"if it is a fight you folks want, then let's have that fight!"

You know you are having an impact when people start attacking you. Early in the history of this great country pamphleteers like Tom Paine discovered that. Well today the pamphleteers are virtual and they are under attack. Over at the Progressive Daily Beacon A. Alexander explains. (Hat tip to pessimist)

Republican Party, Democratic Party, and DLC's All Out Assault on the Blogosphere

An all out assault upon the blogosphere has been launched. As expected and as Rove signaled, the right-wing media attack machine and associated propagandists have put bloggers square in their sites. In an attempt to discredit the blogosphere, the GOP has begun lobbing their usual disinformation scare-bombs toward the American citizenry. What wasn't fully expected, however, was the vicious manner in which the Democratic Party and its lonely pundit, Ed Schultz, have assailed the blogosphere.

I don't really see it as a surprise, those in power, Democrat or Republican don't like to see their power threatened and threatened it is.

Today, the blogosphere's combined audience exceeds that of the right-wing media and, some claim, the sum-total of the mainstream media's news programming. That is a powerful sphere of influence. Also, as the importance and visitation rates increased in the blogosphere, right-wing media like FOX News, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill O'Reilly's audiences have declined. Those two facts alone indicate an undeniable blog influence over political perceptions and the right-wing media's inability to maintain their audience.

While the blogs can take at least some of the credit for discrediting Bush and the Republicans the DC Democrats are also in the attack mode.

Inside-the-beltway consultant-class Democrats and the DLC have joined the battle against the blogs because the blogosphere has, in their minds anyway, "unfairly" ganged up on their insider buddy, Joe Lieberman. Lieberman is exactly the sort of Republican-lite wannabe candidate that both the beltway Dems and the DLC prefer. For them politics isn't about leading or creating movements to move the nation forward. For them politics is about power and capitalizing on the few ideological crumbs Republicans leave behind. And they are happy with that. For them, that is a "winning strategy".

Democrats and the DLC have looked out across the nation and realized Republicans have succeeded in changing the political landscape and the American political soul. Rather than engaging in the much needed and honorable struggle to change the stygian path upon which the Republican political machine has placed the nation - rather than figuring out how to persuade Americans of a better way, they have simply decided to be a somewhat "kinder and gentler" version of the Republican Party. For inside-the-beltway Democrats and the DLC that is a winning approach and the blogosphere is, in their mind and rightfully so, undermining "The Invasion of the Republican Ideology Snatcher" plan.

So you want a fight do you?

So go ahead Rove, Republicans, right-wing media attack machine, Schumer, Lieberman, the DLC and yes, you too Ed Schultz - if it is a fight you folks want, then let's have that fight! If it is a fight over ideas and ideals you seek, if any of you have an idea or an ideal, let's have that political fight. We know what we stand for, so lets hear your beliefs! And if you want to take this into the mud, the blogosphere can hit harder, throw more punches, and sustain the contest longer through our sheer overwhelming strength of diverse perspectives. Whatever way you want to play this and however you choose to engage, lets just do it! You want a fight, lets fight!

Just know this consultant-class Democrats and DLC, the blogosphere is a better ally than foe and a lot more loyal and important to the Democratic Party than Joe Lieberman will ever be - think about that before you all continue.

I am surprised he didn't mention the chief DLC attack dog, Marshall Wittmann.