Who would you say is most responsible for the current political mess for Democrats?

[ThomWV]

First off, do not blame the President for the problems of the Congress.

House Democrats and Senate Democrats are in trouble - who's fault is it? I say that Nancy has been doing her job and its Harry who has failed us. How say you?

[FiveGoodMen]

1. You've ruled out one of the main answers.

[movonne]

2. I say you are right...

[handmade34]

3. the media

and incurious people too lazy to seek the truth

[leveymg]

4. If we maintain the majority in the Senate, the entire leadership there has to be replaced

The 111th Congress has been a disaster because the House has handed up a bunch of decent legislation only to see it die or bleed out in the Senate Committees that are ruled by conservative Blue Dogs. Take HCR, and Chairman Max Bachus, for instance . . . or, don't take it, anymore.

They're not only part of the problem, the problem we're in would not have happened without them. They were indispensable to the self-immolation of the Democratic Party these past two years.

[Tatiana]

5. I think Nancy has done her job as well. House passed 400+ bills still waiting on action from Senate

Plus Nancy had the rogue Blue Dogs to contend with in marshalling the caucus. Yet still, she delivered, for the most part. And even when she didn't, she still fought until it was clear the votes would not be forthcoming.

Reid didn't even want to try, it seemed. It's clear from the timid way he's run his campaign that he just isn't up to the job of majority leader. At one time, maybe... the guy that read from his book on Searchlight in an awesome filibuster, I remember. But those days are gone, I guess. He doesn't believe in twisting arms to get crucial votes. That's just not his nature. And the majority leader should be an arm twister and someone from a safe seat who has the freedom to say what needs to be said to Congress and the American people.

The Republicans villify Pelosi because they secretly admire her tenacity and capacity to get things done, IMO. You don't see nearly the hatred for Reid because I don't think they seriously consider him to be a threat to their agenda.

[Scuba]

23. +1 Well said.

[TheKentuckian]

6. The conservatives from the President down to the weakest Blue Dog.

for lacking the vision, determination, intention, and common sense to put the people first.

[Gabi Hayes]

9. yeeeaaaabo! were you there the other day to jeer tweety?

what a superduperdushbag

[HughMoran]

11. You might want to consider moving to another country then

It ain't getting any better than what we got for another generation - especially after Dems turned their back on the best they've seen in a generation.

[emilyg]

20. Right.

[Exilednight]

7. It's the president, plain and simple. I know you don't want to hear it, but .............

it's the truth. He surrounded himself with the same old same old of the Washington political crowd and took their advice.

[opihimoimoi]

8. Its the MFKR GOP and their stealth funding , denigration effort, and out right lies...

Its Brain washing , social engineering to sway the masses...

[HughMoran]

10. Republicans abusing the rules of the Senate

Their just say "NO" strategy worked like a charm, sad to say.

A more colorful leader would have made this into a nationwide spectacle for all to see the "do nothing" Republicans act like children.

Harry is too nice for this job - so I guess if there's anybody who really isn't pulling their weight for the Democrats, it's Harry. He needs to be replaced.

[walldude]

12. "First off, do not blame the President"

So tell me, exactly what is the President responsible for? Of all the things I am angry at Obama about, the defenders claim they are not his fault. Gay rights, the shitty health care bill, amping up the war in Afghanistan, Guantanamo still open, bad appointments, CIA Death Squads, crappy attitude, the re-upping of the Patriot act, the attacks on teachers. Continuation of warrantless wiretapping, and other Bush privacy invading policies. None of this is Obama's fault.



Now the things I am pleased with that Obama did, managing to get any health care bill passed, extensions of rights to same sex partners for hospital visits, some banking and credit card reforms, the stimulus and a few other things, those things are credited to Obama as things he accomplished.

So is it that Obama is only responsible when something good happens?

[ThomWV]

13. Well, because you asked, the President is responsible for the acts of the Executive Agencies

That is his arena of responsibility, not the operation of either the Congress or the Court.

[cynatnite]

14. They ran as fast as possible from their votes when the teabaggers started whining...

They couldn't run fast enough. Teabaggers screeched and they ran.

[Motown_Johnny]

15. Nancy got her job promising "No Impeachment On My Watch!"

That is not doing your job!


She swore to uphold the Constitution and she abandoned her oversight responsibility, and so did everyone who supported her for speaker.


