January 20, 2010

Do Dems Deserve Progressive Support?

So, now the Dems hand over a Senate seat to the GOP candidate Scott Brown (a Tea Party conservative) in one of the most reliably progressive states in the nation, Massachusetts. That alone shows the party's incompetence if nothing else. The Dems have had vast majorities in both houses of Congress and the White House for one year. What have they accomplished? Let's see...

Health care likely dead (and horribly flawed towards corporate interests to begin with). Escalation of war. No banking regulations passed OR even introduced. Gun "rights" expanded (not curtailed). Secret renditions in tact. Guantanamo Bay in tact. Private contractors expanded in wars. Bush's ridiculously expansive State Secrets privilege defended by Administration lawyers.

Is there really any reason for progressives to vote for Dems over third party? They can't even govern/pass legislation from a pro-corporate, highly moderate position, much less a liberal one. They have achieved NOT ONE worthwhile accomplishment in a progressive agenda. You can't accomplish everything in one year, but you can accomplish at least ONE meaningful piece of legislation.