Chris Cilliza observes:
Asked what it would mean if Lieberman kept his chairmanship, one Senate Democratic aide said bluntly: "The left has been foiled again. They can rant and rage but they still do not put the fear into folks to actually change their votes. Their influence would be in question."
The Lieberman Vote: What It Means and Why
That's it in a nutshell. We don't have the power to hurt them, so they don't care. I've made this observation for years, only to be met by some variation of "we don't want to waste our votes" or "it's too close right now". And yet, each time, as a group we only realize belatedly, and dimly, that none of it got us anything. Given the chance, the Democrats in Congress will urinate on us until their bladders are drained, and then go out for an extra large coffee.
Here's what we have to do, liberals. We have to be willing to vote strategically. Target one of these assholes, or several. Make them pay with their jobs, even if it means replacing them with Republicans. Until you prove that you can hurt them, these people will never respect you. They only respect power, and right now we haven't got any. That's why they piss on us and kiss up to the G.O.P. even though what those people have done to the country is the last things most Americans want any more of for a while.
I'm just going to keep repeating this message until you get it. I'm tired of losing, even after seemingly winning. When you decide you're tired of it, too, get back to me.
Meanwhile, I'm done with more useless pledges. When you're really willing to get rid of some of these assclowns, I'll be there. Until then, I'm sure there's something else I can be doing with my time.
6 comments:
You are not wrong. Sadly, we have several stories above us, several ceilings that need rupturing, and the higher we go, the harder it gets.
I was for targeting Hoyer after the FISA/PAA betrayal, but I also believe we didn't have the candidate or the time.
Pick our spots, focus wrath and do not let up ever.
The named political parties have almost no relationship with their stated aims and constituencies anymore. I took a stab at describing the de facto parties, their leaders and constituencies, and viewed through this lens, the emerging Obama administration's choices and decisions are predictable, congruent, and consistent. (link at my name)
Progressives, the netroots and many independents make up the de facto opposition party. It would behoove them to formalize a party apparatus, marshal resources and advance their agenda.
I fear even with the new congress the dims will continue to fold on important legislation.
Until they show some spine it will be business as usual as the filibuster will continue to be used.
I was for targeting Hoyer, also newtonusr, but we didn't have to target him directly. Find folks who support him who are vulnerable if we couldn't get to him. Just be effective, and make sure we get defeat whoever we go after. Unfortunately, we don't appear to have done that, either. There's no doubt that things will get harder now. They're aware of us now, and know we could hurt them if we ever get our act together.
You're right about the demographics, Annie. Unfortunately, convincing enough people that the new party will be any different than the other two, and that the change is worth the effort, is the challenge.
I've said pretty often, including in that link about the sixty senators, IIRC, that I'd prefer having forty Senators who are willing to stand up for the Constitution and our other values than to have sixty Democrats of the sort we have now. I see no reason to think otherwise now. The Republicans will use the filibuster, and the Democrats will capitulate time after time, in hopes that we'll be foolish enough to try to finance their sixty-Senator navy.
YES. 40 Democratic Senators with courage and integrity would be a breath of fresh air for once.
And that's the nub of the problem with the flimsy-of-fortitude, trepidatious "netizens". The whole conventional wisdom of "electing more and better Democrats" has become a fraud. The truth is, some of the loudest voices in the lefty blogoshpere really only care about the "more" part of that equation. And then when we all get screwed by the usual blue dog, corporate-controlled suspects, the whining of the left begins. And they know not who to blame.
Obama directed the effort at saving Lieberman's butt. The sooner folks face up to that inconvenient fact, the better.
Do I sound cranky? You bet I am.
Me, too, shoephone. I'm cranky as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore...
Actually, at this point I'm not as cranky about our politicians as I am about our citizenry. Left on their own, even the best people start to wonder why they bother doing a job right. We have, on average, people in Congress who are considerably less than the best. Between those citizens who don't care enough to pay attention in the first place, and the ones who might as well not pay attention for all the sense they make out of things, I sometimes think we're doomed.
We need better education in this country. Unfortunately, I don't think the next lesson will come from a classroom.
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