Originally Posted on the JollyRanter.com
It's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that I can't. You see, only you can help yourselves. And yet, time and again, you won't.
Tax cuts for the middle class. You could have helped yourselves by passing tax cuts for the middle class. But you didn't. Not only that, you wouldn't even fight for it. If you had fought for middle class tax cuts, you could have helped yourself. But you choose not to. You were too worried about Rethugs running distorted ads? Guess what... they are still going to run distorted ads, AND we are still waiting for the tax cuts. Talk about a lose-lose situation!
Health Care Reform. You had the chance to enact real reform. You didn't need 60 votes, and if you recall, you didn't get 60 votes for the half-hearted measure you passed. You took single payer off the table, before the dinner was even planned! Then you told us we need a public option at least. And then you pissed that away. You dangled early buy-in for Medicare for those over 50, then yanked that away. And the modest reforms are great for those that have insurance or can afford insurance. (I am not trying to make light of the elimination of annual and lifetime caps, pre-existing conditions, etc. But that is not where the crisis lay. The crisis is, and continues to be, the Tens of Millions without insurance) What about a family making $50,000 a year? Please explain to me how they will afford a $15,000 a year policy. And you wonder why we aren't dancing in the streets?
Stimulus Bill. You had the country behind you after President Obama's inauguration. And what did you do? You cut back on funding to the states and other stimulus funding to give tax cuts to those that are making money! Guess what? If they are making money, they don't need a tax cut! It's the companies that aren't making money that needed help (since they weren't making money, they paid no taxes and didn't need to cut taxes that were already at zero!) Before they closed or cut thousands of jobs. Why didn't you try direct jobs by having the government hire people for specific projects?
Wall Street Reform. Are you kidding me? You had the support of the country to reign in Wall Street, to get some of our money back. At the very least, you could throw a couple rascals in jail. But no, you pass weak reforms that might work, if the administration in power at any point in time decides to regulate the industry. But we've seen what happens when nebulous regulations are laxly enforced, or not enforced at all (see BP Horizon, Massey Energy coal mines, etc.). Elizabeth Warren is a good start, but how long will she be there? 2 years? What happens then?
Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT). Really? What's wrong with you people? We are in the 21st century. If you can't keep up, just get out the way and let a new generation show you how to do it. (I'm old, so I don't want to hear any crap about picking on old people!) It is a national security and a fiscal issue. Are we really safer without the gay Arabic translators? What about the average $42,000 in training costs pissed away (not to mention the much higher costs of military academy graduates). Just do the right thing. Force the Republicans to stand up a debate it for hours on end. Let's get them all on record with their nonsense. Keep hammering on those who say they're against DADT, but won't actually cast a vote to end it. Make Sen. Collins vote.
In the end, I can't help you win this fight. This is a fight only you can win. The first step is deciding to fight. If you won't fight, why should we? We'll help you beat back the bullies, but first you need to see that they are bullies. Then you need to gather the courage to fight the bullies. I'm not sure which is worse- are you too afraid to fight the bullies, or do you not want to fight at all. Maybe you like the way things are. I don't know, and frankly, I no longer care. If you won't fight, we can't help you. We'll find someone else we can help. Someone who will fight.