Blog For Arizona

Why Does the Establishment Hate Dean?

It isn't about policy, left vs. right, third-way triangulation, or anything like that. The sustained attack of the Democratic establishment on Dean is only about money. Money, which creates institutional and personal power, and determines the balance of power in this nation.

The leaders of the DLC, including Clinton behind the scenes, want to keep control of the way the Democratic party operates the cash register. The "New Democrat" move to the right was engineered in order to compete with Republicans for corporate contributions. The DLC believes this is the only way to compete with the GOP in the long term, and they may well be right. Unfortunately for us, it also means there is little to no counter-pressure to the corporate agenda.

If Dean takes over leadership of the party in a crusade against corporate money in elections, Dean kills the goose laying the golden eggs. If Dean is unable to radically reform the campaign finance system, eliminating or at least limiting the GOP's ability to raise corporate cash, the Democrats could be put at a permanent competitive disadvantage. Given that Constitutional law at the moment equates money with political speech, their concern is not ill-placed. Not every Democratic candidate has the ability and appeal to raise money the way Dean does; without Bush in the mix, it is doubtful that even Dean could do it. So the DLC is simply defending the status quo from someone they see as a grave threat, not only to their personal power, but also to the very survival of the Democratic party.

There is nothing Dean can do to heal the breach. Adopting a set of positions or spinning his place in the political spectrum can do nothing to reassure the DLC and party establishment. Some see Dean's fundraising revolution as simply a temporary measure; something he can weasel out of later. Some believe as strongly as he does that campaign fundraising must change and have thrown in their lot with him. Some think that Dean has taken a fatal and irrovocable step by deciding to fund his campaign solely with individual contributions. They think that if Dean wins, it will lock the party into the same promises he has made. This is why he is getting such resistance in the party; no other reason. Anyone who thinks that policy or centrist vs liberal labels is at issue is incredibly naive. Only one thing matters at the highest level of either party: money. Policy is just a way to attract votes to your ticket and donors to your fundraisers. Within the ideological limits which define each party, party members are not inclined to quibble too much about policy. It's only when policy positions threaten the flow of financing that things will get acrimonious. Well, Dean's fundraising promises are seen as an irresponsible and unsustainable gamble by the party establishment. That's why the establishment equates Dean with bin Laden.

posted by Michael Bryan @ 12/25/2003 11:52:00 PM