Over the course of the past few years it has become evident that not only do we have Republicans and their Dear Leader's extreme agenda to blame for recent defeats to progressive causes. We must also blame Democrats. Whether it was the 2001 or 2003 tax cuts or the Medicare or Energy Bills Democratic appeasers have abandoned their core supporters. None of the appeasers have been held to account. Contrast this to what happens when Republicans buck the party line. We all remember the infamous ads that targeted Olypia Snowe and George Voinovich.
So the question is why do so many Democrats appease the Regressives and so few Republicans cross them? One answer is the Club for Growth ( http://www.clubforgrowth.org ). The Club for Growth's primary mission is not to target Democrats (although they do), they target moderate Republicans. In 2004 they are targeting Arlen Specter through their support for Pat Toomey. In Arizona they unsuccessfully tried to persuade Congressman Jeff Flake to run against John McCain. Even if campaigns such as these are not successful (and many are) a message has been sent to Republicans who vote against their agenda.
I suggest that those who believe in Progressive goals, policies and institutions such as universal health care, progressive taxation, social security, medicare, and a clean environment need a similar organization.
I know what many are thinking. Many will say that there is little we can do about Senators and congressman from "red states" who appease the Regressives. This is partially true, but remember Red State Senators were not the only ones who voted for Bush's agenda.
Although Al Gore won California easily and Bush had no mandate in 2001 Dianne Fienstein voted for final passage of Bush's 2001 tax cut. She also supported the Bush medicare bill. She would be the perfect target for a Democratic verison of the Club for Growth. Such an organization would have been able to run ads criticizing her supporting the 2001 tax cut. This could have made her think twice about voting against cloture and passage of the medicare bill.
Tom Daschle supports the Bush Energy Bill. So far he has not been held to account. If there was Democratic version of the Club for Growth, it could not only urge members to send letters and e-mails criticing Daschle, it could also run ads that urge Democratic Senators to choose a leader that will represent Democrats, not Bush voters.
Such a pressure group would have also been helpful in 1993, when Democrats in congress did not do enough to support the Clinton Health Care Plan. In 2001 and 2002 progressives would have been well served by a group that would have urged the gutless Democratic leadership to forcefully support progressive legislation (to my knowledge, not a single Democratic Senator suggested that the Senate at least debate legislation that would ensure universal health care).
Obviously a main goal of such a group would also be to support solidly progressive candidates in primary races for the House and Senate. This would be done in the same way the Club for Growth (and EMILY's List)supports their candidates: through bundling contributions.
The current generation of House and Senate Democrats have failed the Progressives who elected them. Not only has the Democratic Leadership not forcefully advocated a Progressive agenda for the 21st century, many Democrats (even those in safe seats) have appeased those who want to tear apart everything that progressives achieved in the 20th century. A message needs to be sent to spineless Democrats in Washington. Howard Dean's campaign has helped, but progressives need a more permanent organization to hold Democratic appeasers to account. If they are not held to account, the Democrats who supported the Bush tax cut, Energy, and medicare bills will replaced by Democrats that will roll over when the Regressives attempt to do such things as END Medicare and Social Security and replace whats left of a progressive federal tax code with a Flat Tax or even worse a national sales tax.
