The Unpardonable Absence of a Democratic "Attack Machine"

[depakid]

--I don't give'm hell; I just tell the truth and they think it's hell". (Harry Truman, 1948).

Democrats seem to believe (because that is the way they act) that the Republicans are the "loyal opposition".

They are not. They are disloyal--to a tea.

Republicans are at war--against the American people. They want the country to fail, thinking this will bring them to power. They will do anything to achieve it--and they recently lied us into the Iraq war to maintain the power they had.

An effective Democratic attack machine would use "the Republicans' war against the American people" as its theme. Each issue would be another battle in that war. "The Republicans' war against the American people, and in favor of insurance companies that drop coverage and raise premiums and deny you coverage". "The Republicans' war against the American people, and in favor of the big banks that cost you your job", and so forth.

The President seems to believe that an "attack machine" will doom all chances at bipartisanship. While one is tempted to reply "so what?", the result would actually be quite the opposite. An effective Democratic attack machine will make Republicans more wary of how they will be characterized and thus, just as Democrats cede 75% of the field prior to battle for fear of what the Republican attack machine will do to them, a Democratic "attack machine" will make the Republicans more likely to play ball...

...Without a Democratic attack machine, Republicans fear their own fringe more than they fear the Democrats. With Democrats controlling both Houses and the Presidency, that is pathetic.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently proved the point. After Senator John Kyl (R-AR) complained the stimulus did no good, LaHood said, "Ok, shall we cease sending money to Arizona for transportation projects?" Kyl started whining and complaining, and Democrats did not pick up the ball and run with it--getting in Kyl's face with his statement, standing up in the Senate to inquire whether "the gentleman wanted the money", making enough noise to the media so it pinned Kyl down. So Kyl shut his mouth for a few days and it was all over, and he has gone back to his sand-slinging.

It is no coincidence that, among all of President Obama's senior appointees, it was Secretary LaHood who used an attack against Kyl to put him in his place. Ray LaHood was a former Republican Congressman, so the strategy was second-nature to him.

More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-abrams/the-unpardonable-absence_b_490907.html

[denimgirly]

1. Great Writeup!

[Kalun D]

2. The Corp-a-dems are FAKES

"Republicans are at war--against the American people."

So are the corp-a-dems. So are the DLC'ers like Rahm and Obama. When it comes to real opposition to the corporate repugs they are like the Washington Generals to the Harlem Globetrotters.

It's a sham, it's an act, a farce, a fraud. They aren't weak and spineless, they are laying down on purpose.

[ibegurpard]

3. Have you not been paying attention?

There most definitely IS a Democratic attack machine...it works round the clock to keep the bothersome progressives toeing the corporate line.

[Kalun D]

4. ^^^ ++++ 10

[Go2Peace]

5. +100

[Sebastian Doyle]

15. Yeah, just look at the threads here today from Message Discipline LLC

they're attacking one Democrat in particular. :evilfrown:

[uponit7771]

16. -101

[whistler162]

19. WOW the progressive attack machine is

attacking progressives??????

[jefferson_dem]

6. I see some signs of an "attack machine"...

Only the slings and arrows are (mis)directed at fellow Dems instead of the real enemies of reform. It's quite pitiful, really. Imagine if all that energy / effort had been harnessed to counter the teabaggers and gop instead.

The author is right about this:

"An effective Democratic attack machine would use "the Republicans' war against the American people" as its theme. Each issue would be another battle in that war. "The Republicans' war against the American people, and in favor of insurance companies that drop coverage and raise premiums and deny you coverage". "The Republicans' war against the American people, and in favor of the big banks that cost you your job", and so forth."

[depakid]

10. When the leader of the party goes to the Chamber of Commerce and takes a swipe at teachers

(one of many such instances where the President seems more comfortable lashing out at the Democratic base than going after Republicans) the party has a major problem.

[Bitwit1234]

7. He might be telling it like it is but

we know what he is talking about and agree 100%. The people who should listen are deaf and can only see all those dollar bills from the corporation cascading over their heads. That's what's wrong with congress.

It is a shame that we the people of this country, most effected by this crooked and corrupt congress can't find a way to vote on term limits. That would dry up lobbyist money. Why would the lobbyist pay out zillions to a congress person who wouldn't be in office long enough to get them what they want. Some of those in congress have been in office 30 or 40 years. Our writers of the Constitution did not even think this or they would have set term limits. If they can limit the president of the United States term why in the hell can't they limit congress. Then mostly honest people who work for the public good would be interested in running. Knowing that they only have a certain amount of time in office. and during that time they can't accumulate the billions of dollars they have now. You see where mostly all the people elected to office went in, being modestly wealthy and come out zillion aires.

[Cosmocat]

8. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD ...

Would people see beyond two dimensions in relation to this never ending obsession about BO and "bipartisanship."

HE CAMPAIGNED ON CHANGING THE TONE OF WASHINGTON ...

Everyone wants to projected THEIR liberal wet dreams on him and be disappointed that he has been the moderate he, you know, said he was ... Then, get their undies in a bunch because the man who spoke NONSTOP about changing the tone of Washington is not the progressive inverse of George Bush ...

That the Rs are raging douchebags does not change the fact that he committed to the people of the country to do HIS part in stopping the rancorous tone in Washington ...

And, whether you get it or not, the people in the middle who are not tethered to either side of the spectrum see that he is trying, and that the other team is not ... His consistency on this front serves him well, and the people who are most put off by it are the partisan butt hat Rs who will hate him regardless, and sadly, far too many of the folks on the left ...

BEYOND THAT, he has done A LOT, and A LOT of good ... The only people short selling that short are the doucehbag right wingers, the MSM and once again, sadly far too many of the folks on the far left ...

[depakid]

18. Heard that nonsense rationalization a dozen times before

And each and every time, it's led to worse outcomes for the American people.

Every time.

Which begs the question: why do some insist that the equivalent of political creationism will portend a different outcome this time around?

Are they like fundamentalists? Can they not accept the observable outcomes?

Or do they somehow deep down inside just want to be a bunch of sorry, disrespected losers.

[Moochy]

9. The democrats have their attack machine

It is currently targetting Kucinich.

[DailyGrind51]

11. James Carville would have been all over something like this!

Clinton's surrogates were quick to respond and devastating in the delivery. Obama doesn't really have surrogates, he has allies who happen to agree with him on some issues, but don't go to the wall for him.

[bvar22]

12. The "Centrist" Democratic Party Leadership DOES have an "Attack Machine

And they CAN play Hardball.
When the "Progressives" in The House balked at giving Obama more money for the WAR Machine,
he called out the Winged Monkeys on their asses.
Obama GOT his WAR Money...Chicago Style.
He made them an offer they couldn't refuse.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/17-5

The "Centrist" Democrats have a well oiled attack machine...
they are just using it against the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party.

"Fucking Retards"

bvar22,
a PROUD member of the "Fucking Retarded" Wing of the Democratic Party!

[truedelphi]

13. Oh the Dems have an attack machine all right. But sadly it is calibrated to

Attack only Progressives

2009 - Rahm Emmanuel uses the "attack" meme by calling Progressives "retards."

Yesterday and today, Kucinich is vilified for acting like a real Democrat.

[Cali_Democrat]

14. Excellent article

The Dems need to go on the offensive for sure.

[uponit7771]

17. AMEN!!!