Dangers of The Democratic Party's "Incumbent Purge"

So, in the past 24-odd hours, we have seen announcements from Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan - both Democrats - that they will not seek re-election in 2010. Coming up today is an expected announcement that reviled Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd will not run in 2010; and the rumor mill is buzzing that hugely unpopular Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick is being pressured to make a smiliar move.

Heartening, to a certain extent. Seeing these bloated egoists drop like flies is the clearest indication yet that they were facing certain electoral elimination in 2010; leading us to believe that things any look worse for the Democrats right now than anyone is letting on.

But there is a danger here for the Republicans. The Democrats now have the opportunity to replace these dead weights with more popular politicians who do not have ties to our universally loathed Congress or to an extremely weakened president. They can run as "outsiders", promising to "change the way we do business in Washington", while falling immediately subservient to Pelosi or Reid once they cross the DC threshold.

The Dems are already lining up these candidates; in Connecticut they have popular Attorney General Richard Blumenthal primed to run for Dodd's seat; in Colorado the jostling may have already begun between Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and Congressman Ed Perlmutter. In Massachuttess, a strong showing by Scott Brown later this month might be all the impetus Deval Patrick needs to call it quits so the party may replace him with a more acceptable candidate.

The Republicans must not get giddy here. When election season comes 'round, they must pound home the fact that even these "new and improved" Democratic candidates are votes for cap and trade, tighter healthcare restrictions, more deficit spending, and higher taxes. They'll talk like rebels in November and lie down like dogs (for Pelosi) in January.

Maybe we should adopt The Who's classic anthem, "Won't get fooled again" as a national campaign song, juxtaposing it against the faces of these new Democrats who tell us that this time, they'll listen to the electorate, keep their promises, and follow the Constitution...

We'll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet
And the morals that they worship will be gone...

...And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed....

... Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
No, no!