Paul Gessing cites the iconoclastic Bruce Bartlett’s column that the Ds have become so shrill as to alienate the broad middle. Bartlett states:

From what I read on the blogs these days, most Democrats believe that their party's single biggest problem is that it is not tough enough. Their solution is to be ever more shrill and hysterical in attacking Republicans. As a Republican, I think this is wonderful. It just makes Democrats look like kooks, and forces moderates to vote Republican.

This is part of my point in my Let’s Be Careful Out There blog. Sure, Iraq II is being waged in – let’s call it – an “extra-constitutional” manner. All US wars since WWII have been so waged. I certainly see why someone would call all these wars “illegal,” but to me illegal is something someone gets put in jail for. Do we really – and plausibly – want to see Bush, Cheney, and all MCs who voted for the Iraq War Resolution in jail? Hmm, well, yes, they can do less damage there, but when engaging the mainstream, this notion I suspect sounds “shrill and hysterical.”

If we don’t communicate with people in terms that they understand, then we’re really not interested in communicating, are we?

-Robert Capozzi