Posted on 02/17/2006 1:01:35 AM PST by Aussie Dasher
There is a growing sense of restlessness on Capitol Hill and it is not the majority that has this sense. With Democrats potentially on the cusp of making a significant dent in the Republican majority, tensions that have been well below the surface are starting to spill out and may soon boil over into a Democrat civil war. Various people on Capitol Hill tell me that the Democrats are struggling to keep their internal disputes from boiling over. They all lay the blame at Howard Dean and the Democrat leadership on Capitol Hill failing to get along. Right now, individuals loyal to Howard Dean are compiling dossiers on embattled Senate minority leader Harry Reid and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi. Couple these potential trouble spots with the pending William Jefferson plea bargain, Democrat netroots leader Kos' perceived selling out to the establishment through his failure to engage the DLC and failure to back Hackett in Ohio, and the failure of the minority to rally around one set of talking points and you have the a higher chance of a Democrat civil war than an Iraqi civil war.
Howard Dean has compiled a solid file on the corruption of Harry Reid. For years Reid has operated as the quintessential back room politician, trading favors and legislation for money and choice positions for his children at top firms with high salaries. Reid's ties to Jack Abramoff are more extensive than some of the Republicans allegedly tied to Abramoff. Dean himself said that any Democrat doing favors for Abramoff's clients would be a "big problem." He knew before he said it that Reid had done so.
Nancy Pelosi's husband is rumored to be living large off her name and power. Individuals out to bring down Pelosi, viewing her as a threat to potential Democrat gains, are, as I write, digging through records around Washington trying to pull a Harry Reid on Nancy Pelosi -- they'll try to tie her to legislation and lobbyists via her husband's connections and clients.
It has not gone unnoticed that, after condemning Steve Elmendorf for saying that the netroots energy needs to be harnessed for money without looking captive to them, Kos is being accused of doing that. He abandoned Paul Hackett in favor of the establishment's pick and now seems ready to ignore those Democrats who sold out the netroots base by refusing to filibuster Samuel Alito. In addition to these alleged sins, Kos apparently has gone soft on the moderate Democrat Leadership Coalition. He had intended to wage war against the DLC, but backed down. Some are suggesting that he backed down under establishment pressure, an establishment of which he is increasingly a part.
The netroots and establishment have gone down divergent paths, with the establishment drawing Kos into the fold. With Dean loyal to the base, the party chairman condemned the treatment of Paul Hackett and his withdrawal from the Ohio Senate race. Dean railed against heavy handed tactics employed by Chuck Schumer to get Hackett out. Kos allied himself with Schumer and the establishment over netroots backed Paul Hackett. This put him, for the first time of any significance, against the netroots base and Howard Dean.
More and more the grand coalition between activists and establishment is coming unglued. Nuclear bonds that once held together the various elements of the party are starting to weaken as the various factions each come to their own conclusions about what it'll take to win in November and what it will take to solidify positions.
Dean wants to keep quiet on Pelosi and Reid to leverage his own position in the party. Democrats, including Pelosi and Reid, who blame Dean for a lack of fundraising prowess are out to get him. The competing dynamic had led to détente beween the parties. But House Democrats convinced that Pelosi is more of a liability than an asset are plotting to oust her on the information Dean has. Netroots, starting to bristle under what they perceive as growing ties between Kos and an out of touch establishment, want revenge for Alito. A mixture of netroots activists and establishment figures are waking up to the fact that the Republicans have the same dossier on the Democrats that Dean does and, should the Democrats keep beating the corruption drum, Republicans will begin beating the Democrats over the head with it. William Jefferson's problems add to this.
Democrats who were once assured of their 2006 strategy are starting to be less sure. Several prominent Democrats, seeing that the Republicans in Congress are still twiddling their thumbs over reform are ready to show Democrat competent, and in the process are willing to take a few of their own leadership's scalps. The nuclear bonds are getting weaker and weaker. The only question now is whether the bond will fully break down before or after November
Gosh, if the Dummies are going to have a Civil war, I want to help. Just let me know what I can do to make sure both sides suffer massive casualties. After all, a liberal is a great thing to waste.
I agree with that sentiment... "let the games begin!"
HOWEVER, there is one thing about this that has me immensely worried.... and that's the Republicans using the 'Rats internal disarray as an excuse to run a poor candidate for president (e.g., NY gov George Pataki or similar RINO).
Although the situation is not exactly parallel, it makes me think back to 1996... Slick Willie and his entire cabinet were embroiled in scandal after scandal. He should have been an easy target to take down. GOP ran Sen. Bob Dole -- a good man, no question -- a war hero, and a good and respected senator. But weak as a presidential candidate. He was nominated, basically, because "it was his turn." NOT a good rationale for picking a candidate!
The point I'm really making is that the GOP can't just settle for being a majority -- it needs to assert leadership again. Although there are a number of promising GOP individuals who fit this bill -- several impressive congressmen spring to mind -- as a party as a whole, there's a lot lacking. I have to confess I've been somewhat disappointed with the GOP during Dubya's presidency. The senators and congressmen seem very reluctant to pick up the reins of power -- reins of power, keep in mind, that were handed to them by millions of voters who wanted them to accomplish certain things.
With the Democrats ready to eat each other alive, there is real opportunity for boldness in the GOP -- cut spending (PORK), make the tax cuts permanent, dare to make a (legislative) stand in regard to abortion, SHUT THE DAMN BORDER already, and start shouting down the idiotic talking points coming from the totalitarian left. Instead, over the last few years, we've seen No Child Left Behind, Medicare prescription drug plan, and other wasteful mistakes that our children's grandchildren will still be paying for.
Sorry for the rant, haven't had my caffeine yet this morning. Happy Friday, everyone.
I agree with that sentiment... "let the games begin!"
HOWEVER, there is one thing about this that has me immensely worried.... and that's the Republicans using the 'Rats internal disarray as an excuse to run a poor candidate for president (e.g., NY gov George Pataki or similar RINO).
Although the situation is not exactly parallel, it makes me think back to 1996... Slick Willie and his entire cabinet were embroiled in scandal after scandal. He should have been an easy target to take down. GOP ran Sen. Bob Dole -- a good man, no question -- a war hero, and a good and respected senator. But weak as a presidential candidate. He was nominated, basically, because "it was his turn." NOT a good rationale for picking a candidate!
The point I'm really making is that the GOP can't just settle for being a majority -- it needs to assert leadership again. Although there are a number of promising GOP individuals who fit this bill -- several impressive congressmen spring to mind -- as a party as a whole, there's a lot lacking. I have to confess I've been somewhat disappointed with the GOP during Dubya's presidency. The senators and congressmen seem very reluctant to pick up the reins of power -- reins of power, keep in mind, that were handed to them by millions of voters who wanted them to accomplish certain things.
With the Democrats ready to eat each other alive, there is real opportunity for boldness in the GOP -- cut spending (PORK), make the tax cuts permanent, dare to make a (legislative) stand in regard to abortion, SHUT THE DAMN BORDER already, and start shouting down the idiotic talking points coming from the totalitarian left. Instead, over the last few years, we've seen No Child Left Behind, Medicare prescription drug plan, and other wasteful mistakes that our children's grandchildren will still be paying for.
Sorry for the rant, haven't had my caffeine yet this morning. Happy Friday, everyone.
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