I fear that it's going to be a looooooooong 2 years...

[catbyte]

I caught a news report on NPR radio this morning on the car radio on my way to work. The reporter was asking a Democratic representative (I didn't catch the name) about the budget vote last night. He said something about "making concessions now, because Democrats will have even less leverage next year." Damn, I wish I could find the quote. It sounded to me like what he actually said was, "Well, we might as well cave now, because we'll have to cave even more next year."

Sorry, but Democrats are fucking spineless. It's embarrassing, infuriating, frustrating, and discouraging. I still haven't bounced back from the catastrophe in November. I can't believe the Senate will be Republican, that Rick The Dictator Snyder, Walker, Scott, Brownback, and all the other POS Republican governors were re-elected. I feel like crying every single day.

Sorry for the depressing rant. I need chocolate...

[daleanime]

1. Yes. The only question is.....

will we be stronger afterwards or not.

[progressoid]

2. I'm going to start brewing my own alcohol.

[dirtydickcheney]

3. The Democrats are complicit.

Its not spinelessness - they only really care about big money and dabble with such stuff as abortion and gay marriage, which are important, but don't affect huge profits going to the already rich.

when it's anything of substance that might interfere with big money being made, they will "cower/act spineless" but at this point I've concluded that they couldn't be happier behind the scenes -it's EXACTLY what they want.

[Bluenorthwest]

7. dabble is the right word because marriage equality is not the law of the land and abortion rights

are theoretical in many regions. Not exactly good examples of things they actually do, because they actually don't.

[blkmusclmachine]

8. This:

Democratic "leadership" -> <- the 1%

[LuvNewcastle]

16. True.

They just put on a show for the rest of us, as if they're unwillingly voting for this abomination. When the GOP doesn't like something, they stand firmly in opposition to it. If the Democrats truly opposed these awful laws, they would do the same. I only wonder how far they'll sell us down the river in the next 2 years. Do they have a point beyond which they won't follow the Republicans?

This is precisely why indys feel the same about the Democrats as they do about the GOP. On economic issues, they're two peas in a pod. And remember, Americans vote primarily on economic issues. If they don't see a difference between the parties, how can the Democrats sell their platform as an alternative to the failed policies that have been in place since Reagan. They can't.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. 2016 is going to be a bloodbath for DEMS. I predict a clean sweep of CONgress, White House by Teabag

GOP, and the finishing off of what's left of this sorry-state "democracy" both Parties have gleefully been murdering since right after 9/11.

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Thanks for the nightmares.

Hope you're wrong, but it's a possibility.

If we don't get something material out of the wins in the last election... Voter turnout is going to be shit, and R's LOVE that environment. Anything that suppresses voter turnout seems to swing shit their way.

[LittleGirl]

21. oh good grief, I hope you're wrong

but I will nonetheless not be surprised if that happened. Good Bye America. It was good while it lasted. ugh...

[corkhead]

5. It's going to be a lot longer than 2 years if the projected "chosen one" gets nominated

[Brigid]

6. Good news.

The chocolate ration has been increased.

[Odin2005]

10. Democratic politicians are PAID to be spineless by their Capitalist owners.

[LuvNewcastle]

17. Wall Street is their constituency, not the voters.

I refuse to support any politician that won't respond to the needs of the people. I've truly had it with all but a few of them.

[pasto76]

11. no they will over step I believe. The Clay Hunt SVA is a prime example

just a suggestion, if 'our side' - and that is a broad brush - would push and expose The Republican Senator from Oklahoma putting a 'hold' on the Clay Hunt Act, they would lose a lot of steam.

Lose the apathy. Veteran suicides are an epidemic. Clay Hunt Act requires a 3rd party to audit the VA, annually, for suicide prevention and care. Its tagged at $22 million. They could sneeze that much money. Even the fucking House passed it last week by consent.

actually taking care of the troops would be a political gold mine. The right will never actually do it, but the left has daily opportunities.

