Time For Them To Own Their Failure

by digby

I am traveling today, so I won’t have the time to really delve into the speech, the convention etc until tomorrow probably.

Barack Obama said a lot of great things last night. But there was one thing he said that I’ve been waiting for, desperate for, and I couldn’t be happier that he said it:

For over two decades, he’s subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy – give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is – you’re on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps – even if you don’t have boots. You’re on your own.

Well it’s time for them to own their failure.

I think this is the key to the case and when I heard it, I stood up and cheered.

I know that point is not very hopeful or very uplifting and it won’t be the biggest selling point among swing voters. But there were plenty of those things in the speech. This is the case against conservatism that people need to hear in this country if we hope to move ahead. (Remind me to relate my convention story of trying to convince the 19 year old “independent” that his tax burden wasn’t the reason he couldn’t afford college. People have been brainwashed.)

My mind was greatly relieved last night. I think we are heading into the fall campaign with a standard bearer who is prepared now to take the fight to the Republicans. He’s not going to lie back and take the character assassination now that McCain has shown that he’s willing to roll around in the mud with the filthiest of GOP pigs. And he’s not going to pretend that conservatism isn’t responsible for the mess he’s asking to be allowed to clean up. That bodes well for the long term.

For the first time, I’m feeling not just optimistic about the Dems chances of winning (I’ve always felt that) but that they might just win on their own terms.

Yes they can.

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