November 4, 2002
RED STORM RISING:
York Looks to Win R.I. Gov. Race: Repeat Rhode Island Gubernatorial Candidate Myrth York Looks to Win This Time Around (The Associated Press, 11/04/02)Myrth York has run for Rhode Island governor the last two elections, only to lose to Republican Lincoln Almond on both occasions. She is hoping her perseverance will lead to a better result this time around.But the former state lawmaker finds herself in some polls trailing Don Carcieri, a political newcomer and former corporate executive who's emphasized his business experience as the cure for an ailing economy.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this election has been the inability od Democrats to salt away the gubernatorial races that should have been cake-walks in the quinessential Blue States of New England and the Pacific Coast. Not only are CT and NY going to re-elect incumbent Republicans, CA, OR, HI, VT, NH, and RI also have races where the GOP remains at least competitive, or even favored (as in NH). Even as their prospects for pickups in the House and Senate have slipped away, Democrat leaders like Terry McAuliffe have blithely assured us that they will more than make up for it in the governors' races, demolishing what was just a few years ago a GOP stranglehold on the statehouses. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 4, 2002 10:12 AM
'Red Storm Rising'
Perfect!
The Democratics are losing intellectual and moral support, and falling back on self-interested constituencies that benefit from subsidies or privileges -- e.g. the education and research establishments, welfare recipients, government employees, trial lawyers who benefit from a pro-plaintiff tort system, unions, farmers, and minorities who think they need special anti-discrimination/affirmative-action privileges. This isn't and can never be a majority by itself. But with these groups they only need a small group of ideologues to get majorities.
We are seeing the left ideology lose support, but at the same time the self-interested groups are becoming more and more aggressive and vicious. They are increasingly bullying and intimidating their way to majorities instead of persuading their way. Sooner or later, the bullying and intimidating will cease to work.
I'm going to name my kid Myrth. :D
Posted by: Just John at November 4, 2002 1:28 PM