What the fuck happened? How are we about to lose Jack and Teddy's seat to a TeaBagger?
This isn't an open seat race in a swing state, this is the Throne of Camelot--and we are losing it to a conservative Republican!
I am angry and I am mad, but I am also dumbfounded!
Who is to blame for this?
The most obvious answer is Martha Coakley, but she actually is not. Sure she's a gaffe-laden, machine candidate with little appeal beyond party activists, but in any other environment she would walk away with 60% plus of the vote.
We are losing because we are weak and to be honest impotent and disillusioned. Who made us this way?
My suspects:
Barack Obama: He ran the best campaign in the history of US politics. Soaring rhetoric, historical speeches, record voter involvement and the best grassroots operation ever. What does he do with it? Jack squat. He abandons his stylistic approach of the fierce urgency of now with the measured approach of the mellowed "urgency" of eventually. His detractors would mock his hope-mongering, his speeches and his calls for community action, who knew he would listen to them and unilaterally disarm himself?
Rahm Emanuel: His strategy of everything at once has been a huge colossal failure. It's 2010 and not one major piece of legislation has been signed into law, the President's capital is spent, and our super-majority on the brink of collapse.
Centrists: Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson, blue dogs, etc. Rather than negotiating for legislation more palatable to their constituents or principle through the Senate process, they took to the media to grandstand and wholly threatened to kill any bill they personally didn't write. They not only endangered themselves (bye bye Blanche), they have significantly weakened the party (hello Speaker Boehner? -ugh i just threw up in my mouth typing that).
Progressives: Yes, I'm aware this is a progressive blog, But if you point fingers, you gotta point fingers at yourself as well. We expected everything at once, and have little to show for it. Our impatience with the process and our inability to be pragmatic weakened whatever capital we had. In retrospect how petty was the opposition to Rick Warren's invocation at the inauguration? By criticizing the President at any daylight between himself and the progressive community, progressives no longer have a strong voice in the WH, and the WH is significantly weaker because of it. Progressives are not the lapdogs like our conservative counterparts, but learning to obey marching orders is how an agenda advances. In 2004, I couldn't find a Republican to criticize Bush (who by that time was the worst President ever) and as a result he won that title consecutively.
Glenn Beck: Two things happened: He stole populism from the Democrats and he singlehandedly created the Republican grassroots. Two more things happened: there was unprecedented anger at Wall Street and there was a Democratic trifecta in DC, one thing did not happen: real reform. What was the result? The craziest ego-maniacal asshole, Fox's own Idi Amin, filled the empty vacuum that we were supposed to fill and now the hat of populism has teabags dangling from it's rim.
Republicans in Congress: They bet against America, and it looks like they are going to win. They were so desperate for votes they didn't care how ignorant, racist, mean spirited or just plain ugly their supporters sounded because hey, people started attending GOP rallies! At a time of unity they became ultra partisan and tore this nation apart..again.
Harry Reid: Fucking useless whipping boy to Maj. Leaders Snowe, Lieberman, Nelson and McConnell. Nuff' said. Hope he loses re-election.
the Filibuster: This procedural fuckstick has ruined the finest and most cordial body of Congress. The House has passed healthcare reform, financial reform, educational reform, and climate change. The Senate? zilch.
George W Bush: His policies have created the worst economy since the Great Depression, including 10% unemployment. Who knew that it would take more than a year to clean up? Nevertheless, we "own" the economy now, no thanks to Tim Geithner, and we will receive all of the blame come November.
I apologize for the anger in this diary, but I am one disillusioned Democrat :(
How the fuck did this happen?
Is anyone else feeling like me?
I will not call for Martha Coakley because I don't care at this point. :/
I feel like 2006, 2007 and 2008 were wasted years of my life. What the fuck did I fight for?
***EDIT** This isn't about Coakley----this is about the situation that we find ourselves in. This isn't alarmist hype or me worrying about tomorrow. It's beyond Mass, it's everything-- I am one pissed off voter, with serious concerns about our party, it's leaders and what we fought for.
Some people are blaming me, even better the response "Your mom" has 3 recommendations (as of 1pm). Maybe I came to the wrong place to analyze why we are in the position we are in.
***Updated to declare that I have officially resigned from the party.
Fuck the Democrats, useless, leaderless party
Fight for me then I'll fight for you, until then...adios