State Democrat Chair Remarks Off Target!

State Democratic Chairman's Remarks Off Target
Opinion By Mike McCarville

[State Democrat Chair]Goodman's memo follows by hours similar comments by national Democrats saying the same thing about Republicans. Talking points? Hmmmmm.

Goodman's thesis is one being shouted by his colleagues, mostly in closets, and sometimes by the mainstream media, but virtually unheard by ordinary voters.

Truth is, the old shibboleth "far-right wing of the Republican Party" just doesn't mean anything anymore (except to far left Democrats) and Goodman and his colleagues continue to use it just as they use "Progressive" to avoid the word "Liberal."

Goodman writes, "By continuing to let distractions dominate and ignore the issues most important to Oklahomans, the GOP is proving once again that their party is out of touch with the needs of the state and is squandering their opportunity to lead. Though this state of affairs is certainly not good for our state as a whole, this does present an opportunity for the Democratic Party to distinguish ourselves going into the 2010 elections."

What are Goodman's definitions of "distractions" and what "issues most important to Oklahoma" are being ignored? Let's see: Gay rights?
Throwing more money at social agencies? Growing government and spending more tax dollars? I get it. The liberal thesis. Opportunity to "distinguish ourselves in elections"?
Let's see, Goodman's party has no candidates thus far for the U. S. Senate in 2010, has no candidates for Congress in the 1st, 3rd, 4th or 5th Districts and saw its liberal nominee for the U. S. Senate in 2008 go down in flames. Plus, his candidate lost in the last special legislative election earlier this year.

Goodman writes that, "Reports have surfaced that GOP state Sen. Glenn Coffee has been using threats and intimidation to get his way in an internal leadership fight. Fueling a three-way battle for whom will take his place as Senate Republican Leader in 2011, Coffee's actions - reported to include threats to 'burn down the house' if he doesn't get his way - show he has given up on being a leader for Oklahoma, instead choosing to sit around the Capitol and bicker." Well.

Despite Goodman's attempt to paint Coffee as some sort of backroom ne'er-do-well with a meataxe in one hand and a spike-studded-ball-and-chain in the other, there's evidence the President Pro Tem has been pretty even-handed in the whole succession thing. Can't blame him for having his own candidate in the race, but Goodman's view apparently is that that idea is foreign to politics. Goodman obviously hasn't been around very long.
And in his most glaring misdirection ploy, Goodman argues that because GOP leaders have filed some lawsuits, they are clogging the courts. Heavens!

This from a guy whose party and its candidates wallow in campaign dollars from trial lawyers and whose previous Senate President Pro Tem wrote a letter urging Texas lawyers to get into Oklahoma before tort reform made filing here more difficult.

Goodman's memo continues with other tedious, shop-worn allegations. No one argues that the 2010 elections won't be competitive, with Democrats and Republicans battling up and down the line. But Democratic candidates who adopt Goodman's party line may wind up being more laughed at than voted for.

-posted McCarville