Liking Joe Biden

For improving the chances of Republicans taking back Congress in a few weeks, Joe Biden may just be the best hope they’ve got. No one else can more plausibly (and with a straight face) pull off the argument that the election in November is between the Democrats and the Tea Party:

At a meeting of the Democratic National Committee, Biden said voters would begin to focus on the election in the next few weeks and would not like the rehash of failed Bush administration policies pushed by Republicans.

“They are going to look at what the Republican Party is really offering — more of the past, but on steroids,” Biden said, adding Republicans had been shoved to the right by conservative “Tea Party” candidates.

“The Republican Party is out of step with where the American people are,” Biden said. “It’s a race between Democrats and the Republican Tea Party.”

The first problem with Smokin’ Joe’s logic is that the Republicans aren’t even offering Bush policies. Even the dumbest among them understands that Bush’s Moderate Republicanism is not nearly sufficient to undo the mess the Democrats have made of things since Obama took office.

And, forget for a moment that, were George W. Bush running for any office, there is very little chance he would be on the list of favorites among people that consider themselves part of (or sympathetic to) the Tea Party movement. Instead, let us consider which party is really out of step with the American people.

The Democrats’ first problem is that only 28% of likely voters think the country is headed in the right direction…with 67% of them thinking we’re on the wrong track. Worse, 60% of them “say most in Congress don’t care what they think.” Now, I’d like to remind Mr. Biden that George Bush never RAN Congress…but Democrats have held control of it for the last 4 years.

Who, exactly, has lost touch with whom?

Biden would make a great RNC add using clips from his DNC speech if for no other reason than this: He makes a strong case for the effectiveness of the Tea Party in bringing to light just how unhappy people are with the way things are going…and the Tea Party speaks for neither political party choosing instead to pick candidates based on where they stand on the issues. Oddly enough none of them are Democrats but they sure have thrown their money and support behind the candidates they think offer the best chances of effecting meaningful change.

Joe forgot, apparently, that the protest is over the size and scope and reach and piss-poor fiscal management of the country, and just who has been in charge of all those things during the time the Tea Party has risen to the stature within the National dialog it now enjoys. Like ‘em or hate ‘em, the Tea Party is not happy with the Federal Government and they’ve been deliciously effective in making those feelings known. Joe reminds us once again of who needs to be removed in order to make the changes the vast majority of Americans are demanding be made. Democrats.

Joe Biden…what’s not to like?