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Blue Dogs

What's A Democrat To Do?

by: BurtCohen

Fri Nov 19, 2010 at 10:16:52 AM EST

The day after the election, I saw a photograph of a huge wave on a Republican Web site. I soon realized: I've seen that same photo before. After a minute or so it came to me. That very same wave picture was on the cover of the liberal magazine The Nation two Novembers ago.

Some say the wave was an ideological shift, that it's time for progressives to get the message and quit the over-reaching. Run to the center with our tails between our legs.

Rubbish. It now makes no sense, in terms of electoral strategy or for the common good, for Democrats to become pale imitations of Republicans. As the wise sage Rocky admonished Bullwinkle: That trick never works.

The anger, expressed so clearly at the polls, was about the economy. The newly elected Republicans have no plan. The party is fractured and incoherent. Their simplistic dream of jobs being created by cutting the deficit mixed with more tax breaks for the uber-rich is economic nonsense.

For Democrats to buy into this fuzzy foolishness would be incredibly counterproductive. Paul Hodes tried it and was crushed, barely two points ahead of Granny D in 2004. True, good, solid stand-up progressives like Carol Shea-Porter were also pulled down by the undertow, but the so-called centrist Democrats, the Blue Dogs, dropped from 54 to 26 in the House. When President Clinton tacked to the perceived center he was also "shellacked" in 1994.

After the last time I saw that tidal wave photo, the Republicans did not move left, where the victory had been perceived. Instead they hunkered down, attacked Democrats and went on the aggressive offense. And it worked.

The enthusiasm gap was Obama raising hope very high and letting us down. Starting off in a compromise position is not the same as leadership. Progressives failed to go on the offense for our values. We let the other side communicate the message, so we were left to explain.

As any former candidate knows, when you are explaining, you are losing.

So what's a good Democrat to do? Just as the Tea Party learned from the success of '60s lefty organizer Saul Alinsky, so progressives now really have no choice but to stand and fight.

Will we lose? Of course. In the short term. The New Hampshire Senate Democrats are decimated - from a solid majority of 14 to a mere wisp of five. There, as in the U.S. House, it does no good to become an echo chamber for the majority.

The new majority will fail to create jobs through the old, tried and failed trickle-down. Now progressives must articulate our core values.

When the new majority gives more power to the insurance industry, our indignation must be clear. Democrats have an obligation to shout it out that Republicans are taking power from the middle class and handing it up to the top 2 percent.

Stand up for real Wall Street reform and economic stimulus. Tiptoeing around this got us nowhere. And when government spying on its own citizens becomes ever more intrusive, Democrats must be there standing up for privacy.

There's no better organizing principle than adversity. This is an opportunity for Democrats to define ourselves. As a member of a previously tiny New Hampshire Senate six-pack, we made speeches and lost. Right after that, we won the majority for the first time in 86 years.

Discuss :: (80 Comments)

Hillary's Elbow & Healthcare Reform

by: robsprague

Fri Jun 19, 2009 at 12:51:32 PM EDT


Hillary Clinton slipped & fell down this week and broke her elbow. But - don't worry and thank God - she & her husband, Bill, have really good health insurance. They're so lucky!

But for those of us who care at all about healthcare reform - and who do not think 47,000,000 Americans not named Hillary Clinton should be without health insurance - this has been a very difficult and depressing week. The prospects for healthcare reform our are falling apart.  And here's why:

Moderate Democrats - who were always going to be problematic on this issue - are enjoying their moment of having it both ways.  They "want" health reform.  Um...As long as it doesn't cost any money.  So much for a big tent Democratic Party.  Ah, the Moderate Democrats and their Blue Dog Country Cousins: For Progressives, they are the bitter friends, the bosom enemies.

And Business groups, who have previously "supported" healthcare reform, are now openly "changing sides" and planning to spend lots of corporate dollars to oppose any & all reforms. This "change in position" on the part of business groups should not come as a shock to those of us who have tried to work with them in the past. Disingenuous doesn't even begin to describe them.

And here comes the feigned "shock" around the country about the fact that healthcare reform is actually going to cost money.  Americans who already have healthcare are making clucking sounds in their mouths and wondering if we can afford all this "stuff".

Because in the good old USA, this money thing - how we raise it and how we spend it - is a strange animal indeed.  

For instance, when it comes to building massive military might, money doesn't seem to be an insurmountable problem.  We "invest" 625 billion annually on guns. And on computer game drones that spit out missiles in Afghanistan.  And jet fighters that we never intend to really use.  $625,000,000,000.00.

But, God forbid that we should invest 100 billion annually on healthcare reform.  Fifteen percent as much as we hand out annually to the Pentagon.  Fifteen.  To be totally accurate, Healthcare Reform would be the waitperson's tip on our annual Pentagon meal. Would anyone care to look at our dessert menu tonight?   How's about one of those new helicopter that can fly upside down! And I'll bring four plates and forks.

But the problem is that leaders in the business community already have health insurance for their families, and politicians already have outstanding healthcare, and most of the good folks in America's middle class and the well-to-do are covered and cared for.  They - all of these fortunate ones - support healthcare care reform 1000%... as long as it does not cause them any particular inconvenience. Or cost them any money.  Or endanger their access.  

If Bill & Hillary Clinton made their healthcare reform strategy mistake by being too "hands-on", top-down and didactic. . .then Mr., Obama  might be making his mistake by trusting that Congressional Leaders could be trusted to take a larger role in the healthcare reform process.  Max Baucus?  Henry Waxman? A fading and much absent Ted Kennedy?  Mr. President, ya shouldn't be betting the family farm on Max Baucus.

And so now, after spending months as a hilarious side show, hosted by the moronic & outrageous Michael Steele, the Republicans (all nicely covered by Federal Health Insurance and sure to be healthy & kicking for the remainder of the Obama Administration) will begin their usual mindless mantra.  And they will repeat it over and over and over again:  "A public option in healthcare...it's...it's...it's socialism."

So, here we go again on healthcare reform.  And it's America-As-Usual for 47 million American citizens not as lucky as Hillary Clinton & her husband, Bill.  

Discuss :: (0 Comments)

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