Terence Samuel of the liberal American Prospect has penned an editorial in defense of congressional Democrats, the penning of which one assumes required numerous pauses for some serious gastrointestinal heaving. I'll give him credit for pluckiness, though, since defending the indefensible requires a real chin-out, stiff-upper-lip sort of damn-the-torpedoes paralogism that few with good reputation would be willing to dangle for public consumption and inexorable ridicule.
But dangle it he did; and sure enough, there in his plucky piece sat a gaping contradiction (if contradictions, gaping or otherwise, can sit) big enough to drive Bill Clinton's ego through.
Samuel is upset that congressional Democrats have been receiving -- imagine this -- bad press. It's haunting the poor pols everywhere they go, and the columnist deplores what appears to be an editorial consensus in the making: "In recent days, one story after another has built on the now familiar theme: 'Democrats Bow to Bush's Demands in House Spending Bill,' declared The Washington Post. From CQ: 'Senate Republicans Keep Democrats Off Balance.' 'Dems Cave On Spending,' screamed another headline in The Hill."
Furthermore, "the liberal blogs are ablaze with rage at congressional Democrats," laments Samuel.
He would countenance this unfairness no more. So he whipped out his editorial rapier and then slashed out a most peculiar defense, beginning with a review of the now-familiar and thematic bad stuff.
The storyline trailing them as they head home for the holiday break is that, once again, for what seems like the gazillionth time, they have capitulated to the White House on important priorities: They voted more money for the Iraq War this week; they allowed Michael Mukasey to be confirmed as attorney general even though he was ambivalent on the issue of torture; the illegal warrantless wiretapping continues, and nothing they have done has had any perceptible impact on ending the war in Iraq.
Yep, true enough. And he does a little skewering of his own, just to show you that he's a right-thinking guy -- no partisan sycophant, this Mr. Samuel.
"Rather than responding to allegations of ineffectiveness, Democrats offer instead a long checklist of accomplishments: a minimum-wage increase, ethics reform, implementation of 9-11 Commission recommendations, a good chunk of the appropriation bills done, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera." Or, in the vernacular, blah, blah, blah.
He then pronounces his penultimate judgment: "There is the even longer list of things they say would have gotten done, had Republicans not gotten in their way. The truth is, both lists are paltry." Yep, again, true enough.
"But...," Samuel continues well after he should have had the good sense to stop, "I think that Democrats have put up a good fight and have nothing to apologize for." They could do no other, you see, given the really nasty opposition.
And then, after noting the Senate's built-in firewall against "quick or easy maneuvers," he let loose a bomb of such illogical force it left nothing standing of his own argument: "The suggestion that [Majority Leader] Reid should just let the Republicans filibuster ignores the responsibility Democrats have to keep the government functioning."
Whoa. There it is. I trust you didn't fall through that unpatchable hole of a vile and massive contradiction.
The government that Mr. Samuel praises the Democrats for hobbling along -- the one, he says, they have a responsibility to keep functioning -- is the very government he also says the Democrats find so justifiably intolerable and, in fact, were hired to undo: the government that "votes more money for the Iraq War," the government that allows the torture-schmoozing "Michael Mukasey to be confirmed," the government in which "illegal warrantless wiretapping continues," just to name a few of the president's greatest unconstitutional hits.
Is it bomb-throwing to suggest that such a government is not worthy of functioning? Is it a mark of irresponsibility for liberal bloggers to demand its abrupt cessation? -- to note, and to have to repeatedly note, that such a government is the savage negation of all that is Constitutionally worth preserving?
Amidst the frantic heights of the Cold War, more than a few right-leaning Americans chanted with philosophical certitude, "Better dead, than Red." All the left is saying these days -- which may lack the enchantment of rhyme, but happens to have the U.S. Constitution behind it -- is that we're better off idly adrift, than Bushed.
Now I had best go douse my hair, which Mr. Samuel tells me is ragingly ablaze.
I haven't read the piece, and see no reason to, but it's basic premise seems funny at least. The Dems, it seems to argue, are duty bound to avoid fillibusters, in order to keep the government non-functioning!!
'Cause if there ever was a do-nothing Congress, this was it. And surely this has been the first Congress in history run entirely by the majority.
But if you drink enough Orange Koole Aide, you believe that all we need to do is elect more Dems and everything will be ok.
