How Can the Netroots Hold Democrats Accountable?

Submitted by Bob Fertik on September 21, 2007 - 7:44pm.

MoveonGate has hit the Netroots like a hard kick in the gut. As well it should - we poured out our hearts and wallets to elect Democrats in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006. We watched two presidential races stolen and our war heroes trashed without a peep from the Democrats. These losses were deeply painful but we mourned, analyzed, and vowed to work harder the next time. And in 2006 there was (finally!) a miracle, and we won the Senate and the House without losing a single seat.

So what have the Democrats done for us since we gave them the long-sought keys to the Congressional kingdom? Not much besides raising the minimum wage slowly over many years and holding a lot of hearings that have exposed just a few of the infinite number of White House scandals.

And what have they done to us? Fully funded Bush's endless occupation of Iraq, given Bush unlimited authority to tap our phones and emails, failed to restore habeas corpus, kept impeachment and subpoena enforcement off the table - and condemned our most powerful group, Moveon, for an completely legitimate ad.

Houston, we have a problem.

Congressional Democrats don't listen to us. Worse, they really don't like us.

Why? Because we won't take "we don't have the votes" for an answer.

We know how Washington works. On the one hand, we know Republican leaders can always line up the votes they need, no matter how evil the bill. We know Republican leaders always give their "base" everything they possibly can, from $2 trillion tax cuts for the wealthiest to midnight legislation to force Terry Schiavo to stay on a feeding tube.

On the other hand, we know Democratic leaders can never line up the votes they need, no matter how urgent the bill. And we know they won't lift a finger for their "base."

Can anyone imagine a Senate run by Mitch McConnell or Bill First allowing a vote to censure the NRA or the Christian Coalition or the Minutemen?

Houston, we have a problem. So what's the solution?

I love Tristero, but I have to disagree completely with his proposal:

Money talks, people. And direct donations to Democrats won't cut it, except to the best of the best. When a truly large portion of a Democratic candidate's funding comes from MoveOn - more importantly, when a truly large portion of the Democratic Party's war chest comes from MoveOn and similar groups... well, no guarantees.

Well no guarantees is exactly right. Moveon already spent millions in 2002, 2004, and 2006, and what did they get for their trouble? An official censure on a vote that never should have come to the floor and never should have received a single Democratic vote.

Giving more money to Moveon will help us elect "more and better Democrats," but it does not solve our fundamental problem.

Our problem, in a single word, is Accountability.

The Republican base - which includes the Corporate wing, the religious wing, and the gun wing, has made a science of accountability.

They watch Republicans like hawks. They get the inside scoop on pending actions and they make sure the most conservative person or policy has the edge. If a Republican steps out of line, they get punished - hard.

It works for conservatives because it's all controlled from the top. When Clinton was President, GOP power was controlled by Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay. Then Karl Rove came along and united the Republican right behind George Bush. And when Bush stole the White House, Rove rewarded his base by appointing them to every position in the Executive Branch. And on those rare occasions when Bush strayed - like Harriet Miers - Dick Cheney was there to set him straight.

There is no Democratic Karl Rove - someone to unite all the progressive groups behind a Presidential candidate. Nor is there a Democratic George Bush - a presidential candidate who wants the support of all the progressive groups and is willing to reward them for their support.

So we have to form a broad progressive coalition ourselves, and make Democratic leaders deal with us.

I don't know how to do this, because a broad progressive coalition doesn't exist, and I don't see anyone offering the leadership to create it.

But it needs to be done, and if the Netroots wants to hold Democrats accountable, we're going to have to find a way to do it.

Vote Republican: the party

Submitted by wiseoldgranny on September 21, 2007 - 10:17pm.

Vote Republican: the party of deception, corruption, devastation, torture and oppression.

You've answered the real question yourself.

There is no real base to the Democratic party.

Where you've missed the point is that whatever the 'top' says the repubs all jump in line. Repubs listen to their leaders whether it is political or religious leaders. They don't have to think for themselves, that way. They just spout the party line...all of them.The corporate media helps them get an united message out.

Don't you believe they cave to their grassroots. They just pick up the same old rhetoric that they know works...God, Gays, Guns, and abortion. They promote it so they can get away with deceiving their 'grass roots'. Then they control the messengers and the message. It's starting to turn on them now. More and more repubs are dropping out.

The Dems, on the other hand are a motley crew that never agree with each other. One hand cuts off the other and the message gets out loud and clear that we don't agree about anything. You have the radicals that control their congressmen so that if they don't get everything they want they vote against the dems......with the repubs. That's how the Dems can't get their bills passed..... the repubs let their moderates vote however they need to keep their seats, as long as they don't change the outcome in favor of the Dems. The Dems don't follow their leaders. Consequently, that small majority can't get anything done. Why? They don't have a majority on anything because the Dems refuse to stay united on anything.

Just read this Democratic message board. It denounces the Dems for any little thing they do.

As for moveon moving for dems......that is crap! I worked with moveon during the 2004 election. They did not work for Kerry...they worked against bush. Divided we fall.....United we may still fall. But by dividing us you make the repub's job so much easier. The dem's platform, is what we should make sure, conforms with our beliefs. Then unite to make it happen. Just crying because we can't have everything we want NOW, does not get it.

We are supposed to be the party of WE, the repubs are the party of ME. So stop your belly aching and unite and stop being a part of the problems and start solving them.

I watched regan start breaking the unions and the workers splitting apart until the unions no longer have any teeth. I see the same thing happening to my party. IT NEEDS TO STOP!!!!

Bush goes to war against MoveOn

Submitted by dove (not verified) on September 22, 2007 - 7:35pm.

Great to see Bush so threatened by the truth and the power of the "many". He can just read the polls and see we are not lining up behind him (only to kick him in the butt for his lies, theft of our democracy, aggressive wars, and way of life). An ad in the newspaper isn't the only place we can read about his bad policy.

Union leaders should be in the street over NAFTA and globalization. Any immigrant or worker should be against destroying unions since they too will be impacted in the end. You don't take away another worker's job and end up better off. Efforts and laws by union workers is the reason many have benefits and better working conditions today (including managers).

Make no mistake this President and his administration are at war with us and our democracy (proof is all his secrecy, refusal to investigate, and fund cutting). He won't testify under oath or allow any one else with information to do so. He doesn't give a bit about winning any war or keeping us safe. He cares about power and profit for the few elite. Fact is chaos keeps him in power.

News for Bush...his gang of elites are only a small percent of the total population (most of them old and about to die). The many have power and run everything. Money can't buy everything...like the truth, credibility, and respect. Cry wolf too often and everyone knows the deal (like false terrorist warnings).

Those hearings resulted in nothing. Did any one think we wouldn't notice? I call the turn over of traitors...crooks and liars in DC "change of face law".

We won but we lost the last election because of traitors within our own party (refusal to support ant-war candidates, anti-NAFTA, and "fair tax for the billionaires". The New Democrats aren't. We need to let them know they are on the wrong track. At conventions, etc. they will not get our support unless they act like "big D" Democrats.

Republicans have the same problem in their party....the globalists and theocrats have taken over. Should we call them "New Republicans"? They certainly aren't of the same party as Nixon and Goldwater.

The Neo Cons can take up a gun and go shoot innocents in the streets of Iraq, Afghanistan, etc....if they don't get shot dead themselves. Cowards (like Bush, Cheney, Lieberman, Graham, etc.) send other people to war to do the dirty work for them. The arrogance and greed is outrageous!!

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