The unanswered question: What are Congressional Democrats afraid of?

[omega minimo]

Clearly the Congressional Democrats need a public intervention for their addiction to going along with the stranglehold of Republican control.

What's in it for them? Whatever it is, it's beyond strategery for their next election or $$$ for their home district.

One senator stood up for American after the 2004 election debacle: Barbara Boxer.

One senator is standing up for American right now: Russ Feingold.

What's holding the Democrats back, as if at the point of a gun? The answer to that question will provide clues about where to go from here.

It's time for the American people to demand that Congress do the right thing.

LAST CALL!! :bounce: :kick:

[European Socialist]

1. A while back I said the Dems were waiting for Chimp approval to hit single

digits. I was just joking, but now I'm not so sure I wasn't right.

[leveymg]

2. Being labeled, "the opposition"

Most of them are behaving as if they're still the party in power.

[omega minimo]

6. No-- that's just scratching the surface

It's time to ask what is really going on. :think:

[cyberia]

27. They are owned by the same

corporate interests that own the Republicans. Consequently, they are basically in agreement with the administration, except on minor policy questions. The Dems are in agreement on Iraq, globalization, gutting the middle class and on and on and on. Why should they mount an opposition to an administration that is doing the same things they would do?

The only significant disagreement that the Dems have had with the admin is over Social Security.

[RufusEarl]

3. I suppose it's because * is a WAR president

I don't give a good goddamn if he is a war president, he's an incompetent one and thats enough in my mind. The Feingold censure resolution, should be supported not only by congress but the citizens of this country.

[enough already]

10. He's an ILLEGAL war president

Censure, impeach, mock, ridicule. Nothing should be off the table at this point.

[bt2785]

16. no traction

WE GET NO TRACTION ON THE ILLEGAL ISSUE OF cHIMPS ELECTIONS. we Have a real issue with censure, and we still dont use it? IM confused.

[Dhalgren]

4. It is obvious that most Democrats in the government do not

believe or think that things are so bad. They do not believe that Bush is as bad as he actually is. They do not think that the Republicans are "evil" in any way and they think that the last 5 years has just been politics as usual - they disagree with most of what the President says and does and are in mild opposition to the Republicans, but most of the elected Democrats simply do not think that there is any real crisis in our country today - besides simple bad management. Most Democrats in congress do not oppose the Iraqi War, they aren't against tax breaks for the wealthy, they don't oppose domestic spying. Oh, some will give lip-service to opposition to these things, but that is all - and many of them will openly say that they do not oppose these things. The problem we have is that we think that the Democrats should be fighting in opposition to the fascist take-over of the US; while most Democrats in Washington simply oppose their political brothers and sisters from "across the aisle"...

[bt2785]

14. FEINGOLD IS A HERO

WHY WONTANYONE FOLLOW HIM??

[Dhalgren]

18. Because they disagree with him...

[Kurovski]

22. Have you called your reps to tell them to back Feingold?

who are your Senators? Let them know, tell others to let them know.

Are your senators Republican or Democratic?

[Reader Rabbit]

5. DeFazio on Thom Hartmann this AM

I only caught the tail end of it, so I don't know if they were referring to Conyers' efforts or Feingold's resolution yesterday, but DeFazio was adamant that attempting impeachment/censure was a bad idea. In his opinion, since the Republicans control everything, to attempt something like this is a waste of time. He stated that they would either pervert it, as they did with the so-called "Murtha" resolution, or they would simply postpone it indefinitely.

While I understand his point, I was enraged at the "just giving up" attitude. Of course Republicans aren't going to go along with it, but it will make a stir in the media, and it will make people sit up and take notice. At the very least, Dems can frame the argument in any number of ways beneficial to the party: 1) Republicans putting partisanship above the good of the country, 2) Repubs supporting criminal behavior, 3) Repubs failing to stand by their oaths of office, etc.

Did anyone else hear this interview today? Am I wrong to disagree with him so strongly? It's particularly distressing because this guy is one of the most liberal in Congress!

[abbiehoff]

7. If we are to have a two party system in this country....

clearly we need a second party. I used to scoff when Ralph Nader likened the difference between Democrats and Repulicans to the difference between Pepsi and Coke. Now it appears that he was closer to right than we might like to think.

P.S. I still think the difference between W and the rest of the pols is the difference between rat poison and Coke.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kurovski]

21. No, we can't.

And neither can you. :-)

[spindrifter]

8. I think we should cut them off.

They need to understand that standing around with their thumbs up an unmentionable oriface is unacceptable. They need to remember who writes the checks and makes the calls and organizes the neighbors to get and keep them in office. That can change if we do not see them on the job acting on our behalf.

[Javaman]

9. Answer: their own shadows. nt

[PsN2Wind]

12. I was going to say "Everything"

but I'll concede to your point.

[NVMojo]

11. they must be dirty

[omega minimo]

19. AAR caller: Congress members afraid of the surveillance of themselves

Exposing the "program" and how deep it goes mean dirt on Congress members may come out....they don't want themselves exposed, whether it's merely embarrassing info or worse.......

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IdaBriggs]

17. Little envelopes full of white powder....nt

[Daylin Byak]

20. You want to know why they have no guts

Cause there afraid to say something cause if they do they'll get backlash from faux news, limbaugh and all the conservative pieces of shit in the papers, tv and radio(like glen beck or mike church.

Even though they'll get critized anyways just because there "crazy liberals"

Speak out and piss people off, you know do what Dean does

[Kurovski]

23. Sometimes I think that the Anthrax attacks on Democrats, the plane

crashes that killed Wellstone and Carnahan, are not the only death threats Dems have recieved.

Sometimes it just plain old looks like they're afraid for their lives. Something is very wrong when the public is behind a Party, and yet that Party will not act.

Is facism already deeply in place? is there no turning back? sometimes I wonder.

[omega minimo]

24. So if it's already corporate fascism & most Congress Dems are in on it

where does that leave US?

:bounce:

[IndianaGreen]

25. They think that rejection of Bush translates into Democratic votes

The public may well reject Republicans in 2006, but that doesn't mean that they will support the Democrats. I have yet to see the Democrats as a group close the sale!

The 2006 elections may well be become a vote against incumbents of both parties.

BTW, Bush is polling at 32% in Indiana according to an Indianapolis Star poll, yet the Democrats are not even running a candidate against Senator Lugar.

[Kurovski]

26. Maybe it's a good time for a third-party candidate in IN?

[IndianaGreen]

28. with no Democrat running against Lugar, and no Green Party on ballot

the only alternative would be to vote Libertarian, at least they oppose PATRIOT and the war for their own unique reasons.