Why are DC Dems so timid?

[kynn]

Can someone please explain to me why the consistent timidity of the Democrats in Congress?

Why is a conservative publication (Barron's) beating Congress Democrats to calling for Bush's impeachment?

What's wrong with this picture?

Honestly, the Democrats behave exactly as if they had been infiltrated by Rove's agents.

WHO is responsible for this consistent strategy of timidity? It cost Kerry the presidency, and now it serves as an invisible shield for Bush.

WHO is calling the shots among the Democrats' strategists? They have thoroughly emasculated Tip O'Neill's party. These people need to be exposed. We should be talking about them, not about Rove. These people need to be FIRED! Pronto.

[Horse with no Name]

1. My best guess

Is that they are guilty of the same practices as their colleagues across the aisle and are afraid of getting caught. Therefore, they continue to perpetuate the lies upon the American people and enable the Republicans to continue to run the country in the ground. Remember, it is NOT who wins or who loses, it is who leaves the game with the most marbles. IMHO, they are all collecting as many marbles as they can before the American people wake up.
Notably, the ones exempt from this broad brush are the ones that speak up with regularity.

[havocmom]

3. All that, and toss in the possibility THEIR calls were monitered

Blackmail is not new in politics. Seems unlikely file keeping stopped when
J. Edgar died.

[AntiFascist]

33. I'm really beginning to suspect that....

mob-like blackmail threats ARE behind much of what goes on in DC these days, and is responsible for the intimidation of the Democrats.

[Crazy Dave]

5. Shhhhh!

You get called a Freeper and a Bush supporter if you go around saying things like that. I get called that frequently when I demand that if a politician claims to be a Democrat, begs for our money and our vote to get elected as a Democrat, then they damned well better act like Democrats when they get into office or resign.

And here, the typical people that disagree and start the name calling can copy and paste the following:

Duhh....you're a Bush supporter!

or

Freeper!

:boring:

[Blutodog]

2. Demos are spineless for a good reason:

Why do u think Bu$hCo is so aggressive about it's spying? It's at the root of his power right now over both parties. He didn't want FISA involved because like Nixon before him he's had a team of his own guys watching and listening to his enemies not the countries. The Demos. didn't know this and now it's too late for most of them. Bu$hCo like J. E. Hoover before him has the "dirt" on everyone last one of them. He also has plenty of dirt on his own party as well so they're scared shitless of him as well. I believe that is why the D's are so timid! Bu$h has basically let them all know what he has on them and so nobody out of fear says a word. It's Gov't by terror welcome to the 21st Century where BIG BROTHER is always watching, reading and listening.

[havocmom]

6. Welcome to DU, Blutodog!

Seems we share some views. Hoping to read more from you. Just jump right into the thick of things around here. :hi:

[Blutodog]

11. Thanks!!

Have u read the Dau report?

[havocmom]

16. No, gotta link for me?

Things settling down at Havoc House & I might be able to think again sometime this week.

[acmejack]

18. It is Daou report on Salon

http://daoureport.salon.com/

[havocmom]

22. Thank for the info

mWill bookmark that for Wednesday reading time... mine, all mine time ;)

[Burried News]

12. I agree. This is why the Dems should have worked to out Hoover

and his tactics after he was out of power. The American people needed an education as to how the system really worked - of course had it happened they might have insisted that the assassination cases been re-opened etc. BUT that didn't happen and so the methods were allowed to remain in darkness and now they are even tougher to root out.

[formercia]

34. Hoover always got his way

If he wanted someone to vote for his budget or pet project and they were balking, he just sent one of the 'boys' over with a copy of their dossier. Most didn't even have to read it. End of story.

[Marleyb]

4. "Honestly, the Democrats behave exactly as if they had been infiltrated"

makes ya wonder

And who chooses the leader of the House and Senate Dems? I think we would be doing much better with Dennis Kucinich as leader of the house and Byrd in the senate.

[shraby]

9. Not infliltrated, wiretapped which means

that anything they have done can and will be used against them even if it is cheating on their spouse.

[Marleyb]

35. zell miller...joe lieberman...

these are just obvious examples of infiltrators. I am sure that there are republican plants in the democratic party that are a little less obvious.

I have no doubt they are spying on and blackmailing the good guys as well. They will use every trick in the book. Perhaps they even coerce our congressmen into situations that they will be ashamed of, and take pictures to be used later.

[Crazy Dave]

10. You have a good point as...

...I've always believed, and will continue to do so, that Howard Dean's downfall was helped along not only by the right wing talk shows but from within his own party by the elitist, Washington, DC, insider, country club, blue-blood career politicians that haven't had a real job in over 20 years. The Clintons hated him and I'm sure many of the Republicans in Democratic costumes were pissing on themselves worrying about him getting elected and getting big business and the special interests out of Washington and giving it back to the American people. Damn...if that were to happen these windbags would have to pay their own mortgages, their own taxes and pay for their own vacations. Can't have that now can we?

[kynn]

13. But why is Dean not firing up the Dems as DNC chairman?

In a recent appearance in Meet the Press he struck me as timid and calculating as all the Dems in Washington. He doesn't seem any bolder than any of the Democrats in congress.

[Crazy Dave]

17. Hi kynn and welcome to DU

Dean is still making a very strong and very verbal anti-war argument. Something he's never wavered on, never fell for, claimed to be tricked, or lied into.

[bklyncowgirl]

23. Since becoming DNC chairman the pattern's been clear

1. Dean says something controversial.

2. Some "Democrat" jumps in to say "Dean doesn't speak for the party."

3. General hand wringing among Democrats as they argue whether or not what Dean said was a disaester or just an irritation.

