Dave Lindorff: Bigger Disaster Looms in 2010, Democrats Crash and Burn in Virginia and New Jersey
It would be easy to read too much into the few statewide races that were decided last night, but I think it's fair to say that the results in New Jersey and Virginia, where Republican gubernatorial candidates won -- in New Jersey's case knocking off a well-funded Democratic incumbent -- that the results were a blow to the Barack Obama/Rahm Emanuel strategy of playing to the right, of avoiding confrontation in Congress and of ignoring the progressive voters whose enthusiasm and effort back in the 2008 campaign put Obama in office.
Exit polls showed that many Obama voters sat out this election in New Jersey and Virginia, with turnout low in both races. In part that was because of local conditions, of course. In Virginia, Democrat R. Creigh Deeds ran as a conservative, and was attacked by the Republican candidate, former state attorney general Robert McDonnell, as a tax-happy liberal. With liberal voters in Virginia unenthusiastic about Deeds, and Republicans revved up, the loss was a foregone conclusion, even with Obama making two visits to campaign for Deeds, and with the national Democratic Party pumping in $6 million in campaign funding.
In New Jersey, incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine was wildly unpopular for raising taxes, so that even with Democrats holding an almost 2:1 registration advantage in the state (half of all voters are unaffiliated), he too had no enthusiastic backing from his former base. No amount of money poured in by the former Goldman Sachs chief executive could overcome the negative views of his record as governor.
But despite the lackluster candidates in both Virginia and New Jersey, I think it's safe to say that there was also clear evidence that the losses, and the margins of the losses -- huge in Virginia's case, and significant in normally safely Democratic New Jersey -- provide evidence that the Obama presidency, and the prevailing Democratic strategy of minimalist legislative initiatives on health care reform, global warming etc., expanded and unending war in Afghanistan, support for Wall Street and neglect of the 1-in-5 Americans who are unemployed or underemployed, are a political disaster in the making for Democrats in general and Obama in particular.
The president came into office on a wave of populist enthusiasm and high expectations for the "change" candidate Obama promised. No change has been forthcoming now for over nine months, and with the president now past the first-year anniversary of his historic election victory, the latest election results suggest that his presidency could already be headed for the rocks.
2010 is an election year that will see all seats in the House, and a third of the seats in the Senate up for grabs. Typically, a president's party loses seats in that election even when things are going well. When things are not going well, the losses can be significant.
Obama had a chance, coming into Washington after a big rout of Republicans last year, to set out an agenda of major progressive change. He could have called for expanding Medicare to cover all Americans. Instead he handed health reform over to Congress and immediately put out the word that he was open to compromise with Republicans, thus dooming reform from the outset. He could have announced a thorough review of America's two wars, and then set in motion a withdrawal form both Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead he dithered on Iraq, and added troops in Afghanistan, assuring that both these disasters inherited from the Bush/Cheney administration became his own disasters, which will now drag on through his whole term. He could have declared a global climate emergency, and announced a job-creating crash program to develop renewable energy in the U.S. and to make the U.S. a leader in renewable energy R&D. Instead, he did almost nothing in this critical area. As for the economic crisis, he could have taken a progressive stand against the abuses of Wall Street, ordered a criminal investigation of the banking class, broken up the big banks and established a new regulatory system to put an end to the era of casino capitalism. Instead, he put the bankers in charge of Treasury and poured trillions of dollars into the largest banks, allowing them to grow even bigger and more predatory.
Voters, their collective assets shrunken over the year by $14 trillion, understandably are left wondering how, aside from better verbal skills, this president differs from the last one. As for the Democratic Congress, with Democrats pretending that nothing can be done unless they have not just 60 seats in Congress, but perhaps 70 or 75 (enough to be able to survive the inevitable defection of conservative members of the party), they can't do anything of consequence -- a claim that only is true if, as is the case, the party's leadership and the president are unwilling to punish those who break rank.
If Democratic and progressive independent voters feel the same way about Obama and the Democratic Congress next fall, it will be curtains for the Democrats and for Obama's presidency, such as it is.
And you know what? It won't matter much if that happens, because what we're seeing is that having Obama in the White House, and Democrats "in control" of Congress doesn't get you much in the way of progressive change.
