How did the Democrats win such a big victory in 2008?

[kentuck]

We were voting for "change we could believe in". And the people voted in record numbers.

But then, they had to govern. And they chose to govern in a moderate-Republican fashion and they lost favor with their voters. They were not for progressive change after all. They were for the status quo.

Now, they are deeply concerned that they will lose the House to the incompetent and criminal Republicans. At the very least, many of them will lose their "jobs".

If they had maintained the same progressive agenda that they ran on, they would not be in such deep trouble today. When will they ever learn? If the people have to choose between a fake "moderate-Republican" and a real Republican, they will choose the real one almost every time. Even if they are incompetent and criminal.

[bigwillq]

1. I agree with your post.

It will be interesting to see how 2010 pans out.

[OHdem10]

2. Could not have said it better myself.

[Captain Hilts]

3. People were voting against GWBush and his enablers in Congress. nt

[indepat]

72. junior's favorability ratings were almost in the teens by the time he left office, yet

many of his most disastrous ventures (perpetual wars of choice featuring torture as modus operandi, wildly reckless fiscal policies occasioned by tax cuts mostly benefiting the wealthy and those wars of choice, and an assault on our Constitution, the rule of law, and the Federal apparatus, including politicization of the Justice Department) have largely been ratified as legitimate and embraced/continued so: the wars go on, deficits spiral, and the economy is in shambles. :P

[FarLeftFist]

4. Have you seen the opposition?

It was a no-brainer. (no pun intended for Sarah Palin)

[gorfle]

34. But you know what? We can't let that be an excuse.

Yes, the alternative was bad. But we can't continue to let our leadership off the hook because they don't suck as bad as the alternative would have.

We put these people in office, and Obama specifically, for the CHANGE he offered. Where it counts, the new administration has not been very different. The "War on Terror" is being prosecuted much as it was under Bush. Most of the most heinous policies, such as pervasive domestic surveillance, extraordinary rendition, enemy combatant status, Obama as much as said, "Hey, I agree with all of these Bush polices" as he continued them.

The next election, I'm looking further left for a choice. If there isn't one, I may not vote at all.

[Double T]

5. Agreed.

The dnc Democrats have absolutely blown the opportunity of our lifetime.

[Tim01]

6. People voted to get the repubs out. And now they are. But things are not better. nt

[CanSocDem]

7. Uh...

...it was their turn???

.

[HughBeaumont]

8. He probably went into the room with the industrialist scumfucks.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/HughBeaumont/91

Obama's not a bad guy nor is he a co-conspirator. He's saddled with being the president of a rogue hypercorporatist nation that, plain and simple, does not care about it's citizens. We have a bought-and-paid for Congress with only a few good apples floating in the corporatist manure bucket. We're never going to figure out that there are about 5,000 of them and hundreds of millions of US. Yet we fear bullets, confrontation and handcuffs, and for that reason, they got us scared and muzzled. We're too tethered to our jobs and afraid of arrest to do anything about the wealthy's steamrolling of everyone below them.

Change doesn't come without hard and unpopular action. We don't act. Things won't change. Sorry.

[leeroysphitz]

51. Are you suggesting armed struggle? n/t

[HughBeaumont]

59. Voting sure doesn't work if the deck is stacked in Money, Inc's favor.

Putting it in the "Life Sucks, Deal With It" file only makes things infinitely worse as well.

How long do people put up with being treated like diseased livestock that get tossed in a shredder when they've become either too old or too useless?

Is anyone going to put a rein on corporate rule? Is anyone in Congress or the White House going to at least attempt to reassure the public that they're still in charge?

[msongs]

9. the American Idol celebrity candidate Obama drew huge crowds. now reality has set iin and it's

back to ordinary politicians selling us out, which draws only lower turnouts.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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

[kentuck]

14. What "socialist agenda" are you talking about?

Can you be more specific? I can turn on talk radio and hear that baloney.

(edited for ?)

[TwilightGardener]

15. Hmmm....

[HughBeaumont]

17. Ha ha ha you're dumb.

And you're on the wrong site.

