A Peek Behind the Curtain

LeftWingCracker is a Democratic activist and sometime blogger. He's been mostly dormant for quite a while, but the Tennessee Waltz fallout seems to have energised him back into action. That's all to the good, as he's thoughful and descriptive. I met him at a bloggers bash earlier this year and enjoyed the discussion. Nice, non-doctrinaire guy.

Start with this post about the coming Shelby County Democratic Party convention. LWC tries his best to describe the convolute process. Then read here and here for his prescription for new leadership. He lays out the Democratic situation for 2006 quite well, except for thinking the Republicans will offer up a placeholder candidate against Governor Phil Bredesen. Phil's very vulnerable and can most definitely be beaten off. Remember: every effort to implement an income tax has come in the second term of recent governors (Democrat and Republican). No second term, no income tax proposal! Phil's also the guy who will cut several hundred thousand from TennCare rolls by 2006. Democrats will be steamed by that and so will several hundred thousand former TennCare patients.

LWC links to Jackson Baker's Memphis Flyer Politics column which goes into great detail about the upcoming fight for the chairmanship. LWC thinks David Cocke, a former chairman, is being courted and groomed to reclaim his old post, as does Baker. It would explain why Cocke suddenly reappeared on local television news late this week.

Baker lists quite a few possible contenders. Generally speaking, when you have so many candidates seeking the leadership position it's a sign of lack of leadership, or dissatisfaction. Either the group is dynamic and growing, seeking a new direction and someone to take them there, or they are fearful and retrenching, wanting someone to shield them from the storms.

In the wake of the Tennessee Waltz indictments of four Shelby County Democrats, with several more rumored to be on the way, I'll leave it to you to decide which one it is.

Welcome back, Steve. Don't stop blogging any time soon, OK?