For Democrats Truth is the Best Offense

[babylonsister]

http://blog.buzzflash.com/davidow/275

For Democrats Truth is the Best Offense
Submitted by findingavoice on Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:45am.
* Ann Davidow

FINDING A VOICE by Ann Davidow



Some say there’s no difference between the two major parties, but despite the fact that corporate and banking interests wield extraordinary power in Congress on both sides of the aisle, important differences exist nonetheless.

Replacing the current leadership in Congress with naysayers and extremists would be an unproductive response to the nation’s ills. Tea Partiers, for example, are swept up in a frenzy that allies them with cheerleaders whose main thrust is to assume power without actually addressing the needs of ordinary people. Talk of lower taxes, small government and patriotism are simply ploys to float standard conservative policies under a new banner. Current levels of spending have been attempts to dig the country out of the hole left by tax cuts, unfunded entitlements, war and poorly regulated financial markets, not profligate programs that squander the country’s assets as right-wing politicians assert. Curiously, Republicans insist that keeping all the Bush tax cuts in place is sound fiscal policy that would heal the economy and create jobs. But after ten years, with an economy in ruins and millions of jobs lost, where’s proof of the Bush fiscal pudding? When it comes to the great tax wars, however, precious little logic informs the debate.

Republicans insist they stand on principle, but their goal has had no better purpose than to oppose the president not because they have better ideas but in order to win, damn the consequences for the country. They vow to repeal health-care legislation and financial reform should they capture either or both houses. Less prominently vocal players want to privatize or do away with Social Security, a program reviled by the right since its early days as an FDR initiative. Oddly, when it suits campaign rhetoric some GOP candidates attack the health-care plan for downsizing Medicare Advantage as if they actually wanted to protect that program although proposed changes were designed to expand Medicare coverage for the general population.

Another rallying cry is that a new wave in Congress would eliminate waste and fraud in entitlement programs with scant attention paid to defense-industry over-drafts or the millions that disappeared into the ether in Iraq and the pockets of contractors there. It’s also a stretch to imagine that if John Boehner became Majority leader in the House he would be an ethical icon. He once passed out checks on the House floor from tobacco lobbyists to party members who were industry supporters - - a departure from standard procedure for most tarnished government pols who at least have the good grace to accomplish their devious maneuvering in smoke-filled back rooms.

And on the chance memory has faded, another Republican stalwart, former Speaker DeLay held the vote for the Prescription Drug plan open for hours while he made deals and twisted arms on the House floor to enable the passage of an unfunded plan that, in addition, kept government from bargaining with pharmaceutical companies over drug prices. It’s hard to see how the party of no and nefarious floor deals would return the country to economic stability and principled government.

When disenchanted voters claim there’s little difference between Democrats and Republicans a quick glance at the courts should serve to disabuse them of that mindset. A conservative Supreme Court majority recently handed corporate interests a big win by allowing them unfettered funding of political contests. The justices came to the odd conclusion that free speech is analogous with money, which makes about as much sense as an earlier court that concluded slaves were property not human beings. And Obama appointments to lower courts have been held up for months creating clogged dockets and a backlog of cases awaiting adjudication - - the most sluggish approval process for presidential appointments in recent history.

Can Democrats justify their leadership role and clarify what’s at stake in the coming elections? It’s a tough call to be sure with a lethargic economy and a far-right media that has no compunction about slanting stories, defaming the president and promoting dangerous propaganda about ‘the others’ in our midst. The opposition paints the president as an anti-business spendthrift, but the irony of supporting the same bad actors that got us in such a monumental mess can’t be emphasized enough in Democratic campaigns, likewise the weakness of a movement that thrives on anger for its mojo but lacks a clearly defined governing agenda. It’s up to the president and his supporters to make the case for why their way is a better way.