[mtasselin]

12. Filibuster

You spineless Democrats that is all you are every 2 or 4 years you want us to support you, but do you do anything other than whine "we better give in now or it will be worse later". You are spineless assholes that is what you are grow a pair or don't run for office because we know who you are like Gary Peters who was just elected senator I wil have a hard time supporting you in the future for voting for that pos spending bill.

[Savannahmann]

13. No they weren't spineless. Democrats did fight. The won a lot of concessions that infuriate the RW.

They fought for weeks to keep the funding for the ACA and a lot of other programs. The EPA is being funded higher than the Administration asked, just not as high as the Environmentalist hoped.

They fought, and they got as good a deal as they could. Now, if this falls through, then there won't be any more deals. There will only be Republicans passing legislation, Democrats standing around complaining, and President Obama trying to decide if this fight is worth it. He'll have to decide alone, because he can't count on any support from his "allies". You know the Democratic Senators and Congressmen.

If President Obama considers the fight worth it, then can he count on the Democrats to back the deal he makes? The answer is no, which means he's already a Lame Duck, left to rubber stamp anything that comes out of Congress.

[og1]

14. Democratic constituency is spineless or are the politicians spineless

The answer is both of the above! The trouble with Democrats they think they need to win every battle to win the war. The most important battle that Democrats need to win is the over turning of citizen united! And if you are going to be a progressive populist then only vote for a progressive populist and it is time we hold runoff primaries. When those we elect fail to represent us then we need to defeat them at the next opportunity and if Democrats lose the seat it won't be cause we failed them it will be because they failed us! And never stop being an activist for those values you believe in. And we should not be afraid to lose a battle our goal is to win the war!

[jwirr]

15. You have every right to rant. We should never give up - if we lose it should be because we are

beaten. I just emailed my Senators to vote no but have no idea if they will or not. This is a damned depressing world we live in. Take care.

Just read the above posts. NOW I am really depressed.

[Skittles]

18. EXHIBIT #1

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5947798

[calimary]

19. catbyte, I am with you. I feel just as discouraged, and despondent.

To be painfully honest - our side doesn't deserve to win if we "fight" like this. If "cave" is our favorite verb. We don't deserve to win if we're going to "fight" like this. We just don't.

These assholes at the state level (where Debbie and friends snoozed, thankyouverymuch) - walker, snyder, and brownback!!! sam brownback got re-elected. UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE. With his SHIT track record and his absolute hose-job of the state of Kansas and what used to be its good credit rating. Just UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE. And rick scott. He was supposed to be the poster boy for unpopularity. WHAT THE FUCK, FLORIDA????? You WANT this??? This is okay with you? SERIOUSLY???? UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE.

It's hard to know where the bottom is, because we seem to be hitting a new bottom every week.

And as we've seen, Elizabeth Warren - even Elizabeth Warren, and Nancy Pelosi - are NOT enough.

[Awsi Dooger]

20. Much longer than 2 years unless Obama's approval rating recovers

No Democrat can win in 2016 if he's stuck in the mid 40s or lower for the next two years. Benefit of a doubt toward the party in general is lost. Hillary, or whoever the nominee is, would be blamed for the loss but as always the foundational aspects dominate. Obama can't afford to be seen as weak and ineffective for the balance of his term. We'll be crushed at the ballot box and ongoing reputation.

Politico has a good summary today. Lower income voters dictate our fate. They have to feel positive about the economy and the track of the nation. Otherwise they either don't vote or too many of them will abandon their logical Democratic alliance and desperately swing for the alternative. The demographic shift of fewer whites as percentage of the electorate has been well documented and emphasized. That works in our favor. But it doesn't fully take hold if the gap between the rich and middle/lower income workers continues to expand, with so many of the latter type, particularly young white males, aligning with Republicans due to frustration with their economic situation and logical forecast.

We need to overall economic mood to rise sharply by mid 2016. In the final months it doesn't really matter. Big picture decisions are made long before then.