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Calling All Dems: Time for an Intervention
Here's the least surprising news of the week: Americans are souring on the Democratic Party. The wonder is that it's taken so long for public opinion to curdle. There's nothing agreeable about watching a determined attempt to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Eugene Robinson, Washington Post
It is an axiom of American politics that the Democratic Party will negotiate from a position of weakness and the Republican Party will proceed from strength. The number of seats they hold in Congress is irrelevant to this paradigm. The Republicans could be down to five senators and they would still charge into battle. And the Democrats would, from the outset, assume that the Republicans are right (and mainstream) and that since their own position is too extreme they must concede as soon as possible to remain politically viable. There is no Republican talking point that won't scare the bejesus out of the Democratic Party. - Cenk Uygur, Huffington Post
_________________________________________________________
The above-quoted pieces aren't necessarily eye-openers. They're not saying anything we haven't all been talking about for months now. They're just saying it better. In fact, dazzlingly better. In fact, they're making so much sense I'm getting ready for the final smackdown. I've been patient long enough.
This year marks my 50th Anniversary as a card carrying Democrat. Long enough so that they're almost like family to me, and as families go, we've had our ups and downs. But it's clear to me, finally, that I've been far more loyal to them than they've been to me.
All I've ever asked of them is that they do the right thing. It doesn't take a decade's worth of committee meetings and forests full of red-taped paper to come up with a way to do the right thing. We need living-wage jobs. We need affordable health care. We need clean air, clean water and a leaning toward green. We need protection from the callous, the cruel, and the crazies. It's not too much to ask of the Party of the People. (Think Ted Kennedy, Paul Wellstone, Dennis Kucinich, John Conyers, Anthony Weiner, Russ Feingold. . .)
Still, I'm a charitable person. I'm willing to give them another chance. But I'm gonna need some help. So all of those interested in going the intervention route to save the Democratic Party leaders from themselves, holler "Aye"!
AYE!
Aye?
Waiting. . . .
Counting the minutes. . .
Gettin' hungry here. And lonely. . .
C'mon people. Remember how they used to be? Remember this?
"Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What did Conservatives do? They opposed them on every one of those things...every one!
- Matt Santos, The West Wing
And this?
Democrats have changed America in simple basic ways in the past fifty years that have benefited everyone. Race has become less and less an issue in people's lives and racism has ceased to be socially acceptable anywhere.
Women have moved into every realm of society and this is everywhere accepted without much comment, Equal opportunity in education, employment, housing. There is general agreement on the right to a dignified old age, guaranteed by the state. Democrats led the way in bringing these things about. It's one thing to get into power and do favors for your friends; it's quite another to touch the conscience of a nation. The last Republican to do that was Teddy Roosevelt.
and:And especially this:
The fear of catastrophe could chill the soul but the social compact assures you that if the wasps come after you, if gruesome disease strikes down your child, if you find yourself hopelessly lost, incapable, drowning in despair, running through the rye toward the cliff, then the rest of us will catch you and tend to you and not only your friends but We the People in the form of public servants.
- Garrison Keillor, "Homegrown Democrat" 2004
The economic plank of this platform on its face concerns only material things, but it is also a moral issue that I raise tonight. It has taken many forms over many years. In this campaign and in this country that we seek to lead, the challenge in 1980 is to give our voice and our vote for these fundamental democratic principles.
Let us pledge that we will never misuse unemployment, high interest rates, and human misery as false weapons against inflation.
Let us pledge that employment will be the first priority of our economic policy.
Let us pledge that there will be security for all those who are now at work, and let us pledge that there will be jobs for all who are out of work; and we will not compromise on the issues of jobs.
These are not simplistic pledges. Simply put, they are the heart of our tradition, and they have been the soul of our Party across the generations. It is the glory and the greatness of our tradition to speak for those who have no voice, to remember those who are forgotten, to respond to the frustrations and fulfill the aspirations of all Americans seeking a better life in a better land.
We dare not forsake that tradition. We cannot let the great purposes of the Democratic Party become the bygone passages of history.