FriedmanReaganomics FAILED. FAILED, junior.

[Selatius]

11. The problem is Democratic officeholders don't care. They become lobbyists when they lose their jobs.

Or, they go and work in some other capacity for the people who once lobbied them heavily. Tom Daschle is probably a great example of this.

People are electing rich cocksuckers who don't give a damn about them.

[Mari333]

12. honey I swear to god, if Elmer Fudd would have run against a Republican he would have won

[kentuck]

16. So now they are ready to vote for Republicans again?

Why?

[w8liftinglady]

20. a lot of people are either:

a.Desperate financial circumstances that worsen by the day as Congress has a circle jerk about health care,banking,etc
B.short attention span-forget GWB and his cronies
c:won't bother to vote this time(why bother,as my son says)-namely the disaffected young vote

[HughBeaumont]

22. Because American citizens, by and large, are foot-shootin' stupid.

"We tried a Democrap, 'n' he couldn't fix SHIT, jes like Carter culdn't fix shit. So I'm votin' Sarah . . . Jes like I voted Bewsh 'n' Reagan, cause they shore fixed things AND blew up moooooslims! YEAH!"

Me: "War has indebted your grandchildren, Bush had no job creation on his watch, two recessions and gave all of your tax dollars to the rich. Reagan's policies led to a crash that took us years to recover from. Oh, and he taxed the middle class six times, destroyed the power of unions and laid the blueprint for corporate rule and job offshoring."

"TH'UR ALL CROOKS! But I likes Republic'ns better, because they ain't pussywimp sissies or French!"

[Romulox]

45. Sooo...who was the "intelligent persons" candidate if they are anti-war, anti-bailouts

anti-"Free Trade", anti-deregulation, etc. etc.?

:shrug:

[HughBeaumont]

60. We had one, but he'd never be elected in image/looks-batty America.

The PD's cartoonist even draws him with pointy ears and a Keebler hat. It's a shame, really, because Kooch is on the correct side of pretty much every issue that matters to the middle/working/poor class.

[DisgustedInMN]

13. Abso-freakin-lutely n/t

[earthside]

18. Change! Change! Change!

A well stated post.

I said from the beginning that Obama and the Congressional Democrats were way under-estimating the deep desire for change that the American people wanted.

They decided to 'play it safe' ... and the consequences are now starting to manifest themselves in very negative ways for Pres. Obama and the Democratic majorities in Congress.

If Obama doesn't fire Geithner soon and get angry and pull the rug out from under this protection legislation for the health insurance cartel, then the American people may very well react by casting the only vote available to them in this two party system: voting for the other guys that propagandize about 'change'.

It is all amazing to me; earlier this year I thought that we may witness the end of the Republican Party -- now it maybe the timidness of the Democrats themselves that may give the GOP a new lease on life.

Unbelievable.

[Gman2]

19. Unrec. We have to govern impartially. And Obama campaigned on that.

I didnt hear Obama say that he was going to disregard half of America. Nor that he would be anything other than bipartisan. I too would like to see robo-bama give them all hell. But within reason.

Anyone thinking that a human being short of a major dictator could achieve the upheaval of the status quo expected by Dems, is insane. To pout, and fume, when your entire platform is not immediately adopted, is why the cynical as fuck rethugs will win. They are whispering in your ear, that Obama LIED to you. And he is a closet rethug. They are baggers. And all who would take their ball and go home, will suffer another Bush/Bush/Reaganthree decades.

GROW UP. This is adult politics. If we cant be as tough as rethugs, maybe we shouldnt rule.

[rurallib]

21. Obama made specific promises that he has backed off on

And the discrepency between the promises and actuality usually brings disappointment.
And the biggest upheaval of the status quo( and I would say the most radical presidency) belongs to W.

[kentuck]

24. You call it "adult politics"..

Others might call it something else. It's not just about Obama - it is about the Democrats in the House and Senate. They act as if they can depend on the Democratic vote, no matter what they do.

