Democrats Wimp Out Again (Unnecessarily)

I provide the picture above for the enlightenment of all the Democrats in the United States Congress.   Most people would instantly recognize these as spines, but since congressional Democrats don't seem to have any of them I thought they might like to see what they look like.

I had begun to hope that the congressional Democrats had started to grow at least a rudimentary version of a spine.   After all, they did finally get a health care bill and a Wall Street re-regulation bill passed and sent to the president.   They let the Republicans bully them into watering down both of those bills so that they weren't nearly as strong as was needed -- but at least they got a little something done.

But it looks like my hopes were in vain.   The Republicans bellowed loudly about how unfair it is to consider eliminating the Bush tax cuts for the rich -- the richest 2% of Americans (and those who can afford to pay a little more).   So what do the Democrats do?   They run for the hills, terrified that they might be punished at the polls for expecting the rich to actually pay their fair share of taxes.

The Democrats, in both the House and the Senate, are now saying that the president's plan to extend the tax cuts for everyone but the richest 2% of Americans (mostly millionaires) will not be voted on before the election.   One of the cowards, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, said,   "I believe a vote on taxes right before the election is a mistake."   She said the Republicans "will find a way to mischaracterize it."

What a gutless bunch of whiners!   They won't pass a bill to give a tax cut to 98% of Americans because the Republicans might talk bad about them not including the richest 2%!   Once again they are letting themselves be bullied by the Republicans.

And the really sad part is that their cowardice is totally unnecessary.   Poll after poll has shown that a substantial majority of the American people are in favor of the president's version of the tax extension (to eliminate that extension for only the richest 2%).   The Democrats have nothing to lose by bringing the bill up and voting on it before the election -- in fact, it could cost the Republicans some votes.

The Democrats are actually hurting themselves by their political cowardice.   They are not going to get any votes from people in favor of extending tax cuts for the richest Americans.   Those people will vote Republican no matter what the Democrats do.   But they could lose some votes among those waiting for the Democrats to keep their promises and change the country for the better.

There is already a belief that the Republican voters are more energized that the Democratic voters in the coming election.   This spineless display by the Democrats is certainly not going to energize anyone to vote who wasn't already energized.   It may actually convince some voters to stay home on election day because they can't stomach the cowardice.   Why should they take the trouble to vote for people who'll just be bullied by the Republicans?

This is a bad mistake and will only disappoint those inclined to vote Democratic.