Wake Up Progressives, and Get Rid of the "Liebercrats"
BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE
Wake Up Progressives, and Get Rid of the "Liebercrats"
Can you just imagine what the Republicans would do with their man in the White House and a majority in congress the size of the majority that the Democrats currently enjoy? They'd be invincible. The Republicans are horrible at governance, but they do know how to wield power. Just look at the mayhem they managed to commit under George Bush. So why is it, with their huge majority in congress, the Democrats are struggling to pass a healthcare bill that would benefit every family in America? The answer is clear - they tolerate too many Democratic turncoats.
Yes, I've said this before, but it seems that it bears repeating. If the Democratic Party wants to continue to exist, it's simply got to get rid of its "Liebercrats." What's the sense of even having a party if it's going to allow people like Joe Lieberman and his clones within its ranks to sabotage its very reason for being?
It is very commendable that progressives are so dedicated to their belief in social, political and intellectual, egalitarianism. It's commendable that they believe that all Democrats should be left to their own conscience with respect to public policy. But Democrats must keep in mind that they are also a party. Their only reason for being is to promote a progressive agenda. So while it's commendable to believe in a Blue Dog's right to independent thought, it's stupid not to demand some measure of basic loyalty while that politician is benefitting from their political brand, and living on their dime (make that, their constituent's dime).
The turncoats within the Democratic Party is not only making them look incompetent, but foolish. It's no wonder the American people are prepared to accept a Republican lie before they'll accept a Democrat pointing out what's right before their eyes. At least the Republican will tell his lie with conviction, and stand up for what he's lying about. There is such a thing as being too tolerant, and Democrats are just that. They allow people to walk all over both them, and their truth - even other Democrats.
Just think about the treachery that Joe Lieberman committed against the Democratic Party. After the Democrats oozed blood, sweat, and tears trying to get him elected to the vice presidency, this man turned right around and started snuggling up to the very man who literally stole the election from the Democrats. Then, he not only supported the Republican Party two elections later, but became the darling of the Republican convention.
Now, after winning the 2008 election, the president and Democratic congress not only welcomed him back, but passed over a loyal Democrat to give him a chairmanship - even though his own Democratic constituency had long since rejected him.
Can you even imagine the Republican Party doing such a thing? Of course not, because, again, even though Republicans are lousy at governing, they recognize that as not only bad politics, but down right stupid. The Democrats might as well have let the Republican Party bug the DNC. No vote is that valuable.
And what did Democrats get in return? They got a self-serving sociopath with absolutely no character. Lieberman has simply thumbed his nose at all of the loyalty, effort, and money that millions of Democrats put into supporting his candidacy in the 2000 election. And is he the least bit repentant? Not hardly. Even now, in a healthcare reform initiative that the Democratic Party has sought since 1947, Lieberman's public position is, maybe we should hold off just a little bit longer. He wants to hold off just a little bit longer as 45,000 Americans a year die due to a lack of affordable health care. This man is nothing short of Benedict Arnold, in a party filled with them.
But this is the people's fault. While I'm ordinarily not one to quote the Bible, in this case the verse seems to be particularly appropriate - "God helps those who help themselves." But the Democratic Party seems to be too foolish to recognize that fact.
The Democratic base should be up in arms over their party supporting such people. Their resources are being literally squandered on people who are Democrats in name only - and in the case of Lieberman, not even that. The DNC is wasting their time, money and effort propping up politicians who are only Democrats when it's convenient to use the Democratic brand to help them obtain power and prestige, or receive Democratic contributions to help them be re-elected. These are people, just like Lieberman, who give lip service to Democratic principles in public, but when the rubber meets the road, they're hard at work behind the scenes sabotaging anything that challenges the status quo.
But there is a very simple way to weed these people out. As the very first order of business with each new congress, the Democrats should caucus and agree upon a reasonable, but firm, primary agenda. Thereafter, bills should be put forward and amendments considered to address minor concerns. But after a bill has been agreed upon by the Democratic leadership, any Democrat who fails to support that bill should be stripped of any positions they hold due to Democratic seniority, and targeted for replacement the very next time he or she comes up for re-election.
Democrats simply have to take disloyalty more seriously. They shouldn't even have to discuss the matter. It should be routine - just so the turncoat will know there's nothing personal. If a politician wants to use Democratic resources to be elected, he should be willing to stand in solidarity behind Democratic initiatives. If he wants to be independent, he has that option. But let him be true to his fiscal or ideological philosophy and run as independent, so as not to waste Democratic resources. That way, he can support the Democrats when it's convenient, and the Democrats will support him, when it's convenient.
I'm sure there are those who will say that's extreme, since Democrats come from districts with varying political persuasions. But since many of these people can't seem to find the integrity to put their constituents before self-interest, we have to find a way to force integrity down their throats. You can't always get politicians to act in the best interest of the people, but you can be virtually certain that they'll always act in their own best interest. In addition, with this process the Democratic leadership can be held directly accountable when legislation favors lobbying interests over the interests of the people.