We don't need a new party. We already have one of the historically great ones. This may cause some heads to snap, but we were the greatest when we were the most liberal. We lost whatever moral standing we had when we shut the door on being our brother's keeper and got in bed instead with the powermongers who would just as soon screw us as look at us.
That is not who we are. I remember a certain charismatic but maddeningly flawed presidential candidate saying over and over, "We're better than that". And for a while it looked like he was right. After eight years of cowardice that smelled a lot like treachery, we were on the way to Doing the Right Thing.
The candidate who became president sounded like an old Democrat, too, and we screamed with joy when the votes were in and our man won. Politics As Usual went out the window, and--surprise!--flew right back in again.
After more than eight years of cowardice/treachery, they owe us. Millions of us are hurting because of their actions, or inaction. They have a lot of making up to do, a lot of promises to keep, yet to watch them these days you would think that winning elections was all there was to it.
Wrong.
You have a job to do, you masters of the universe, you servants of the people. We made you--we can break you. So listen up:
We need cheap equitable health care without the usual looting by the insurance pirates. Take care of it.
We need a jobs program like the WPA/CCC. Take care of it.
We need to send a Dear John letter to Republican Fat-Cat-enabling naysayers. Take care of it.
We need to get back to making products instead of creating serfs. Take care of it.
And you need to stop pretending that Business As Usual is going to save us. It's not.
And another thing: The majority of us don't run with the Blue Dogs. The Blue Dogs are dogs. Let them eat scraps.
Time's up. You're dismissed. Now get to work.
Ramona
(Cross-posted at Ramona's Voices here)
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R,
AGREE! It is actually long past time for an intervention of epic proportions!
WELL SAID!
August 21, 2009 7:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, Face. Good to see you here. You feeling okay?
August 21, 2009 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I remember this Ramona:
"Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What did Conservatives do? They opposed them on every one of those things...every one!
- Matt Santos, The West Wing
I watch it every morning--well its in the background mostly cause jughead gives me nausea. ha
I hereby award you the Dayly Quote of the Day Award for this here TPMCAFE Site given to all of you from all of me.
That is I am watching unless Lawrence O'Donnel is on jughead--of course he wrote the line. hahahaha
August 21, 2009 7:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, the Dayly Quote of the Day! Thanks! As I said before, I would curtsy but it would hurtsy.
But seriously, I knew that my hero, Lawrence O'Donnell wrote for The West Wing, but did he really write that?? I am all agog. I need his picture to put on my wall. . .
But who is jughead?? Morning Joe?
August 21, 2009 7:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Scarborough was described as jughead by some msm liberal a long time ago--referring to the dunce in the Archie comic books. hahahaha
All he needs is the silly hat.
http://www.archiecomics.com/jugheads_house/jugheads_house.html
August 21, 2009 7:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Right! I see it! (I'll always see him that way from now on.)
August 21, 2009 7:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Those Liberal items that you mentioned were enacted by Democrats that were put into office under the old "Party Boss" system. I feel that by totally getting rid of them (the party bosses), that the Democratic party has "Thrown the baby out with the bath water."
Yes it was corrupt but was it any more corrupt than what we have now ? Seems to me we have just exchanged one group of power brokers (party bosses) for another (business lobbyists).
Personally I would prefer the party bosses. At least with them I would have half a chance of letting them know my concerns. Something that business could care less about.
C
August 21, 2009 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. None of them are ever going to be pure. They'll always be beholden to somebody. I wish it were the voters, but since that's not the way they operate, I want it to be someone visible, anyway.
August 21, 2009 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
C. I think you'll have fun with these.
http://www.panarchy.org/plunkitt/graft.1905.html
And this:
http://www.panarchy.org/plunkitt/patronage.1905.html
Yours for honest graft,
aMike
August 21, 2009 8:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Patronage lives! Only now it's not so honest anymore. (Thanks for the laugh. I love that Plunkitt. And damn those civil servants!)
August 21, 2009 10:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ramona, this party, from the president to the grass roots, desperately needs an intervention. The president refuses to lead. The grass roots refuse to cooperate with each other. The problem is actually larger than you describe, but you're right, adherence to our principles must reach from our base to the top. I'm not sure who's to blame, but it seems we are by and large wusses when it comes to supporting real Democrats at the primary level.
