Democrats Are Petrified of Defending Government—but They Need to Start

[n2doc]

by Michael Tomasky

If you number yourself among my longer-suffering readers, you may know that one of the occasional hobbyhorses I ride for 800 words is my immense frustration that Democrats are terrified of defending government. Oh, some of them do sometimes. But mostly they defend ends, not means. That is: They defend this or that program or policy goal, but they don’t defend the vehicle that provides it, the federal government.

Now you are already sitting at your whetstone, sharpening your knife, ready to instruct me in all the reasons it would be preposterous for the Democrats to do this. I know the reasons already. But they’re wrong. Because look, folks: The Democrats are the party of government. It’s the basic reason a person is a Democrat in the first place—Democrats disagree about loads of things, but the one principle they all subscribe to is a belief that the federal government can and must intervene in the economic and social spheres to even things out. And the rejection of that belief is the basic reason a person is a Republican.

So government is the fundamental dividing line. And yet, for the past 30 years, what kind of debate about this have we had? We’ve had one side relentlessly attacking government as incompetent to evil, and the other side saying nothing, being too cowed to stand up and say that government is, and does, good. Elected officials don’t do it, and even the progressive political professionals don’t do it.

Think of this: Of all the dozens of groups out there that make up what we call the liberal infrastructure, the think thanks and interest-group nonprofits and so on, there is not a single entity whose goal is the defense of government. Given this, it’s perfectly reasonable that such large majorities think the government is awful, because you have the government haters telling them for three decades how awful government is and the government defenders saying nothing.

more

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/04/democrats-are-petrified-of-defending-government-but-they-need-to-start.html

[marble falls]

1. The last election proves your pudding.

[kentuck]

2. That means...

Whatever the Repubs are for, Democrats should be against. That would make it a lot easier, wouldn't it?

And "government" needs taxes to run the programs for the people. And Democrats that continue to support taxcuts are not Democrats at all, including many here on DU.

[fredamae]

3. Petrified Or a Change of Heart?

I'm having trouble these days accepting the argument that "Dems are too chicken" to do their jobs. I don't believe that anymore. I don't believe they're "dumb" either.
The question for me is: Are Dems Chicken or Cooperating by remaining silent? The Dems Party I dedicated myself to in the late 1950's would have Never remained silent nor "made deals" under the Ruse of Bipartisanship/Comity/Cooperation. They would have Called Bullshit loudly, Often and left NO Doubt who they stood With. And That, my friends was the Working Class and Poor. Most of you are too young to remember This Democratic Party.


If you know and Like the Elizabeth Warrren Wing? Or agree with Sen Sanders? Then you also must understand they reflect the mission, policies and values of the Dem Wing of the Old “Pre Corporatized” Class of greedy, wealthy self-serving assholes we elected. Using “We’re Not Them/We’re Not With POTUS” is the biggest load of compost I’ve seen yet.

[nichomachus]

4. If you don't like government, taxes, healthcare, regulations, public education, etc

May I suggest Somalia. It is a libertarian's paradise. It even has open carry and unlimited guns.

[librechik]

5. don't need to defend government to defend Democracy--Bernie does it just fine

Elizabeth Warren, too.

oh, BTW--liberal infrastructure? Is the author demented? Where and what is that???

[WillyT]

6. K & R !!!

[MisterP]

7. hmm, usually that just means "defend whatever the government's currently doing"

i.e., Gingrichcare, austerity lowering deficits, and bubbles pushing up the stock market