Editorial from a friend

[flamin lib]

I got the following from a fellow liberal here in Texas & thought I'd pass it on . . .

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Profiles in Cowardice, or ... Courage, the Cowardly Donkey

The most frustrating aspect of being a Democrat today is not George W. Bush. It’s not the dominance of Republicans of every aspect of governance. It’s not the silence of the citizenry in the face of Bush’s trampling of our most cherished freedoms, in the name of freedom. It’s not even residing for fifty years in the reddest of the red states, home to Mr. Bush, and being tarred as “eccentric” by the entire office staff (in that “bless her heart, she’s a little nuts” kind of way) after admitting to a co-worker that you’re proud to be a liberal.

It’s the spinelessness of my own party.

In my lifetime, my nightmares never conjured up an America that freely adopted the terrors of the Soviet regime. Torture, secret prisons and verdicts, propaganda, spying on dissenters, the “disappeared”, election fraud, extraordinary rendition, all are commonplace now, accepted meekly in the land of the free and the home of the brave. And the reason for this state of affairs is not just that we have a president who believes that the Rule of Law does not apply to him, or that Republicans back this extraordinary grasp of kingly power, but also that many Democrats are too busy evaluating what political capital is to be gained by any position taken, to really take any position at all. Principled Democrats like Russ Feingold, Howard Dean and Al Gore have been mocked and criticized for standing against this power grab, and not just by Republicans, but also by Democrats. And who can forget those brave Democrats (like Dianne Feinstein) who called for the censure of Bill Clinton as punishment for lying about a consensual affair, but now flee from censuring Mr. Bush for his open and continued violations of US law.

Sadly, one immutable truth remains. Voters will never believe that Democrats will stand up to Al-Qaeda if they won’t stand up to Bush. If you won’t stand up to bullies at home who lob words, how can you be trusted to fight bullies abroad who lob bombs?

If Democrats keep putting a wet finger up to test the political winds before taking a stand, they have signaled their strength of will and of character more loudly than any words they can ever say. Voters recognize a house built on sinking sand, and know that a party afraid of its own shadow may be too weak to build a strong fortress against terrorists.

I’ve always heard that we teach others how to treat us. The Democrats have taught the populace and the media to paint them as weak on security issues because they refuse to stand up when it really counts, when it’s a risk, when it’s for principle. They fear alienating the mythic center, although poll after poll paradoxically indicates that the center believes in the very principles the Democrats are afraid to embrace. And say what you will about the Republicans, no one will ever mistake them for being weak - their willingness to go for the kill, even in the wrong places and of the wrong people - provides a tempting illusion of strength.

Strength sells, especially in a time of terror. So it is ironic indeed that the political power the Democrats crave so desperately that they fear taking the wrong stand, is likely never to materialize because they failed to take a stand at all.

[liberalmuse]

1. This needs to be sent to every Dem in Congress!

What an excellent piece! Thanks for sharing!

[flamin lib]

3. She gave me permission to send it to all the Dem organizations.

It's going to the DCCC, DSCC, DNC, DLC and my state party.

I just thought that DU would enjoy it too. Sometimes the truth hurts even as it sets you free.

[blue cat]

6. I wish all of our politicians

would read this.

[electropop]

2. Well said

K&R

[militaryWife]

4. wow, I'm bookmarking this.

Well done liberal friend of a du poster
:yourock:

[calimary]

5. YES! Remember what bush himself said, along the campaign trail

in 2004: "You may not agree with me, but you know where I stand."

DAMN I wish our Dems would grok that one. They'd win.

[OneBlueSky]

7. "It’s the spinelessness of my own party" . . .

how depressingly true! . . . I keep waiting -- in vain, it seems -- for the Democrats to stand up to those who are destroying our country and its position in the global community and DO something . . . instead, all I see (with a few exceptions) are BushCo enablers, doing everything they can to NOT mention stolen elections, violations of international (and U.S.) law, corporate control of Congress, the 9/11 "official" fantasy tale, and every other issue that actually means something . . .

if they keep doing nothing but sticking their fingers up to see which way the wind's blowing, one day soon those fingers are gonna be chopped off . . . just ask Joe Lieberman . . .