You said:
'... which seems to mean my job under this administration is to 'clap louder and like it.'
No. You are not working for the administration, are you? Collecting a paycheck?
Probably not. That means you are probably working for "Americans to get more and - eventually - better liberals and Democrats Elected."
Look, we're all disappointed with the Dem's performance. Well, Nancy has pleasantly surprised me. Otherwise you and I and Deaniac83 could come up with a entire litany of 'things that could have been done better.'
Still, Yes We Did a lot of work. Good stuff, working right now. But there is other where we need to fill in the terms of legislation. Some things take 2 or 3 years to get started in the real world.
jmkiru, the Dems are your employees. We tell them what to do. I mentioned that you're working for the wrong boss. Meet me downstairs beneath the fold if you'd like to work for us and and want a new assignment.
Your job is to face the media here, for the next couple months and recite out loud the things that they have done right. Moreover, do so in your community. Through the end of November. Excite the independents and moderates and even some of those left-leaning libertarian types.
Better Democrats in a minority party is a poor strategy for lasting change. So long as if we hold a tight leash the Democratic and other such public servants, we will have good, lasting change. The list of legislation that still needs building onto and buttressing is pretty long. It will take much time and effort for some of that to be correctly and firmly into place if we can institute it. Frankly, we need more time to to insist on effective, gracious government until eventually it takes root as 'How things are done'. That produces better Democrats.
But we're not going to refute the tea-bagger world view and the Neoconservative fascist world view without cheering on our team in a time of disquiet and uncertainty. Come 2011, sure, let's rise up and smite the Democratic party if we must for poor grades. Obama's is now slowly coming around to giving up on the GOP, but he's still a moderate and I think slow change on deep things is his style despite a heavy workload of law and early changes put into place. If we can hold on to the Senate, I might prefer seeing what happens in the Senate without Reid. Too bad, he was a good parliamentarian against the Republicans when we were in the minority, but he did not use it effectively against the filibuster. If he stays, we need to pressure Obama to get on his case and stand firmer.
But to be fair, remember we have done a lot in the face of 200 lb.temper tamtrum politics. And, as I always say, we need to get implemented aggressive public funding of elections to be the law of the land. Imaging trying that if we loose the House. Still, even the tea-bagger split lowers the bar on a general distrust among some independents with its Neocon on steroids ideology. Let's remind people of how the face of bigotry has shown itself. Votes will be split from the GOP this year. And yet, we are looking like we have a poor chance, when it's actually better that that. A win gives us the chance to start forcing moderates onto the Republican party. And Obama would probably be with and audience who might allow themselves to be swayed. In other words, he'd be in his element.
We need to convince the many Americans on the fence that we are doing better by moving leftward. The center always floats. Some of them will stay on this one more time, or finally get on-board altogether if this community, united, has its way. Together until November, done right, we'll find our better Democrats over the next few years. Split apart and bickering, we're media tools.
For now, yes, clap louder. Do it for your country.