I don't belong to an organized political party. I'm a Democrat.
~Will Rodgers
Joe Gandelman had a post today on this post to day on this post at Balloon Juice. Apparently Ed Schulz let Obama have it with both barrels at the Netroots get together yesterday. Joe points out that while the conservative talkers and bloggers are attempting to rehabilitate George W. Bush the progressive talkers and bloggers are attacking Obama.
The irony is that Obama has had enough problems with Republicans, his own bumpy performance, an administration that was more professional conceptually than in actual operation � and now he is facing it from Democrats.
As Republicans rehabilitate George W. Bush and in effect indicate that they intend to enact Bush�s agenda, and as some analysts say if the GOP takes over the House they can kill health care reform by a thousand cuts, there are increasing signs that Democrats will stay home in November. Which means the day after they�ll wonder how it is that the Republicans took over the House and perhaps the Senate.
The original idea of many who pressed for progressive talk was that Democrats need it as part of their own info machine, to circle the wagons, go on the attack and counter the GOP�s info machine which in many ways now has Rush Limbaugh as its de facto operator.
The irony now is that some of these progressive figures, in the end, may motivate Democrats to stay home in November as conservatives most assuredly get a big turnout to vote against Obama � and Congressional Democrats.
Now I am no fan of Ed Schultz - I don't listen to his radio program or watch his Tee Vee show. In fact I think he's an ass who's primary motivation was his feelings were hurt because he is being ignored. That said I have been quick to attack Obama, as I did this morning, along with many other progressives.
We have a several things going on here. In the quote above Will Rodgers nailed it. While the Republicans are tribal and will defend tribe members even when they are wrong Democrats are driven by ideology. Of course Republicans do redefine the tribe - the Eisenhower, Nixon and Goldwater Republicans have been driven from the party and I doubt that Ronald Reagan would be nominated by today's Republican party. But there never has been a Democratic tribe. Now there is a progressive tribe and a Republican lite DLC tribe. Once it was determined that Obama was a member of the latter it should have been no surprise that he would be attacked by the progressive tribe.
There is a wild card here - the Tea Party. Although the movement was originally an astroturf movement started by Dick Armey and Koch Industries there is evidence that it may be getting out of control and become a threat to the Republican tribe.
There's a huge difference between the Republican tribe and your so-called "progressive tribe." The Republicans support their leaders no matter what they do, even if it is exactly opposite of their stated core principles, as long as those leaders piss off the enemy (liberals). A "progressive" attacks his/her leaders if they deliver anything less than what that particular person defines as perfection (and there's zero consistency among this "tribe's" members). That's because the Republicans are a tribe, and are devoted to defeating their enemy. Progressives are not a tribe, and saying they are driven by ideology is just another way of saying they are children who don't understand that their petulance eventually eliminates any chance of their side making any actual progress. Seems progress would be something people who call themselves progressives would want, but they want immediate perfection, and end up setting the struggles of liberals back years as a result whenever their "tribe" takes power.
ReplyDeleteNo one has done more to rehabilitate Bush than Obama. You can't reach out to the Republicans for 18 months and adopt most of their ideas and then turn around and tell the American people that the Republicans are the bogeyman.
ReplyDeleteIt won't work. It's not only soulless, it's impractical.
BTW, if wanting Habeus Corpus is purism, then the Founding Fathers were dirty fvcking hippies.
Carl is exactly what Gandelman is talking about. Too bad it will take a Repulican take over of the House to make some people remember exactly what they are all about.
ReplyDeleteIf you think Obama is the same as Bush, as Carl does, you're hopeless.
And if you're willing to excuse gutting habeas corpus, continuing to torture, cutting off abortion funds and so on, then you're soulless.
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