August 21, 2009 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, Ripper, we don't know how to unify. But that's been the history of the dems forever, I think:
"Wusses" is a good word. How come so many of us have a handle on our core principals but our leaders don't seem to get it? Maybe they took a page from Mr. Plunkitt's playbook (See amike's comment above)
August 21, 2009 10:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's THEY split and adjourned. (How come I never see them until I've hit the damned "submit" button?)
August 21, 2009 10:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Will Rogers understands us better than we understand ourselves. Bless him.
August 22, 2009 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ramona,
Great post.
I believe that somewhere, somehow we skewed the foundation that is needed for a solid, positive and valuable government.
It's not 'They lead, we follow' - It's 'We lead, they follow' .... and We, The People, for the vast majority, are bystanders/onlookers instead of being the managers and coaches of the actual players on the field.
With few exceptions, the cheap seats are sold out - filled with critics with big mouths who have never been part of the team and only cite problems without knowledge of how to run the play.
We here who, for the most part, are informed and at the least, the equivalent of team mascots - oft forget that we are not representative of the masses. Sadly.
Rec'd.
August 21, 2009 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Aunt Sam, I love this:
I hereby bequeath you the Coveted Dayly Award that DD awarded to me earlier. I don't think he'll mind.
August 21, 2009 11:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hereby take out my Sword of Damocles and my Occam's razor, split the award precisely in two and bestow half on both of you. I'd clone it, but biogenetics isn't my field of expertise.
August 22, 2009 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great post, Ramona.
I agree with most of what you've written. I just want to add some optimism.
Dick Armey, Republican rabble rouser of the mob town halls was fired from his lobbying firm.
Betsey McCaughey, "death panels" fabricator had to "resign" after being eviscerated and entirely discredited on the Daily Show last night.
Mark Sanford, John Ensign, John Sweeney, Karl Rove and a host of other Republican liars have been called out as just that-liars, documented liars. Credibility: epic fail. In the case of Rove, it was determined that he did in fact have a larger and possibly criminal role in the firings of the U.S. attorneys--he wrote a piece in the WSJ in which he tried to defend himself and it's being laughed at by most.
Republican Tom Ridge just came out with a book that confirms what progressives knew all along--the Bush administration did in fact try and use the terror alert system for political purposes.
With all of this, maybe we are seeing a rising lack of credibility trend with Republicans. True, people at town halls will believe whatever they're told. Some people are eternally gullible.
But the Republican party, and the lobbyists who couldn't tell the truth to save their lives, are quickly becoming a national joke.
Now more than ever Democrats can't cave, can't get weak-kneed, they have to stand strong--President Obama especially.
I agree with all that. Let's keep pushing them and prevent them from selling us down the river.
But let's not ignore what's happening to the party that sold the nation down the river over the last ten years.
They are disintegrating rapidly. I wish we could throw most of them in the brig, but that may not happen. But most of them, including Bachmann and Gregg and Grassley and Inhofe are all coming across as complete lunatics in the face of reason.
August 21, 2009 10:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love that litany of the well-deserved fate of the Repub loonies--I needed that! But the problem is, my crazy party stands at the threshold watching all of this and, Dumb and Dumber that they are, can't see the golden opportunities awaiting them--and us--on the other side.
They'll just stand there forever until those Repubs pick themselves up, dust themselves off and make a whole new start doing the same old same old.
What a chance we had on January 20 and look where we are. Nowhere. I know it's early yet, but damn, we're supposed to be the good guys. It's hard to save the world when you're curled up in a fetal position sucking your thumb. Jeez!!
August 21, 2009 10:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. I think I mentioned that I agree with you. You know, despite the majority, maybe Democrats are still shell-shocked after nearly a decade of being owned by Republicans.
Maybe President Obama made the mistake of surrounding himself with old Washington power brokers who have no clue how a new Washington could possibly work.
Or maybe he always thought old Washington was just fine, as long as Democrats were at the helm.
Neither one is acceptable.
This time, the majority will have to do the work of we the people.