The Dems are in for a rude awakening in the fall. The people of this country elect leaders, not spineless cowards. Turnout will be low, the Pubs will cheat as usual, and win.
Unless Progressives grow up and form their own party. Then, I believe, we could see an election sweep not seen in a long time - a beneficial one. Imagine the people of the US coming out to the polls in record numbers to elect a government that actually attempts to address the problems of the country!!!
Posted by: epppie | December 16, 2007 at 08:19 AM
Samuel may have a point however if you consider that behaving as the republicans have in recent years may be the only way to achieving the democratic agenda. I honestly believe that the dems want a bipartisan consensus. Maybe they are being too fair, but we can't keep complaining about this "republican lite" stuff and still expect the dems to behave like dems.
Posted by: norm c | December 16, 2007 at 08:21 AM
Run entirely by the minority, I meant to say.
also, my site has changed
Posted by: epppie | December 16, 2007 at 08:22 AM
ye gawd-an apologist for politicians...it's like hauling water for a whorehouse.No,wait that's a much more honorable occupation..we seem to have the gov't we deserve-A mulligan stew of greedheads&bullys&fools..I can think of no bettr reasons for public funding of elections and the immediately expansion of inheritance taxes.A pox on both their houses.
Posted by: beamer | December 16, 2007 at 08:23 AM
Why would the Dems want bipartisan concensus when the Dems are so far to the right they are about to fall off the edge of the world?
Bipartisan is good when your partner in bipartisanship is sane and has good intentions.
Posted by: epppie | December 16, 2007 at 08:24 AM
I meant to say, when the Pubs are so far to the right they are about to fall off the edge of the world.
Posted by: epppie | December 16, 2007 at 08:26 AM
Today is Ron Paul's Boston Tea Party donation day. If you want to send a clear message to the "two" parties, which between them have subverted our Bill of Rights and launched endless war, send Doctor Paul a donation today!
Even a small donation to Dr. Paul will send a message to the Dems and the Republicans that Americans are waking-up to the destruction of our country, and the world by extension, AND THAT WE WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK.
Even if Paul were elected he would have to deal with the thugs on either side of the aisle, so no fears about a libertarian take-over -- Paul would just have the power to speak for the people of the U.S. (and not Israel) and reign the Dimbocraps and Repulsethugs in, while restoring the systems of checks and balances to OUR, we the people of the United States', Constitution.
Posted by: FormerJourno | December 16, 2007 at 12:30 PM
Of all the labels in the world to pick "progressive" is probably one of the worst.
I'm not talking about their contentions or proposals, I'm talking about the name "progressive".
Conjures up temperance, a faddish nutritionalism, and moral uplift.
Of the three, I can only generate any enthisiasm for temperance.
Posted by: Mooser | December 16, 2007 at 12:53 PM
Please remember that the Sword of Lieberman hangs over the Dems heads. There are 49 Rep senators and 49 Dem senators, with Lieberman, as an "Independent Democrat" giving the Dems the majority. If they piss him off (not too difficult) and he bolts to the Reps, the Dems lose control of the committees, etc., and Dick Cheney becomes the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. If the Dems pickup just one more Senate seat in '08, I think you'll see a lot more confrontation.
Posted by: LaugingPenguin | December 16, 2007 at 01:31 PM
Please remember that the Sword of Lieberman hangs over the Dems heads. There are 49 Rep senators and 49 Dem senators, with Lieberman, as an "Independent Democrat" giving the Dems the majority. If they piss him off (not too difficult) and he bolts to the Reps, the Dems lose control of the committees, etc., and Dick Cheney becomes the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. If the Dems pickup just one more Senate seat in '08, I think you'll see a lot more confrontation.
Posted by: LaugingPenguin | December 16, 2007 at 01:32 PM
Thanks for mentioning the that unused tool, the MAJORITY FILIBUSTER, Mr. Carpenter.
Just yesterday, AP wrote the "Ground Hog Day" inevitable (recurring) story; "Senate GOP BLOCKS bill to limit CIA grilling tactics."
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.cia15dec15,0,5032391.story
Note the polite euphemism ("grilling tactics") for torture.
