Republicans are united against any liberalizing influences in their party. Why can’t Democrats unite against the conservative and regressive tendencies in their party?
… There are certainly no Republicans working for the interests of ordinary working families, but the political party that can boast incumbents like Alan Grayson (FL), Donna Edwards (MD) and Raul Grijalva (AZ)– and candidates like David Segal (RI), Billy Kennedy (NC), Joyce Elliott (AR) and Elaine Marshall (NC)– is also burdened with incumbents like Blanche Lincoln (AR), Ben Nelson (NE) and Bobby Bright (AL)– as well as candidates like Lori Edwards (FL), Mike Oliverio (WV) and Chad Causey (AL).
They’re proud of being a Big Tent? Well, maybe if Obama was a better, more FDR-like politician, they could use that Big Tent thing in a way that doesn’t have it collapsing in a heap on their heads. …
[…]
But instead of clear, straightforward statements from Obama taking on reactionaries, he has to tread carefully, because the Big Tent includes Rahm Emanuel and whatever’s left of his sleazy Wall Street cronies, and it includes reflexive and cowardly conservatives like Blanche Lincoln and Ben Nelson, and it includes all those Blue Dogs whose default position is to just wait and see what John Boehner does and follow suit. So instead of the powerful and compelling messaging of Richard Trumka and Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairman Raul Grijalva, we get a Democratic Party at war with itself, wrangling over issues as basic as Choice, tax cuts for millionaires, protecting Social Security and equality.
Instead of fighting the Republican messaging touting the same conservative policies and ideas that got us into this devastating economic crisis to begin with, Democrats are fighting internecine conflicts and remaining disunited — like, for example, on Social Security:
This headline, or the fact that it could be written, is a disgrace: “House Democrats To Obama: No Cuts To Social Security.” The 83-strong Congressional Progressive Caucus pledged in a letter to Obama to vote against any Catfood Commission attempts to open the door on the weakening of Social Security. Yes, to President Obama, not to President Bush, who tried and failed and for whom Obama is now stepping in, not unlike the way Nixon stepped in to open China for Big Business when Democrats couldn’t pull it off.
Howie also quotes the entire text of Bernie Sanders’ thundering defense of Social Security and plan for making it strong for the indefinite future, which Politico posted on Wednesday. Incredibly inspiring, and well worth reading.
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