Is there anything more irritating than the "there's only one party" farce?

[AmericaIsGreat]

Americans should be forced to watch/listen to debates on the floors of the Senate/House on C-SPAN's channels AND be forced to analyze sites like OpenCongress or OnTheIssues. Only then will they stop repeating this inane bullshit about there being only one party and all politicians being uninterested in getting things done for the people of this country.

Here's how it always works out:

1. Democrats introduce bill to do something good, normally overwhelmingly supported by the public (e.g., punish companies for sending jobs offshore)
2. Republicans counter with fear-mongering that doesn't even make sense (e.g. "This will scare companies and make them send jobs offshore!")
3. There's a debate and, inevitably, with no support from the right, the bill dies
4. Americans, ever outspoken about the problems of companies sending jobs offshore, and having heard in passing that the bill has died, blame both sides for not wanting to fix the problem, or, more typically, completely ignorant that there was an attempt by one party to fix the problem, claim that neither party is trying to do anything to fix the problem.

Sure, Democrats don't help themselves when a ton of them vote to extend the Patriot Act and those blue-dog shit-heads always get in the way, but if you DO watch debates on C-SPAN and you DO look at how voting for various legislation breaks down, you are able to make a fairly easy conclusion: one party consistently votes to fuck this country up the ass with its obsession with corporate profit, their Christian faith, "fiscal conservatism" (lol) and helping the poor/less privileged by...not helping them at all.

There are definitely two parties in our political system and you can definitely predict which one will fight for what. The American public needs to stop being so fucking lazy. C-SPAN films the fucking debates and puts them online and on TV. Sites track who votes how. There's no excuse for the amount of ignorance we see.

[Bonobo]

1. Perspective is everything. nt

[villager]

2. Yes -- Democrats repeatedly caving in to Republicans, so the net effect is: Only one party

n/t

[elocs]

3. That was the meme going around in the 2000 election and many Dems bought it.

Like a President Al Gore would have done the same as George Bush.

[JVS]

4. Yes, there is.

[ixion]

5. Indeed.

[JVS]

10. Yep.

:nodshead:

[markpkessinger]

6. Yes -- the ongoing fiction that there are two. n/t

[FighttheFuture]

8. Yes! You beat me too it.

[Poll_Blind]

7. Oh yes there is: That most of the GOP and about 75% of our party have been BOUGHT by corporate....

...interests. If I would have wanted to vote Raytheon into the House or Senate, I would have written them in...

PB

[TheWraith]

9. YES! Thank you!

Sheesh, there's little I hate more than this. PARTICULARLY from people on here. I swear, if you even believe for ONE FUCKING MILLISECOND the idea that "they're all the same," it means that you have not been paying attention AT ALL.

[JNelson6563]

11. Sorry friend, you're playing to the wrong room

Here at DU is one of the largest concentrations of "Dems are just like Repubs" folks. What irritates the crap out of you is their main staple. You might have better luck at a real Dem site.

Julie

[OHdem10]

12. Devil's advocate here: When the Democrats had both houses

and the Presidency, why did we always end up with
Republican Lite Legislation.

Secondly why do many of our Democrats always vote
with the Republicans over our own party.

Just asking.

[AmericaIsGreat]

18. Yes, the Dems were being pussies back then

So as not to cause controversy and just get stuff passed quickly before they gave up the house. I think they have learned a thing or two since then.

And I challenge the claim that "many" Democrats "always" vote with the Republicans. I have not seen that to be the case. An incredible number of voting comes down almost completely by party lines.

[socialist_n_TN]

13. Well they ARE both corporatist parties.

However, one of them is rapidly turning into a fascist party. So yes, there's a little bit of daylight opening up. But NEITHER really represents the people.

[yurbud]

14. the Blue Dog/DLC shitheads are such a big factor that they need to be included in your outline

otherwise, there is no explanation for weak or no progressive legislation passing even when Democrats have clear majorities in both chambers--the problem is, a lot of democratic pols aren't.

[xphile]

15. Of course there's something more irritating. Democrats caving and proving the people who say

there's only one party correct.

I find that very fucking annoying.

[Odin2005]

16. LOL, Obama proved that "farce" to be 100% true.

[AmericaIsGreat]

17. No he didn't.

We've had plenty of legislation, including two historic pieces of legislation, that were driven by one party.

I'm not arguing Dems aren't influenced by corporate interests and lobbying but they are not the same as Republicans.

The fact that Repubs constantly oppose legislation from the Dems and vice versa shows us there are two parties.