"The Democrats Take a Dive", by E.J.Dionne, Washington Post

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12109-2003Nov24.html

The Democrats Take a Dive

( You can say that again! This abomination would not be passing without the support of spineless Democrats)


By E. J. Dionne Jr.

Tuesday, November 25, 2003; Page A29

The battle over a Medicare prescription drug benefit proves that Republicans are ruthless and determined and that Democrats are divided and hapless. Republicans have changed the rules in Washington, but some Democrats still pretend to be living in the good old days.

And so there was much bitterness among Democrats as the Republicans' Medicare drug bulldozer rolled inexorably forward with critical help from two Democratic senators. A majority of Democrats believe the bill was a bad deal -- it gave President Bush a political victory without demanding enough in return. "It's a combination of political stupidity and substantive gutlessness," said one influential Democratic congressional aide.

What Democrats failed to understand, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) said in an interview yesterday morning, is that Republicans "are on an ideological march. They have no intention of playing fair. They want what they want when they want it." And they get it.

<snip> "I don't mean to be alarmist, but this is the end of parliamentary democracy as we have known it," said Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts. The new system amounted to "plebiscitary democracy" in which leaders of the House have imposed such a strong sense of party discipline that they will ultimately pass whatever legislation they bring to the floor. "The Republican Party in the House is the most ideologically cohesive and disciplined party in the democratic world," Frank said. In response, House Democrats were more united in opposition to the bill than Democratic senators, who are operating as if the older system of give-and-take were still in force.

[Guaranteed]

1. Which two Dem senators?

Are they counting Benedict Miller?

[flpoljunkie]

3. John Breaux and Max Baucus.

They sold out the Democrats in the Senate. Read the entire article; it is well worth reading.

[ixion]

2. yes... they really need to get that point through their heads...

The old system is no longer in place. The GOP has no plans to make compromises or play fair. They are facists seeking a power grab, nothing more. And the sooner the dems in congress get that through their head, the better. This business of rolling over on their backs is getting old, and is one of the reasons we're in this mess.

[liberalmuse]

4. I called Daschle this morning...

to let him know how disappointed I was in his support of the Medicare and Energy bills. I also begged him twice in the message to step down.

[flpoljunkie]

6. Daschle is not supporting the Medicare drug bill.

Daschle brought up the point of order to try and kill the bill. It almost succeeded, until Trent Lott's arm was twisted at the end. They were two votes short. Then the hapless Ron Wyden made the 61st vote.

[flpoljunkie]

5. Kick!

:kick: