"We're Mad as Hell and the Dems Aren't Listening"- Jim Hightower

[Orwellian_Ghost]

We're Mad as Hell and the Dems Aren't Listening
By Jim Hightower, Hightower Lowdown. Posted January 14, 2008.

The Democrats' fizzle in the face of the power-grabbing Bush administration is doing serious damage to America's political psyche.

What I am hearing from across the country is a surge of angst and discouragement. In conversations, calls, emails, and letters, people in general (and progressives in particular) are expressing profound dismay at the deterioration of America's democracy, not only because of the BushCheney regime, but also, and especially, because of the fecklessness of the Democratic Congress.

I am afraid of what this country has become and that at any minute the people in charge may bomb Iran, and I have lost all hope that there will be any checks and balances," Marshaleigh wrote, adding bluntly, "Congress doesn't work."

....

The capitulation Congress

It is not some vague funk that's afflicting the public, not some general ennui caused by seven years of Bushdom. Rather, it's a growing despair -- and a rising national embarrassment -- brought on by an ongoing series of specific, disheartening collapses by Democrats, who are turning out to be weaker than Canadian hot sauce. For example:

The Iraq war rages on, and public anger over this is boiling not merely because the people's own clear opposition to the war is being dishonored, but also because congressional efforts to stop Bush are so halting and halfhearted. True, the Democrats' majority is so slim that they can't overcome a presidential veto of a withdrawal timetable, but this is only one approach. We The People want to see some real spunk, an all-out push that is equal to the seriousness of the disastrous damage being done by this war. There should be a barrage of investigative hearings, a proliferation of exposes on war profiteering, a surge of subpoenas, a hailstorm of contempt citations, a thousand specific cuts (none harming the troops) in Bush's war budget, an unleashing of Congress's "inherent contempt" power--in other words, a strategic, unrelenting antiwar offensive using all of the unique powers of the legislative branch to march right in the face of BushCheney executive arrogance, reframe the debate, and rally the people.

...

http://www.alternet.org/story/72875/

[walldude]

1. This was posted the other day but it can't be heard enough

One look at the infighting on DU and you can see he's right. K&R

[Mme. Defarge]

2. AND NOTHING LESS!!!!

K&R!

[Perry Logan]

3. Sad to hear Jim repeating the old corporate media meme.

If I were in charge of enemy propaganda, I'd sure as hell want Democrats to think their party had failed them. I'd make sure I never reported anything the Democrats did. Don't forget, the media exists to demoralize the left.

[Recursion]

5. So no accountability for our rollover Congress?

The media aren't manufacturing voter disgust with Congress's constantly rolling over for Bush. It's real and it's frankly justified.

[midnight]

4. Those in congress are saying one thing, and then voting

another thing. America's system works for the elite. Let's hope that John Edward's message that is steeped in equality for all is sweetly wafting through the ethers. Because it is not going to be played by those who have stopped the functions of this countries greatness. Nothing less than excellence will be able to get the movements of this country going again. Only those who don't mind rolling up there sleeves and building houses, and creating green jobs(we are sitting on the people who can make this happen!},giving americans fair priced prescription drugs{why do other countries get our pharma at better prices},Chaney care(why the hell not!, if millions in congress can have it, so can we}. Let's get going America.....We can push this road block out of the way!!!!!

[shenmue]

6. I don't think that's true

I don't think we've fizzled, I think some people have bizarre expectations. They don't see that our margin is very thin and there are many subgroups within the party. Given all the crazy infighting these days, I don't think we'll have much of a party left soon. We ought to try to pull together, instead of going in different directions.

[Nite Owl]

7. K&R n/t

[toughboy]

8. Yup.

[femrap]

9. Just who is telling Pelosi and Reid

what to do? I really don't think they are acting on their own. Who is it? All I can think of is: they are being threatened (by W saying he'll attack Iran) or bribed by...oh, say The Business Round Table.

Or are those stupid Dem Consultants like Shrum telling them what to do?

I talked to Congresswoman Betty Sutton this past weekend (she won Sherrod Brown's old district) and she said it is always your own party that breaks your heart. Since she is on the Judiciary Committee I was bugging her about Impeachment...she said 'rumor' was that there will be hearings between Nov. 5 of '08 and Jan. 20 of '09. Who knows? She may have said that to shut me up...but there is really nothing else to do during that time, I guess.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

10. Proof again

Unbelievable that Kucinich is out of the debate and his fellow party members allow that.

[Blue Congress]

11. Why aren't they afraid we'll throw them out of office?

Diebold.