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Sunday, October 24, 2010

"...with the help of bullying Republicans and cowed Democrats..."

The excerpt above comes from today's exercise in fatuity by Maureen Dowd in the New York Times. The column itself is about the brand new/same old kerfuffle about Clarence Thomas and the infamous confirmation hearings, a topic which is a waste of time except as an example of what it matters who sits in the White House which gives the media something to do while it ignores the corruption of our political system by big money and unchallenged misinformation and idiocy.

It caught my attention because it strikes me as a concise and perfect  explanation of our national politics these days. Indeed, there's an argument elsewhere in the Times this morning which touches on that issue, suggesting that it's time for the Dems to Boot the Blue Dogs, a concept that seems appealing on the surface but is probably not really wise.

Several of the so-called Blue Dogs (conservative Democrats who often vote with the GOP and make it almost impossible for their party to exercise its phantom "majority") are among the most likely to lose their seats ten days from now and, no matter who controls the House when the dust settles, their loss will weaken the Dems. Maybe such critters do vote for Republican positions more than those of their own party, but replacing them with folks who will always vote for the other side is clearly a losing proposition.

And, quite honestly, the "cowering" is mostly being done by the putative leadership of the party, reaching all the way into the White House.

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