[Gman2]

27. I understand the feelings of betrayal. And applaud the fire Bill Maher lites under him.

But, we are family. And when family screws up, we yell, and scream, and then get to work. We dont go over to susies house, and bitch about how mom promised you a pony, and now she said both her and dad are unemployed, and can no longer afford it. We are all fucked. Them's the breaks. We have no funds to impliment anything but programs to lower the deficit. If it isnt deficit neutral, we cant afford it. Sad, but true. And just exactly what I screamed would happen, when I first heard the name George W Bush.


THOSE PROMISES HE MADE DURING THE CAMPAIGN, THEY WERENT ISSUED BEFORE THE MELTDOWN WAS DIVULGED, WERE THEY? Is it even possible to do all the things you intend, after a huge setback? Are you a LIAR for doing so?

[kentuck]

29. Why haven't they passed regulations on these scoundrels?

Your argument doesn't hold water.

[Gman2]

35. You dont just order regulation 2.0, and install.

Not in these united states. And installing the real reforms/regulations, is WAR. With people that have lots of money. And given enough motivatiom, could destroy almost anyone.

[kentuck]

39. So there is no hope?

Congress cannot pass any regulations? We have to take what they give us and be happy and don't complain? Act like an adult?

[Gman2]

42. No, we soldier on. And in time, we will have our chance. Ujnfortunately, many times

Dems fix things, only to have greed listen to the tax cut mantra, and install the virus again.

[leeroysphitz]

52. Um... we HAD our chance. Our ONE chance and we blew it.

No republican could have hoped to win the last presidential election. It just wasn't going to happen. The Democratic party (leadership) could have cultivated and gotten behind less centrist candidates without fear of losing the election. They chose not to and we (the base) let them.

We got the president and congress that we deserve. Next time I'm voting progressive or I'm not voting at all.

No more rewards for mediocrity from me.

[Gman2]

55. Um, friggin hello. If not for the meltdown, we very well could be in a cage right now.

With Palin being the jailor. Had not McCain said the fundamentals are sound. Etc. You cant print more political capital.

[dflprincess]

63. Right, we will have our chance

just as soon as we get a majority in Congress - oh wait, I mean just as soon as we have a majority in House and 60 votes in the Senate, no I mean, just as soon as we get a majority in the House AND 60 votes in the Senate AND a Democrat in the White House. THEN we'll have our chance - just wait until the Democrats control all 3 branches - things will get better then.

:sarcasm:

[DisgustedInMN]

28. That's it...

... insult those of us that actually expected something better that the crap fed to us by the Republipukes. That'll fucking work. :sarcasm:

I'd tell you what I actually think of you, but then you'd just run off and tell teacher, wouldn't you?

[Gman2]

44. Do you comprehend I am on your side? And as progressive?

And hey, I am for campaign finance reform. Corporate personhood repeal, yadda yadda

[DisgustedInMN]

46. What "I get" is that..

... some people are willing to settle for halfassed or worse "reform" policies and make excuses where there should be none. What "I get" is that those that I put my all into supporting, are now stabbing me in the back. (That the genetic "I" and "me", btw.) On the personal level that YOU don't seem "to get", is that there are MILLIONS of us that don't have any more time to "wait patiently" while Barack and the DLC kiss Republican ass, in hopes that they'll stop making him their bitch.

Do you "get that?"

[Gman2]

50. And you achieve that with a ramrod?

[DisgustedInMN]

53. Frankly..

.. those of us with spines are tired of propping up jellyfish.

Take that for what it's worth.

Maybe you can use your "poll" instead.

[Gman2]

54. The whiners are threatening to flee Obama, and Dems, and you chide ME about guts?

[DisgustedInMN]

56. Save it..

.. for the koolaid drinkers. I'm hungry, not thirsty.

[Cosmocat]

32. Obama is a Rhoshack (sp) test for politics ...

I swear, people either way project what they have in their heads on the guy ...

Rs swear he is a liberal, socilist muslim communist ...
Ls swear he is a major disappointment ...

