Worthy of Our Scorn

Andrew Sullivan:

My primary feeling with respect to the Democratic party remains contempt.

And then he links to Glenn Greenwald's disdainful outburst on Senate Democrats' refusal to stand up for what they pretend to believe.

So why would 44 Democratic Senators make a flamboyant showing of opposing confirmation (of Michael Mukasey) without actually doing what they could to prevent it? Is it that a filibuster was not possible because a large number of these Democratic Senators were willing to symbolically oppose confirmation so they could say they did -- by casting meaningless votes in opposition knowing that confirmation was guaranteed -- but were unwilling to demonstrate the sincerity of their claimed beliefs by acting on them?

Uh, yup. That sounds pretty much like the case. A large number of Democrats want to make moral noises without taking moral risk. They want to be treated as if they're brave without displaying actual courage.

The lack of cajones on the Democratic side of the Senate is worthy of Sullivan's contempt, and of the contempt of all of us, whether we agree with what they purport to believe or not. It's possible to disagree with people and still admire the way they stand up for their beliefs. I think Newt Gingrich is a lunatic, for example, but give the man his due: He fought the conservative fight when there was no apparent upside. Gingrich and his pals raised hell. When they finally prevailed it was in large measure because they never gave an inch in their beliefs. People respect that.

Senate Democrats, on the other hand, don't stand up for anything. They don't even stand up when every poll indicates that the public agrees with them. It's like President has incriminating pictures of them, or something. For all the results they've had, they might as well still be in the minority.

Has there ever been a more pathetic bunch of impotent rabbits in any political body in the history of the world?

Comments

[Pursuit]

yup, could be that or maybe that don't agree with Sully and the extreme left's hysterical rants and are simply pandering to those who have lost perspective in a time of war.

Either way, I think we can agree that the Dems in congress are scum. Good to see you're coming around!

[Conrad]

Well, under Caligula Roman senators waited on the Emperor's table and ran behind his chariot. So far we've yet to see Harry Ried carrying a tray of canapes at a state dinner. But there's still a year to go. . . .