Eric Bradner, writing for the Evansville Courier Press, has a column about the Indiana Democrats’ notable lack of message, youth, or energy during a time when they’re in the wilderness.
At the heart of the Democratic demise is an identity crisis. The political climate is harsh, but this isn’t about relitigating the last election. It’s about what happens between that one and the next one, as Democrats try to find a way forward.
The problem is, the people who used to provide their ideas are long gone, and those who are offering new ways forward are — in too many places, at least, and especially during this year’s state legislative session — being pushed to the side.
As far as I can tell, there has been no concerted effort to organize and galvanize young talent. The party’s old guard is squashing what could become its new generation.
Near as I can figure, the two Democratic power centers in Indiana have been embodied by former state House speaker, Pat Bauer, and former U.S. Senator, Evan Bayh. Bauer’s reputation is as a person who is more feared than loved, and I’ve never heard him accused of being a big idea man. Bauer’s most recent moment of ignominy was voting for the marriage rights discrimination amendment. As for Sen. Bayh, he occasionally talked a good game, but in terms of actual accomplishments while he was in office, nothing really stands out except his undeniable ability to improve his own status.
Bradner points out that so far the state Republicans have devoted a lot of their energy moving social conservative wish list stuff – guns everywhere, abortions nowhere; that kind of thing. I think the desire to move those things has been frustrated for years by the Democratic house, and it’s kind of sling-shotting forward. Abdul at Indiana Barrister has suggested that, privately, some unnamed Republicans are concerned that this legislation isn’t necessarily a great idea and they should be focused on other things. But, it seems to me, these more level-headed Republicans have relied on the opposition party to keep the right wing of their party in check. They’ve been silent for so long, the silence has become acquiescence.
The Circle of Life laws of political physics suggests that this swing of the pendulum opens up opportunities on the left end of the political spectrum, but if all Hoosiers can see out of the Democrats are Pat Bauer and the leavings of Evan Bayh, those opportunities won’t amount to much.
David Orenlichter.
Regrouping is called for. The party was not well served by Bayh, they just didn’t want to see although I think they were probably feeling it for some time. I thought the Democrat candidates in the state office races — treasurer, auditor, and sec of state — were young and energetic and well-spoken, but less experienced campaigners hampered by problems with name recognition and funding, and ultimately they were overwhelmed by the 2010 backlash. All three of them should use that experience to hone themselves for future candidacies, and I think I heard that two of them, at least, are.
@ Mary — I agree whole-heartedly — I think the 3 candidates for state offices in last year’s elections were three fairly young, energetic, and thoughtful candidates who could be of a great benefit to the Democratic Party, but maybe more importantly, to the state as a whole. They did not seem to be idealogues the way some of the social conservatives in the General Assembly are now, and they seemed to have some ideas that Pat Bauer has lacked for many years now. I also got the impression they were genuine people, which is highly lacking in both major parties.
Vop Osili is running for Indianapolis/Marion County Council, and Pete Buttigieg is running for Mayor of South Bend I believe. I have not heard if Sam Locke is doing anything. It’ll be interesting, if they win their contests, what role that will play in running for future offices. This state needs decent people and decent politicians because we are sorely lacking in both right now.
Bauer is holding Indiana Democrats back as their “leader”. They need someone with ideas to lead them.
What democrats need are organization and the right message. Democrats have to study how Obama won Indiana in 2008. He won because people were tired and frustrated with eight years of George Bush. But Obama also took Indiana because he carried the state’s urban areas by large margins, created a strong coalition of the Party’s mainstay allies – labor, African Americans, women, Hispanics, gays, and liberals, won the hearts of Indiana’s youngest voters, especially at our universities and colleges, and ran an aggressive, well-organized and funded GOTV effort. Not surprisingly, Patrick Bauer, the State Party, and Evan Bayh played minor if any roles in the President’s Indiana victory.
Indiana Democrats have the ability to win statewide, as demonstrated in 2008, and nationally. What’s lacking in Indiana is the statewide synergy and coordination of 2008. But more importantly, what is needed by the Indiana Democratic Party, as well as the DNC, is the coherent message of what it stands for, especially during these difficult economic times. Bauers’s vote on the gay marriage bill was a step in the opposite direction. So are Mitch Daniels’ plethora of public-sector experiments and their mind numbing statistical outcomes that are often questioned by the media and seem like gimmicks geared more towards helping his presidential ambitions than Hoosiers.
Republicans will control Indiana state government and the US House of Representatives for the next two years. With the nation’s and the state’s unemployment rates expected to hover around 8-9% over this same period, the Indiana Democratic Party and the DNC have the opportunity to redefine it messages on how to fix the economy. Republicans are handing democrats a golden opportunity as extremists elements push their socially conservative agenda while ignoring unemployment. Are democrats up to the task? If so, as seen in 2008, they know how to win.
Peter, what about the history of the Indiana Democratic Party makes you think they’ll actually buy a clue?
They can’t organize themselves around a consistent message, much less win hearts/minds of voters.
Joe,
I agree that the IDP itself does not have much of a record in pushing a progressive message and statewide organizational effort. We rely too much on individual candidates. Nonetheless, the opportunity remains. I try to remain more hopeful than reluctant.