The Democratic Response (or lack thereof)

Most Bluenecks are big fans of Virginia’s new governor Tim Kaine, whose campaign last year emphasized how his religious faith informs his commitment to progressive political values. It’s no surprise Kaine was picked to deliver the Democratic response to the President’s State of the Union speech. As much as I admire Kaine, though, this blogger thought his “we can do better; together we can” speech was bland, unfocused and thoroughly uninspiring. Kaine’s Democratic speech writers missed their best opportunity to take Bush to task for his lies about pre-war intelligence, his misleading justification for warrantless wire-tapping, his support of budget cuts to critical spending programs for the poor and working class, his love for permanent tax give-aways to the rich, and for his total inaction on the issue of health care for the uninsured.

LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa did a little better, though, in his Spanish-language rebuttal to the State of the Union speech (the bilingual approach was a commendable touch; you can read the text in English here). Villaraigosa made pointed comments about the skyrocketing national debt, the lack of affordable health care and inadequate education funding. He called for “national security based on telling the truth to our citizens.” This sounds a little more like a party who actually has something to offer.

Of course, the Dems must do more than just show the flaws of the current administration. They must present a viable alternative, and something more specific than “we can do better/together we can.” Something like:

• A clear timeframe for withdrawal from Iraq, along with a serious commitment to finally bring the leaders of al-Queda to justice.
• A specific plan to offer health care insurance to every American.
• An energy plan that starts with a commitment to join the Kyoto Protocol.
• A reform of the No Child Left Behind Act that will offer full funding to assist states in meeting its mandates.
  

Both Kaine and Villaraigosa are being discussed as potential presidential or VP candidates in 2008. If they want to be taken seriously, then they need to get serious about their rhetoric.