DAVE LINDORFF is a Philadelphia-based journalist. His latest book is "The Case for Impeachment" (St. Martin's Press, 2006). His work is available at www.thiscantbehappening.net.
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Swinging On An 0-2 Count
Today, the Democrats have suffered two potentially fatal misses. The first was the announcement by Rep Anthony Weiner that he has withdrawn his single payer measure because "passing health care reform is so close."
STEEEERRRIKE ONE!
The second was the news that the unemployment rate has topped 10%. “We have been forecasting a 10.5 percent peak for the unemployment rate in mid-2010; given that it is already at 10.2 percent, this could be too low,” writes Joshua Shapiro, chief US economist for MFR Inc. in New York.
STEEEERRRIKE TWO!
Recent reports indicate that one of the reasons the economy looks like it is improving - at least on Wall Street - is due to increased worker productivity. In other words, What workers there remain are producing more, and probably for less wages and benefits due to increasing fears of job loss. "The productivity report showed hours worked declined at a 5 percent pace, while output climbed at a 4 percent rate," claimed Bloomberg News.
If this is what the economists mean by a jobless recovery, then the mighty Obama has just struck out.
Dennis Kucinich for President in 2012!!
Dennis Kucinich for President in 2012!!
These races should wake up people like Lincoln
If these blue dogs are depending on contributions from the big pharma and the insurance industry to help get them elected, they better think twice. Money obviously did not equate to votes. Then again it's possible they won't really care if they win, they can always become a lobbyists if they lose.
The canary in the mine shaft fell over and died in NJ and VA
Obama can't do anything but get skinny.. His macho election campaign hit on Bush for fighthing the wrong war in Iraq when he said it should have been Afghanistan is coming back to haunt him since NOW he actually has to do something about his rhetoric. His "Afghan Now" bell ringer campaign was a cheap way to hit bush's policies without really ever having to do anything about it or look wrong but it was a convenient device with which to mock Bush when all along both Iraq and Afghanistan are/were the WRONG wars to fight.
But Obama needed to look buff and macho killer-esque to ride that anti-terrorist turnip cart into town like all the other macho guys he wanted so much to identify with..
Then after having over two years to develop ON PAPER and in DETAIL a health care plan, he ends up showing up to class saying his dog must have eaten his homework...meaning all along Obama never did the due diligence on his own initiative...
So Obama gives his health care empty box to idiot Pelosi and coward Reid expecting them to actually show some legislative skill and come up with something. Well these two idiots who are separated geographically by only 250 air miles come out of the last 6 months exposed as the fools they are.
The DEMS need to get rid of Pelosi and Reid right now...today. They have failed. Obama needs to serve ONLY the people who elected him one year ago and start treating unions like he does the banks and GOP legislators.
The DEMS need to expel Lieberman and stop him from spying on the interior of the party and just cut his sorry a...s lose once and for all...Just dump him and do it NOW. Let the GOP french kiss this traitor all they want.
The DEMS have lost all energy on this health bill and it is scaring the hell out of the millions who already have coverage because there are no details on costs and deductibles etc. Those who have coverage don't want to change until they have some sort of written guarantee what the future will hold for them. Obama has failed time and time again to deliver the details when those who have health care fully comprehend all the minute details of coverage, deductibles etc. The DEM party simply has IGNORED the fact most are very, very astute about this matter and they are not buying the blather and generalties....
The DEMS ....MY DEMS...are getting had by the very people we elected to responsibly change American domestic and foreign policy. We are so weak and so bad now that a party who just sits in the corner with a sour look and lies can bring all of us to our knees...
NJ and VA are just the start.
Democrats should have their heads handed to them
The Democrats in Congress can't/won't do anything without Republican approval and so they are getting nothing done. Obama is little Bush-lite. At this point, the Democrats ALL deserve to be tossed out of office. If they need Republican approval for everything they do, why not skip the middleman and just elect Republicans. The Republicans have proved that their policies are disastrous for the country but the Democrats still want to follow them.
I'll be voting Green in 2010.
A vote for Green is a vote for the GOP
All Democrats in Congress do not deserve to be tossed out of office, just the Blue Dog DINO-Fascists, which include Pelosi and Reid.
There's a reason why Greens don't get elected, they are inconsequential and are as popular as the LaRouche Party.
