Democrats in Congress, this message is for YOU! There's a reason Republicans call Democrats weak. IT'S BECAUSE YOU DAMN FREAKING ARE!!
When Democrats took the majorities of the Senate and the House in November of 2006, your promise to America, YOUR PRIORITY (although NOT why you were elected), was to make Washington a more civil place. You pledged to take the high road and not do to the Republicans what the Republicans did to you. Your goal was to show America just how freaking nice you were, and to change the tone in Washington from bellicose to genteel. What you failed to realize is that America doesn't need you to be nice. America needs you to be strong. You've succeeded at being nice. But not at being strong.
'Nice' to Republicans translates as weak, which is NOT the perception you need to cultivate. The fact is, when the Republicans were the majority, their absolute dominance over you made you appear weak and them appear strong. And since your governance hasn't altered that dynamic, you still appear weak and they still appear strong.
You have set the wrong priorities. It's not about being civil to Republicans. It's about salvaging the nation and the world that they have destroyed. You won't save the world by being nice to Republicans. They need to be overruled. They need to be constrained. From the uppermost realms of our government, right on down.
To put your 'kindly' memories into their proper
perspective, let us reflect on some key events over the last dozen
years of your PERSECUTION by the Republicans.
* There was that lovely day in May 2003 during
Hammer-time, when Majority Leader Delay sent a Homeland Security
aircraft to chase down Democrats from the Texas House of
Representatives.
* There was that lovely day in July 2003 when Republican
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas of California called the
Capitol Police to evict Democrats from a committee room.
* There was that lovely day of June 10, 2005 when
Republican James Sensenbrenner abruptly shut off the microphones and
gaveled to a close the Judiciary Committee Hearing on Patriot Act
abuses - in the middle of Democratic testimony.
* There were those lovely times when Democrats held meetings in the basement because Republicans refused to give them space.
* There were the many occasions when Republicans passed legislation at untenable times, in underhanded ways.
For a dozen years the treatment of the Democrats by the Republicans was
virulent, suppressive and undemocratic, yet the Republicans were always
re-elected. Not being nice cost them NOTHING. To their fellow
Republicans, their petulance was strength.
Leading up to the November '06 election, the Democrats
seemed assured of victory. If not in the Senate, at least in the House.
Democratic voters hoped the new Democratic majority would give the
Republicans a taste of their own medicine. But Speaker Pelosi decided
that "Democrats don't get even." Democratic voters wished they did.
The Democrats did win their majority in 2006, but the
dynamic in both Houses hasn't changed. The Republicans still act like
the majority, and the Democrats continue take it. There are some
Democrats who do fight back. Senator Leahy, for one. But there are way
too many who do not.
The issue of Impeachment is a perfect example of the
Democrats' continued submission and acquiescence to Republican
propaganda. "Nothing will get done." "It's just an angry act." This is
what Independent Senator Bernie Sanders said of the Republican reponse
to an attempt at Impeachment. He said this in a panel discussion at
Monday's Take Back American Conference. Senator Sanders is a wonderful
progressive, but he still parrots the Republican platform. They've
peddled their deceptions well!
Consider the reverse alternative. Understanding how
passionate Republican voters are about strength, and the millions who
despise Bush and Cheney, what if Democrats assume a position of
strength and brazenly push forward toward Impeachment? In this case,
the Democrat and Republican voters can BOTH follow suit, bringing their
elected officials along. This is just as likely a scenario.
For all intents and purposes, thanks in good part to the
dictates of the Democratic leadership, the Democratic majority still
appears weak. Pelosi's mandate for civility, her cowardly "Impeachment
is off the table" pronouncement, and the Democrat's natural gentility
(not all, but most) make them coddle Republicans rather than lead them.
They won't control them. They just indulge them.
A perfect example of this coddling occurs time and again
in Congressman Henry Waxman's critically important House Oversight and
Government Reform Committee. Waxman, in his capacity as Committee
Chair, holds frequent hearings to investigate the misdeeds of the Bush
Administration and fulfill the House's oversight requirements. The
blatant disrespect Waxman receives from Republicans on his Committee is
embarrassing. Even more embarrassing is the fact that Waxman allows it
to occur.
In every hearing I've seen, Waxman's indulgence of these
angry, self-important children makes him seem timid and ineffectual.
Behind the scenes and beyond the range of CSpan's cameras, Congressman
Waxman's effective researchers are building their cases against
government impropriety. But in the lens of the camera, Waxman's failure
to control his Committee, presents him to the public as weak.
He must crack his whip publicly and strike back at the buffoons who abuse him!
To we progressives, the Republican babies on Waxman's Committee, and on
other Congressional Committees, come off as asses. Their behavior is
abhorrently juvenile. To Republicans, who judge from a different
perspective, they continue to look strong.
Tom Davis, ranking member of Waxman's Committee, is
particularly egregious. His crimson rants of 'what are we doing here?'
and 'why are we doing this?' mimic a spoiled child. I have never seen a
hearing of the Oversight Committee where Davis didn't impede the
process. His red-faced quibbling is pathetic. He'd serve the Committee
better if he wiled away in a bar, took a laxative, and resigned!
Like ranking members Specter in the Senate and
Sensenbrenner in the House, Davis still sulks over the loss of his
Chair. As does every ranking member in Washington.
Point of fact, if the Democrats want to hold on to both
Houses and win the Presidency in 2008, they had better stop being so
fragile. Take the freaking gloves off. Control the children in the
chambers. STOP BEING SO DAMN FREAKING WEAK!!!
Writings 
Democrats in Congress, this message is for YOU! There's a reason Republicans call Democrats weak. IT'S BECAUSE YOU DAMN FREAKING ARE!! 
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