As I watch Rachel tonight, she has just asked Melissa Harris-Perry why Democrats do not simply defend the Institutions under attack by Republicans.
There is a very simple answer.
Rachel did an excellent piece on the United States Postal Service. In her inimitable "Geeky" way, a way I adore as it happens, she both informed and educated me.
She pointed out that the USPS is a Government Institution with an 83% approval rating among Americans. She then cut to a House Committee getting all bent out of shape over a labor deal that both the Union and the Management feel is a "tough but fair" deal.
Shortly thereafter she described the GOP assault on Medicare. Medicare, along with Social Security, the two most beloved programs today. Beloved not just by Democrats, all seniors seem relatively content with those programs, and if they need changing, it would only be to make them better.
She asked Melissa Harris-Perry, a contributor I have a great deal of time for, why the Democrats do not simply push back by defending theses "Big Government Programs". After all, they would be on the side of the angels. It is the lowest of "low-hanging fruit", yet the Democrats in Congress, many of them, and the DNC seem unwilling or unalbe to hold a clear, unambiguous position, which pretty much gives the Republicans a free pass to frame the debate, and move the center even further right.
Harris-Perry gave a complex and probably accurate answer, as she often does. To my mind however, it doesn't require such a detailed explanation. The reason Democrats can't get their act together on this is very simple:
Democrats do not have a philosophy
There, said it. Democrats, at least on the national stage, do not have a clear, and clearly defined philosophy. They cannot offer a stong and clear alternative to the attempt by the GOP and Tea Party to destroy middle America, because they don't know what the hell they stand for.
So terrified are they of being labeled "Socialist", that they vacillate on every issue. Instead of saying to the country .... You may label us any way you like, but we will fight for Social Security, we will defend Medicare and Medicaid, and we will not cease until the middle classes have jobs, people are safe in their homes, and our schools are educating our children.
We will not stop until the hungry are fed, and the sick are healed. We will defend the nurses, the teachers, law enforcement and fire-fighters and we will do it because we believe that THEY are the real Americans.
Call us Socialists, call us whatever you want, because we are calling Americans and we are telling them not what they can do for their country, they already know that. We are telling them what their country is doing for them, and we are telling them that you, the Republicans, are calling that Socialism and trying to take it away from you.
Get yourselves a philosophy, a big idea, a New Deal for America, if you wish, but make it something you believe in, something America believes in ... Then fight for it.
If you continue to be invertebrates, and simply try to be better Republicans than the GOP, and continue to follow the agenda, instead of setting it, then you will lose.
I don't care much about Congresscritters losing their jobs, but when you lose I lose, my family loses, my friends lose and America loses.
What pisses me off the most is that I suspect that many Democratic Congressmen know this, yet have neither the skills nor the courage to fight for what they believe for fear of their jobs and influence.
For them I have another message .... It's not about you. That is not why we sent you there.
Now get up off your ass, and get to work!