We don't need intercepted
dispatches to know there are intense discussions going on now about our
national policy -- the marching orders are posted for all to see. In the
past couple of weeks, Markos Moulitsas has openly instructed the followers of
his blog, the DailyKos, against donating to the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).
"If you've got money to give
to House races, give directly to those who are fighting for effective reform,
not to organizations that will use your money to undermine everything we've
been fighting for." [October 30, 2009]
"Here's the bottom line --
skip any donations to the DCCC. Their first priority is incumbent retention,
and they're (necessarily) issue agnostic. They'll be dumping millions into
defending these seats [of vulnerable moderates.] Instead, give to those elected
officials who best reflect your values." [November 9, 2009]
As a response to the House Democrats
efforts that achieved passage of a health care reform including a "public
option" Kos wants to use his influence to defund the party campaign
committee designed to funnel resources to the most marginal districts (in preference for direct funds from Kos readers for relatively safe liberal incumbents). Other groups like MoveOn.org and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) which has declared "payback time" for the Blue Dog Democrats are raising
funds and running political attack ads against
moderate Democrats, and websites like Fire Dog Lake are announcing
boycotts of other Democratic Party Committees. These efforts are tantamount to
a Declaration of War between the liberal "net roots" and the moderates who,
like any other faction of at least 40 votes or so, mean the difference between
majority and minority in the House.
No Less of an Insult
The maneuvering by
Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) to codify and extend the Hyde Amendment ban
on federal funds for abortion into the House health Bill, forcing pro-choice
Democrats to choose between their desire to pass health care reform and their
fidelity to the cause of reproductive freedom, was no less an act of disrespect
by one faction of the coalition that swept the Democrats into power against
another. That the Stupak deal for health reform placed additional stress
on the fresh fissures of the 2008 campaign was probably not lost on any family
that, like ours, was divided last year between Obama and Clinton supporters.
Not surprisingly, feminist
leaders like Kate Michelman and Frances
Kissling are now issuing their own threats "If Democrats do not commit themselves to
defeating the [Stupak] amendment, then they will face an uncompromising effort by
Democratic women to defeat them, regardless of the cost to the party's precious
majority." The lesson every progressive interest group learned from last
weekend in the Capitol was that it has become every man or woman for his or her
self. If you believe in women's rights, you have to fight every day for
women's rights, and the same is true if your issue is gay rights, immigrant
rights, or labor rights. One year after uniting to achieve an historic
victory, the whole Obama coalition is going rogue.
Most Wars Have no Winners
In a recent article, we asked
if Obama could unite the left and center of the Democratic Party, but this one
dimensional analysis is becoming an over-simplification as the party threatens
to splinter into a larger number of smaller factions. This would be
nothing new -- we are Democrats after all -- but the vehemence of the splits,
the level of anger and frustration being expressed in online communities, and
especially crossing the line to raise funds to run ads against other Democrats,
has brought the poisonous win-at-all-costs attitude to a new level.
History's great lesson is that
most wars have no winners, and right now a substantial part of the Democratic
Party is at war with other Democrats. Many are writing that
they would rather be in a smaller purer party, and sadly, they may get their
wish. Looking at the world from a single issue perspective it is
easy to believe that "our side" loses nothing by defeating Democratic
representatives that cast a vote against "our issue" but the list of
Democrats who vote the "wrong way" changes from issue to issue.
"Villains" on health care reform, can be "heroes" on climate change
and vice versa - so should we punish every Democrat that does not have a
100% "correct" voting record or are some issues like health care reform,
more important than others, such as fighting against global warming or for
abortion rights?
A Certain Symmetry
Of course there is symmetry
here with right-wing purists that knocked the moderate Republican nominee out
of the race, giving the New York 23rd CD to a Democrat and who, fortunately, are threatening to campaign against
Republican moderates again in 2010. Perhaps the greatest frustration is
that even a huger than expected loss in the next election would be unlikely to
teach the Democrats any meaningful lessons. We just had an election and
within hours each of the leading voices in the public square was ready with an
analysis that the election returns proved that their analysis before the
election was even more true. If any bloggers changed their view
based on the new evidence from the 2009 voting, please send us the link.
Until then we remain confident that even if Democrats suffer heavy losses in
2010, perhaps even losing effective control of both chambers, all sides will
see it as further evidence that their side has been right all along.
Real Leadership Needed
The real question here is
"Where is the leadership to stop this fighting?" and if the answer is not,
"In the White House" then we are all in a lot of trouble. Ronald
Reagan also faced declining ratings and persistent unemployment heading into a mid-term election, but he was able to enforce an "11th commandment" for the Republican Party,
"Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican." This White House needs to
show it has the strength to really lead the party.
What is needed is for the
party's leaders to present a united front. Barack Obama with Joe Biden,
Hillary Clinton, and Rahm Emmanuel at his side, needs to invite all of the
Democratic Hill leadership, the Party committees, leaders of the caucuses and
voting blocks on the Hill and the leaders of all of the key interest groups;
labor, women, civil rights, environmentalists, the netroots, etc to a
retreat away from Washington. The purpose would be to insist on civility
and respect despite disagreements. President Obama needs to remind any
that would call themselves his supporters that he leads a Democratic party
where "we can disagree without being disagreeable."
Some yoga or meditation might
help. As the venerable Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hahn has asked in his book
"True Love":
"Let us imagine that the
members of the Congress practiced mindful breathing and walking, deep
listening, and calm loving speech. As it is, every time they convene, they
quarrel and shoot poison arrows, because very few of those people are capable
of calming, or practicing loving speech. The situation is very tense; there is
a great deal of hatred and anger and discrimination. How is it possible, in
such a state, for people to practice deep looking with the aim of achieving a
deep knowledge of the nation?"
Sure this vision sounds
radical, but remember, we all proudly represent the Kumbaya wing of the Democratic Party.