Shameless liberal bloggers vote to extend tax cuts for the rich
It’s really been cracking me up to witness the extent denialists are willing to go to blame the House Democrats’ defeats on liberal bloggers – as if bloggers possess enough political authority to sway millions of voters to exile Blue Dog Democrats. (See: Glenzilla’s take down of what he calls “pundit sloth.” For another embarrassing example of blaming the left for Obama’s failures, read this Daily Kos entry.)
Because we all know it was liberal bloggers who voted to extend and excel two deeply unpopular wars, supported the use of private, unaccountable armies, and then authorized the use of drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen. I remember when the Firedoglake crew implemented its weak stimulus strategy, and made worker and environmental protection optional. Not to mention history’s greatest monster, Atrios, who oversaw a nine percent unemployment rate, while simultaneously announcing that — in the midst of deficit– he plans to extend tax cuts for the rich. And who can forget when Markos Moulitsas nixed the extremely popular public option and allowed pharmaceutical companies to pen their own version of healthcare reform? God! What’s wrong with these fucking Mac huggers?
Ahem. Of course, that was all the work of President Obama – not that you would know that from the way pundits and moderate Democrats are lashing out at the left.
The truth is endless capitulations and “pragmatism” (the new “triangulation”) have brought us here. Liberals voted out Blue Dogs because Blue Dogs sold them out, and they, along with President Obama, have largely abandoned the liberal platform.
The election results were less about the GOP winning, and more about Blue Dogs losing. Obviously, these disillusioned liberals haven’t been swayed to the dark side of conservatism. In fact, the Progressive caucus is now larger than the Blue Dogs and New Dems, combined. Yet, it appears as though the Obama administration is ready to treat the midterm elections as a mandate for embracing the right. Again.
To believe the “America is a center-right country” narrative is to accept a complete misreading of popular opinion. Whenever the public voices discontent with policy, pollsters and pundits have a habit of assuming the people desire a return to Conservatism, or policy rejectionism. But sometimes the public is capable of believing policy isn’t liberal enough. For example, Robert Blendon and John Benson of the Harvard School of Public Health mulled over 17 recent surveys concerning the Affordable Care Act. Here’s what they found:
An HSPH survey conducted Oct. 1-12 found that while only 18 percent of registered voters believed the law should be implemented in its current form, 31 percent wanted Congress to amend the statute in ways that would increase the government’s role in healthcare. In contrast, 41 percent wanted to “repeal and replace” the legislation. So 49 percent — nearly half of registered voters — either supported the reform law or thought it didn’t go far enough. That’s a nuance that has so far escaped most of the pollsters: many people who find fault with the Affordable Care Act are not opposed to its philosophy, but don’t think it’s strong enough to get the job done. That’s a rather different stance from the Republican battle cry that the ACA is a “government takeover of healthcare.”
But nuance is not understood by pollsters. A rejection of healthcare, and a rejection of the Blue Dogs, are always interpreted as a rejection of liberalism. The reality is, oftentimes these measures (and players) are shot down because they have betrayed liberalism.
[...] Cross-posted from allisonkilkenny.com [...]
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Allison Kilkenny: Shameless liberals bloggers vote to extend tax cuts for the rich | BlackNewsTribune.com
6 Nov 10 at 2:22 pm
This is perfection. Most important part:
“But nuance is not understood by pollsters.”
Or anyone. Have you ever tried to debate on Twitter about a nuanced topic? Not fucking fun.
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Cate
6 Nov 10 at 2:31 pm
I’m convinced there has never been a successful debate on Twitter. Yet, I still try, from time to time.
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Allison Kilkenny
6 Nov 10 at 2:32 pm
[...] Cross-posted from allisonkilkenny.com [...]
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Allison Kilkenny: Shameless liberal bloggers vote to extend tax cuts for the rich | KING.NET
6 Nov 10 at 3:06 pm
You nailed it, but I’m a little dissapointed that you didn’t cover the fact that in 2006, progressive voters swept Democrats into power in the Senate and the House.
And what did they do? Did they finally stop the wars?
Did they investigate allegations of torture being approved in the White House? Did they proceed in prosecuting Bush for impeachable offenses?
No. They acted like Republicans, while blaming the Republicans for obstructionism, saying they needed 60 votes in the senate and control of the White House to get anything done.
So America gave it to them.
Later, with 60 votes in the senate, and control of all three branches of government, they blamed the Republicans for obstructionism. Weak sauce.
Leading me and many other progressives to believe, that Democrats NEVER intend to deliver on anything. When they’re in power, they act like republicans, and cowtow to big business, to Wall Street Banksters, and the Military Industrial Complex. Just like the Republicans.
When they’re out of power, they still cowtow to the Wall Street Banksters, Military Industrial complex, et al, but it seems more believable when they say that they are for the people, and they can’t deliver simply because they’re out of power for the moment. It doesn’t matter if they vote against special interests when they’re in the minority. They don’t fillibuster. They don’t use parliamentary manuevers to block bad legislation.
Put them in power, and their true colors show. They are to the Republicans as Alan Colmes was to Sean Hannity.
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The Punk Patriot
6 Nov 10 at 3:43 pm
[...] Cross-posted from allisonkilkenny.com [...]
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Allison Kilkenny: Shameless liberals bloggers vote to extend tax cuts for the rich | Barack Obama and USA
6 Nov 10 at 4:09 pm
Blaming the “liberal bloggers” for the bloodbath is like eating 2 lbs of Smithfield Lard a day to lose weight. LITERALLY.
I’m so fucking pissed at the Wimpcrats that did not deliver for the BASE. They didn’t deliver, so the supporters stayed home, and the GOP rallied.
If they listned to the LIBERAL BLOGGERS, they would have delivered on policy, the BASE would have rallied, and they would have WON.
This ordeal, as well as the reaction to the Apathy Rally, is showing me which pundits are good and which are lame. I won’t list who is who here.
I am beating this to death because it is SO IMPORTANT. We do not need to silence our strongest advocates, but we need to support them, and encourage them to “keep on keeping on”, while we organize pressure to fight back.
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MS
6 Nov 10 at 9:52 pm
I have been debating this same thing with my “democrat” friends all week. I will now be referring them to this post. Thanks!
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Robert Eldridge
6 Nov 10 at 11:13 pm
“If they listned to the LIBERAL BLOGGERS, they would have delivered on policy, the BASE would have rallied, ”
I don’t believe this is true. Obama was elected because of a perfect storm, not because “the base” rallied. A similiar phenomenon happened this election, too, but I think perhaps it went beyond the economy, though the economy was the main driver. I think the O got a little carried away.
from politics daily: “An estimated 37 percent of all American voters now call themselves independents or unaffiliated voters, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. This is a bigger group than those who say they are Democrats (34 percent) or those who identify themselves as Republicans (28 percent). The percentage of voters who say the are independent is the largest in 70 years.”
So if 37 percent are independent and 28 percent are republican, I’d say it doesn’t matter, and didn’t matter this election, how many dems turn out if the other two groups decide to vote out unpopular policy supporters.
You guys are a third, roughly, of the voting public. You act like if only the lethargic “base” had got out to vote, this slaughter would not have happened. That ain’t so. The independents decide elections now.
Also, I think that HSPH survey is kinda weak. I bet someone that wanted a different result wouldn’t have a lot of trouble getting one.
Anyways, this election was going to be a loser for the dems anyway, but it took Pelosi and Obama to really screw the pooch. I am thinking Obama is gonna get tossed in 2012. how ’bout you?
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TJ
16 Nov 10 at 12:38 am