Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Historians looking at Bush presidency may well wonder if Congress actually existed

dc_dux · 06-19-2008, 10:15 AM

Host...

Here are my thoughts:

The Democratic majority in Congress, while not aggressively pursuing or achievieng the policy objectives of its most progressive/liberal wing, has agressively conducted numerous oversight hearings of the many questionable policies and practices of the Bush administration.

As a result, numeorus bill were enacted and the federal government is (marginally?) more open and transparent than it was pre-2006. IMO, that is a good first step.

A Democratic president and a larger Democratic majority in Congress are likely to expand that even further.

BUT FIRST THEY MUST GET ELECTED!

I believe an overly expansive progressive agenda would be destructive to the Democratic party as an expansive social/religious conservative agenda is to the Republicans. Most Americans do not want, and will not support either.

So....I fully support the goals of the Democratic party to become the "bigger tent" and to extend its outreach to be more inclusive, rather than to define itself so narrowly that it chokes on its own unpopular ideology.

The upside of that approach is bringing into the party guys like Webb in Virginia, Tester in Montana, and others, including more "Blue Dogs" in the South and expanding the Democratic majority. The downside is a requirement to be more pragmatic and open to compromise in order to fairly represent the interests of these "new" Democrats and not just the "liberal/progressive" wing.

I accept the compromises (so far) as a necessity in order for the party to maintain a position to grow and govern...and only by governing (with a working majority), can ANY of the party's policy and program goals ever be implemented.

I dont believe it is making a pact with the devil...rather it is accepting the realities of government in a divided and polarized nation.

I understand that you would rather hold out for a truly "progressive agenda" in the US...but I would suggest you might be holding out until hell freezes over.
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(and now I am off to a meeting with Wal*Mart, Wells Fargo, Verizon and Office Depot....to discuss common policy objectives...should be interesting

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06-19-2008, 10:15 AM	#98 (permalink)
dc_dux Location: Washington DC	Host... Here are my thoughts: The Democratic majority in Congress, while not aggressively pursuing or achievieng the policy objectives of its most progressive/liberal wing, has agressively conducted numerous oversight hearings of the many questionable policies and practices of the Bush administration. As a result, numeorus bill were enacted and the federal government is (marginally?) more open and transparent than it was pre-2006. IMO, that is a good first step. A Democratic president and a larger Democratic majority in Congress are likely to expand that even further. BUT FIRST THEY MUST GET ELECTED! I believe an overly expansive progressive agenda would be destructive to the Democratic party as an expansive social/religious conservative agenda is to the Republicans. Most Americans do not want, and will not support either. So....I fully support the goals of the Democratic party to become the "bigger tent" and to extend its outreach to be more inclusive, rather than to define itself so narrowly that it chokes on its own unpopular ideology. The upside of that approach is bringing into the party guys like Webb in Virginia, Tester in Montana, and others, including more "Blue Dogs" in the South and expanding the Democratic majority. The downside is a requirement to be more pragmatic and open to compromise in order to fairly represent the interests of these "new" Democrats and not just the "liberal/progressive" wing. I accept the compromises (so far) as a necessity in order for the party to maintain a position to grow and govern...and only by governing (with a working majority), can ANY of the party's policy and program goals ever be implemented. I dont believe it is making a pact with the devil...rather it is accepting the realities of government in a divided and polarized nation. I understand that you would rather hold out for a truly "progressive agenda" in the US...but I would suggest you might be holding out until hell freezes over. ----- (and now I am off to a meeting with WalMart, Wells Fargo, Verizon and Office Depot....to discuss common policy objectives...should be interesting ) __________________ "The perfect is the enemy of the good." ~ Voltaire Last edited by dc_dux; 06-19-2008 at 10:24 AM..*