Must...control...urge...to...fisk...H-bomb

Ugh. I could fisk the H-bomb as a full time occupation, but what really would I accomplish by doing so? All I'll say is that the Democrats don't have any ideas, but neither does James Boyce, whoever the hell he is. What ideas he doesn't steal from Republicans are just plain dumb. If you must, here's a link, although it doesn't come recommended.

Update
Heh. He was a senior campaign advisor to John Kerry. That explains a lot. Well, given that, I'm going to fisk him.

Here are his new ideas for Democrats:

Iraq
Well, he doesn't really have any. He just pretty much whines about the war and how the American people are willing to be lied to. That's some original thought right there.

Osama bin Laden
His idea:

Their idea: wanted dead or alive.

Our idea: wanted: an update.

An update? That sounds more like sarcasm than an idea. How about substantive ideas?

The Deficit
His idea: Pay as you go. He may have a winner here, even though this isn't exactly a new idea, just another one dusted off the shelf. The problem is, it'll be a short lived idea. I think it is abundantly clear that any time a party is entrenched in power in congress, they spend like drunken sailors. Democrats can play the pay as you go card if they wish, and the fiscal conservative in me will probably actually relish watching some Republican congress members squirm, but one would have to be naive to think that the Democrats wouldn't go back to their big spending ways the shortly after regaining congress.

Making the first Tuesday in November a national holiday
Again, not really a new idea, and not really an idea that is going to win anyone any elections. I don't know how hard I'd fight this one, mostly because I'd kind of like to be able to sit back and say "I told you so." The reason I'd be so smug is because Americans are famous for enjoying their Holidays for doing just about anything but what the holiday is intended for. Memorial Day? The interstates aren't exactly jam packed because people are rushing out to Memorial Ceremonies and parades. The Fourth of July? A day to drink and dare fate with small explosives. Many states already allow you to be absent from work for a period of time on election days. If people aren't taking advantage of an opportunity to be out of work for a couple of hours, what makes him think that a day off would make any difference? Finally, a federal holiday does not automatically mean people get off of work. How many of us have Martin Luther King day off, or Veterans Day? Do you think that Joe Blow, working at McDonald's, the little guy that Democrats think Republicans are keeping down, is going to have the day off from his minimum wage job just because the Feds declared a holiday? Uh, no.

Eliminate the IRS and establish a flat tax
Umm, yeah, that's a new one. Just don't tell that to Republicans Steve Forbes and Grover Norquist, among others. Umm, wait a second-yeah that is a new idea, and I just hate it. Please don't run with that one, Democrats, please! ;-)

Ban Political Advertising except during the last 7 days of an election
I'm just stunned by the ignorance of this one. This guy supposedly helped make Kerry '04 ads, for God's sake! No wonder Kerry lost. Okay, now the issue at hand. Not only would this be a grievous violation of the first amendment, it would also likely creep into other areas. For instance, take a look at what the FEC is doing right now. It wouldn't be long before writing about politics before an election would be outlawed (except for the exempt media) because it would be an in kind contribution. That's fine if you are part of the establishment and you want to remain as part of the establishment, but stinks of holding down a little guy like, say, oh, ME.

Force their hand on North Korea
Thank God John Kerry did not win the Presidency and keep this nut job on as an advisor. Using foreign affairs with an mentally unstable, nuclear equipped dictatorship that could pave South Korea with artillery before we get a plane in the air as a political card to get the Republicans? That's just plain dangerous. If you want to stand up to North Korea, fine, do it responsibly, don't do it as a political game and risk the lives of millions of South Koreans. Oh, and given earlier rhetoric from the left, could we then say he stole this idea from those evil neo-cons?

Okay, I'm left with this-was this guy really a "Senior Advisor" to Kerry? I hope that means gopher in politi-speak, because this guy is vapid. I'm surprised Kerry got a couple dozen votes if this guy had any influence in the campaign what so ever.