Let’s think about strategy for a moment.

Think about it. The Democratic Party now sits at Point “A”, second fiddle. The Party is hopeful that it can move to Point “B”, the Conductor, head of the orchestra. What might the strategy be that would accomplish that goal.

If you will allow me to use a ship and its crew resting at its home port, Point A with an agenda to get underway and move to Point B as an analogy, then I will proceed…. Thanks, I proceed.

The mission is defined: Move the ship from “A” to “B”. The crew is on board, trained, expectant and with the incentive to get underway. So what should the ship captain’s strategy be?

The logical approach would be to plot a straight line between the two points, lock-on to the prescribed coarse, kick up the knots chock to the appropriate notch and sail away to the destination port.

But wait, you say, it is wartime. Maybe the Captain will need to stay aware of potential foes in the air, on or under the water; take evasive action at times; and defend the ship, its crew and passengers from attack as necessary …a likely scenario.

OK, so we can’t sail freely to our destination, Point B. So here is the strategy as seems fitting to many of the contributors to this site.

• First, let’s issue a personal sidearm to each member of the crew and to each passenger. Ensure that each has plenty of ammunition …preferably of the highest lethality manufactured.
• Second, we must align everyone with weapons into an offensive circle about the ship’s decks. Of course, with the current methods as frequently espoused in this medium, the people in the circle would be facing inward.
• Third, on any ripple of danger, the Captain gives the Ready, Aim, Fire command over the ships annunciation system. We, without thinking very clearly, pull the trigger thinking that in doing so, we slaughter the enemy …remember what Pogo said about meeting the enemy….
• Now that the crew and passengers have fired their weapons, those of us who remain, the ambulatory and non-ambulatory survivors are left to get the ship to port. By the way, our ill advised circular firing squad eliminated many of our fellow passengers, friends and essential crew members. The action has reduced our chances of making a successful voyage, even had we been at peace time with open seas. Remember, the enemy continues to lurk in our pathway to “B”.

Many think the Republicans are beat, no matter what. I would suggest that the Republicans continue to have enough of a fleet on, above and under the water to allow them to successfully take on a ship with a decimated crew, demoralized and wounded passengers.

So what will your strategy be? Will it be to join-in the circular firing squad, kill off anyone who deviates [even in the slightest] from your point of view. Or, will your strategy be to coalesce around a set of fundamental principles and values to move America’s current majority into the White House, into a majority of the Governorships and to sizable majorities in the Congress and State Legislatures?

The strategy should be to work the issues and not to engage in personal attacks. Can we handle this strategy? So far, it seems that we cannot.