Don't we have ENOUGH Blue Dog Democrats in the Senate and House?

Don't we have ENOUGH divisiveness and hesitancy and bullshit debates in promoting the progressive policies in the Congress that we have demanded?

Let's be honest. Isn't the real reason the Congressional Democratic-majority for the last four years's approval numbers were LOWER than George W. Bush's because they refused to distance themselves from him and the GOP? Because they wouldn't do the right thing and remove Bush from office, for mere starters? So why is the addition of one and possibly more stallers and roadblockers from the GOP to the Democrats an ADDITION?

The only good thing about this story: It makes John Cornyn cry. Boehner was already crying before he heard the news, on Crazy Glenn Beck's shoulder.

Why?

Because Arlen Specter is a survivor, baby. He's in it for the long haul.

In no way does this mean that Obama has a filibuster-proof cloture-tortured Senate, especially for those progressive issues near and dear to MY heart. The day will never come when every Democratic Senator votes with the discipline that only Tom DeLay could enforce.

Andrew Sullivan has been doing his homework.

It never ends, does it?

"But we are not asked to judge the President's character flaws. We are asked to judge whether the President, who swore an oath to faithfully execute his office, deliberately subverted--for whatever purpose--the rule of law."

- John McCain, arguing for the impeachment of Bill Clinton for perjury in a civil suit, February 1999

"Anyone who knows what waterboarding is could not be unsure. It is a horrible torture technique used by Pol Pot."

- John McCain, October 2007

"We've got to move on."

- John McCain, April 26, 2009, reacting to incontrovertible proof that George W. Bush ordered the waterboarding of a prisoner 183 times, as well as broader treatment that the Red Cross has called "unequivocally torture"

I don't know how these people plan to be re-elected, much less sleep at night.

Who could that be?

"It's important for people to understand that in a democracy, there will be a full investigation. In other words, we want to know the truth. In our country, when there's an allegation of abuse ... there will be a full investigation, and justice will be delivered. ... It's very important for people and your listeners to understand that in our country, when an issue is brought to our attention on this magnitude, we act. And we act in a way in which leaders are willing to discuss it with the media. ... In other words, people want to know the truth. That stands in contrast to dictatorships. A dictator wouldn't be answering questions about this. A dictator wouldn't be saying that the system will be investigated and the world will see the results of the investigation."

As distasteful as I find it to link to Andrew Sullivan, one of the original 'liberal' Iraq Invasion cheerleaders, he has the dope today.

The man who spoke the words above belongs in a Supermax detention cell.

Here's a little soap opera story for your entertainment on this fine Monday morning:

I also post comments at the Daily Kos, one of my favorite websites. Kos is also one of my favorite writers on the Internets Tubes, from way back when he was a wee tad. He's just plain intelligent, humorous, cuts to the chase and enjoyable to read.

So a post comes online over there about the arrest of five Congressional Democrats in front of the Sudanese Embassy. Here's my comment:

Arresting Democratic extremists

Now THAT'S change I can believe in!

I want MORE arrests. I want MORE activism. I want MORE change, progressive and radical change, for the BETTER. And not just sound bites.

So the wonderful (no sarcasm implied; I really do like her blogging) Plutonium Page responds to my tiny little snippet with this missive:

Well then go out and do something

Bitching about it on the internet doesn't count as "action".

Can I just let sleeping dogs lie? Can I turn the other cheek? Not when somebody on MY TEAM gives me some undeserved shit, I don't.

I don't get it

I post a comment applauding these fine Congress critters, calling them, amiably enough, 'extremists', extremists of MY stripe, saying I want more...

And somebody comes along and wags their finger at me because I'm not doing enough. Huh...

Sure. I could do more. So could Plutonium Page. She could start by NOT ALIENATING the people on her side...ya think?

Finally, the last word on this point: Me, organizing a protest against Darfur, or anything, here in a deep red county? Drop in the bucket.

A Democratic leader of any kind--Congress-person, NGO-CEO, famous progressive blogger, organizing a nationally-reported protest?

That's the kind of action we need--leadership. The followers like myself are already out here, waiting.

The people are waiting. I am waiting. Sending emails to Obama isn't going to do it. The ball has been in our court for some time now, waiting for Obama or whoever to wail it over the net and ace it right into the Republicans' noses. We have spoken. It's time for those we sent to Washington to fucking take the action we have demanded.

Because how much effect do you think even the largest protest against troops still in Iraq or CEO compensation or the deficit will make? Uh...fagetaboutit. If Obama and the Democrats don't make things happen, it's all on them, baby.

Not me.

I guess he's running for President again, because there's just no end to this crap.

VAN SUSTEREN: But you said a minute ago that it was torture, waterboarding...

GINGRICH: No, I said it's not something we should do.

VAN SUSTEREN: OK. Is it torture or not?

GINGRICH: I -- I -- I think it's -- I can't tell you.

VAN SUSTEREN: Does it violate the Geneva Convention?

GINGRICH: I honestly don't know.

You haven't been too honest lately, Newt. Honestly. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present: The future of the Republican Party!

Now it's a swine flu pandemic, making yet another set of Republicans look really, really stupid.

I'm getting very tired of God showing us, over and over again, what we already know.