Real Democrats.......Endangered species

[democrank]

Just call them the go-along-to-get-along gang, but don`t call them leaders, because they aren`t. Leaders do something odd....they lead.
They don`t stand off to the side with their knees knocking every time a tough decision has to be made and they don`t buckle under pressure and call it compromise. They don`t have to hire ten consultants or wire up a focus group to an emote-o-meter to figure out what the hell they stand for.

Any national Democratic leader worth his salt knows that the center line in American politics has been moved so far to the right that, as Jerry Springer puts it,"If you`re for peace, you`re fringe." Even as more and more Americans start questioning Bush`s invasion of Iraq, almost no Democratic leaders had the gumption to support the anti-war effort this past weekend. Goodness, no. They couldn`t be associated with such a radical group: Veterans for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Veterans Against the Iraq War, their own constituents. Better to just hide somewhere out of sight until the thing blows over, right? Or, until they want to ask us for a campaign contribution.

I don`t know about the rest of you, but I`ve about had it. I don`t know how much longer I can take this pathetic horde of do-nothings.
They couldn`t even find the courage to assemble on the Capitol steps
and denounce the inhumane treatment of thousands of human beings in Louisiana and Mississippi. I guess we were all supposed to pretend that it`s just an average day in America when bloated bodies float down Main Street while the president plays his guitar. These so-called leaders have strayed so far from basic Democratic principles that they might as well get an elephant pin for their lapel.

The Democratic Party base, the folks who have consistently fought for social and economic justice, might as well be political orphans for all the support we get from our leaders. Oh, that`s right. We`re the fringe and we`d better get with the program: Spread freedom in Iraq, overlook the trade imbalance with China,stop whining about paper trails for our voting machines, send more contributions for liver pate luncheons, admit that torture helps keep us safe, ignore our national debt and accept that global warming is a myth. There. I`ve talked myself into it. Guess I`ll just stand up and shout,"USA, USA" like Chris Matthews does even as our torture planes are picking up another load in Iraq.