Pissed off voters about to piss on themselves

With the election season already heating up (along with the summer), conventional wisdom says the Republicans will make big gains in Congress, maybe even take over the House. After all, the economy is still in a shambles, and voters tend to vote against the one holding the White House when they’re pissed. And pissed they are.

Hell, I’m pissed. But the “new” Republican plan looks a lot like what got us into this terrible mess in the first place: more tax cuts for the rich, expand offshore gas and oil drilling – and forget fixing and strengthening those pesky regulations – we should “trust the market.” The market will punish BP, and cause oil companies to get better at safety! Yeah, right. That’s worked so well in the past. Hey, I’m an independent, but with that record, I can’t vote GOP.

Oh, and by the way, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – a right-wing political group representing large corporations – has proposed what it’s calling a “recovery plan.” It includes the above, and says we should also get out of the way of logging companies and just go ahead and level the national forests, privatize Social Security (just think how well that would have worked in the last stock market dive), and get this, we need to privatize highways and waterways!

What’s scary is that the combination of so many folks being so frustrated and so poorly informed may result in this lunacy becoming reality.

To react to the recession by privatizing everything and giving corporations carte blanche to do anything they want without regulation is just plain suicide to a democracy. We the people should be in charge, not fake corporate “persons.” They’d like to shrink government down to a size they can “drown in a bathtub,” as Grover Norquist so infamously put it.

The problem has been that the government has been functioning poorly, not that there is government. And it’s been functioning poorly precisely because we had people in power for eight years who wanted to “drown” it.

While they held the presidency and Congress, Republicans put industry people in as heads of the “watchdog” agencies. They just hopped right in bed with the companies they’re supposed to regulate – literally, in the case of the disgraced Mineral Management Agency, which was supposed to be enforcing good safety practices for the oil industry. Instead, they waived the rules and partied with company brass in the now infamous sex and drug parties.

No, the problem isn’t the government, it’s letting corporate power brokers take over the government. And this will only get worse, since the Supreme Court decided to let corporations spend unlimited sums to influence elections (because they’re people too!).
Unless we elect a congress that will pass real election reform.

It’s not easy to turn around such a gargantuan mess, and although I disagree with much of what Obama has – and hasn’t – done, I recognize it’s like turning around a huge, slow moving ship – it takes time. And things would be improving a whole lot faster if the minority party in the Senate wasn’t filibustering everything!

If anything, voters should recognize that we need to elect fewer GOP (Grand Obstructionist Party) members, because of their irresponsible use of the filibuster. Maybe then we could get some desperately needed changes in place. (And/or, Congress needs to do away with the filibuster.)

Just what kind of “democratic” institution is run by the minority, anyway? Oh yeah, our kind. *Sigh.*

We were promised real reform if we could just get the Dems 60 seats...

Well, now's the time, Democrats. If you blow this one, don't be surprised when you find you lose your majority after just two short years.

We need health care, not warfare. Yet Dems continue to authorize funds for war, but are looking pretty sheepish on health care reform.

Face it, we need single-payer health care. Every other proposal out there is hogwash. As Dr. Dean says, we are 60 years behind the times on this issue. But even if the "public option" goes through, you can be sure the lobbyists, who have congress by the balls, will make sure it is completely neutered of any real power.

We were told as voters that when the Democrats got 60 seats in the Senate, we would finally get the important things this country so desperately needs. Health care reform is at the top of the list.

So, the question is, are you going to follow through, Democrats, or once again prove that you have no spine? Even with total control in Washington, and the entire country behind real health care reform? If that's the case, you will have not only blown an historic opportunity for the real "change we need," you will lose your majority in 2010.

What the Democrats need to do: Interview with Drew Westen, author of "The Political Brain"

This is a really GREAT interview with Drew Westen, the author of The Political Brain, on what Democrats need to do in their campaign to connect with the emotional side of voters. It also should be taken in by everyone who wants to be able to convince those on the fence, and maybe even open-minded Republicans, that Bush, McCain, Palin & Co don't own a patent on "American values."

It's only 9 minutes long, and you can watch it on your computer.

Obama in Danger?
NOW: "Are tactical mistakes by Obama going to cost him the election? Psychologist and Democratic political consultant Drew Westen talks to NOW's David Brancaccio about how appealing to voters' emotions reaps bigger electoral rewards than hammering home policy proposals."