What we are seeing in Wisconsin and elsewhere Democrats should learn from

When I look at what is happening today in this country and how depressing it all is I can't help also see the opportunity Democrats had pissed away which was given to them in 2006. After the still fresh 2010 elections the Republicans came in cracking heads. This was a mandate for them as far as they were concerned. And no public opinion polls, no sick people, and no concerns about the interests of the country were going to get in their way. They were going to do what they wanted to do and that was that.

So when they wanted to end collective bargaining they didn't hesitate for a minute even though the majority of America was against them. When they wanted to take from the poor and give to the rich no problems with that. If they wanted changes in the budget they got them. Phony investigations in to the Obama administration? Yup, doing those. Shutting down the government just so that they can get what they want? Very strong possibility.

I could go on, but I think the point is clear. If Republicans want something they either get it and in the few instances where they don’t they fight tooth and nail for it.

Compare and contrast that to what the democrats did in 2007 and 2008 after they won a landslide in the mid-term elections in the house, senate, and in gubernatorial races all around the country. The first thing they did was take impeachment off the table. When they did issue subpoenas Bush would simply ignore them and the democrats would quickly back off. The wars Democrats promised they wanted to end? They refused to simply cut off funding and would use republican talking points in defending their decision not to do so ("it would hurt the troops"). They went along with Bush and funded the surge. They also passed a bill allowing Bush to spy on Americans without warrant (after it was clear he had been doing it illegally for years).

Where they failed was even more significant. They failed in getting card check. Failed in expending SCHIP. Failed in enacting legislation to fight climate change. Failed to restore habeas corpus. Failed to get medicare to negotiate drug prices. Failed at any form of immigration reform. Failed at setting time tables for Iraq. And failed to stop the waste in the defense department (even though they had the power of the purse). They gave Bush just about everything major he requested and asked for nothing in return. Now think for a second if it were Republicans that swept in like the Democrats did in 2006. Think of all the crazy shit they would propose and succeed in doing. You don't have to think about, we are seeing it happening today. And when the Democrats complain that there is nothing they can do to stop them just remember how Democrats handled their short lived majorities. Majorities that created an amazing opportunity to change the country, an opportunity that we won’t be seeing for a very long time. Majorities that the Republicans dream they could have right now.

So on the national level Republicans will pass far more of their agenda than the Democrats ever did when they had much larger majorities. And what Republicans can’t do on the national level they will on the state level.

Democrats could learn something from that. But then again the Democrats aren’t that stupid, they know how this works. This is a game that is being played, and it is being played on us.

:shrug:

the r's vote for idology. We all think we're going to get idology, but in the end we get the same old BS about keeping the liberals and the moderates together to get anything passed. Well I say fuck that, gwb wasn't even elected and he ruled as though he won in a landslide.

for Democrats instead of staying home. That usually works pretty well. When they don't, we get Walker, and lose Feingold. Not a good bargain.

I'm talking about 2010, my DU friend.

But lets not ignore everything that happened before 2010, my DU friend :). Yes this election brought us Walker. But the last election was supposed to bring us one of the most progressive presidents atleast in my life time. And if Obama had come in cracking heads as the republicans have atleast we would have seen some real significant accomplishments. Obama lost big time in 2010 because of the course he chose, I believe if he had taken a different course things would be much better now. Even if we still had significant losses atleast we would have some real progressive policies to show for those losses.

You can blame all the people that didn't get excited. You can blame all the people that got angry and stayed home on purpose. But while doing that how much blame do you assign to the president and the democratic party? He got everyones hopes up in 2008, as the democrats did in 2006. And what did he do with all that hope? Someone pointed me to this awesome quote yesterday:

"Unfortunately, when hope diminishes, the hate is often turned most bitterly toward those who originally built up the hope." ~Martin Luther King Jr.

It couldn't ring more true in this case.

do what you want. You think?

home on election day have no right to complain.

When do you think it's time for democrats to start learning their lesson? Or do they not have any lessons to learn?