Way up at the head of the list of things I'm really tired of is the "Democratic controlled Congress." Maybe Bush is right -- maybe we really don't need a Congress. Again via Digby, a not very cheery take on that body and its so-called "leadership."
To me, none of the "why" matters. What matters is that in the past year, we have worse FISA laws, more crimes committed by this administration – all of which have had no accountability, prior crimes by this administration being uncovered with no accountability, another 1,000 or so of our troops killed in Iraq with no end in sight - either in money or in lives, more people uninsured and an economy that is worsening by the day with no real plan other than bogus "rebate" checks that will do nothing to stimulate the economy or help the general population.
What matters is that these two leaders have done very little leading when it comes to what many people in the Democratic Party as well as the country in general, want from their leadership.
As Digby notes:
The red state Republican senators are an awesome obstructive force for the GOP. Unless we get over 60 (not counting the Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelsons) they are going to keep playing these games very effectively until somebody figures out a way around them.
That should probably read "somebody else figures out a way," because it's obviously beyond Reid. It's not very hard -- Bill Frist managed it for six years, and if Frist can pull it off, what does that say about Reid's intelligence and determination?
2 comments:
Wouldn't it be helpful if the Democrats were as susceptible to the lockstep mentality as the Republicans? If they were as morally certain that all of life and all of politics can be reduced to black and white with no shades of gray? Think what a wonderful world that would be -- Reid and Pelosi could continue to be nice to their enemies and make the Republicans look bad just by being respectful and courteous, and still get things done.
Of course, the Democrats have always been and will always be a herd of cats, and I doubt there's anyone even close to the leadership who can twist every ear and bring them all to the same vote on every issue, which is what it takes to get anything past the man behind the curtain in the Oval Office.
I'd like to see a little more party discipline among the Democrats, which both Reid and Pelosi could manage if they chose. Nor is there any particular reason why every bill in the Senate has to get 60 yeas to pass. Make the Republicans filibuster, if that's the threat, and make the president veto, and stick the Republicans with the consequences. How much you want to bet that when some red state Republican congressman or senator starts hearing from constituents about voting against health care for children, some attitudes are going to change?
We can start with putting impeachment back on the table.
And maybe instead of recruiting and supporting more Blue Dogs (a/k/a DINOs), the DSCC and DCCC can support some real Democrats.
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