Democratic spinelessness is making me tune out

[redstateblues]

I hate to say it but the more the Dems continue their timidity and refusal to stand up to Bush the more I find myself not even keeping up with current events. I don't like it but it's happening. I don't want to read another story about how our leaders are afraid to confront the Republicans.

[sampsonblk]

1. Haven't you heard? Its all a 'strategy'

[Evergreen Emerald]

2. I feel the same way

I am still waiting for the contempt of court against Rice for thumbing her nose at the congressional subpoena.

[havocmom]

3. Not making you more active at getting your message to them?

The old saw about being part of the solution or part of the problem comes to mind.

[ClassWarrior]

4. How true.

NGU.

[Perry Logan]

5. You're misinformed. The Democrats HAVE stood up to Bush.

"President Bush's success rating in the Democratic-controlled House has fallen this year to a half-century low, and he prevailed on only 14 percent of the 76 roll call votes on which he took a clear position.

"So far this year, Democrats have backed the majority position of their caucus 91 percent of the time on average on such votes. That marks the highest Democratic unity score in 51 years."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1728952&mesg_id=1728952
http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002576765.html

Don't let the media rhetoric fool you. The Democrats have acquitted themselves quite well--especially given their bare majority in both houses, and a relentlessly obstructionist Republican minority.

[ccpup]

6. I applaud those efforts

but when it comes to the outright illegal ignoring of subpoenas or the absolute unwillingness to hand over essential documents, I think the Dems need to start playing a bit more hard-ball and stop being so effing respectful. I mean, they DO have the power to hold people in Inherent Contempt of Congress, yes?

[NavyDavy]

7. that is what i keep trying to say....but alot of people here are

a one note song or something like that....its iraq war iraq war iraq all the time forgetting the things that need to be done here at home....some just don't care, if its dem its bad.

[shireen]

8. "...Democrats have backed the majority position of their caucus 91 percent of the time ..."

what does that mean, technically? Are you referring to specific legislation that was voted on in both chambers? Just want some clarification about that.

Anyhow, if that's the case, the House Speaker and Senate Majority leader have the power to keep legislation from being introduced. Given some of the recent actions by Pelosi, I have to wonder about her judgement and motives.

[Enrique]

11. the article defines it

A separate analysis of so-called party unity votes, in which a majority of one party votes against a majority of the other, showed the possibility of another historic first for House Democrats. So far this year, Democrats have backed the majority position of their caucus 91 percent of the time on average on such votes. That marks the highest Democratic unity score in 51 years.

[redqueen]

14. Media rhetoric? Is that what made Nancy advance Bush's FISA bill?

:shrug:

Sorry... I'm still pretty sure the worst dem is better than the best repuke... but let's not ignore reality.

If the votes that get to the floor aren't too helpful, what difference does it make if they vote in unity? I do applaud their efforts on restoring Habeas.

Much of the rest of their performance has been questionable at best... suspicious at worst.

[Carolina]

9. Me, too

I don't bother watching ANY news programs. When I think of how excited I was this time last year, how thrilled with the mid-term results and NOW?!

Loathe them as I do, ya have to give repukes credit. They fear nothing. Remember 1993, Dems had the White House, the House and the Senate. But did that stop repukes from being a very vocal, fighting minority. They fought to get the majority in 1994 and once in control they have wielded their power mercilessly.

Dems were weak, fractured and fractious as the majority in 1993. They allowed repukes to villify the Dem president, dem principles ... while our side tried to get along. I hold out little hope of change should they (we) regain control in 2009. It's a different world, too much has changed but not the spinlessness of our Dems.

harry Truman is spinning in his grave.

[Enrique]

16. yeah, Tom Delay is riding real high right now

I hope Nancy Pelosi emulates him and ends up where he is ten years from now. :sarcasm:

[redqueen]

17. Excellent response. Compare and contrast. n/t

[Enrique]

10. the problem might be you're already tuned out

maybe you don't think the dems are confronting the republicans because you aren't keeping up with things.

[redqueen]

12. Yeah... that's how people have been reacting to the

NEW and IMPROVED more CORPORATIST party since it started it's rightward drift over 20 years ago.

Good luck not becoming entirely cynical. :hug:

[Enrique]

18. I think they might be moving back toward the left

for example far fewer democrats voted for CAFTA compared to NAFTA, and also their defeat of Social Security privitization, which I think had more support among the democrats a few years previous.

[redqueen]

19. You would think after all this, they would.

Yes, if it is happening, it's far too slowly.

The rest of the first world countries have single-payer, universal healthcare. Our dem leaders have given up that fight before they even started it. It's sickening.

[Enrique]

20. Al Gore supports single-payer

during his 2000 campaign he did not, but he has since come out in favor of it. That is an example of what I'm talking about. Things are going in the right direction in a lot of ways.

[redqueen]

21. Gore/Kucinich.

So we have at least TWO candidates willing to fight for what we deserve and so desperately need.

But no, Gore isn't a candidate.

Oh well... guess we get to keep bending over for our corporate masters.

[Enrique]

23. Bernie Sanders is now a senator

Sherrod Brown, too.

More moves in the right direction. :bounce:

(both of those new senators support single-payer, btw.)

[redqueen]

25. Yeah, baby!

The wheels turn slowly... so we have to PUSH! :7

[ShortnFiery]

13. I fear some of our Democratic Leaders are not afraid, but simply part of "The Deceit"

to the lowly American peasant classes. :(

[truebrit71]

15. We're just keeping that powder nice and dry..

...It's not making me tune out though, it's royally pissing me off....

[Nedsdag]

22. But..but..but..but

when Hillary becomes President, the world will change, the heavens will open up and Nirvana will be achieved.

:sarcasm:

[Forkboy]

24. My father, a lifelong Dem, just went off on the Dems this morning.

You're not the only one getting sick of the spinelessness.

[Dinger]

26. Me Too (nt)

[leveymg]

27. Spineless on the votes that count (Iraq, FISA) and the votes that haven't come to the floor (Impeach

Ya, they may be unified on little things, but when important measures come to a vote, most of those votes have been with the Republicans. Worse, most of them turned on the netroots in the MoveOn.com condemnation vote.

Here's an example, Rep. John Hall, a First-Termer from NY.

YEA VOTES: Hall (NY)


Representative John Hall (D-NY 19th)

1st-term Democrat from New York.

Key Votes

Name of Legislation voted
Passed Small Business Investment Expansion Act 09/27/2007 YEA
Passed Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act 09/26/2007 YEA
Passed Childrens Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act 09/25/2007 YEA
Passed Drug Endangered Children Act of 2007 09/24/2007 YEA
Passed FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007 09/20/2007 Y
Passed Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act 09/19/2007 YEA
Passed Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007 09/18/2007 YEA
Passed Making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes. 08/05/2007 YEA

Thanks a helluva lot. Particularly for fully-funding the Iraq War.

I really don't appreciate the media offensive that's going on right now. It seems to be an effort by the DLC-HRC types to capture or troll around progressive sites.

[file83]

28. You're not alone. I used to be so tuned in to current events.

Shit, just the other day I finally found out that Tony Snow was no longer the White House Press Secretary.

It's too depressing to realize that the Dems are just another side to the same coin.