I'm a Democrat." These famous words were spoken by Will Rogers, but they are still very relevant today. With the Republicans engaged in an internecine battle over the very soul of their party at best, or just running around like chickens with their heads cut off at worst; it should be easy for the Democrats to enact and pass whatever they want. And after eight years of Bush, this is definitely the time to enact real CHANGE. However, instead of maximizing the advantage of the Presidency and the wide legislative margins in Congress, they are playing prevent defense on themselves.
At a time when the nation is in the most perilous period that it has experienced at least in my lifetime, the conservative members of the party want to do what the Republicans can't, and slow down the Administration's agenda (which is only mildly progressive if you ask me).
What I want to know (and I’m asking this entirely rhetorically) is “What the hell were they doing for the last eight years?” While Bush was pulling a Kanye and saying, “Y’all can’t tell me nothin’;” the Democrats were embodying the title of that Roots tune “Don’t Say Nothing.” Where were their voices of fiscal restraint? Where were their voices calling for investigations into the questionable and sometimes illegal practices of the previous administration? Where were their voices of dissent then? They were nowhere to be found. They were real quiet; acting like D’Bo had just rolled up on them or something. Now that it is time for the mess to be cleaned up, they want to object. Now that it is time for action, they want to rise up and say "slow down." It is downright appalling.
No one would be happier than I if the Republicans wandered around in the wilderness for years out of power; however, they really do not have anything to worry about. The Democrats, even when they have all of the tools necessary to succeed, find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. With the Conservadems doing their thing, the Right will be back on top before they know it.
Rachel Maddow expounds more elegantly on the situation below.
