Bob Collins seems confused by Rep. Seifert's use of the term "Smurf village". Think about this a minute: all Smurfs are one color (sky blue), Smurf dialogue uses the same word, 'smurf', over and over. Thus, they look all alike and talk all alike. Sort of like this.

Sort of like Democrats. Don't believe me? Let's ask an astute, outside observer, Gerard Baker, most certainly not a right-winger.

It's hard to know what's worse - expressing condescending views about the working class or pretending to be one of them. The Democratic campaign is simply disappearing in the enveloping vapidity of the candidates' making.

The economy's a mess; the US is bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead of seizing the opportunity to present a convincing vision of an alternative way forward the Democrats are fumbling. When they are not scrapping about each other's street cred they are falling back on the old verities of left-wing dogma: class warfare on taxes; irresponsible (and unredeemable) promises to pull out of Iraq in an instant; a protectionism that makes a mockery of their claims to want to restore America's standing in the world.

Amid this sorry spectacle of cynical opportunism and atavistic dogmatism, the Republicans have contrived somehow to select in John McCain the one candidate in their party who might actually have a shot at winning the election.

Which could pull along some House candidates and make the DFL, well, blue.

Labels: legislature, Minnesota, politics