Compromise Or Capitulation?

[Totally Committed]

Compromise Or Capitulation?
Glenn Hurowitz
May 31, 2007

Glenn Hurowitz, who runs the website www.democraticcourage.com, is the author of the forthcoming book Fear and Courage in the Democratic Party.

You can almost hear the triumphant cackling at the White House. Despite almost six months at the helm in Congress, Democrats have almost completely failed to affect President Bush's conduct of the war in Iraq or his ability to deliver legislative goodies to his corporate backers. Indeed, the Democratic leadership's agreement to pass an Iraq funding bill without a timeline for withdrawal is only the latest in a string of White House wins.

The surrenders started mid-month when top Democrats signed off on one of President Bush's top priority agenda items: free trade agreements for Panama and Peru. Then, Senate Democrats okayed a White House proposal for a "Grand Bargain" on immigration.

Meanwhile, many of the top items on the Democratic agenda languish unpassed in the face of vehement Republican opposition and the threat of President Bush's veto pen. But while the president and his still-loyal congressional backers are holding up everything Democrats ran on, does it really make sense for Democrats to start giving President Bush and the GOP victories on Republican priorities?

Democrats could have said, "Let us make it easier to join a union, pass global warming legislation and expand health care—then we can talk about deals on trade, immigration and Iraq." But instead, they said, "Hey—you're blocking our entire agenda? No problem. Let's put that aside and cut the deals on the issues that matter to you."

... Because the Democrats have gotten so little for their trouble, the leadership is facing a backlash that is tearing the party into pieces.


Entire Article:

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2007/05/31/compromise_or_capitulation.php

TC

[Demeter]

1. It's Pruning--Not Deforestation

The Democratic Party is not tearing itself to pieces. It is focussing its leadership on what the citizens want.

[mike_c]

3. citizens want the slaughter to continue in Iraq...?

Who knew?

[sampsonblk]

12. Don't worry, it just the newest spin

The Dem leadership didn't cave. Not at all. In fact, they planned to achieve this 'compromise' all along because this is what most people wanted. So they are not cowards at all. They forced Bush to reluctantly accept this compromise, ya know, made him bow to the will of the people. I'll bet Bush has really learned a lesson from this, too. So we can all go home now. No problem.



Its the funniest bit of horse drivel I've seen in years. Like we all didn't see what just happened.

[mike_c]

2. have ANY of the House dems vaunted 100 hrs legislative agenda...

...actually gone anywhere after all the cheer leading?

[Totally Committed]

4. No.

I don't think so.

TC

[mike_c]

5. I didn't think so either....

:shrug:

[Dhalgren]

6. Unless something drastic happens '08 will have the lowest voter turn-out

in history. And in that scenario the Republicans could actually win again. The Democratic "Leadership's" strategy seems to be completely wrong-headed. I can't see what their thinking on these things are, unless they really do want to drive the left and the "anti-war crowd" out of the Party. And how can that help?

[Totally Committed]

8. I do think that the Party's defacto leadership

(Emmanuel and the DLC, etc) would LOVE to see all the "Lefties" gone from this Party. I think they are seriously underestimating our numbers and the numbers of those who spport our "anti-war" stand at the moment. The other Dems are cynically going along with them, feeling that old "who else are they gonna vote for?" vibe. Well, I got news for them... not voting at all may just be a viable choice in 2008 for a lot more people than they even DREAM of.

(Anecdotal: I am probably the furthest "left" of any of my friends or family, and usually get the "you're just being an extremist" look or comment when discussing politics with most of them. These very people are telling ME they may not vote this time out, without me saying a word. They are FED UP TO THE TEETH with this Party. All I can say is they have no idea yet what they've done...)

TC

[polichick]

9. We're ripe for a revolution!

It's the perfect time ~ I hope Gore sees that, and either takes back our party or starts a new one this fall.

[Totally Committed]

10. I hear you.

A revolution within the Democratic Party is probably just what we need!

TC

[welshTerrier2]

11. "not voting at all"

there used to be a commercial that said something like i'll tell two friends and then they'll tell two friends and they'll tell two friends and so on ... many see the current severe alienation of the "democratic wing of the Democratic Party" as a matter of a small percentage of the party's base ... they also, as you pointed out, take comfort in the "where else they gonna go?"

i truly hope they're smarter than that ...

most DU'ers are political junkies ... think "real people" know anything about any of the candidates running? they know McCain is old. they know Obama is young and energetic. they don't know what his health care plan is or whether he even has one. they don't know that Hillary voted against banning cluster bombs from civilian areas. they don't know what the hell Gore is talking about with his latest kick about "reason".

all that stuff has to first catch on with the "political kindling". that's us ... the rest of them are green, wet wood ...

you take a community of activists and stab it in the back and the effect gets multiplied. instead of nagging the crap out of all my apolitical friends to get out and vote for Democrats, i get very quiet. i don't campaign. i don't push them to help. i sure that pattern will repeated thousands and thousands of times.

i won't tell two friends and they won't tell two friends and they won't tell two friends.

i don't know what to make of your closing statement that they have no idea yet what they've done...

On one hand, the reaction has been very severe and very public. it's everywhere. they must know. mustn't they?

On the other, they were blind enough to have done this in the first place so maybe they still don't get it ...

my best guess is that the "omg, what have we done?" is in full flower ... as you listen carefully for the answer, all you hear are crickets ...

as for "driving out the left", that is surely the agenda of some; the price would be devastating and I'm not sure it will have broad spectrum appeal. when the money stops and the work stops, someone's going to start asking questions ...

[polichick]

7. Same ol' same ol'

Reps have no conscience or heart, Dems have no balls or ovaries ~ it's sickening.

[Totally Committed]

13. Even Seniors are fed up!

A Post from the Senior Citizens Consortium Blog:

You know, it gets really frustrating to watch the goings on in Washington with the people we elected to represent us and to do the things that we need them to do.

Just this past week we have legislation to allow us access to lower cost prescription drugs and to take a couple of bucks out of the pocket of Big Pharma. But the stumble bums in the House and Senate played games with us and put the legislation into a netherworld from which it will probably never arise.

Who did this horrible thing? Was it a Republican? Was it a Democrat? Who the hell cares who was ultimately responsible. It would appear that we had just as many from both sides of the aisle coming down on both sides of the legislation. Trouble was the greed hounds had more against the bill and not enough honorable people coming out for it.

Frankly, this old guy is getting damned pissed. I am sick and tired of seeing people come to the congress with a direction from their consitituents to take action to get this country back on track and to enact legislation that will BENEFIT us Americans. I think it is really past time for us to get out there and let our voices be heard. We, the American Citizen, the taxpayer, and the voter need to tell these slackers that they need to start paying attention to the real reasons they are in that swaky office, flying around the country on the taxpayer’s money and getting the finest healthcare and retirement pensions. WE are that reason folks WE are the ones to vote them into office and WE are the ones who can take them out of office.

These people, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents seem to just think that every year election rolls around that the US taxpayers/voters will simply roll over and let them shaft us again. Frankly, I am really tired of that garbage and I intend to do something about making my voice heard.

What about you? Tell us what you think in the comments section. Let’s get something started that will scare the hell out of these fatcats.

http://maturecommunications.com/wordpress/?p=19

TC

[Artful Dodger]

14. They Caved!

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>