People just were NOT listing to what he said, he was moderate, moderate, moderate all along.

I get that the righties are raging lunatics with no sense or reality.
I don't get that lefties would throw someone under the bus who is 1000 times better than any R would be ...

[Edweird]

67. Mmmhmm. Actually, the problem is that we WERE listening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRNx-F8vRmM

[old mark]

23. Republicans had their way with the country for about 10 years, longer if

you include the terrible character assassinations they were putting out in the Clinton years. People got to see the Publicans REAL face, and were disgusted.

In time of crisis for the Democratic Party, the republicans can be our biggest ally by just being themselves...they will do it again this year and in 2012.

mark

[cleveramerican]

25. I clearly recall Obama promising to govern from the center

progressives heard what they wanted to hear, most of it was fantasy.

Most of the down ticket winners were pretty centrist also.

[JHB]

58. Governing from the center of America would be fine...

...it's governing from the center of Washington that's the problem.

[fascisthunter]

61. he's to the right of "center"

[Edweird]

68. Ok, so what is he saying here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRNx-F8vRmM

[Tesha]

26. Howard Dean and the 50 State Project (nt)

[tom_paine]

30. This article, while not EXACTLY addressing your question, brings understanding to it

http://www.ianwelsh.net/why-democrats-are-doing-electorally-stupid-things/

What it comes down to is that things are way too far gone to do anything to deflect the course that the Global Aristocracy wants to take the nation down

Will it be Inverted Totalitarianism, Classical Totalitarianism, or some fusion of the two?

For myself, I think Inverted Totalitarianism ( http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/item/20080515_chalmers_johnson_on_our_managed_democracy/ ) is something of a "hothouse flower" that cannot survive without a relatively strong economy and cheap energy, and will rapidly drop it's mask once things get bad.

The "1933 German" mentality in our Empire may be the biggest single feature of it (this also includes the laughable Corporate Propaganda that most people accept as gospel), and all I have to say is LOOK OUT when cheap energy and our negative-debt-financed economy starts to fully implode.

At that point, "all the poisons in the mud will hatch out". It remains to be seen whether, as in Nazi Germany, the Aristiocracy which created it will lose control of it. But make no mistake, our Aristicrats are moving with some urgency to feudalize us.

[kentuck]

31. That is my fear.

That the people will have no means to do anything about it.

[DisgustedInMN]

33. Sadly..

...that's already the case. The arrogant bastards are barely even trying to disguise it anymore. Our government is owned, lock stock and barrel by a tiny elite. We don't stand a chance of peacefully taking back our nation...

A storm is brewing.

[bullwinkle428]

36. Thom Hartmann has talked about that "genuine vs. faux/lite" choice for YEARS!

I'm thinking this is one of those political certainties that has held true through the ages, and will always be the case.

[LeftHander]

37. one name....

Sarah Palin

[WI_DEM]

38. it's your opinion that Obama is governing as a moderate republican. How did we win in '08

Isn't it obvious--the state of the country and world. Bush's low popularity. A crummy GOP candidate and dimwit VP. Superb Democratic candidate and VP nominee. Only on DU. Every single poll and I mean every one of them has Obama having strong ratings among Democrats and the strongest and I mean high 80's and low 90's among LIBERAL democrats.

Where have we lost? In governors races in NJ and VA where we had fatally flawed candidates. In VA that candidate ran away from Obama. In every other special election for congress since Obama became president the Dem has won. It's way too early to say what will happen in November. I expect dems will lose seats, but that is common in an off year during a new president's first term. I don't believe that dems will lose both houses of congress as we did in '94.

[kentuck]

40. So I guess they will win seats in the House and Senate?

if they are so popular? And the people are so happy with the job they are doing?

