The Democratic Party reminds me of an old dog lying in front of the fire licking its privates. Once in a while, it might get up to howl at the moon, or sniff at the noise made by yabbos out on the street. Mostly, though, it lays and licks.
It’s more complicated for Republicans. They have to simultaneously lick whatever their corporate masters tell them to lick while keeping a nativist and populist base entertained and distracted. Luckily, they’ve got Old Marmalade Brains, greasy TV Evangelists, and the base’s moral and intellectual laziness to help them out. Unconstitutional but successful redistricting schemes and gerrymandering aids and abets.
Frankly, it’s hard to see how the Democrats’ howls and sniffs will convince voters to send Cease and Desist letters to Senator Tom Cotton, and to other leaders of the Grand Old Party. Sure, Democrats wore black and remained seated during the President’s State of the Union address, but it was never clear if they stayed in their chairs out of protest, or because they need help from nursing assistants to stand up. This is the party led by a millionaire from New York whose entire political career has been spent protecting the carried interest loophole for Wall Street fat cats. His House counterpart represents a district where people commonly spend $500 a square foot for a place to live. Neither of these “leaders” has ever said a word against our nearly two-decades-old war in the Mideast, let alone written a bill to end it. If a book is written about them it’s title will be Profiles in Indignation.
Somehow, the Democrats found a young person to rebut the President’s address. Joe Kennedy, a Trust Fund Baby from the East coast, said the President (another Trust Fund Baby) and his party are mean and embarrassing, shameless and indecent, fascist in intent and practice, and just darn bad guys who will do anything for money.
All true, Joe. But what else have you got? Will Democrats end the war? Get private business out of government service? Save public schools? Build highways instead of toll roads?
Voters still want – and need – to know.