February 25, 2010

• Why the Democrats really do suck

  Basically when I get into conversations with die hard Republicans pretty much one of the only thing I agree with them about is that Democrats really do suck. I think most of the Republicans in Congress are at least as bad or worse and certainly the last Republican administration in the White House was atrocious beyond anything we could have ever imagined, but none of that excuses any of the many Democrats sins.

  My last entry highlighted rank hypocrisy amongst the ranks of Republicans but at the end I mentioned how the whole situation really reveals hypocrisy on the part of both parties. While its certainly hypocritical for republicans to now oppose so vociferously with such extreme proclamations of government takeovers a bill their party once supported. It’s equally hypocritical for Democrats to have proposed a bill essentially the same as Republicans would have and still campaign on significantly more liberal principles.

  Glenn Greenwald explained that last point in excruciatingly painful detail (painful for Democrat supporters anyway) in far more eloquent language than I could muster:

  “This is what the Democratic Party does; it’s who they are.  They’re willing to feign support for anything their voters want just as long as there’s no chance that they can pass it.  They won control of Congress in the 2006 midterm elections by pretending they wanted to compel an end to the Iraq War and Bush surveillance and interrogation abuses because they knew they would not actually do so; and indeed, once they were given the majority, the Democratic-controlled Congress continued to fund the war without conditions, to legalize Bush’s eavesdropping program, and to do nothing to stop Bush’s habeas and interrogation abuses (“Gosh, what can we do?  We just don’t have 60 votes).

  The primary tactic in this game is Villain Rotation.  They always have a handful of Democratic Senators announce that they will be the ones to deviate this time from the ostensible party position and impede success, but the designated Villain constantly shifts, so the Party itself can claim it supports these measures while an always-changing handful of their members invariably prevent it.  One minute, it’s Jay Rockefeller as the Prime Villain leading the way in protecting Bush surveillance programs and demanding telecom immunity; the next minute, it’s Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Schumer joining hands and “breaking with their party” to ensure Michael Mukasey’s confirmation as Attorney General; then it’s Big Bad Joe Lieberman single-handedly blocking Medicare expansion; then it’s Blanche Lincoln and Jim Webb joining with Lindsey Graham to support the de-funding of civilian trials for Terrorists; and now that they can’t blame Lieberman or Ben Nelson any longer on health care (since they don’t need 60 votes), Jay Rockefeller voluntarily returns to the Villain Role, stepping up to put an end to the pretend-movement among Senate Democrats to enact the public option via reconciliation.

  Basically, this is how things have progressed:

  Progressives:  We want a public option!

  Democrats/WH:  We agree with you totally!  Unfortunately, while we have 50 votes for it, we just don’t have 60, so we can’t have it.  Gosh darn that filibuster rule.  

  Progressives:  But you can use reconciliation like Bush did so often, and then you only need 50 votes.

  Filbuster reform advocates/Obama loyalists:  Hey progressives, don’t be stupid!  Be pragmatic.  It’s not realistic or Serious to use reconciliation to pass health care reform.  None of this their fault.  It’s the fault of the filibuster.  The White House wishes so badly that it could pass all these great progressive bills, but they’re powerless, and they just can’t get 60 votes to do it.  

  [Month later]

  Progressives:  Hey, great!  Now that you’re going to pass the bill through reconciliation after all, you can include the public option that both you and we love, because you only need 50 votes, and you’ve said all year you have that!

  Democrats/WH:  No.  We don’t have 50 votes for that (look at Jay Rockefeller).  Besides, it’s not the right time for the public option.  The public option only polls at 65%, so it might make our health care bill — which polls at 35% — unpopular.  Also, the public option and reconciliation are too partisan, so we’re going to go ahead and pass our industry-approved bill instead . . . on a strict party line vote.

  …

  The only thing I wonder about is whether Washington Democrats are baffled about the extreme “enthusiasm gap” between Democratic and Republican voters, which very well could cause them to lose control of Congress this year.  By “enthusiasm gap,” it is meant that the very people who worked so hard in 2006 and 2008 to ensure that Democrats became empowered are now indifferent — apathetic — about whether they keep it.  Even as crazed and extremist as the GOP is, is it remotely possible that the Democratic establishment fails to understand not only why this “enthusiasm gap” exists, but also why it’s completely justifiable?”

  Basically in my opinion the only thing worse than the Democratic party is the Republican party. No doubt most Republicans feel the same way only in the reverse. But surely we can all agree that both parties are incredibly fundamentally broken.

  That I think is the most important thing we can work on. The system needs to be fixed. Campaign finance reform is essential. That’s why I support Fix Congress First more than any other movement I follow and care about.  If you believe this too, please support this movement.

  • 10:11 am
  • 3 Comments