Rant
God I am so sick and tired of the stream of disappointing and disheartening news coming out of Washington from Obama to Harry Reid and the Senate and Nancy Pelosi and the House.
I remember not that far back when many here were giddy about Senate Dems denying turncoat Dem Arlen Specter his seniority on this and that Senate Committee. There was a diary on the rec list then with many in the comments expressing joy that the Democrats had finally found their spine. I had my doubts...and expressed them in a diary here.
Now, after a few weeks, I feel like my skepticism was too well placed.
The list of spinelessness and caving in to the opposition at the faintest suggestion that there might be some political difficulties in taking a progressive stand just seems to grow exponentially from day to day.
When will the Obama and the Democrats realize that they hold all the real power in Washington and the country...when will they realize that the country has moved left on all the important issues of the day...when will they realize that the country is no longer susceptible to the fear-mongering of Karl Rove and his acolytes... and when will they realize that the country is no longer in the frame of mind to be scared into supporting stupid-ass wars, policies, and weak-assed legislation...WHEN Already????
Here are some of the current headlines making their way around with my quick take on them - in no particular order:
- Congress votes to allow loaded guns in national parks
- Harry Reid & Dems follow Republican fear-mongering stupidity on refusing to fund the closing of Gitmo and of moving some of the prisoners to the US.
- Obama administration sides with Bush Admin in calling for the dismissal of Plame & Wilson case against Cheney, Libby, et al.
- Obama removes any mention of repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell from his web site (& Administration's priorities?) Patriotic gay and lesbian soldiers serving our country with distinction continued to be discarded from the military and treated as second-class citizens and Obama does nothing about it!
- Congress fails to pass cramdown mortgage relief
- Congress fails to pass meaningful credit card reform that sets limits on interest rates
- Congress and the President refuses to investigate Bush, Cheney and their minions for war crimes. And they continue to refuse to make any serious noise about such investigations even when Ex-Vice President Dick Cheney (and his daughter) is on the TV constantly and relentlessly criticizing the Obama administration for making the country less safe and for defending the indefensible. His antics actually have Republicans calling for at least some type of investigations and still the Democrats refuse to act.
So I am tired of hearing that "Elections have consequences." It’s a popular phrase around here and in Congress. Unfortunately, it only seems to be true when Republicans take hold the reigns of power. Uhhhg!