It's up to the DNC and the politicians themselves to educate the public about exactly what the Democratic Party stands for. A Democrat shouldn't have to lie to the voters about being more conservative than he actually is to be elected. He should be elected because he and the DNC have done an effective job of educating the voter that the Democratic Party's agenda is directly aligned with their best interest. If the party is effective in that area, when a voter votes for a Democrat they'll know exactly what they're getting before they even cast their vote - as they should.
Sure, Democrats want to remain a "big tent" party. But big tent doesn't mean a party that compromises its basic values, and neither does it mean a party that includes all manner of wing-nuts. A big tent party is one that is reasonable and measured in its effort to reach its primary goals. But when a tent becomes so big that it begins to accommodate those who would deny basic and affordable healthcare to the American people, that should send up a red flag that it's time to trim back a bit.
Eric L. Wattree
Religious bigotry: It's not that I hate everyone who doesn't look, think, and act like me - it's just that God does.
Thus the hazard of the lesser evil.
It is clear that big politics is not only equal to but is defined by big money. So what to do? Just as in the case of Walmart and other companies that align with antisocial groups or causes - vote with your dollars. Take away their money, which comes from us, and they will lose the power.
It takes guts and sacrifice, but unless we all say 'no' and withhold our money we will hang together on the gallows of plutocracy.
October 3, 2009 1:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Adel,
You are exactly right. And we could take it a bit farther than that. We could become politically aware, and vote for the issues rather than who can afford to buy the most sound bites. That way we would make political war chests meaningless.
October 3, 2009 5:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
So true. The "Lieberals" must be removed. I don't usually quote the Bible either, but Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. -Matthew 7:15.
I've mentioned once today what Accountability Now is doing. This needs to happen on a larger scale every two years.
October 3, 2009 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
" In preparing for today, I found that it is customary in speeches such a these to reminisce about the good old days of political harmony, and across-the aisle camaraderie, and to lament the bitter, divisive rancor that supposedly now weakens our democracy.
Well, I cannot do that because partisanship, Mr. Speaker, properly understood, is not a symptom of democracy's weakness but of its health and strength, especially from the perspective of a political conservative.
Liberalism, after all, whatever you may think of its merits, is a political philosophy and a proud one with a great tradition in this country, with a voracious appetite for growth.
In any place, or any time, on any issue, what does liberalism ever seek, Mr. Speaker? More.More government, more taxation, more control over people's lives and decisions and wallets.If conservatives do not stand up to liberalism, no one will. And for a long time around here, almost no one did.
Indeed, the common lament over the recent rise in political partisanship is often nothing more than a veiled complaint instead about the recent rise of political conservatism.
Now, politics demands compromise but we must never forget that compromise and bipartisanship are means, not ends, and are properly employed only in the service of higher principles.
It is not the principled partisan, however obnoxious he may seem to his opponents, who degrades our public debate, but the preening, self-styled statesman who elevates compromise to a first principle.
For the true statesmen, Mr. Speaker, are not defined by what they compromise, but by what they do not."
A portion of the farewell speech delivered by Tom Delay on the House floor on June 8, 2006.
Where is the Dem's Tom Delay? It's time to kick some GOP (and Blue Dog) ass!
October 3, 2009 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Divided government is often the best.
When there is too much coherent purpose without opposition tyranny will prevail.
An excess of unity, like an excess of power, breeds abuse.
October 3, 2009 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
The previous administration pretty-much substantiated what you posted. Without party unity, how are we going to rectify the mess we're in?
October 3, 2009 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't mean to advocate that there should be no unity of purpose, only that too much can be very bad for us and US. I don't want to see lock stepping turning into goose stepping.
October 3, 2009 7:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I get you...I believe that that the Repubs have perfected the goose-step and continue to utilize such a methodology. Did the Fascists goose-step?
October 3, 2009 7:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Chinese are still doing it. Check out the recent pictures of the PLA women in red dresses and white go-go boots accented with AKM's.
October 4, 2009 12:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury”
Marcus Aurelius
October 4, 2009 2:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Chuck,
I do agree that we need to kick some ass, but not through the criminal tactics of Tom Delay. As I mentioned before, we need a loyal opposition. In order for this country to its equilibrium we need both our Martin Luther Kings to remind us of our moral obligations as a nation, and our Gen. MacAuthors to remind those who would harm us that we're more than willing to kick a little ass.
But what we don't need are mean-spirited and/or self-serving politicians who place their own interests before that of the nation - and we have far too many of those kind of characters in government today.
It's people like Tom Delay who colluded with Wall Street to dilute the laws that protected us from financial corruption that led directly to the economic crisis that we're experiencing today. And it was self-serving Democrats who were feathering their own nest that allowed it to happen.
Thus, the system that I suggested above will hold the party leaders accountable for the legislation that they allow to get through congress.
October 4, 2009 1:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's late, here in Iowa. I'm getting a wee-bit s__t faced...But don't lose this post. Tomorrow, after a night's sleep, I will respond to your post. My body is scarred from head to toe, but I have never gone down! I have never won a battle without producing more evil than that which was accosting me. But...I never cheated. Delay was, and is, a cheater! He learned from the cockroaches which were his forte!
Chuck
October 4, 2009 2:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Chuck,
I think I like you - no, I know I do. You strike me as the kind of man that Cheney is trying to pretend to be.
October 4, 2009 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink