RNC drops resolution to call Democrats "Socialists"

No one was talking about anything else.

The Republicans were meeting for what? The only thing being reported was that powerless resolution proposed by members of the RNC that would -- if passed -- formally ask the Democratic party to change its name to the Democrat Socialist Party.

No matter how hard Michael Steele -- the sole de facto leader of the Republican Party* -- tried to get his message out, interviewers on even Fox News were focused on one thing: the resolution.

As we mentioned yesterday, even after Steele told Fox and Friends hosts that the GOP's strategy wasn't to rebrand the Democrats, he faced two more questions on the resolution, all the while the Las Vegas-like text box on the TV screen was flashing: "RNC rebrands the Dems: The Democrat Socialist Party."

There was no way around it. That was the news.

Whew

Today. Peace. They found a way to kill it. Thereby finally getting the resolution out of the news flow. Had it been introduced and passed, Steele would have been further marginalized and talk of the resolution would have lasted all summer.

Instead, they agreed on another meaningless resolution. A resolution that carries with it no sound bite or controversy.

"Resolved, that we the members of the Republican National Committee recognize that the Democratic Party is dedicated to restructuring American society along socialist ideals," it reads.

Dodged it

Steele was happy.

"I am pleased that the committee adopted a resolution that focuses on the Democrats’ policies and their destructive effects on America’s economic engine, rather than attempting to rename our opponents. The RNC and the entire Republican Party is moving forward with strength and unity," he said in a statement.

Put it on TV

But not everybody was. Sure, the most fervent on the right don't see an issue with the original resolution. But politicos on the left embraced it. In their minds, the resolution amounted to childish name-calling and further diminished an already-diminished GOP.

Walk over to Crooks and Liars, a left-leaning web site. If it was up to John Amato, the news networks would have broadcast the RNC meeting. The resolution debate in particular.

"...If they really wanted to show us what the RNC is all about, why didn't they televise the debate they had about their resolution which would have branded the Democratic Party the “Democrat Socialist Party"?

"This would have been a much clearer window into the minds and hearts of the Republican Party, which has been the party of know-nothings and do-nothings and extremist rhetoric since the day Obama took office," he writes.

Socialists

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) weren't happy either. But they didn't like it because it stole their name. In a statement released earlier today, the national director of the DSA, slammed the effort.

"[The resolution] demonstrates the extremist views that now dominate the RNC. This is a continuation of the silly and surreal socialist baiting that Republicans engaged in during the 2008 Campaign (when they equated progressive tax reform with socialism!) and which the voters soundly rejected," Frank Llewellyn said.

*Steele is now the only de facto leader of the Republican Party as the other de facto leader, Rush Limbaugh, announced earlier today that he has officially resigned.

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