charge of the Party in 2000 and 2004.

The Democratic Party has lost ground to the Republicans not on a monetary level but on an organizational level. The GOP has found a nitch with churches. The DEMS must work harder to build its organization and prove to churches they’re interest is best vested in the Democratic Party. Many liberals right off people of faith for reasons I don‘t understand. Such a perception of these voting Americans will once again cost liberal candidates votes.

When it comes to politics in Florida where there’s a church on every corner you can’t win without paying your dues to the Churches. The GOP paid its dues with their Faith Based Initiatives while in addition too winning favor in the African American community. The DEMS must too pull and/or propose such powerful political maneuvers to win.

The Democratic Party from the local to national levels has 2 major problems that needs to be solved before Summer 2006: appealing to people of faith and Organizational cohesiveness.

From observation one can see as depicted in the recent break of a private firm from the DNC to build a voter data base that turning the Democratic Party into an organization that works more like a political machine is required.

The War in Iraq, Jobs, Healthcare, the Economy, Education. These are all Democratic values where we can gain ground. I hope the top contenders for the 13th Congressional District will take a lead an not continue campaigning as usual. I hope they will not mimic the likes of John Kerry, speaking empty substance less rhetoric which would result in not a win, but just another lost opportunity.

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