Hey Unsensible Emo Prog Firebaggers: This Time I'm *Sure* I Got It Right!!!

[bvar22]

110. That is an interesting post, alcibiades.

Especially THIS line, delivered with a gloat.

[font size=3]
"They've (The Left) also been exposed as completely ineffective politically."[/font]
---alcibiades_mystery, post#86

What is interesting about this statement is that The Progressive Caucus
IS the largest and most popular Caucus in the Democratic Party,
and, yet, it HAS been completely ineffective (as you state),
and completely MARGINALIZED by the Democratic Party leadership,
so much so that:

* not a single spokesman for Expanding Medicare was even allowed at the table for the debate on Health Care Reform

*not a single Democrat who voted against the Invasion of Iraq was given a position of authority or power in the Obama Administration

*not a single member of the Progressive Caucus was given a position of authority or power in the Obama cabinet or Administration

You are correct in that The Left has been ineffective,
and I wonder WHY considering that the Issues and Policies that The Left champion
are popular with the Majority of Americans, Democrat & Republican.

Your post started me thinking:
[font size=3]WHY has "The Left" been so ineffective inside the Democratic Party despite supporting traditional Democratic Party Values & Policy?[/font]

I see an clear pattern:

*Paul Wellstone... KIA

*Howard Dean.... discredited, marginalized, banished for cheering too enthusiastically!

*Cynthia McKinney..... attacked, isolated, marginalized, cut off from Party support, expelled

*Eliot Spitzer...... Honey Trapped, discredited, isolated, expelled

*Anthony Wiener..... marginalized, discredited, isolated, expelled

*Russ Feingold.... attacked from The Center, marginalized, isolated from party support, exiled

*Alan Grayson .... attacked from The Center, marginalized, isolated from party support, exiled, won Re-election with hard work and shoe leather running a Grass Roots campaign

*Dennis Kucinich ... attacked from The Center, discredited, marginalized, isolated, redistricted, exiled

*Shirley Sherrod... Blackballed by the Party Leadership over an exaggerated allegation (BY BRIETBART!), expelled

*Van Jones... Blackballed by Party Leadership and expelled over a contrived and over-hyped Republican allegation

*John Edwards.... expelled and demonized for weakness in his personal life that regularly goes unpunished for others

*Dan Rather... set up and bitch slapped by the Conservative Media over a minor offense, and left hanging

The downfall of some of the above can be partially attributed to their own personal foibles,
but in every case, the party leadership was quick to condemn and abandon, and made no effort to embrace or assist any of these Liberals in their time of need. There ARE politicians in BOTH parties guilty of far more serious transgressions who managed to survive their troubles because of Party support.

*Maxine Waters... currently under attack

*The Congressional Black Caucus..... admonished by the President to quit whining, "Take off your bedroom slippers. Put on your marching shoes" and get behind the President's agenda.
(When has he EVER spoken to the "Blue Dogs" like that?)
http://news.yahoo.com/obama-tells-blacks-stop-complainin-fight-015928905.html

*The Progressive Caucus.... no seats in the cabinet, almost none appointed to positions of any power in the Executive Branch, the White House doesn't take their calls.

*ACORN.... quickly thrown under the bus by Party Leadership over a hyped and contrived allegation.
The Party leadership literally could not run away fast enough!

*Organized LABOR... while holding up a facade of supporting Unions, the Party leadership continues to advance Anti-UNION policy (unregulated International Trade with Slave Labor countries), and attack UNIONS as a major problem in Education, Government Employment, and the Work Place.
An "anonymous White House Spokesperson" even ridiculed LABOR for "wasting $10 Million Dollars" by supporting a Pro-LABOR challenger to virulently Anti-UNION Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Democratic Primary, 2010.
To rescue Lincoln's failing Primary Campaign, Party Leadership gave Lincoln an Oval Office Endorsement, and even sent Bill Clinton back to Arkansas to help out poor, Anti-LABOR Blanche.
http://www.salon.com/2010/06/10/lincoln_6/



*Democratic Primaries 2010.... Strong pattern of endorsing and supporting Blue Dogs and Big Business Conservatives,
even including one "former" Republican running against more Liberal, Pro-Working Class challengers.
(See: Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Colorado and others)



The pattern is clear, and frightening.
It seems that The left has much more work to do than just Getting Democrats Elected.
Thanks for the Heads Up.

---bvar22
A mainstream/Center loyal FDR/LBJ Working Class DEMOCRAT, now relegated to the "Fringe Left" wing of the "New Democrat" Centrist Party.



[font color=firebrick][center]"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone [/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]