Why Democrats Should Act Like They Have A Spine

It's always amusing to me to see the Democratic Party described as being leftist or left-wing.  Far too often, they're chasing the boundaries of timidity, not liberalism.  This country and its politics are, in fact, rotting for the lack of a political party that would confront the voters with not just a real choice, but an honest one as well.

Which was why I was grateful to see the Congressional Progressive Caucus unveil a budget proposal that does just that.  Personally, I would have gone much, much farther than they did.  But at least it's a start, and far superior to the slop that came of the Senate Budget Committee recently.  But the difference between the "unofficial" Democratic proposal and the official one only serves to underscore the "defeatist" attitude with which Democrats generally approach every single confrontation with the Republicans.  This describes that attitude so well that I am happy to defer to it.  Well, not exactly happy, but it gets it right.

In particular, the article makes the point that Democrats lack steel in their spine on a wide range of issues despite the fact that public opinion supports them on those issues.  In fact, the Democratic position on these issues is so popular that parts of it are even embraced on the right.

Take Terry Keenan of The New York Post, on the subject of taxing investors.

Or George Will, on the subject of breaking up banks "too big to fail."

Or Tom Friedman (OK, he's a "centrist," but he's an accomodationist when it comes to the crazies), on the subject of a carbon tax.

Or even The Wall Street Journal, on the subject of austerity and the damage it does to the economy.

For that matter, look at what happens when Democrats raise taxes to solve a budget crisis, supposedly the most evil thing they can do.  Doing so certainly hasn't hurt Jerry Brown, and it surely has helped California.

And guns?  The other political trap for Democrats?  It may not be a trap; it may, in fact, be an electoral opportunity.

Somebody needs to tell the Democratic Party that it won an election, and it should start acting like it.  It may be too late for the Democrats and the country if it doesn't.

And, oh, Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!  Celebrate responsibly.