Welcome Class of 2006
The New York Times reports that the new class – new Democrats in Washington – are not inspired by ideologies, but by populism:
Many in the class of 2006, especially those who delivered the new Democratic majorities by winning Republican seats, show little appetite for that kind of ideological crusade. But in interviews with nearly half of them this week, the freshmen — 41 in the House and 9 in the Senate, including one independent — conveyed a keen sense of their own moment in history, and a distinct world view: they say they were given a rare opportunity by voters, many of them independents and Republicans, who were tired of the partisanship and gridlock in Washington.
Now, they say, they have to produce — to deal with long-festering problems like access to affordable health care and the loss of manufacturing jobs, and to find a bipartisan consensus for an exit strategy in Iraq, a source of continuing division not only between but also within the parties.
Many of them say they must also, somehow, find a way to address the growing anxiety among voters about a global economy that no longer seems to work for them. There is a strong populist tinge to this class.
In general, they set themselves an extraordinary (political veterans might say impossible) task: to avoid the ideological wars that have so dominated Congress in recent years, to be pragmatists, and to change the tone in Washington after a sharply partisan campaign.
If this means that they are more interested in solving problems than enlarging the partisan divide, I do not see how it can possibly be a bad thing.
Of course, one could say that the attitude described above is an ideology in itself… but that is quite philosophical.
4 Responses to “Welcome Class of 2006”
Most interesting to me is the focus so many of the newbies have on national health care. That is a big issue where I live.
Thanks for highlighting this article.
No thanks BYG. It was an interesting article. Glad to be able to post today since I have a lot of stuff to do during the week I sometimes have different priorities. Today is a good blogging day though.
I agree and consider that issue, actually, to be ideological. A funny contradiction in the article perhaps.
I thing I would trust this puff piece from the New York Times about as far as I can throw the managing editor. I think some of these newbies truly mean well particularly some of the Midwesterners. I think most of them will morph after arriving in Washington and become as partisan as they need to for the party. They will end up with the same condescending view toward anyone right of the spectrum as most of the authors and posters on this blog do.
In other words, Doc75 expects them to become just like the Republicans they’ve replaced?