Call them on their bluff

The next Governor of New York.
Speaking of Eliot Spitzer, the NYAG writes a column for The New Republic Online with which I thoroughly agree. It is high time, he argues, that Democrats call the GOP out on its deceptive rhetoric. THE reason I am skeptical of our President is that he embodies (and embraces?) what I find most hidious on politics: empty rhetoric. This is different from saying one thing and doing another. There, at least, the public figure proposes something of substance against which we can measure her performance. It is more difficult, though, for opponents to find effective, public rhetoric atacking a failure in "Compassionate Conservativism" or the "ownership society." It is as if Bush constantly says 'you can read my lips;' but, never lets his lips usher anything readable.

Here is Spitzer:

Consider the "Ownership Society," a term Republicans use to describe their vision of the American dream--an environment where any American, no matter his or her station, can compete and achieve financial success, security, and a lasting stake in their community, all by dint of hard work. So integral to Republican political imagery are these phrases that it is hard for some voters to imagine that a Democrat can even say them, much less believe in them.

But, even as Republicans invoke pleasant-sounding slogans at every turn, they pursue policies that undermine the values they claim to represent. Take the following three recent scandals: conflicts of interest among Wall Street analysts, who duped small investors with tainted research; predatory lending, which imposed illegal and unconscionable mortgages on homeowners; and illegal practices of mutual-fund traders, who skimmed billions from people saving for their kids' college tuitions and their own retirements. In each of these situations, the Bush administration and congressional Republicans not only impeded the investigations but actually proposed legislation that would preempt the ability of state regulators to combat the problems.

Through these and other actions, the Ownership Society is revealed as an empty slogan that should have been turned against the Republicans. Some might say that this is an unduly negative approach, certain to turn off voters. I disagree. Highlighting the disconnect between the Republicans' sound bites and the alarming reality of their policies is fair game. And it would have been an even more effective strategy if coupled with a passionate articulation of our commitment to fairness and equal access to the American dream.

Read his whole column here.