And Fuck...The Left

No, really. 

Did all the progressives in the blogosphere really think we elected some sort of Lefty Messiah to be president so now Lieberman will be excommunicated?  Did they think instantaneous change would drop from the Senatorial Tree of Goodness into our waiting arms, like manna from heaven?  Did they think that Obama's election would somehow magically change the Mysterious And Civil Mechanisms Of Comraderie?

Sorry, Jane:

With all due respect, Governor Dean, we were all just told to go screw ourselves.  That our concern for Barack Obama and that our concern about the war and everything else that we fought so hard for within the Democratic Party is meaningless.

Get real.

Look, I said Fuck Harry Reid because I think Joe Lieberman SHOULD go.  But that's based on a normal person's sense of fairness and propriety.  That didn't just suddenly find its way into the morass of DC politics--it's still old school political calculus that says we need to keep every vote in the fold that we can, especially as that mythical 60th vote [beam of light appears, trumpets blare from on high] becomes more likely.  If that surprises you, lemme break some more bad news: Santa doesn't climb down your fucking chimney on X-mas Eve.

What's more, has The Left (no, not Norbizness) done anything truly active to, you know, show the Democrats that we are more than liberal ATMs via ActBlue, capable of clicking on MoveOn petitions and occassionally "lighting 'em up" when we finally get our dander up?  What else have you done to stop the bankruptcy bill, FISA and Lieberman?  What else have you done to stop the war?

Blogging and exhorting people to do the bare minimum "action" don't really count.  What have you tried beyond your comfort zone since the passivity you advocate has done fuck all?  How about some real, collective interventions like boycotts and strikes which have been used to great effect in days past?

You think you could use your bully pulpit for something other than virtual feel-goodism?

Until you can answer 'yes' to that, of course the Democrats aren't going to do exactly what you want.  You haven't put enough skin in the game, so 'screw yourselves' is their answer for now.  Try to internalize that the way you tell the Democrats to internalize that the game has somehow changed (without your actually doing anything to change it).

Gee, I sure hope that didn't sound self-righteous.  You know me and moral purity...

ntodd