When Democrats Join the Dark Side - Propping up the Republicans

[otohara]

Their Kowtowing to Home-State Industries Props up the Republicans
by Jonathan Chait

Not long ago, I was listening to Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) being interviewed, and I was struck at how intelligent and morally serious he was. Biden is justly viewed as a smart foreign policy hawk, but he also expressed his opposition to Social Security privatization in a particularly lucid way.

All in all, he came across as just the sort of person you'd like to have as president.

There's just one issue that's the exception. And that's what's wrong with most of the Democrats: There's always one issue that's the exception. But before we get into that, let me explain Biden's particular problem.

Biden supports a bill in Congress that would make it harder for people to declare bankruptcy. This is one of those abysmal pieces of legislation that exists only because businesses with a vested interest in it have lobbied hard for its passage and that would have no chance of success if more than a tiny fraction of the public were aware of its existence.

Bankruptcy filings have risen slightly in recent years. Credit card companies argue that it's because people are gaming the system, going on irresponsible spending binges and then using bankruptcy to stick their creditors with the bill.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0304-26.htm