What Is the Florida Democratic Party's Message?

"Meanwhile, as a friend of mine in mediaworld said to me tonight, how could Florida Democrats could so screw things up, when the state party is flush from victory in 2008, has raised tons of the money, which erased the Republican advantage, and when the state party they’re facing are almost all under investigation by the FBI and IRS … including Marco Rubio??? You begin to wonder if Democrats can even play this game… "

Joy-Ann Reid, of The Reid Report.

Peter Schorsch and I both have touched on this. Let me use a sports term. Florida Republicans can ball and the Democrats can't. Republicans will tell voters what they stand for. No one has any doubt that Marco Rubio will cut corporate taxes and is against abortion. Democrats literally run from what they are suppose to stand for. There is the infamous moment of Alex Sink walking away from a question about the health care public option.



Voters want to see candidates stand for something. Rubio has horrible policy positions. Rubio sells being anti-choice and anti-gay as being principled. Florida Democrats let Rubio get away with his unprincipled social positions because they avoid bringing up the subject. Kendrick Meek didn't make gay rights a campaign issue until Charlie Crist supported gay adoption.

The Florida Democratic Party sends out rapid response emails everyday about what is wrong with the Republican Party of Florida. Politically, attacking the opposition is fair game within the bounds of reason. What we aren't hearing from the Florida Democratic establishment is new ideas. Rubio's "100 Ideas" was nothing more than a political gimmick The (false) message voters were receiving is Republicans have proposals. What is the Florida Democratic Party's message besides Republicans are bad. I and other progressive bloggers buy the message. The voters of Florida aren't the Florida Progressive Coalition. The voters need a reason to vote for Democratic candidates.