If there was actually some national referendum on our Democratic Party right now

[bigtree]

. . . you couldn't blame or credit progressives and progressive initiatives for the result because the bulk of key legislation supported and advanced by the majority of our legislators and the Obama White House is largely void of progressive initiatives.

We don't have a progressive health bill; we don't have a progressive policy regarding the military occupations; we have a regressive, conservative-minded education policy which penalizes struggling school districts in the name of competition; we still have regressive economic policy which affords countless billions to wealthy interests and a pittance for the average American worker; we have a tepid, energy policy and contradictory environmental efforts and initiatives; we're being stalled until after the midterms for action on DADT and other progressive, social initiatives.

All in all, whatever referendum on our party which can be gleaned from the Mass. special election (if any) isn't a judgment on a progressive agenda which hasn't yet been adopted in any overt way into the agenda of Democrats in Congress or the White House. The question may well be on the absence of a progressive one from our Democratic leaders, but what's actually there to judge their efforts so far is an approach which reflexively casts off progressive initiatives in favor of ones which intend to garner favor and votes of recalcitrant members of the opposition party.

Other efforts from the White House - like their defense of Bush-era power-grabs and executive secrecy - are at direct odds with a progressive agenda and intent.

Unfortunately, voter dissatisfaction with the lack of progressive efforts and accomplishments from Congress and the WH won't be measured by votes, but by the lack of participation by progressives which gives the edge to committed republican voters. But in the face of defeats like Brown/Coakley, our party always goes looking for conservative votes, instead, to make up the difference. We''ll see how this Democratic bunch responds . . .

[StarfarerBill]

1. Excellent analysis; right on target. K&R

[fascisthunter]

2. if the conservo side starts blaming the left AGAIN...

I see no reason to work with them in Congress anymore. They are liars, they corporate whores and they most certainly don't give a damn about the voters, just their donors/bribers.

The system itself will have to change.

[havocmom]

3. Yep. But liberal ideas is what the DLC will blame, just the same

[kenny blankenship]

4. Yeah but it's still your fault

-for not trying hard enough to talk them out of their repuke-lite policies!

[bigtree]

5. It will be my fault if I don't challenge them at primary time

. . . cuz my vote is the loudest voice I have.

[CrispyQ]

6. Yes, it will be interesting to see how they respond.

"But in the face of defeats like Brown/Coakley, our party always goes looking for conservative votes, instead, to make up the difference. We''ll see how this Democratic bunch responds . . ."

Will they continue to veer to the right, confident that the liberals will continue to vote for the lesser of two evils, even after 30 years of betrayal? Or will leadership wake the fuck up & realize there are a good number who are pissed off at this charade & no longer give a fuck about the nickel's worth of difference between the dems & the repubs. We're going over a cliff anyway, it's a matter of how many crumbs they'll throw our way as we go.

Ack. I'm really discouraged today. For four days, I've hardly had time for DU & politics. Today I'm taking a break & surfing a bit & I've found I'm happier not knowing what's going on! That is the real threat to democracy - that ignorance is bliss.

No shit.

Very good post, btw.

K&R

[treestar]

7. Everybody has their own view of "progressive"

Republicans would call the bill marxism or some such.

The average independent are the ones who are unhappy, and they'd rather save more intrusion on the deficit than help provide coverage for others.

[bigtree]

8. well

. . . clearly you don't recognize or appreciate what a progressive agenda is. I certainly wouldn't rely on what republicans think it is.