Even if it is reluctantly.
August 21, 2009 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Holy Cow, tpm, I hope you didn't think I meant that YOU were curled up in a fetal position sucking your thumb?? I changed tenses midstream there. Sorry about that.
Yes, I think they were shell-shocked, but they've had since November to get over it. Ordinarily, I might give them time to adjust, but there just isn't the luxury of time anymore when the entire country is sinking. This is what they worked so hard to get to. Here's their chance and they're looking for any excuse not to have to make the courageous decisions necessary. I'm more than a little ashamed of them right now. I expected better of them. Really.
August 21, 2009 11:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
no no, I didn't think that's what you were saying:) Not to worry:)
August 21, 2009 11:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
How many Liberals are protecting this country. What else do Liberals do beside spend money and lie. I mean serious you see that this country is on the brink of becoming a socialist country and don't have a problem with it why don't leave the country give up your U.S. citizenship. Then you can see how much better this country is than other countries in the world.
Liberals don't understand what there doing, why don't they do more research before writing a bill.
These attitudes of Liberals are horrible. Example we know what is good for the population of the US. But what they think is good of the U.S population isn't. Liberals are going to cause this country to fail.
August 21, 2009 10:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Could you please give your coherent, concise definition of liberal? Appreciate.
August 21, 2009 10:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
IMHO, the kind of thinking that will cause this country to fail, dontputmeonyourhatelist, is your own.
It has nothing but misplaced anger and blame in it. Which often masks fear and sadness.
I don't doubt that fear and sadness is authentic.
I'm willing to admit that both conservatives and liberals have sold this country's soul to the corporate class.
But we'll have to work together to get it back.
Up to you.
August 21, 2009 10:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Real Americans look out for each other. Always have, always will.
Unite or Die, ring any bells? No? Google it.
Why are you arguing against helping out your own countrymen? What's wrong with American Jobs for Americans? What's wrong with affordable healthcare for your neighbors? Doesn't it shame you that we suck at providing something other civilized country does? Doesn't it shame you that we can't provide a decent standard of living for half of our countrymen?
Oh, you have yours so go screw, eh? That's pretty pathetic. You expect decent folks to listen to the likes of you?
Why do you hate you fellow countrymen so much? You wanna feed the Chinese before your own town kids? You want to build hospitals in Iraq, but turn away the old lady down the street? You want our kids to grow up scared, broke, and stupid?
What in the hell is wrong with you?
Socialists? Oooooh Big oobity boobity. You are scared of socialism? Cops? Firemen? County Hospitals? Interstate Highways? Yeah, maybe you want to use a dictionary before you say something as stupid as that ever again.
Either that, or go dig yourself some hole someplace, grow your own food, build your own house, generate your own electricity and host your own society. I'm sick of selfish pricks like you that think they can suck off the benefits of our fading society and give NOTHING in return.
Begone, farkhead.
August 21, 2009 11:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, Bwak, I LOVE seeing you like this.
And ditto, besides.
August 21, 2009 11:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love what the Cheekhen said, too.
August 21, 2009 11:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Liberals are going to cause this country to fail."
Have you looked around lately? We're already a failure... thanks to Republican "rule"... as usual, it will take the liberals to get us out of the mess "conservatives" created.
August 22, 2009 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
donputmeonyourhatelist:
You can say what you want about the attitude of liberals, attitude didn't pull the plug on a million people, including over 5,000 US troops, Bush did, and you helped him. Do Republicans ever take responsibility for the Americans they sent to early graves due to their incompetence and lies?
August 22, 2009 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dude, do some research. Check out how many Congressmen and women are veterans. On the Right, there's John McCain and I'm pretty sure that's about it! On the Left, there are dozens. Most soldiers come back from war and sign up as democrats and support a real democracy, which includes social programs, especially the VA! Social Security and Medicare are programs that make us stronger, not weaker. But these programs do not preclude capitalism to exist. Only the greedy insist socialism and capitalism are mutually exclusive. We need a balance.