The more important concern is that Republicans can "BLOCK" ANYTHING THEY WANT, AT ANY TIME THEY WANT... whereas Democrats only rarely "block" anything,
I believe that Sen. Barbara Boxer "blocked" one Bush judicial nominee, and Sen. Biden blocked some other 2nd tier Bush nominee. But Senator Reid COULD HAVE *BLOCKED* Mukasey's AG nomination from ever coming to the floor... Reid instead ALLOWED neo-cons wolves-in-Democrat-cloaks Senators Schumer & Feinstein to kill the Dem. senate opposition to Mukasey.
Harry Reid thus predictably wimped-out to the neo-con wing of the party.
First of all, you have to realize the millionaires club that is the Democrat Senate choose Reid to be their "leader" precisely because he would be the least likely to step on their entitled toes. Second, we must realize that the Senate is, next to the executive agencies of government (such as the CIA, DoD, Treasury, Immigration, IRS, etc) one of the most "belly of the beast" institutions in America. To protect their senatorial privilege, "Democratic" senators will willingly sell Democratic voters (and thus votes) down the river; sell returning wounded and traumatized war veterans down the river; sell American jobs overseas (with US taxpayer outsourcing subsidies at that!); sell American taxpayer funds into the bank accounts of Bush & Cheney's corporate cronies; and American constitutional rights up in smoke as Bush and Cheney burn 200 years of constitutional, legal precedent.
I'm getting long winded here; but it is important to note that, in addition to the inherent Republican advantage ( the power of the wealthy) to BUY votes (voters) in small, rural states (Senator Rockefeller moving to West Virginia is a classic example) - and thereby wield enormous power in the US government by the (only) 100 member senate; Republicans have also mastered the art of getting arrogant and self-centered Democratic senators to DO NOTHING as the Right-Wing juggernaut crushes the hopes and desires of the majority of American voters.
Oh - one last mention! Senator TOM DASCHLE was TOO WEAK to STAND UP for Enron workers, investors, and pensioners ROBBED of their savings by Ken Lay/Jeff Skilling (et al) fraud as Enron was built on a house of lies. Daschle tossed the 2002 Enron investigation into Joe Lieberman's Govt. Affairs Senate Committee - where uber-neo-con Lieberman promptly SQUASHED, QUASHED, and wet-blanketed the hearings. As a result, Dem voters, activists, and candidates were ROBBED of their BEST ISSUE in the mid-term 2002 election, the opportunity to TIE George W. Bush to the FRAUD and CORRUPTION of his #1. career campaign contributor, Enron.
For "following the DC conventional wisdom" of "DON'T PUT UP A FIGHT", not only did Tom Daschle do very little to fight back against Republican-Rovian smearing of Senator Max Cleland (who despite Rove's concentrated attack ads, and Daschles/DSCC's lame assistant, was ROBBED of a re-election win by vote fraud that handed the election to an undeserving, racist Saxby Chamblis) - but DASCHLE LOST HIS OWN RE-ELECTION in South Dakota (as Senate Majority leader from a small state, at that!) AND - Daschle and the DSCC lost the very Senate Democratic Majority that an UNDERSERVING Daschle, Lieberman, et al, had been handed on a silver platter by VT. Senator Jim Jefford's courageous 'defection' from the Republican Party that was no longer 'conservative,' but radical, reactionary, and authoritarian under George Bush and Dick Cheney!
HARRY REID, you are FOLLOWING in the LOSING footsteps of Tom Daschle - and you are going to take the Democrats down with you!
The Democrat's ability to continually follow the SAME, WIMPY, non-confrontational, LOSING strategy, year after year, despite oceans of Republican scandals, and a 60%-70% public opposition to the Bush-Republican agenda, is simply amazing to behold, but is primarily a product of the arrogance and elitism of the "inside the Beltway" Democrats being unable to voice the outrage of the American public, largely because the DC Dems are beholden to the same corporate big-donors (corporate lobbyists) who underwrite the Bush White House and Republican party.
Posted by: verifi | December 16, 2007 at 03:05 PM
Speak of the devil! Democrat "leaders" take note of the SHAFTING New Orleans (poor & minority) residents are getting at the hands of BushCo's "reconstruction" policies... and Reid and Pelosi "ASK for a halt to a public housing demolition plan." BUT THAT IS AS FAR as Reid and Pelosi's "OPPOSITION" to BushCo thuggery will go: ten-to-one says that they next article we read on this subject, will say it is a done deal (if it is ever mentioned again.) SELLING poor and minority and Democratic voters down the river, is what Reid, Pelosi, and the inside-the-beltway Democrats do.
