This has been a problem along time in the making, encompassed in that group called “The New Democrats” which as best as I can tell, were a reaction to the Carter years.

So these “new dems” felt it necessary to be more Republican to become elected. Democrat lite?

This has only served to create the spineless reputation ...in which the party fears taking any strong or new position.

The Republicans have a clear agenda and turning back the social contract that was hard won in the mist of the Depression is part of it. These “Demolites” are just enablers to the Republican march up to now.

They fear speaking up to Wall Street, or any street, so as not to offend anyone. Except they inspire no one, and lose elections accordingly.

I think it’s better to lose ,and stand for something. Then win with no solid agenda or mandate to do anything.

This past election cycle was reaction to the Bush failures…and the Democrats were the only other place to go. Not voters inspired by a public agenda to improve their lives, sadly.

The Democrats seem to hold populism in contempt and the Republicans use that as a tool to win elections too. What is the Democratic party? Ivory tower types who deign to analyze from a far the state of the country, and issue dry policy thesis?

PS I think even Bush knows this increase is useless. He’s just buying more time in hopes that the Iraq governmemt will take charge. It took an election for him to finally make any changes on Iraq (Rumsfeld or tactics) Funny the most change on anyone’s part after this election has come from bonehead himself, not the Democratic Party….says it all doesn’t it?.

Feingold and Kucinich should be the democratic candidates. One of them should square it off with Hagel. If there is a so called savior, then one of them is.

If I am not mistaken, evildoers and their minions want you to pick either Hilary and Rudy.

I am still wondering why in heck would rudy brought mistress home where his wife and kids lived. Is this a man into threesome crap or Casanova wannabe? What a crown.

The trouble with this thread is it reflects the giant flaw in our system. 

Jefferson suggested a “revolution” every 25 years.

BUT

We fat lazy too-well off folks are allowing the dream of freedom to die due to our regard for self interest.  ie: “If this system goes, what do I (personally) lose.

Frankly, I’m getting to the point where they can have my stuff (the monetary value crap) if I can regain freedom and dignity.

Never before have I been so ashamed of my country, party, and self.

We should commend Senator Feingold for putting long overdue spurs to his docile colleagues.

Its a necessary step - but an insufficient one.

It is not enough that Congress stir itself to its proper, more vigourous Constitutional war powers role, and to hold the President to account for the incompetent exercise of his.  We should demand that Congress - even at this late date - engage in the sort of substantive public debate which it so disastrously failed to have four years ago. 

However poorly conceived and executed the President’s policy has been, Congress’s goal must now be, as it should have been all along, to conduct a public debate over which course of action will best advance America’s interests in the future.  However unattractive the options, that process requires Congress to engage in the sort of detailed, candid explication and assessment of choices and their consequences to which the President has proven himself so averse.

That such a process would lead to a conclusion favoring rapid troop withdrawal does not seem pre-ordained.  Iraq is surrounded by countries each having strong incentives to engage with the United States in an effort to avoid a failed state on its border - Turkey and Saudi Arabia are self-identified American allies, Syria is making public overtures for diplomacy, and Iranian president Ahmadinejad is sinking into dangerously levels of support among a youthful population with a distinctly western orientation.

The Senate is supposed to be a deliberative body, yet (with few the notable exception of Senator Feingold and a lamentably small number of his colleagues) it allowed Bush to blunder into Iraq on insufficient facts, with no real efforts at diplomacy, and without meaningful public debate - is it asking too much that they not compound the error by presiding over an exit arrived at the same way?

Senator Feingold,

You speak the truth as I see the truth. And I don’t understand how when the American people have spoken, the Democratic party can’t even unite behind this truth. END THE IRAQ WAR BY DEFUNDING IT AND BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!

I support you if you ever change your mind to run for President. I will get as many people as possible to vote for you if you decide to run. I’m sick and tired of the “middle of the road” democrats. They are GUTLESS!  And this is why the Bushies and the Republican party really are not in the minority in Congress. We have democrats with no backbone and will not challenge the status-quo. Even Pelosi and all of her vaunted talk about “scrutinizing the budget” can’t even come out in support of defunding America’s military presence in Iraq. It is so frustrating.

The sad thing is we’re stuck with a lot of these timid and self-satisfied fence-sitters in the Senate for another six years.  Or are we? 

If our elected representatives will not follow the will of the people who elected them, I think every state who has such a Senator should begin right now to launch a recall election. 

Connecticut would be a good place to start, I think.  I’m willing to bet that the good people there are having some regrets about putting that jerk, Joe Lieberman into office again. 

Let’s keep voting and voting and recalling and recalling until we can get some people who will listen to the folks that elected them and not a small elite group of Beltway insiders with their own vested interests in mind.

I wish Russ would run for President.

There aren’t enough republicans willing to fix their own mess so a slim majority in the senate with a republican president is nearly worthless.

The republicans can’t hold out much longer but we’ll have to wait for them to either come around or be gone.

The system doesn’t work very well when people reelect lying, greedy idiots.

I am very up-set with the cowardice of the Democrat politicos who refuse to start impeachment
hearings on Bush, Cheney and Gonzalez! We cannot afford 2 more years of this corrupt and incompetent administration and we are losing our
freedom, more graft and theft of our constitutional rights. Lwayno, disabled vet

Dear Senator Feingold,
As far as I can tell you are the only legislator that has had the backbone to stand up and tell it like it is.
If you decide to run for President, you have my vote and that of my wife.
Thank you very much

Feingold is right. The Democrats are spineless whimps incapable of governance. They have failed to act against the illegal war in Iraq, and are poised to gleefully and quickly pass the president’s budget without dissent. I am sure I’m not the only voter who feels conned into electing these fools.