You need to get out more too! Travel around the world and see whether we are that great TODAY. There are many countries who are doing much better then we are. Liberals are here to make this better. Let go of your hatred for liberals. It seems to be a visceral reaction rather then anything based on reality. If you stop and think about it, which party is openly stating they want this President, the US Commander-in-Chief, to fail, openly and loudly proclaiming they want him to fail? Take them at their word. It's the only honest claim they are making.
August 22, 2009 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've said before and say again that dems have no clue about the use of power. Zero.
Democrats view a win as a consensus agreement and republicans view a win as a complete defeat of an opponent. Their two perspectives are polar opposites. These two formulations will always produce, notwithstanding an identical starting point, a different result.
You can infer from this all manner of things and I'll leave that for another time.
August 22, 2009 5:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, tpc, you've pegged them to a tee:
That's brilliant. Now how do we, the people, light a fire under them and make them see the error of their ways? The golden opportunity is slipping fast. We don't have much time.
That's what's so frustrating to me. We KNOW what has to be done. It won't be easy but wishy-washy waffling gets them nowhere. Stop the debates, stop looking for a consensus--get the wheels rolling, for God's sake!
I hate to say this. BOY, do I hate to say this. . .but the Bushies knew how to ram their projects through. They just kept ramming until it was done. They were knocking Dems out of the way, right and left, and look what we were left with.
The Dems OWE us. They let it happen. Now's their chance to make it right, and they're still lying there looking like victims. Maybe we should be forcing them to listen to their own campaign promises. They sure were energized then.
August 22, 2009 7:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
All of what you say Ramona is true. I remember it all well. There is a fly in the ointment though.
Today we have a congress that is way far along the road of corruption. Way more than has ever registered on my rickety and aging radar. Congress looks to me to be reluctant to rock their political and financial boat. No matter how strong the indication we need reform, they don't look like they want to step up to the plate.
They have a chance to do something really great for the country but they seem not to realize how great that contribution would be. They should just do it and be done with it and if they have a bad electoral consequence later that'd be a small price to pay compared to their achievement. Democrats once had conviction and a vision for what could be but seem to have lost it along the way. I wish they'd find it again.
August 22, 2009 9:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Conviction and a vision. Seems so simple, doesn't it? So why do they make it so complicated? The steps toward Doing the Right Thing should be obvious, but they're so into the game-playing they literally can't see the forest for the trees.
Isn't there anybody out there anymore who can cut through the crap?
August 22, 2009 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're right. It really is simple. Look how simple it was for Bush to give trillions to the banks. This would arguably provide a much needed benefit to the economy over the long run, making us more competitive in the global marketplace. The cost savings would make it more attractive for manufacturing by bringing costs under control. The idiots who are hollering socialism can't see past their noses though. Obama needs to get up in front of the country and point this out and just flat state the people on the socialism bandwagon are flat wrong.
August 22, 2009 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't it interesting how one little word--socialism--has stopped reform progress dead in its tracks? The Republicans are masters at finding the right button-pushing buzzwords and then using them in every other sentence. They know the lap-dogs will lick at anything their owners throw them.
It would be pathetic is it wasn't so destructive.
August 22, 2009 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
hi Ramona--
GREAT post -- and one we need to read over and over and pull our friends in to read and call their friends.
imnsho, one of the slippery slopes we have slid down is, somehow, deciding that what someone does in the bedroom is more important than what [he, most often] does in the Oval Office or on the floor of the Senate or the House.
Some of the greatest ones haven't kept their britches zipped and have still managed to pull off some of the most important things this country has ever done.
Our country needs to get past its adolescence and its chanting of, "Huh uh! I'm gonna tell!"
August 25, 2009 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
tpc-- you said a mouthful there!
"They should just do it and be done with it and if they have a bad electoral consequence later that'd be a small price to pay compared to their achievement."
And, imo, if they would just step up and do what's right there would BE no negative consequence! They'd get the votes of all but the most FRWN's who are, no matter how vocal, a tiny fraction of the voters in this country.
As things stand, they're losing the independents and even a lot of people who will vote Dem -- just for someone else -- and THEN the consequences will be negative for them.
How come we the people know that and they don't?
August 25, 2009 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink