The Left Coaster: Comment on The "Political Advantage" Defense Mechanism

Comments: The "Political Advantage" Defense Mechanism

And for God's sake, stop backing down and going quiet.

The Dems are terrified of being labeled "soft on crime," or, "soft on national security," or, "sort on terror."

This will be the Dems undoing: allowing the rightwing to DEFINE them, as opposed to defining themselves.

Both Pelosi and Reid have fallen into the trap set for them everytime. After all their combined years in Washington, one might think they would've learned how to play the game.

Apparently, they've learned absolutely nothing.

Posted by Christopher at August 7, 2007 08:50 AM

It's hard for the Dems to be critical of lack of infrastructure funding when they continue funding the Iraq occupation.

Posted by JohnT at August 7, 2007 08:53 AM

Steve, remember back in the olden days when TLC first started, we bandied about the idea of a rapid response "Truth Squad" that would fire off a list of facts and talking points to the media whenever Bush lied to the public? Couldn't we do the same thing for the Dems with these moments when they seem at a loss for words that should be obvious?

'Course I liked the kneepads idea, too.

Posted by iamcoyote at August 7, 2007 09:00 AM

Steve and others at this site, and many other sites, have repeated the gist of todays post many many times. "counter the GOP lies", "hit them when the hit you", "why can't the Dems get the truth out", and on and on and on. And every time a meme of this nature is posted, the usual bunch of us respond this way:
When the Media and Press are controlled by GOP Corporations (Hello, Rupert Murdoch), the message is not gonna get out, regardless of how quickly the Dems jump on it. The Media is IN ON IT. duh.

Posted by T2 at August 7, 2007 09:16 AM

Both Pelosi and Reid have fallen into the trap set for them everytime.

Trap? Pelosi and Reid, Inc. are just following the money.

Apparently, they've learned absolutely nothing.

They learned Dems will support them no matter what. They learned the lobbys will support them. They learned Reid's boys can make an assload of money. They learned a great deal.

This will be the Dems undoing:

Folks have two choices: Vote for republi-con Inc. or Democrat Inc. The vast majority of Dems appear to be in the "win" mindset -if the Dems win then things will be just ducky. Yet the majority of the Democrat Congress Inc. have shown that they are no different than republi-cons. The Dems talk a prosocial and American political values game, but it's proven no different than republi-cons talking conservatism. Lies. Nothing more than lies.

It's hard for the Dems to be critical of lack of infrastructure funding when they continue funding the Iraq occupation.

At least the Dems will act like the bridge was a tragedy. I was at a get together this weekend where the majority of those attending were neo-cons. Their concern was that all those people standing there looking for loved ones were no different than the 9-11 widows and family members, "just there to get the free money because someone died." I kid you not.

Posted by phidipides at August 7, 2007 09:16 AM

That is why you should back Obama

Posted by at August 7, 2007 09:21 AM

Let's be clear. Minnesota has a 2 Billion dollar surplus in their state treasury currently. Their state highway funding from the 2005 Transportation Bill is 3.5/6.5 billion. There's money available within the state for the repair and replacement of this bridge. The problems with earmarks seem to be they get direct funding and usually rapid results. The funding to the Dept. of Transportation doesn't get the rapid funding, and results are often a long way off.

Posted by peter at August 7, 2007 09:26 AM

Phid, I don't know what groups you travel in, but you'd never get that response from the people around me.

Democrats either they're "duped" or doing the duping of their electorate.

Shame, Democrats didn't listen to former Speaker Foley's exhortation to the new majority. Things wouldn't be that toxic now.

Posted by peter at August 7, 2007 09:34 AM

Isn't it funny how all the people accusing the Dems of giving up are the ones.. giving up? You work for one or two elections, send a couple bucks, write an email or two, call them names on a blog and ya think you've supported them with all your might. Then you paint all Dems and any who support them as "corp whores," and shit, and then whine about how no one will do what you say, so fuck 'em. Sorry, maybe I missed it, but why should they listen to you? You're fickle as 13 year olds; as scared of the media, yet just as susceptible to it, as the Blue Dogs; and useless to those who have the guts to go for the long term.

You want new leaders who'll do everything you want? Run for fuckin' office and stop whining about those who've already put themselves on the line. Otherwise - get out of the way, ya WATBs.

Posted by iamcoyote at August 7, 2007 09:37 AM

They learned Dems will support them no matter what.

Precisely, phidipides.

Look at the lemmings right here who want the rest of us to keep quiet and not hold the Dems accountable for enabling Bush and his agenda? They represent a far great threat to our Democratic values and ideals than the GOP.

Posted by Christopher at August 7, 2007 09:53 AM

Phid, It will be a lot harder for Progressives to make headway into the political spectrum with the neo-cons in charge. At least with the GOP-lite Dems we have a chance. Slow progress sure, but some is better than none.

Posted by Seven of Six at August 7, 2007 10:03 AM

Look at the lemmings right here who want the rest of us to keep quiet and not hold the Dems accountable for enabling Bush and his agenda?

Perhaps you'd like to explain how calling people names on a blog is holding "the Dems" accountable, princess. Whining at me doesn't tell Pelosi shit, does it? Still, your bleating tells the rest of us that we're glad you're not on our side - lameness isn't something we fighters need at any time. But go on ahead and keep whining - please reiterate, though, that you're an Independent, one of Joementum's compadres, eh? Important distinction right now, you understand.

My state Dems have voted the way I like most of the time, so sorry if I'm not as quick to judge all of them for the mistakes of the Blue Dogs or the red staters. In which case, I'll put my time and effort toward helping Howard Dean with the 50 state strategy and help real progressives in other states.

Posted by iamcoyote at August 7, 2007 10:17 AM

But backing down and going quiet is what the Democratic "leadership" does best. I can no longer believe that it is a flaw, or a bad habit or a miscalculation. It's a deliberate decision.

The Democratic Party leaders do want to change the names of the people who are running the country, but they do not want to change the way that the country is run, or for whom the country is run.

Posted by James E. Powell at August 7, 2007 10:31 AM

Phid, It will be a lot harder for Progressives to make headway into the political spectrum with the neo-cons in charge.

The promises from 2006 seemed pretty progressive to me. People got the Dems they elected on the progressive meme. Yet it seems these Dems weren't too progressive after at all.

Look at the lemmings right here who want the rest of us to keep quiet and not hold the Dems accountable for enabling Bush and his agenda?

You bet. All we need to do is load-up on Prozac and clap for Tinkerbell. Unfortunately, it's leading to disaster. Jeralyn Merritt points an accurately accusing finger when talking about the ACLU and FISA:

"Anything and everything I learned about the bill, and I started writing in the short term about this two weekends ago, came from the ACLU. In particular, Rachel Perrone was very helpful and proactive. The failure of the blogs and the self-appointed leaders of the Netroots this year has been abject and complete. From Iraq to FISA. How about looking at our own pathetic performance this year before we start casting stones."

The meme "leedurs" have a fear-mongering message for all of us: "Support the Dems at all cost or you'll get more of the same from the republi-cons (Booogie! Boogie! Boogie!)!!! Blame everyone else! Blame everything else! Blame anything else! Just keep the blinders on and support the Dems!!!" Too bad it's nearly impossible to look back and find the difference between Dem or republi-con leadership.

Posted by phidipides at August 7, 2007 10:35 AM

Whining at me doesn't tell Pelosi shit...

Princess Doppleganger, you poor thing. Paranoid and relegated to your demons. I never addressed you -- I posted a response for phidipides. Doesn't the state wher you live get you your meds at the beginning of the month?

Posted by Christopher at August 7, 2007 11:01 AM

You bet. All we need to do is load-up on Prozac and clap for Tinkerbell.

LMAO ~ precisley, phidipides.

Just look at poor Coyote, AKA, Princess Doppleganger. Even before she shoots her state-paid Prozac allotment for the month, she's bowing scrappily before Pelosi, Reid, and Hillary.

Lemmings, I tell you, lemmings.

Posted by Christopher at August 7, 2007 11:08 AM

Teh Lame! It burnssss! Poor, sad, princess.

This would have allowed the Democrats to set the negatives on the GOP record so that Democrats could roll out their new product in September when Congress returns.

Yeah, Steve, sad to say, the FISA debacle shows that Reid panicked when he should have welcomed the opportunity to set the narrative. Glenn Greenwald's interview with Chris Dodd (who was the standout at the Dem debate, I thought), pretty much confirms it. At this point we're going to have to count on the Dem candidates, and the public's genuine dislike of the Republican contenders, to get momentum for '08.

Posted by iamcoyote at August 7, 2007 11:17 AM

Whatevah floats your padded cell, Princess Doppleganger.

Posted by Christopher at August 7, 2007 11:24 AM

Did anyone else notice how fast the whole FISA debacle came out of nowhere to neutralize the bridge disaster ASAP?

The noise machine is alive and the way things are going well and we'll be fighting in Iraq 20 years from now with crumbiling infastructure in plain sight but everyone too afriad to talk about it for fear of disappearing because "if the terrorists find out how bad our infastructure is, then they have already won."

This last week has been a shameful one for any American who is willing to think.

Posted by herbal tee at August 7, 2007 12:43 PM

I'll give them credit, hand the Bush Admin a disaster like 9/11 to lean on and they sure know what to do with it.

Posted by T2 at August 7, 2007 12:54 PM

I dunno, I'm thinking that the whole noise machine was dispatched to cover the fact that Boehner divulged classified info on national tv. Luckily, CREW is issuing a complaint.

Posted by iamcoyote at August 7, 2007 12:59 PM

The answer to the "Dems only using for political advantage" is Repubs are hiding behind the dead bodies. And hit this hard, very hard. After all, it's true.

Yeah, I know the Rude Pundit would make it even harder, but I'm not him....

Posted by fatbear at August 7, 2007 01:12 PM

So if muslim terrorists had flown a plane into the Minneapolis bridge killing innocent Americans it would be alright to use the tragedy for political advantage?

Posted by snark at August 7, 2007 01:33 PM

"This last week has been a shameful one for any American who is willing to think."

I agree with herbal tee. Since the vote to lavish Abu Gonzales with the untrammeled authority to wiretap anyone whom he has the slightest "reason" to "suspect" has an unidentified connection to "terr'ists". I have been considering ways to move my investments to Canada or the EU.

I'm willing and determined to fight for the Great American Experiment, but societal trends are not encouraging my sunny side. I'm perilously drifting to the philosophy brilliantly espoused by Brian, always look on the bright side of life".

Posted by DeminNewJ at August 7, 2007 02:53 PM

Democrats may piss and moan about underfunding of infrastructure and basic public services, but whenever they get into office, the Pentagon never ends up taking a back seat...to...anything.

I guess the Offense..er..Defense industry is a higher priority to pretty much everyone in Washington D.C. regardless of party. Yet, if you take a look at the major contractors, they are all in the "infrastructure" business. Building new roads, new bridges, and new buildings whenever our military blows the old ones up --- or whenever corrupt dictators agree to take IMF funds to give right back to U.S. multinationals as revenue/profits.

So I guess what Americans must do to get Republicans and Democrats to spend money on America is to have our own military invade and occupy ourselves and then take out an IMF loan.

Posted by Tampa Student at August 7, 2007 05:00 PM

I think it was Phid who noted months ago that, though Repigs may be robbing the bank, Dinosaur Dems sit in the get away car, nervously tapping the horn.

That may well be the crux of this 'softness' as if implacable 'hardness' is somehow its own virtue in all cases. This is a cartoon dialectic dreamed up to feed a cartoon nation of buffoon boomers.

I'm with Coyote on the basis for a real Dem future is in the local world, Mayors, State Reps and places less rarified than the lofty, sloppy Fed.

And as a former Puget resident, she's also right about the relative quality of the Washington Dem Caucus. They are in some pleasing mid point between what now is and what could well be.

And do keep in mind much macro Dem blather can be seen through a denial prism as if the US isn't on the edge of a steep and terrifying decline.

The Repigs aren't likely to bring it up given their role as the vangaurd of this decline. Much of what passes for discourse now is hollow graveyard whistling in the dark.

Real leadership needs to be shaped in a crucible of real crisis. Somewhere out there is a cadre of the future whether Elliot Spitzer or someone who is now an obscure and young state rep.

When the Fed Level is determined to suck, it is time to turn to your own back yard as having a great state, or a great city or county is the initial step toward having a great country and this takes time.

Posted by Chris Rich at August 8, 2007 05:11 AM