[WI_DEM]

41. You are one of those 'sky is falling' people obviously.

Obama's approval is better than Reagan's in some polls at this stage. Obama inherited a lot and has done a lot. Not enough for the far left but most polls show that Obama is very popular among Democrats and especially liberals. Where have democrats lost? in two governors races. Governor races will be tough no matter the party. It just turned out that the incumbants in NJ and VA were Dems. But other elections--for congress since Obama has been elected have gone democratic. We just won a special election for a GOP seat in VA yesterday. The November elections are ten months away. If the economy still sucks dems will lose many seats--if the economy is showing signs of improvement dems will lose some seats which is normal in an off year election for the party in the WH.

Obama inherited a mess and he has taken hold and begun to turn things around. The economy is better by most counts. Unemployment is still too high. The Health Care Reform bill isn't what DU wants but it is going further than any other president has accomplished. We will be getting out of Iraq this year and we have a time table for Afghanistan.

Obama is still personally popular. As things improve economically so will his job numbers which are not disastrously bad. In fact, they are better than two president's who went on to win re-election big--Clinton and Reagan at this point.

[kentuck]

43. I hope you are right.

It bothers me that the Democrats would even give the Repubs the opportunity to win back the House or Senate. They have to realize, at some time or other, that the Democratic Party is the Party of the people, not the corporations or big banks or big business. Fight for the people!

[Gman2]

47. read this

http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/browse/

[Gman2]

49. And this Obama is on fire. Only prob, he's putting out fires as well.

In his first year in office, President Obama did better even than legendary arm-twister Lyndon Johnson in winning congressional votes on issues where he took a position, a Congressional Quarterly study finds.

The new CQ study gives Obama a higher mark than any other president since it began scoring presidential success rates in Congress more than five decades ago. And that was in a year where Obama tackled how to deal with Afghanistan, Iraq, an expanding terrorist threat, the economic crisis and battles over health care.

Unprecedented Success Rate

Obama has been no different from his predecessors in that he's always ready to send a firm message to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue as he "urges members of Congress" to come together and act. All presidents demand specific action by Congress — or at least they ask for it. But when you look at the votes of 2009 in which Obama made his preference clear, his success rate was unprecedented, according to John Cranford of Congressional Quarterly.

"His success was 96.7 percent on all the votes where we said he had a clear position in both the House and the Senate. That's an extraordinary number," Cranford says.

The previous high scores were held by Lyndon Johnson in 1965, with 93 percent, and Dwight Eisenhower, who scored 89 percent in 1953. Cranford notes that George W. Bush's score hit the high 80s in 2001, the year of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. But Obama surpassed them all, Cranford says.

[avaistheone1]

48. A BIG recommend on the OP

Thom Hartmann says this all the time, and it so true:


"If the people have to choose between a fake "moderate-Republican" (that is a Democrat behaving like a Republican) and a real Republican, they will choose the real one almost every time. Even if they are incompetent and criminal."

[dflprincess]

75. Harry Truman said that first n/t

[avaistheone1]

76. Thank you.

I appreciate the historical perspective.

:fistbump:

[mdmc]

57. 8 years of neo-con fail

[FiveGoodMen]

64. Actually, it's nine years now.

[arthritisR_US]

62. can't disagree with you. n/t

[defendandprotect]

65. Populist messages bring people out -- many non voters came out again . ..

[gleaner]

66. Good post ....

Lots of truth and lots to think of, but I think I would stop short of voting for real Republicans. My butt is still flamed pretty good from the last 8 years. But I will be a vigorous voter in the Democratic primaries looking for someone who is actually a Democrat instead of Republican Lite.

[HughMoran]

69. Naive. Simplistic.

There's a reason that real people in the real world are pointing out that he's had one of the most successful 1st years of any President. But don't let reality stop the DU whinathon.

[SoCalDem]

70. George Bush was SO awful, people were energized to vote

to show how happy they were to be rid of him and his party:)

[Johonny]

71. It's odd Obama has basically govern exactly how I imagined

It's like people make up Obama in their own image and now are disappointed he isn't that image. Some how it's Obama's fault. Obama's basically been exactly the president I thought he'd be. Shrug.

[WT Fuheck]

73. as it turns out,

by lying.

[Capers]

74. Their inability to legislate was evidently their best asset.