Bush Dog Democrats: (0.00 / 0)

Matt-

I'm glad you're calling out Rep. Higgins.  Your criticism of Higgins reminds me of Chris's post last Sunday, "OK, I'm From There. So What?"  I don't think that Chris's post was addressed adequately, and I think that that matters for criticism of Higgins and other Bush Dogs.  In this comment, I'll try to answer three important questions that Chris's post raises:

Q1:  Who is justified in criticizing federal office-holders?
Q2:  Whose opinion matters?
Q3:  What type of criticism is carries real weight? 

Q1:  Who is justified in criticizing federal officials?
A:  Every American.  Federal issues are of national importance.  They affect all of us, and we all have a stake in the outcome of federal policy.  This question often used as a cipher for Q2, in an attempt to undermine your credibility by stating that if you don't live in that district, then you have no standing to criticize its elected officials.  While we obviously can't vote in other districts, we can surely donate our time and money to them (i.e. Darcy), so that argument ultimately falls flat.

Q2:  Whose opinion matters?
A:  This question strikes at the heart of the progressive blogosphere and modern political discourse because technology has caused the answer to change dramatically.  Ultimately, I think that this question is a proxy for the criteria I lay out in Q3, which ultimately underlie our trust in politicians, political pundits, interest groups, and other actors.  A good example of modern change is David Broder.  You'd think that his opinion matters because of his experience and position of power at the Post.  But really, his ideas and criticism are no different that yours or mine.  They should carry weight only proportional to the trust we place in his opinions (little) and the objective facts that he cites. 

Q3:  What type of criticism is carries real weight? 
A:  This is the key question.  The internet has democratized this answer.  Ultimately, it's not as much about WHO makes a point but about what EVIDENCE substantiates a point.  Anyone, "expert" or "novice" can comment on OpenLeft, Wikis, and other forums.  What really matters are the factors laid out below. 

  First, what gives the WHO weight? 
1. Objectively, the only answer is an "elected official."  An elected official's opinion always matters because he or she actually has a vote (no matter how little we trust his or her opinion or how skewed he or she presents the facts), and that vote represents real power.  If we don't like an elected official's opinion, then we have to persuade them to change it or remove them from office. 
2. Subjectively, several factors serve as a proxy for understanding local politics. 
  a. Living/spending time in the district: can mean that you have a feel for the political climate. 
  b. Holding an academic or editorial position: can mean that you have a feel for the political climate because it is your job to do so.
  c. Hosting a blog or other forum, where you discuss issues in detail.

  Second, what gives the EVIDENCE weight?
1. Facts:  past electoral results, polls (with clear methodology), vote history, etc…  Quite simply, substantiated facts carry weight.  It doesn't matter who cites it.
2. Opinions:  What matters is trust from being right in the past.  Opinions drawn from experience carry weight, especially in unquantifiable areas.  Conventional opinion matters sometimes, but your influence diminishes when you repeatedly guess wrong and stop relying on facts.

I hope this helps. 

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by: joe @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 17:44:47 PM CDT

oops (0.00 / 0)

I obviously meant Rep. Baird, not Higgins. 

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by: joe @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 17:47:19 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

'He probably will....' (0.00 / 0)

Kinda sez it all don't it? Hey! Why wait for a primary challenge?

I would think that after Mr. Baird, not gonna use the word 'representative' in conjunction with this man, flushes $50 Billion more of the taxpayer's dough down The Rat Hole that there might be some sentiment for.....

A recall.

Now, that might get the message across.

Also, I wonder who funded this tool's campaign. Some analysis there might prove illuminating.

Peace, Health and Prosperity for Everyone.

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by: ACitizen @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 17:59:42 PM CDT

Tauscher makes a good point (0.00 / 0)

Which I'm excited to be saying more often as time goes on.

There seems to be a tremendous enthusiasm for the administration and/or the military to give these prepackaged reports in various venues in the hopes that people will be so impressed by the charts and numbers that they won't actually stop to ask whether that's the whole picture or just an in-depth analysis of a certain piece.  It's fundamental to Republican "reasoning" and has been for a long time.

John McCain opposes the GI Bill.

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by: Lucas O'Connor @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 18:18:04 PM CDT

Baird owns the war. (4.00 / 1)

It's his now. Too dumb to resist mind games Ellen Tauscher was able to overcome.

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by: Kagro X @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 18:28:10 PM CDT

Great catch (4.00 / 1)

Damn, it is nice to see Ellen Tauscher "peeling back the onion." After seeing her previous terms in office, I would have expected her to be right in there with Baird. Constituents can make a difference in the behavior of their "representatives."

Can it happen here?

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by: janinsanfran @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 18:45:46 PM CDT

Qui bono? (0.00 / 0)

  What is IN this for Brian Baird?

  WHY is Brian Baird suddenly blowing off his constituents and his party by publicly buying into a war he KNOWS is a disaster?

  I know of NOBODY -- literally NOBODY (and I know a lot of local Democrats) who didn't support the war in the past but supports it now. And the reason is simple -- we all KNOW that anything coming out of BushCo is spin and packaging, and we adjust our BS detectors accordingly.

  All of us, apparently, except Brian Baird. I mean, even Ellen Tauscher gets it.

  On the surface, what Baird is doing makes no sense -- not for his district, not for the country, not even for his own political career. What's REALLY going on here?

 

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

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by: Master Jack @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 19:06:55 PM CDT

Exactamundo (n/t) (0.00 / 0)

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by: skeptic06 @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 19:58:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's a well known characteristic.... (0.00 / 0)

...it's called stupidity.

Baird is not the sharpest knife in the drawer; sharp knives are not the ones who get funded to be Congresspeople. He is just doing what the people he pays all that cool dough to to 'advise him' are telling him to do.

You don't think he actually spent any time trying to understand the scam the Military and BushCo. ran on him do ya! Nah, he got sucked into the PR machine and they laundered his brain for him.

Probably did it in a very small bucket.

Peace, Health and Prosperity for Everyone.

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by: ACitizen @ Thu Aug 30, 2007 at 00:09:03 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I went to Iraq and all I got was this lousy briefing (0.00 / 0)

I've never understood the instantly credibility given to politicians after they've been to Iraq.  As a general rule, whenever Congressional officials visit any military base or operation anywhere in the world, the military always puts its best foot forward.  Military power point slide presentations are things of beauty.  I'm certain that there are a crew of Captains and maybe even some Majors, earning their top blocks (Army rating) by producing these colorful and informative (lots of numbers) charts for the Generals to continue blow smoke up the Congress' you know what.  If they really want to know the truth of the matter, they should find a couple of company commanders who have been there for the 15 month extended tour, and maybe tag along on one of their operations for a first hand view.  In truth, Baird, Lieberman and any of the Congress members who visit the green zone then tout their new found expertise on Iraq was merely successfully distracted by military's dog and pony show.

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by: kingstongirl @ Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 20:34:09 PM CDT

Vancouver is nice in August (0.00 / 0)

WA-03 is only an hour south of Seattle, and just across the river from Portland. The district contains the antiwar hotbed of Olympia. Washington and Oregon Dems will have all the time they need next August to ensure Baird's defeat in the primary. Activists will come out of the woodwork in Cascadia to make it happen.

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by: Robert in Monterey @ Thu Aug 30, 2007 at 13:04:27 PM CDT

Funny (0.00 / 0)

If it weren't so sad, I would say that Ellen Tauscher is really funny.  These power point presentations would be a lot more credible if they included a discussion of what went wrong.

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by: Hellmut @ Thu Aug 30, 2007 at 17:37:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]