I'll take my chances
I'll take my chances with the Green Party. The Democrats don't deserve our votes anymore. Even the "good" Democrats in Congress are sitting back and doing nothing. It's really kind of stupid to defend the 200-300 that do nothing and blame all of the bad on a dozen. Obama is just as bad. All he does is sit on his hands in the White House unless he has an opportunity to do more Wall Street bankster a$$ kissing.
A vote for a Democrat is a vote for a Republican. Democrats don't do anything now without asking permission from the Republicans. If voting Green equals voting GOP, I'll vote my conscience and vote Green. Pelosi haters should be supporting my choice. Pelosi is my representative.
Obama and Rahm Seriously Need to Lose More than New Jersey
Hope and change we can believe in: Obama and Rahm get their heads handed to them in 2010, and then Obama loses in the primary in 2012 to that Orlando Representative who reminded us about all the deaths from the failed health system. Or Obama loses to Russ Feingold or Chris Dodd or someone like that, to someone real who will not completely cave to big Corporations on every last thing in other words. Obama is obviously nothing more than a bogus, empty suit spokesman for huge insurance companies and other major corporations. He is a disaster for the average man on the street.
Troops Out Now & Single Payer Before Party Affiliation
Which means that to gain the support of progressives a candidate must sign a pledge that, if elected, she or he will work to end these perpetual wars and to establish a single payer system such as health care for all. And so long as a candidate signs said pledge, no matter her or his party affiliation. Other issues that could be included in the pledge are global warming (reversing it) & the nationalization of banks. The goal would be for at least one candidate who's taken the pledge to be running in every House and Senate contest. The number of votes that progressive sanctioned candidates receive, not only will be an unofficial plebiscite on ending these wars & on single payer, it'll remind politicians that their duty is to serve the people. What's more the entire process, deciding on the content of the pledge, intterviewing potential progressive candidates, raising money and spreading the word can be carried out online.
Americans will forgive
Americans will forgive Democrats for alot of selling out, but there is a limit, and that limit is called a Mandate with no significant Option. If, because of Democrats having the Majority, we get a CEO wealth-insurance mandate and nothing in return for it, then every Democrat should go down in 2010. Lindorff doesnt acknowledge that McCain and Palin would be killing Iranians right now and that there is a change, and that change - the halt of the Conservative Assault - could be temporary because Democrats go to the sell-out bank one too many times for too big a free check from Americans who they feel are suckers for just any bad bill.
Don't be stupid
The only Democrats that have to go, no matter what, are the Blue Dog DINO-Fascists who usually side with the Republicans.
Lumping all Democrats together the way you do is stupid! Apparently you have no idea of what is going on in D.C.
What progressive change? It's just more of the same, again!
"the results were a blow to the Barack Obama/Rahm Emanuel strategy of playing to the right, of avoiding confrontation in Congress and of ignoring the progressive voters"
Like Howard Dean always says, "you can't beat Republicans by being Republican Light." Taking that a bit farther, Obama can't win a second term by continuing to be Bush Light!
Rahm Emanuel is the worst thing that could happen to the Democratic Party. He is not really a Democrat at all anyway, he is really a Blue Dog DINO-Fascist.
Howard Dean was primarily responsible for gaining the majority in the Senate and the House and for winning the White House. Rahmbo rewarded him by kicking him out of D.C. I guess Dean thought too much of the people instead of big corporate interests.
We got rid of the Republicans in the last two elections, now it's time to get rid of the incumbent Blue Dogs in the upcoming Democratic Primaries next year. And if he doesn't change his ways very soon, in three years it may be necessary to vote out Obama too in the Presidential Democratic Primary.
A move to the Greens is all wrong...!
---The Greens do not have sufficient numbers to have any clout! All they can do is to sit in the back room and hope (talk about hope!). The problem, right now, is that Obama's majority is dropping away--and most are not going Green, they are in my overtly humble opinion, plain disgusted and just opting out.
The best thing would be for the Greens to merge into the demo party ---and essentially take it over! Make noise and fight to reject the candidacy of less than stellar demos. The small number of Greens in the Demo caucus would have a very significant impact. That would also pull a lot of the folks who are dropping out to come back and help the "change" happen.