Friday, March 21, 2008

This (Mamet word)-er could be on to something

David Mamet turns over to the dark side, and what it could mean for the Democrats come November.

David Mamet: Why I am No Longer a 'Brain-Dead Liberal'

Basically, Mamet picked up some economics texts and realized the liberals' weakest link is, (drum roll here) ....the economy. Stop the presses.

No one listened, maybe because a) No one reads the Village Voice anymore, b) this came out the same week as Spitzergate or c) We're still wrapped up in Obama vs. Hillary and Obama's race speech. Take your pick, or maybe all three.

Some liberal media outlets/personalities dismissed it, but it didn't really cause headlines. Nine days later, someone over at the WSJ connects the dots, and writes about Mamet, Tom Stoppard and liberal autonomy.

David Mamet's Revision

Daniel Henninger, the author, does not Repubicanly dis the Democrats as touchy feely, granola hippies or anything like that. He does remind us that the Dems still have that early twentieth century distrust of big business and love of big government. And I find myself agreeing with him. With a Wall Street Journal editorial.

This is a case where the party has not evolved with the times, and it's ended up losing because of it. I do too distrust big business, but you don't accomplish much by shunning them. And that's kinda what they do, shoving their fingers in their (blue) ears and going nyah-nyah-nyah. You welcome Big Business, you work with them, you police them. You don't have to be their doormat.

And if more Americans realize that in the current economic climate, well, let's just say this is good news for John McCain. Especially if he can capitalize on the Republican business sense reputation while distancing himself from Bush overtones of cronyism. You think it can't be done? I for one wouldn't underestimate Karl Rove.

But all is not lost for the Dems, at least not yet. Obama has close ties with the University of Chicago, those heathen F.A. Hayek worshippers. And his policy people are rumored to be academic yet pragmatic economists who prefer to tinker with an existing system rather than make dramatic sweeping statements à la Big Idea loving Clintons.

The Audacity of Data: Barack Obama's surprisingly non-ideological policy shop. The New Republic

If somehow they can doll up their ideas enough to get the voters to pay attention for a bit, maybe have Jessica Alba present them, they may just win.