drational's diary, Karl Rove is Tricking You Again asserts a "schism" is being generated in the Democratic party through trickery:
The FISA update was specifically pushed before the Congressional Summer Recess to generate exactly the reaction it has:
1. Remove Pressure from the Administration on purely domestic spying.
2. Fracture the Democratic Party, to create an issue of "more importance" to the progressives previously focusing their anger on the Administration.
... if you have bought into the current Democratic left-center schism, you are being manipulated by shrewd political players. You are a part of a media/issue framing exercise specifically designed to distract attention away from Administration illegality.
Up to a point, I agree with what drational says. But, the trick is not in shining the spotlight on a "schism within the Democratic party," because there is no such schism. Wrong, you say? I disagree, and I'll tell you why below the fold.
First, let me say this is my view of the situation. We all know the facts. drational presented the evidence well. I am not going to dump a bunch of links in here to counter potential flames. So, take this as an opinion piece. Your considered thoughts on the opinion are welcome, but please recognize this is not a research paper.
The "schism within the Democratic party" is only a perception, one mostly accepted by our party, and certainly of use to the Republican spin machine. I am convinced that the "schism" is not within the Democratic party. In fact, it is not even between Republicans and Democrats. The real "schism" is of larger, historic proportion.
Given our current situation and form of government, the "schism" is not just natural, it is to be expected. Rove only uses the situation generated by a natural divide between our Constitution and a Unitary Executive. This "schism" has existed for 5 years at least and will not go away until one force or the other evolves as the clear winner, the Constitution or the Unitary Executive.
Rovian intentions are irrelevant to OUR reactions. Clearly the reactions of our leadership are driven by what they expect Rove to do next, a self-defeating decision-making tool.
The "schism" is NOT generated by Rove, it existed long before this latest ploy. This "schism" is clear, pervasive, mission-defining and simple. Is the Democratic party leadership going to defend our constitutional form of government, or waffle and wriggle under the thumb of the Unitary Executive?
The "schism" can be resolved in one of two ways:
- Leadership listens to those of us shouting warnings and takes action to stop the Unitary Executive doctrine, or;
- We stop shouting warnings and join with the rest of the sheep who would bleat mildly while following the Unitary Executive down the path to tyranny.
There are NO other options to resolve this "schism." For myself, there only two options:
- Keep shouting until either Democratic leadership begins to fight back, or until the tyrants kill me, or;
- STFU and get out of the country.
The real choices are that clear and simple, no matter how you nuance it.
The only uncertainty is the timing involved as it relates to personal choices. That is, only I can decide when I feel tyranny is inevitable due to leadership intransigence and make the choice most appropriate for me.
The reason this appears to be a Democratic "schism" is that we are the only party with members that recognize the danger of the Unitary Executive. But, make no mistake the battle is not about Democratic flavors, it is about forms of government.