Maybe if someone had exposed the war crimes of the previous administration and made them pay for it the Conservatives would have been so weakened that they would not have been able to play the "NO!" card constantly for the last 20 months and we would have had some progressive legislation passed.

There are other benefits to The House simply doing what it is supposed to do but since the OP is about the problems in our party I will not carry on for 50,000 words (although I could).

[bemildred]

16. The Mighty Wurlitzer. nt

[Terra Alta]

17. George W. Bush.

He had eight years to ruin this country possibly beyond repair, and Obama and the Democrats in Congress have had less than two years to clean it up. It's going to take years, maybe decades, to clean up from this mess. Because Americans have such short attention spans, they are blaming the Democrats since we aren't much better off now, than we were two years ago. Dumbya fucked up this country good, and if Republicans win big in November, it's only going to fuck us up more.

[gulliver]

22. +1

[L0oniX]

18. 1 - They would not prosecute the Bush war criminals. 2 - They took single payer off the table. ...

3 - Continued the bail out of Wall street. 4 - Wars (over a trillion $ this year to the pentagon). 5 -Sided with big banks and shit on mortgage(fraud) holders. 6 - JOBS??????? 7 - Didn't attack repukes at every opportune moment (keep them on the defense). 8 - Allowing the idea of SS being fucked with. 9 - treat repukes like the enemies they are (reaching across the aisle is a loser). 10 - fuck it ...I don't fucking care anymore ...got my sailboat and I'm getting ready to leave this fucked up country when it collapses.

Whoever "who" is ...take your pick.

[Township75]

19. Not us - it's Bush, it's the media, it's big oil, pharma, industry.

but it is not us.

everyone conspires against us.

In reality, John Stewart nailed it when he said the Dems SUUUUUCCKK on his show a few weeks back. We fought very hard to get them into power, and once in power, they didn't do a damn thing except when they were dragged kicking and screaming...and the result was a half-ass job on important legislation.

[indepat]

21. The person who has to shoulder the most responsibility for the current political mess of

Democrats has to be the one with whom the buck stops, the one who appointed Rahm E., Geithner, Bernake, Gates, Holder, Salazar, Donovan, and that education honcho whose name escapes me. Need I go on. ;)

[NorthCarolina]

24. Simple...the DLC. eom

[Individualist]

26. +1

[Rex]

25. I honestly don't see any mess at all.

I see the GOPukers sabotaging themselves without guilt or remorse. This is the funniest self-destruction lead up to Nov. ever! The Dems are in the birds nest and the Repukers are in the dog house!
:rofl:

I'm sorry, can you repeat the question?

[MrScorpio]

27. I blame money, politics, an negligent press and a stupid and fearful electorate

After all, it was the crazy and uninformed voters who elected the Blue Dogs and the GOPers into office in first place.

Pelosi's and Reid's hands are tied with all the arcane rules and the attention improperly deflected from all the things that they've to accomplish, as well as the things that they have.

[Atticus]

28. Could we reserve this "post mortem" until at least November third? KKKarl is applauding

this OP's subject matter.

[MadMaddie]

29. I believe Rahm Emanual was a huge part of it.

Rahm was in the center of every failure because he was doig backroom deals. I believe that's why he is gone.

Nancy has been kicking ass. Harry needs to win his seat back and then be replaced in his role.

[BlueCheese]

30. I don't really understand this...

... choose from between A, B, and C, except you can't choose A?

[ThatPoetGuy]

31. It's Obama's fault.

I know you said "don't blame the president for the problems of the congress," but congress' problems are not legislative here. The issue doesn't have anything to do with whether or not congress passed good legislation.

The issue is a complete absence of vision or leadership, a legislative focus that never bothers to make the case for WHY legislation should be passed. I don't remember the president ever making the slightest effort to frame the debate over health care -- so the other side framed it.

On issue after issue, Obama has failed to make his case. So his causes seem meaningless, and their opponents have made stronger arguments. He has been too willing to compromise with lunatics, which only makes them seem more legitimate.

Day after day, Obama's unrealistic approach to the American right wing has helped the right wing rise.

[Raine]

32. President Truman had it correct about

where the buck stops.

[NJmaverick]

33. The professional left

Instead of attacking the GOP and keeping them honest, they helped the GOP attack the Dems.