Let’s check in on our Democratic friends, outside the Beltway, down in the grassroots. Let’s take a look at a recent Democratic-party dinner in Cleveland, Tennessee. It’s in the state’s 3rd congressional district, and currently held by Zach Wamp, a Republican who’s running for governor; a slew of Republicans and four Democrats are running for the House seat in this R+13 district.

How the evening began:

Ron Moore, member of the Bradley County Democrats, gave a short speech before opening the floor to the candidates. “We’re as conservative as any Republican in Bradley County,” Moore said. “We have liberal thoughts, but when it comes to our money we’re just as conservative.”

Probably a wise slogan in this district, considering how Republican it leans, but having said that, if you have liberal thoughts, it’s hard to argue that you are as conservative as a Republican who has no liberal thoughts. It’s an intriguing slogan: “We think about liberalism, but promise not to act on any of those thoughts.”

A candidate for county commissioner offered this dynamic platform:

“I’m also for education and improved education. I’m for improved law enforcement and I’m for improved roads. I’m for progress in Bradley County,” Morelock said.

Wow, he’s for education and improved education. Yes, I realize many candidates on both sides have candidates that offer nothing but fuzzy, feel-good goals and few if any details about how to achieve them. That doesn’t make it any less satisfying when that’s the rhetoric served.

Finally, the comment from the congressional candidate:

Dr. Brent Staton is a family medicine doctor at Erlanger Medical Center. Staton said the reason he is running for Congress is because of the “struggling patient” who has to decide whether to buy their needed prescriptions or pay for rent or utility bills. “Times are very difficult for patients like this. I believe I can make a larger difference in Washington than I can one at a time in my office,” Staton said.

I thought passing Obamacare was supposed to fix the problems of struggling patients. Fascinatingly, it appears the Democrats’ standard rhetoric on health care — i.e., it costs too much, and electing me is the only thing that will ever fix it — can and will be reused even after they get their way on overhauling the entire health-care system. Why, it’s almost as if it’s a meaningless promise with no relation to actual health-care costs or the way the system is run.