The Democrats Have Failed Us

Let's cut to the chase: We can go on and on about GOP obstruction and an ideology entrenched in a fierce desire to consolidate power while defending the interests of the rich, or the failure of the current administration to hold its own in the face of this, but here's the bottom line: even with a congressional majority, the Democrats have failed us. Big time. And in more ways than one. But today, in a meeting with key congressional Republicans, the President of the United States may have sealed his fate with many who have supported him, by clearly demonstrating he doesn't have the testicular fortitude to confront those who openly defy him at every turn and have been clearly at war with his administration from Day One.

After having his bipartisan olive branch repeatedly swatted out of his hand by Republicans, whose number one priority is the failure of his administration, President Obama--in what can only be described as the political version of battered wife syndrome--acknowledged not reaching out enough to the GOP. Yes, he actually said that. Let it sink in for a second but try not to have your head explode while you're at it.

I think its time for the Democratic Party to act aggressively, independent of the White House and to make some bold statements. For starters, I suggest busing in to Washington, DC thousands of angry, unemployed folks for 3 days of protest before Congress. Let the GOP and their Democratic Blue Dog allies see who it is they are screwing over, live and in the flesh. I'm sure they can reach into their coffers or even get a couple of their wealthiest donors to foot the bill. Think of the press mileage they could get out of this; the surge in Democratic fervor among the base. And more importantly the message they'd be sending. (The voice of the American people, indeed!)

I'm not a political pundit, merely an observer. But it seems to me that unless a phenomenal, Clinton-like economic recovery transpires in the next 2 years, Barack Obama will be a one-term preisdent. Which is why--much to my chagrin--I suggest the party start looking towards running another candidate to face Obama in the primaries or prepare to be left out in the political wilderness for a decade or so. Seriously.

Here's Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Washington) on MSNBC's The Ed Show explaining the Republican "sink or swim" mentality while addressing the expiration of unemployment benefits and the President's baffling conduct vis-a-vis GOP lawmakers.

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