The Wave of the (not so distant) Future

A great analysis piece by that liberal bastion, the Washington Post

The article details Congressional Democrats and the unity they've shown in the 109th Congress under the leadership of Reid and Pelosi. Now, while I'm clearly a fan of Senator Daschle, Reid is doing an excellent job with such a clear minority in the Senate. Down six members, he's managed to win or prolong battles on a number of issues, which has deeply hurt the Republican Party's platform, agenda, and personnel. On Reid and Pelosi's leadership:

Democrats credit House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) with promoting solidarity through pep talks, lectures on loyalty and constant reassurances that Republicans are overplaying their hand. But the GOP has inadvertently helped, they say, by unwisely diving into the Terri Schiavo case and by starting the year with a drive to rewrite Social Security, considered sacrosanct to the Democratic Party.

With the politicization of the Schiavo case by the Republicans, public opinion and the CW (conventional wisdom) that the Republican Party was the 'culture of life' party was turned upside down. In my opinion, the Schiavo case, while motivating the base, will deeply harm the moderate support. Yes, we've clearly learned that moderate support can be overrated (see Election 2004), but the politicization of this issue is a thorn in the side of the "mightier than thou" Republicans. Mel Martinez's memo, in which a senior aide spoke of the support the Repubs would gain from their work in the Schiavo case was a clear instance of over-playing their hand, and a dumbass move, regardless of your political take on it.

More impressive than the Republicans fuck-ups, however, is the resourcefulness of the Dems.

"I think after an extended period of reconsideration and soul-searching [following the 2004 elections], the Democrats have decided they're going to fight back," Baker said. "The sense that they were cowed was very widespread" in January, he said, "but I think they just realized what they suffered was a defeat, not a humiliation."

And from everyone's favorite piece of shit evangelical douche-bag who announces accomplishments in his first 100 days in congress,

"They've sounded to me what is a very surprisingly defiant tone, considering the outcome of the [2004] elections," said freshman Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.).

You mean, you respect us, John? Didn't seem that way on the trail. Although, I do have to get my hands on the video that we have of John Thune dancing at a Nativce American powwow, and then seeing us taping him, smiling for the camera, waving, and continuing to dance...if that footage got out...well...who knows.

Oh...he doesn't really respect us...:

"I think they're getting kind of heady about where they are at this point," Thune said, "but I don't think they can sustain it. . . . Eventually I think that strategy is very dangerous and a miscalculation on their part."

Here's my question: Couldn't the Post get anyone better to comment on this story than a shitty SD senator? Frist wasn't available for the conventional, "we'll beat them down with the nuclear option" quote? I guess they wanted to talk to the guy who beat Tom Daschle...too bad he's more of a puppet than the administration's head...Wadhams should be cackling to himself right now, if I know him at all...and I think I do.

But Thune acknowledged that Republicans at first wrongly assumed a few Democrats would compromise on stalled judicial nominations and that gave Democrats a head start in the public relations battle over federal courts. "I think it probably caught our guys a little off guard," he said.

Don't these quotes from Thune show exactly what the Republicans despise the most: respect for the other party? In the "mightier-than-thou," "our way or no way," "your with us or against us," "your evil" Republican party of today, is John Thune showing respect and admiration for the Democrats that are so evil and secular and not God-fearing as John Thune, his wife, his mistress, and his two 15-year-old annoying daughters who will no doubt be coke whores now that they are out of Rapid City and in DC at least part-time?

Senate Democratic leader Reid, who opposes legalized abortion and has a slightly more conservative reputation than Daschle, has especially intrigued Capitol insiders. Some predicted he would be more willing to deal with Republicans after last year's setbacks, but he has proven them wrong.

Damn straight he has. Reid is perfect for the Democrats' big umbrella. He is from a conservative state, he is relatively conservative, but HE IS A DEMOCRAT. He may not be on the same side of the abortion issue as more liberal Dems, but he is still a fighting Dem, and he can clearly lead, something that is sorely lacking on the other side of the aisle:

In the House, several Republicans privately worry they are losing the public relations battle over ethics, which centers on Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.). The GOP opened the year by changing ethics committee rules, making it harder to investigate complaints lodged against lawmakers. But Republicans have shown hints of retreat in recent days -- first by offering to waive the new standard in order to investigate DeLay, and later by Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) saying he would consider restoring the original rule altogether.

DeLay is going down. Hastert is a hack. Frist is a minion to the religious, extremist right, Santorum is going to lose by 10 points.

The Republicans kicked our ass in 2004, there is no question about it. However, the movement that got off the ground with Dean and the anti-war stance, flustered by abortion an gay marriage, is going to continue. With our strong leadership, at all levels (Dean is doing good work, Emmanuel at the D-Trip is off to a good start, recruiting some nice candidates, and Schumer, well, more on him in a moment...), and the future isn't nearly as bleak as it seemed. I am confident that our current and impending leaders are much more prepared to lead Congress and the nation than the other sides' status quo will be. We have reason for hope in the '05 election cycle, and while '06 is going to be tough, we're laying the foundation for a strong anti-corruption, corporate accountability, anti-religious extremism campaign.

Oh yea, and to sum it up, from that media whore from my home state for whom I interned:

"When we undertook this, we didn't think public opinion would be on our side," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). "But it is."