"These sophomoric quickies you jot off aren't doing you or the Democrats any good. How could you deceive yourself into believing they are?"

Silly stuff. Why would I expect bantering with you to do me, or more absurdly, the Democratic Party, any good? The better question is how do you deceive yourself into believing that I think that? I do the Democratic Party some good by voting for and supporting (usually monetarily) some of their candidates. I find it much more effective than posting letters here or bantering with you. Imagine that.

"Although, your bold simplicity does serve a value: it illustrates the intellectual bankruptcy of recent Democratic campaigns as well as say, Hillary's "right wing conspiracy." Or Kerry's "Reporting for duty." Or John Edwards's, "two Americas." Granted the sentiments at the heart of these politicians are far more humanistic than their Republican counterparts, but, quite simply, the substance of a grand sum strategy has been sorely lacking. Why deny it? What kind of Democratic party do you envision? Is mindlessness the way of winning America's votes? Is demeaning Salon letter writers the way to go?"

Ah now we're getting to it as the stock phrases come pouring out. As an aside, you might want to talk to David Brock about the VRWC, but anyway, this grand strategy stuff is somewhat overblown and is largely fodder for folks like you to hang your hat on and help K street slicksters earn their bounses. The notion that the Pubs are currently in power primarily because of their grand sum strategy (as opposed to the no idea Demos of course) is more than a little dubious. Most politicans "grand sum strategy" is getting elected and staying in power.

"Bush may be essentially mindless, but he's had the benefit of decades of persuasive campaigns, including the Laffer Curve you dismissed with a quip more appropriate for a men's room in Hooters than an inquiry into what exactly the Democrats need to do to get back on track. Indeed, your tack of assassinating the character of the messenger rather than doing the hard work of addressing the message, is more related to the PR division of the Republicans run by General Rove."

Oh, so the much more mindful Bob Dole and Bush Sr didn't have that benefit, huh? Also, I've given my thoughts as to what I think the Dems need to do to supposedly "get back on track". I see you're deep in the kool-aid pitcher now. That "attack the messenger" jive is classic - Let's see, here's a good example - "Dems have no ideas!!! Say what, that's an assinine premise. See, it must be true because you're attacking the messenger rather than doing the "hard work" of addressing the message. Sure buddy whatever you say..." What's fascinating is how basic this tactic is. It's just a slight twist on the beating-your-wife thing. It's also very temtpting because you seem unable to get away from it.

"And yes, in addition to having voluminously presented ideas, strategies, rationales, blueprints, and policies, the Republicans have also been tactically brilliant in running an effective office of Character Assassination. Apparently, you'd like the Democrats to forget about the former and concentrate on zingers and two-paragraph mission statements."

I'm not even sure what to say about this because it's so bizzare. If anything, the Democrats have been accused of, and in fact seem to to do too much of the former. If you can't find voluminously presented Democratic ideas you're sure not looking too hard. Whether you agree with them is up to you. Also, I'm not sure if the Dems need to stoop to the Repub level of running an effective office of Character Assassination but they certainly need to seriously fight back when slimed and I don't mean to simply and technically "correct the record". A well considered rehtorical, not literal, "fuck you, you lying sack of shit" would do them wonders when confronted with Repub nonsense.

"Why don't you spend this 4th of July weekend and reflect on something deeper than "blah, blah, blah," and respond with something that actually matters to more than you. Happy Holiday."

Thanks for the thoughtful and well meaning suggestion and although I'm sure your concern is genuine, I must decline. I'm pretty happy with my life right now. Thanks anyway. Happy Holiday to you as well.

Let's see...we literally rape, pillage and colonize the continent for centuries. Then, 50 or so years ago we give them "independence" but ensure we have "friendly" leaders who we still can do business with and who will be on our side during the Cold War. Then, we give them "aid" under terms that would make old school loan sharks, and their modern cousins, the credit card companies, blush with embarrassment.

Then, we bribe...err, I mean...."aid" our friends in government who pocket the bribes...oops, sorry again...pocket some of the aid and earmark the rest for "development projects", which, in an amazing coincidence, are usually run and/or owned by foreign compaines. Then, after a few cycles of this, we declare the whole thing a disaster and give the Africans an updated "White Man's Burden" patronizing lecture that their "inherent character flaws" are solely to blame for the mess. Nice work....

As an aside, I always get a kick out of upright people who bemoan African superstition while ignoring that the majority of Christian Westerners apparent have no problem believing that a female virgin gave bith to the Son of God. Go figure...