Ezra notes the unprecedented amount of obstruction utilized by the Republicans in the minority and says “, the Democrats, facing a much greater display of intransigence, have been deemed ineffectual by the media”. Bull. The Democrats don’t talk about this. They don’t say anything about the obstruction. They’re silent the same way they were silent in the majority even though the media will cover the Speaker if she speaks. They made their bed, and they are lying in it. It’s not the media’s fault this time around. They have failed to represent the values of the Democratic party, and this congress should hang its head in shame.
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They have failed to represent the values of the Democratic party…
…and the American people. And I couldn’t agree with you more, Oliver.
Glad to see somebody isn’t resorting to the whiny excuse that the media is to blame for the Democrats failures.
Yes, as we all know, the media is to blame only for REPUBLICAN failures…
What actually happened was a case of overreaching.
I’m a Republican. If you polled me, I would belong firmly in the 60+% who disapprove of George W. Bush, and Pelosi, Reed, and Co. would therefore assume that I’m on their side. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I disapprove of Bush because he isn’t willing to call liars liars to their teeth. I wouldn’t vote for Nancy Pelosi or anybody she calls an ally without a gun to my head.
Similarly, a poll question “Do you approve of the war in Iraq?” lumps answers from Pelosi constitutents who are philosophically against it with slack-jawed malcontents who don’t think we’re “killin’ enuf wrap-heads”. There are more of the latter than you might think — and even more who think the war was worthwhile but has not been prosecuted correctly.
Moreover, the Members of Congress (both houses) who defeated Republicans to give Democrats their majority overwhelmingly did so by campaigning on “the culture of corruption” and similar local and national concerns, and kept Iraq, impeachment, and “solving the health care crisis” at arms length when not fending them off with the longest pole available — and many of them won because disgusted Republicans stayed home to “teach the Party a lesson”.
The result is that the Democratic leadership (and you, the Kos Kidz, and the rest of the Sheehan Wing of the Democratic party) vastly overestimated the amount of support you had, largely out of wishful thinking supported by polling that was way too coarse-grained to give you valid data. When leadership-agenda items came up, many Members you were counting on — they’re Democrats, dammit — started getting floods of letters, phone calls, and emails from constituents telling them in no uncertain terms not to go along, and they didn’t because they were doing what Representatives and Senators are supposed to do: representing their constituencies as best they can.
Republican obstructionism exists, but blaming your failure on it is self-congratulatory “Maw, it ain’t my fault” bullsh–. If they think you’re full of sh– (as they do) they’re supposed to “obstruct” — that’s how the system works. The fact is, you don’t have the support you need to put your program over because Code Pink and Cindy Sheehan do not represent the thinking of the majority of the American people. It ain’t gonna get better for you any time soon. Deal with it.
Regards,
Ric
Jay: “Glad to see somebody isn’t resorting to the whiny excuse that the media is to blame for the Democrats failures.”
Exactly right. (Assuming you said that without any sarcasm intended. Because if you were being sarcastic? Then you missed what was actually written.)
Ric Locke said:
Yes, by which I mean, “not even close.” The election data from 2006 clearly showed a large shift in the independent vote with a modest shift among the more moderate Republicans. I couldn’t find any data showing a significant decrease in Republican turnout. This was particularly glaring in the Lamont/Lieberman contest where Republicans faithfully trotted out and voted for the DINO to keep Lamont from giving a strong Senate seat to the Dems. And what was the cornerstone of Lamont’s campaign, a theme picked up by his two-faced opponent and conveniently forgotten the second the election was over? Why, I believe it was Iraq. Are significant number of seats were picked up thanks to opposition to the occupation.
As for the imaginary “flood” of letters opposed to defending the Constitution or a sane health care system for all citizens, all I can say is, “prove it.” All poker players have a “tell” that gives away their game. Comments like “you, the Kos Kidz, and the rest of the Sheehan Wing of the Democratic party” would be yours. Clearly you aren’t going to fall in line with many of the ideas advocated here, but at least try to back up your assertions with something more solid than the usual “lefty” nonsense.
I’m sure once the new recession settles in, the economy, or lack thereof, will rise as the top issue of the day, but when discussing the 2006 elections, pretending that Iraq didn’t put a significant number of seats in Democratic hands is just absurd.
Glad to see somebody isn’t resorting to the whiny excuse that the media is to blame for the Democrats failures.
No you’re right, that’s what Republicans do about their own failures. It’s what Republicans call “personal responsibility” also known as “be responsible enough to blame someone else.”