(Also posted at http://community.myfoxmilwaukee.com/blogs/Basher51)
Interesting observation made today by someone-somewhere: If poll after poll says that most Americans agree with the far left on things such as Iraq and that Bush/Cheney are the worst human beings ever to walk the face of the earth, then why aren’t the Democrats heeding the polls and doing the bidding of the far left? I get such a kick out of seeing bumper stickers and signs screaming “Impeach Bush and Cheney Now!” and “Wage Peace! US Out Of Iraq!” Well, the current congressional leadership promised you just such things. Yet, they have barely lifted a finger beyond giving some very tepid support to those very ideas. We were promised in the 2006 elections that by now Bush and Cheney would be impeached and our troops would be sunning themselves on the beaches of the good old USA. But Dennis Kucinich’s recent impeachment resolution couldn’t even get the time of day by the House and Senate majorities. What’s even more amazing is the neo-libs are giving the Dems a pass on this abject failure.
We were told that the 06 elections were a vindication that the far left in this country had captured the heart of America. But almost as soon as they won election, Pelosi and Reid both seemed to waste little time in backing away fast and far from all things liberal. The extreme left told us that America had spoken, that America wanted our troops out of Iraq right now, Bush and Cheney given quick show trials and thrown into prison for the rest of their lives and then a few years more. We were told by the far left that we Americans had spoken loudly that the entire corporate world was rife with corruption and needed a complete revamping and that unless you were one of the few favored CEO’s ala George Soros, Warren Buffett and Ted Turner that CEO’s shouldn’t make more than a streetcorner paperboy.
I exaggerate, I admit it. But all of the so-called results and vindication of the neo-lib agenda that was the outcome of the 06 election as pontificated to us by the pundits has simply failed to materialize. It isn’t even being proposed much less being voted into law. Pelosi and Reid are spending most of their days hiding from the public. When they do stick their heads out into the sunlight it is to make some silly and truly inane statement and then they go back into hiding. Henry Waxman (aka Torquemada) promised us all sorts of hearings by the House Government Reform Committee, aka The Inquisition, that would truly devastate the Republican Party and root out the closeted conservatives in our midst. But the Waxman did not commeth. Indeed, it has been reported that he is in hiding with Pelosi and Reid. NONE, I repeat NONE, of the neo-lib agenda has been proposed much less enacted. Health care? Status quo. Iraq? Status quo. Corporate reform? Status quo. Energy? Status quo. Neo-libs: Has it occurred to you that your promised revolution has not just failed, it has never happened!
What is even more interesting is how rapidly the Democrat presidential campaigners have tossed off the neo-lib agenda. As much as I detest listening to that screechy voice, even Hillary has said little that would appease the neo-libs. And don’t forget that this is the primaries where the parties typically gin up the base. But especially since the not very surprising success of the surge, Hillary has toned down the rhetoric of basically promising to stick the heads of Bush and Cheney on the White House fence. Indeed, even Al Gore appeared in the Oval Office with Bush and didn’t scold and upbraid and generally make an a** of himself as most neo-cons would. Unless he jumps up and down like he needs a potty break, Dennis Kucinich is barely recognized at the Democrat debates.
Could it be that since the Democrats could not deliver on their promise of assuring an American defeat in Iraq that they are fearful of a backlash by the neo-libs? We were promised by Reid in particular that he would see to it that America was defeated in Iraq. The Surge, he promised before it even happened, would be a total and complete defeat. Yet, that promise was not delivered. Pelosi promised a purge of all things conservative and her chief inquisitor Waxman promised Republican heads on a platter. They and they alone would root out all of the corruption in congress. Well, make that corruption involving Republicans. She would continue to ignore any corruption of the Democrats. But if memory does not fail me, and it does at times, Waxman has held one very tepid hearing and Pelosi has been seen lunching with Republicans (even Bush and Cheney) when she can be found outside of her bunker. No corporate heads have been hauled before the large nostrils of Waxman for a tongue lashing that would leave all neo-libs panting in the afterglow. We were told that by now Bush would be forced to veto free medicine for every man woman and child–who could prove that they voted Democrat–and that oil companies would be foreced to finance the travels of every American–except for those who voted Republican. (Exaggerator turned off!) But nothing even close to that has happened. The blame, we are told, is not Reid/Pelosi et al who promised us quick fixes to all of these problems. No, the Democrat majorities in both houses are not to blame. The blame we are told lies at the feet of just two men: George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. But we were promised that the 06 elections that swept the Democrats into power on a huge tidal wave of neo-liberalism would serve up to us a huge banquet of big government largess in the form of cheap gasoline, free medication and health care, and a world where islamofascists would love instead of hate us because we left them alone to terrorize who they felt like terorrizing.
Given the really, really short attention spans of most neo-libs, it still surprises me that they focus their rage on Bush and Cheney and not on Reid and Pelosi. The neo-libs were promised by Reid and Pelosi all sorts of things and yet they have delivered on none of it. Indeed, they are rapidly becoming known for doing nothing. It has been noted that the 110th Congress is well on its way to accomplishing the least of any Congress in US history.
So neo-libs, you guys who foam at the mouth whenever anyone mentions Bush and Cheney, where is all of the sturm und drang at those who promised that your agenda would be carried out? I’m waiting for the bumper stickers that say “Pelosi and Reid Lied/Our Agenda Died”.
