Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid took office with high hopes and plans, but their overreaching agenda has run aground. Today even the New York Times is airing its disappointment with Democratic leaders in Congress and their inability to deliver on even small promises.
While it’s no surprise that the editorial board of the New York Times is significantly to the left of the majority in Congress, it seems to be quite close to the Democratic base. The 2008 election still seems likely to be the high-turnout affair that most analysts expect, but the Democratic base is clearly a lot more dispirited than it was a year ago. The lack of intensity could be a challenge for Democrats in 2008–a possibility few would have suggested a few months ago. Why have Democrats failed so miserably? John Feehery–a former senior staffer for both Tom DeLay and Speaker Dennis Hastert–outlines the rules that Democrats failed to follow when they seized control of Congress:
- Finish your work in a timely fashion.
- Learn about the Senate.
- The president is always relevant.
- Keep your promises.
- Understand who makes your majority.
- Big change is hard, small change is easy.
Speaker Pelosi has told people to expect a new change and new approach in 2008. Look for her to apply Feehery’s rules.
