The Seinfeld Party

Over the past few weeks- and especially tonight with the President’s State of the Union address- we saw the sad state of the current national Democratic Party. It was bad enough when the democrats blocked aspects of the President’s agenda without offering any ideas of their own. It got particularly nasty the way they treated Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito (and even worse, his wife) during his confirmation hearings. Appropriately enough, democrats like John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, and others wound up with egg on their faces when Justice Alito was confirmed. While those were clues as to where the party was heading as a whole, the dead giveaway was when democratic members of Congress gave a standing ovation to, of all things, a line given by President Bush meant to serve as chastisement for not acting on Social Security reform.

“Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security,” and the democrats applauded. Personally, I don’t mind an opposition party (indeed, functional and responsible opposition parties are essential for democratic government) that blocks everything the party in power tries to pass. Is it too much to ask these days for that opposition party to, in so opposing, come up with competing ideas of their own? Apparently so. Attacks on President Bush and his policy agenda are far from scarce, but an alternative plan from the left side of the aisle is practically an endangered species. We saw it later tonight from democratic Governor of Virginia Tim Kane. “There’s a better way,” he repeated, several times. Again, attacks on the President, his agenda, and his actions were plentiful. We can only guess as to what that “better way” might be. Mine happens to be a plan for higher taxes, increased federal spending, more entitlement programs, and unconditional surrender to Al Qaeda. I could be wrong.

There was a time not too long ago when democrats were considered the party of ideas. They were a party that not only stood for something but stood up for their country and their citizenry. They had a clear plan for what America should look like, and like it or not, you knew what it was. They had charismatic and inspiring leaders who could carry out that plan and convince Americans that it was best for the country. Above all, the Democratic Party was once a party that- whether you thought they were right or wrong- you knew they wanted what was best for America. Those days are gone. This party is much like what Zell Miller has described at length: a party out of touch with American values, obsessed with political gain and partisanship, devoid of leadership or an agenda. What’s more, the confidence that democrats want what is best for America is gone as well.

It’s hard to tell exactly what democrats want these days. Perhaps democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi really do believe ambiguity or nothingness is what’s best for their party. They’ve been cheering the blocking of Social Security reform for some time now, almost embracing the suggestion that they’re party has revolved around nothing. They’ve become the Seinfeld Party- the party of nothing. There once was a party in American politics formed and organized around opposing a single person that later dissolved for lack of a coherent national agenda and regional infighting, among other things. What’s more, they could claim a proud history of bold ideas as well. Perhaps this anti-Bush party of nothing may one day join the Whigs in the back pages of American political history.