Democrats and the Politics of Failure

[marmar]

from The American Prospect:



Democrats and the Politics of Failure

Even if congressional Democrats have been legitimately stymied by Republicans on their legislative agenda, they are still going to have to answer to voters.

Terence Samuel | December 14, 2007 | web only



What a difference a year makes. Last year, when Congress adjourned for the holiday break, triumphant Democrats, still basking in the glow of their November victories could not wait to get back to town to take on President Bush.

Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi declared then: "Democrats are prepared to govern and ready to lead." She suggested that the president would find out very quickly how much the elections had upended his world: "He will walk into a new place, where America's families' issues will have been addressed even before the State of the Union."

But despite all the evidence of global warming, this December has not been quite as warm for Democrats as last; the storyline trailing them as they head home for the holiday break is that, once again, for what seems like the gazillionth time, they have capitulated to the White House on important priorities: They voted more money for the Iraq War this week; they allowed Michael Mukasey to be confirmed as attorney general even though he was ambivalent on the issue of torture; the illegal warrantless wiretapping continues, and nothing they have done has had any perceptible impact on ending the war in Iraq. They have lost dozens of votes on Iraq from cutting funding to lengthening leave time for soldiers. So despite the tough political climate in which President Bush finds himself?he has a 28 percent approval rating in some public polls?he has consistently been portrayed as the winner while Democrats continue to wear the loser tag.

In recent days, one story after another has built on the now familiar theme:"Democrats Bow to Bush's Demands in House Spending Bill," declared The Washington Post. From CQ: "Senate Republicans Keep Democrats Off Balance." "Dems Cave On Spending," screamed another headline in The Hill.

And rather than responding to allegations of ineffectiveness, Democrats offer instead a long checklist of accomplishments: a minimum-wage increase, ethics reform, implementation of 9-11 Commission recommendations, a good chunk of the appropriation bills done, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=democrats_and_the_politics_of_failure