To Pelosi and Reid - Start Acting Like Democrats!

Just because someone wears the Democrat label, it doesn’t mean they are either liberal or progressive. The problem with many of the senior Democratic leadership in Congress is their attempt to masquerade as reformers. People like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are simply Republican "lite". Either that, or they are so entrenched in the politics of Washington that they have little stomach for real change and a real fight. I give as a case in point the pitiful showing on the war funding bill.

The Democratic majority was sent to Washington with a clear message, "end the war". So far what we have is more funding and a general caving-in every time the GOP steps up their pressure. The Democrats are behaving as though they are still the minority and that may very well kill their advantage. Americans have very short attention spans and should the Republicans or someone else come along with a reasonable sounding plan to end the war the public just might vote for them.

Republicans have shown an ability to close ranks and really resist change. It’s time the Democrats tried the same tactic. Democrats have to realize that the GOP is not going to share power or submit to any sort of coalition building. They are adversaries and they play their hand like one. Democrats are still stuck in the 1950’s when both parties could agree on what was best for the country. Unfortunately, the Republicans could care less, their taskmasters are the rich and big business. Their ranks may include the radical religious right, but only so long as they are convenient. The minute that faction should turn against business or the rich and they will be dropped like a hot potato.

So why are the Democrats afraid? I suspect they have been victim or the same PR that made "liberal" a dirty word. They are laboring under the illusion that the country wants "centrist" politicians when in fact the countries views are liberal, even though they won’t call themselves such.

So to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and the rest of the spineless Democrats who caved in to the GOP, I would say this. Get your act together or get out of the way. There are many more progressive politicians out there who could actually move this country towards a read democracy and away from the autocratic GOP rule. Start acting like Democrats. Start doing the job you were elected to do!