I've learned something very improtant since Sunday morning.
Let's recap for a moment.
On This Week with George Stephanopolus, Russ Feingold announced that he would introduce a resolution to censure President Bush.
True to his word, Feingold introduced the resolution around 3PM EST on Monday on the floor of the Senate. After some weird theatrics by Arlen Spectre, Senator Frist tried to call for an immediate vote in order to embarrass the Democrats.
But that wasn't the bad part....the bad part is still going on...that is, our congressional democrats are still RUNNING AWAY from Russ's Resolution. They're actually hiding. According to press reports, there are few who will speak for the record. So the unattributed accounts of "Democratic Staffers" proceed to Trash Russ.
While this is going on several on-line petitions in support of Russ are being circulated and one of them collected over 200,000 on-line signatures OVERNIGHT! You can see the petition here
In addition, The Nation has an editorial which every liberal/progressive shoud read entitled A Pecular Politician which you can read here.
It says, in part:
The senator is peculiar in this era of decaying> democracy. There was a time, believe it or not, when his type was a> familiar presence in the Senate. I think of Sam Ervin of North> Carolina, a conservative Democrat on most matters but always a lion on> the Constitution. Ervin is remembered for his heroic role in the> investigation of Watergate. Old-timers remember that before Watergate,> Senator Sam led courageous hearings on the illegal spying on civilians> by the Army and FBI (Democratic scandals predating Nixon).>> When liberalism was in flower, the Senate always included a good mix of> such maverick voices. They were party loyalists but departed on principle> in ways that sometimes kept the majority honest. Voted against the> President's war in Vietnam and never let up. Ernest Gruening of Alaska,> Wayne Morse of Oregon, Albert Gore Sr. of Tennessee. Phil Hart of> Michigan was his own one-man reform party. George McGovern of South> Dakota was another.>>
We might ask why the Republican Party has not produced a similar> collection of independent thinkers. We might mourn the fact that> pursuing a career in the Senate no longer seems compatible with> stubborn self-directed character.
The media, instead of kissing off> Feingold as a dumb politician, might do a little honest reporting on> the substance of what he is saying.>> For the moment, however, let us celebrate the man. The club will try> to shove him in a closet and forget his little unpleasantness ever> happened. I hope they fail and other Dems are properly embarrassed.> Amid scandals in high places, Senator Feingold is fresh air. The> country should rise up and sing.
In addition, I haven't heard a single Democrat, either in the blogosphere, liberal radio or liberal columns who has criticized or condemned Feingold for his resolution. Not one!
So why have only 5 (by some accounts five, by other accounts only one, Tom Harkin of Iowa) Democrats standing behind Russ?
That's where we get to WHAT I HAVE LEARNED..
What I have learned is that our politicians in Congress don't give a rip about what we think.....they don't fear us anymore. They don't give a rip....
Oh, to be sure they want our vote, but let's face it: We don't have anywhere else to go. Who among us would vote for a Republican over a Democrat? Not many. So in a sense, they know they have our vote by default and don't actually need our money because the big bucks people will keep them in office...the single issue voters will finance their campaigns, and, in the end, we'll have no choice to but to "throw the lever" for them.
They're safe.
Or are they?
How much more will we take before we exercise some "options"?
Options like: Throwing our support behind a candidate to run against them in a primary.
Options like: Forming a coalition with the Green Party?
Would we actually go so far as to "sit out" the next election and let the Republicans take a seat by default in order to run against a weak Republican in two years?
I don't know the answer. All these "solutions" have been mentioned in other corners of the blogosphere but I doubt if there is any organized movement. But there could be an organized movement.
A Democratic Consultant recently warned our "leaders" in DC about ignoring the blogs....he said they should do so "at their peril". He' s right. I wrote a short piece on it here.
If a revolution within the Democratic party starts, it will most certainly start on the blogs.
Like right here.
Like right now.
hizzhoner
Let's talk about this.......
About Me
- hizzoner
- I have been involved in politics since I was 18 years old....let's just say that was a considerably long time ago. I've been in legislative service, I've been in local government as both staff and an elected official (three times actually). I have an almost child-like belief in the good that government can do and have always felt that it was my duty to make government work for the people it represented no matter what venue I was in. If I have any admirable trait at all, I think it must be insight. Maybe there's something to the zodiac sign business afterall because my sign says that I am supposed to have special insights into people and I have found that it's true....at least thus far.