Say Something Already!

During this legislative session, the DPG was strangely silent as Republicans committed hara-kiri. It's arguable that the GOP was doing such a fine job of filleting themselves in the press, that they did not need our help; however, our silence has Doug Monroe pining away for Bobby Kahn and Bill Shipp predicting that Georgia Democrats will not be able to take advantage of the Republican train wreck.

I understand that sometimes our elected Democrats took the heat for Bobby Kahn's press statements. The most recent example was Kahn going on record about Richardson's alleged inappropriate relationship with a female lobbyist. Let's just say that not all Democratic legislators were pleased, but taking that kind of heat is part of the price of being in office. That story needed to be told. It provided a frame for what was arguably the worst, least productive, most contentious legislative session in recent memory. Some would say that the Georgia GOP never recovered. Was Kahn too negative, too aggressive? Probably, yes, but, we must find a middle ground. On some issues, politically, the Party is in a better position to speak than the caucus whose members must stand for election in two years. We simply must tell voters what the problems are and offer them an alternative. It is not enough to be silent.

To be fair, I know Kidd and crew have been busy raising money, traveling the state, meeting with local Democrats, and, they have communicated, just not enough, especially in the wake of this horrid session. But, I think that the DPG is gun-shy because of the feelings of the elected Democrats. We need to get over that. The Republicans have handed us a gift. Less than 20% of those responding to a recent poll approve of the Republican legislative leadership. Their standard bearer in the 10th, Whitehead, can't open his mouth without saying something appallingly stupid. We have a rare opportunity. The question is, what are we going to do with it?

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