The Song Remains the Same

Thoreau lays it down:

So, I was thinking about the fact that the Dems insist there’s nothing they can do without a two-thirds majority. There are two problems with that sort of talk:

1) Even if they can’t over-ride a veto, they could still just refuse to pass a spending bill for Iraq, NSA spying, and other obscenities. And if a few Democrats refused to go along and tried to vote with the Republicans to get a majority on a spending bill, I’m sure that between filibusters and the procedural powers of the House and Senate majority leaders and committee chairs, Reid and Pelosi could find a way to fix this. If they really wanted to, and if they were prepared to take some risks for the sake of the Republic.

They might not have all the power, but they have enough, if they’re actually willing to do something about this mess.

2) We’ve heard this talk before. Republicans spent decades insisting that they really do want to roll back the scope of the federal government. But first they needed more power. Well, they finally got the Congress, the White House, and the chance to appoint a bunch of judges.

Last I checked, they didn’t exactly decrease the size, scope, or intrusiveness of the federal government.

Ideology is a rationalization. It's what politicians sell to voters to get donations. We don't deny that some politicians may genuinely be opposed to or in favor of certain practices - like, say, abortion. But any electioneer worth his sand would ditch that principle like a plate too hot from the oven if he thought he could profit in doing so.

As to why the Democrats aren't acting on Iraq? on the President's various crimes? There's no mystery.