If you were to believe the electorate, we're more progressive than ever. And we've elected more progressive Democrats to Congress than ever. We routinely show polls on this site that show we're really progressive and not center-right and mock the media that promotes the meme.
Yet, even now, if you look at the power of the various groups in Congress, it is clear that we're being governed as if we were a center-right country. It's time progressives figured out what power means and what to do to change the center-right governing dynamic we're living with.
Let's start with the Republicans...
If you consider the Republicans since the election, a person with half a brain can see that they are a "rump" party, are driven by the right-wing noise machine, have people that will follow them despite their own self-interests being the exact opposite of their needs, are now to the point where it is clear the party is racist and they have nothing political remaining except to say "no," delay, water down legislation, and then unify on voting everything down.
Yet, the Republicans have achieved historic victories since the 2008 elections, ones that would make any Republican today proud. Consider the following:
They have moved the bar on what it means to be a "majority" in the Senate from 51 votes to 60. They have defined bipartisanship as needing up to 80 votes in the Senate. Democrats are so concerned about "that 60th" vote that the traditional media now quotes 60 votes as what is needed to pass legislation in the Senate. What a huge victory for a rump party: even when there are only two Republicans left in the Senate, they will have power.
Second, the Republicans have gutted the traditional media role of finding facts and disputing lies made to them. You can go to the fancy TV machine any day of the week and watch Republicans simply lie on the air with no push back at all. And when you want to instill fear into the American electorate, making stuff up and calling it part of the socialist Democratic agenda on TV and radio is a good place to start.
Third, let's see the real power of the Republicans in legislation. We had a President that, despite all the evidence of past recessions and that little Great Depression, simply put 40% of the Stimulus bill as tax cuts instead of spending money on infrastructure with no return in votes from them. What a victory: a watered down impact from stimulus and a validation of our tax cut meme -- and we can blame the Democrats for whatever we want!
Or the part where Democrats accepted 160 Republican amendments -- that undoubtedly watered down the bill -- in the health care committee hearings. The Republicans have to love that: water down the bill and still vote no and then blame the Democrats!
Until the Democrats start treating the Republicans as irrelevant, ignore their amendments, and stop treating 60 votes as the number needed to get anything done in the Senate, we will be governed as if we were a center-right nation. Rump party? They have more power then the Democrats because the Democrats give it to them.
Then there are the Blue Dogs. Sure, we need more Democrats, but who needs Republicans when Blue Dogs will support the Republican positions anyway? But because we call them Democrats, all of our focus from the leadership on down, including the President, is how to make the Blue Dogs from saying "no" to the legislation.
The Blue Dogs have power because they are perfectly willing to ignore any Democratic party platform they feel like for the good of campaign contributions and vote "no" on a bill. They have power because they are willing to say no and then follow through on it when it comes time to a vote. Just look at Baukus or Nelson to see how they will support moving health care to a 60-vote requirement on cloture than simply oppose the bill when it comes to the floor.
As long Democrats enable the Blue Dogs, the Blue Dogs will wield their power with no threat of consequence and we will be governed as a center-right nation.
But the Progressives!! They have numbers, they make statements, what about them? Here's what it is about the progressives: they are never willing to vote no on something that comes out that doesn't match their principles or convictions. They cave. Every. Single. Time. Because they never say no, progressives have no power.
Single payer health insurance for reform? You know, the system that is used by every other civilized country in the world that produces lower cost heath care and better health results for its population? Wasn't even offered as a possibility by the Administration nor the Congressional leadership because the leadership told progressives that the bill will never pass because of the Republicans and Blue Dogs (the ones with power..). The progressive position was never even considered a possibility because the progressives have no power because they never say no.
Even if we stamp our feet, the most we can do is get a meeting with the President where the essential question is "how much will you give away your needs for a bill?" Don't worry about the progressives; they will cave -- where else can they go?
That ridiculously named "public option?" Well, we need to give that up too in the name of getting a bill. Progressives will just have to go along with it because we got some reform that won't solve the health care crisis. Nancy Pelosi will wave a bill that has support of the Blue Dogs and one Republican Senator and demand that the progressives play ball and the progressives will cave. They always have.
As long as the Democrats are willing to treat the Republicans like they are a real party and as long as the progressives will cave to the Blue Dogs, the power structure in Washington won't change regardless of how many Democrats or how many "good" Democrats we elect. We will be governed as if we are a center-right nation.
And that's too bad for the country. I think it's time for the progressives to say "no" to a bad health care bill that does nothing except force individuals to buy insurance from companies who have no interest in their health with no real alternative. Think of how it would change the dynamics of the debate.
But, until proven otherwise, I'll just watch progressives cave and live with my intense frustration.