4. A couple of months down the line Dean is completely vindicated.

It's not easy herding cats.

[AntiCoup2K4]

32. Especially when the "cats" act like Busheep

Actual photo from DLC headquarters.......

[havocmom]

37. BINGO! Dean is point man in the operation to lead DEMS back

to their populist traditions and history. Anyone who rocks a boat in America is looked at askew... until We The People prove their view is more in line with OUR view.

Some DEMS in DC have been more forcefully vocal in their opposition to junta policies since Dean started getting more face time and We The People started nodding in agreement with him. Moral of story: We The People need to make even more noise in 06.
And write a check to the DNC whenever you can as a way of showing that the good doctor can attract $$ too; that's a critical part of the job.

Let your reps hear from you often. Give them pats when they show some spine and slap 'em a bit when they fail to be visible on ex-ray. Send checks to those who really do represent your views better. Let them know you are paying attention... it'll scare the shit outta them!;)

[karynnj]

36. I don't think the Clintons hated Dean

In the spring of 2004, after Kerry had won the nomination, there was a Democratic event that was well covered (I don't remember the setting unfortunately). Clinton spoke - mostly about his years in office, he also endorsed Kerry and used the "Send me" lines that were later used again in the convention speech. He also said nice things about the other Democrats - leaving Dean to last - then he was very generous in his praise, particularly for waking up the party and reaching the grass roots - the tone was actually warmer than his endorsement of Kerry.

[acmejack]

19. The democratic caucus of either chamber elects their floor leader

snip>
Each party elects a floor leader, who is known as the Majority Leader or Minority Leader. While the Minority Leader is the full leader of his or her party, the same is not true of the Majority Leader. Instead, the Speaker is the head of the majority party; the Majority Leader is only the second-highest official. Each party also elects a whip, who works to ensure that his or her party's members vote as the party leadership desires. Representatives are generally less independent of party leaders than senators, and usually vote as the leadership directs. Incentives to cooperate include the leadership's power to select committee chairmen. As a result, the leadership plays a much greater role in the House than in the Senate, and the atmosphere of the House is regarded by many as more partisan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives#Officers

[acmavm]

7. Why? Because outside of Conyers, Boxer, and Kennedy we don't have

any dems who are willing to put country and the people above their own self-interests.

[babylonsister]

8. Dems HAVE been speaking out! They're in recess, but

I've still heard comments, RE: wiretapping. Off the top of my head, these come to mind: Byrd, Boxer, Conyers, Leahy, Shumer, Kerry, Feingold, J. Lewis, and I'll just bet there are more.

As for impeachment, there are a bunch from the house who signed a letter, with Conyers taking the lead. Barbara Boxer is researching it also.

I agree, we need to hear a lot more from them but I haven't given up either!

[billbuckhead]

15. Wellstone, Carnahan, anthrax in Tom Daschle's office, dead Kennedys

Gun nuts threatening Rosie O'Donnell's kids, DeLay using homeland security to track down renegade Dem Texas legistlators, terror, terror, terror.

[Burried News]

14. Nominated. Maybe if things get hot enough for the media they

will have to out the THUGocracy.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

20. When the ones that control everything, are right wingers....

When you're surrounded by right wingers, and even your constituents are right wingers, what do you do? Remain silent and behave yourself in a manner that will not antagonize the controllers.

Right wingers control so much today. They began decades ago working their way from the ground up - from positions in all school boards, all the way up to the presidency during Reagan. There's so much right wing money, so many right wing radio stations, so many right wing websites, so much control of all Protestant churches. At one point, I felt everything had turned right wing. It hadn't, but the right wing had worked so diligently for decades to have a control on all things, that it gave that appearance. Since many people are lemmings that want to go along with whoever seems to be "on top", I'm guessing a lot of people went with the people that seemed to have all the control.

Dems either have to take the country back, or our politicians will have to remain good little subjects, obeying the ones in control (Repugnicans).

[AntiCoup2K4]

21. It's not the DC Dems, it's the DLC "dems"

There's a reason why the letters in this logo ---> are RED.

[AndyTiedye]

24. Why Are DC Dems so Timid? Because of...

[dogman]

25. The "Golden Rule"!

He who has the gold makes the rules. Until we have true campaign finance reform the majority of politicians will be afraid to offend the contributors. Another point, Tip O'Neill emasculated the Democratic Party when he resisted President Carter yet came to a power sharing agreement with Ronnie RayGun.

[raysr]

26. They're willing to

give us up, the people that put them there, so they won't lose the best gig in their life.

[eridani]

27. Recal that the Dems GAINED in 1998 because of popular disgust--

--with the Clinton impeachment. Plenty are worried that the same thing might work against them in 2006. That's justifiable, IMO.a

I'd like more spine on the war and tax cuts from some of the holdouts. but by far the majority of Dems in Congress are on our side on those issues.

[kynn]

28. The Clinton impeachment was frivolous politicking...

...Bush, on the other hand, lied to Congress about matters of war, and broke the law of the land with his spying program. There's not comparison between this and perjury over a little oral sex.

[eridani]

31. Still, it's enough to put Jay Inslee off of inpeachment

He credits his election to the Clinton impeachment. Even though impeachment is far more justified now, there will be a lot of people who see it as a distraction from the nation's business.

That's his take anyway. I'm ambivalent myself.

[Cocoa]

29. I'd rather see them filibuster the Patriot Act

the dems could call for impeachment, but Bush wouldn't be impeached.

I'd rather see them save their fire for things like the Patriot Act. Their filibuster will cost them votes, but that's what taking a stand is all about.

[ClassWarrior]

30. In other words... ignore Rove and blame the Dems??!

Enjoy your stay.

NGU.