Pelosi, Reid ask for halt
Demolition plan irks many
AP, New Orleans
http://www.sunherald.com/212/story/250466.html
--Congress' top Democrats have ASKED President Bush to halt for 60 days plans to demolish four public housing developments.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wrote in a letter dated Friday that the extra time is needed "to resolve several outstanding issues surrounding the city's affordable housing needs, including the need for a comprehensive plan for replacement of any demolished public housing units." (continued..)
Posted by: verify | December 16, 2007 at 03:24 PM
The Dems since the last election (which I was active in b/c I wanted to see our troops out of Iraq, and the Bushiveks and everyone who ever supported them brought to book for their high treason!) have behaved like the crew of The ENTERPRISE in MAD's parody of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION: Their answer to any attack is to natter among themselves and, just maybe, "pen a strongly-worded letter to The TIMES!" ::headpalm!::
Democrats:
YOU are the majority party.
YOU have the Will of the American People behind you.
YOU know Bush, Cheney, Gonzalez, Rice, Ashcroft, and now Mukasey are traitors to the People and Constitution of the United States of America.
YOU must Act - NOW!
Posted by: Timothy Liebe | December 16, 2007 at 03:38 PM
So, you're angry because the Democrats haven't engaged in symbolic actions, such as forcing the Republicans to filibuster, or Bush to veto, popular legislation?
If the only question is the level of symbolic resistence, then the debate is over nothing but personal style. You're concerned that they look effete - in fact they are powerless in the face of the veto and the filibuster. Either way the work of the people isn't done. Deal with it, FFS - don't bash the good guys because you don't enjoy the show.
Posted by: Don | December 16, 2007 at 04:10 PM
maybe we should install a guillotine on the mall ?
Posted by: beamer | December 16, 2007 at 04:45 PM
Ahem. Today's Democratic Party falls all over itself trying to firmly plant its flag in the political center. The problem is, today's moderate is yesterday's Goldwater Republican.
For the party leadership to actually open its mouth, as Charlie Rangel does all on his lonesome true New Yorker that he is), is to court accusations of left-wing extremism, the very thought of which makes too many Democrats mewl like a lamb that's lost its mother.
Posted by: Clemsy | December 16, 2007 at 04:58 PM
How many of these "run to the middle" turncoats feed at the corporate trough ...? Most all of them on both sides of the isle...We should be fed up with these sniveling, cowardly, any thing for a buck "representatives of the People" they have "sold us (our soldiers, our children) out" to fight and die for corporations who steal other countries resources and enslave their people. They are selling our country, piece by piece to corporates around the world...our country, that we paid for in blood, sweat, tears and our own tax dollars, they are selling our country to the highest bidder (and keeping the money for their corporate masters, friends and family)...they should all be placed in prison for the rest of their miserable rotten lives for what they are doing to our country..it is nothing short of treason...they are the enemy....they are the terrorists
Posted by: chabuka | December 16, 2007 at 05:29 PM
I dunno...do you think Clinton's ego is as big, bigger, or nobody can have an ego as big as the moron president? Hmmm, lets see. Oh, I know, THE MORON PRESIDENT HAS AN EGO SO BIG THAT IT CAN HARDLY FIT THRU THE DOOR...There, how's that for a measurement of one's ego?
Posted by: Dot O'Brien | December 16, 2007 at 08:33 PM
I dunno...do you think Clinton's ego is as big, bigger, or nobody can have an ego as big as the moron president? Hmmm, lets see. Oh, I know, THE MORON PRESIDENT HAS AN EGO SO BIG THAT IT CAN HARDLY FIT THRU THE DOOR...There, how's that for a measurement of one's ego?
Posted by: Dot O'Brien | December 16, 2007 at 08:35 PM
I don't blame the Dems when they can't overcome a veto and a veto-proof majority in the Senate - at least they tried. What disgusts me is they voted to pass the Military Commissions Act, to confirm Mukasey knowing perfectly well he was a Bush/Cheney tool, and to ratify the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorist Act which basically proclaims anyone who disagrees with the Republicrat set-up a terrorist. Blackwater begins setting up concentration camps in the United States next year (to fulfill a 2006 contract) and you're not going to see any Democratic leaders in them, trust me.
Posted by: Dana Hatch | December 17, 2007 at 09:15 AM