I can't and won't disagree with that. I've harped about it for years, here and on the muche.
And I've spoken about that and more here too. It sucks, but still no reason to be a pessimist. The people of Florida, Republicans, voted the crook Scott into office and hence all his crooked cronies like Bondi. You can't blame the Dems for that, unless you want to blame them for pessimism.
I'm not like you, Nutty. I'm still an optimist. I honestly feel that among all the bad Republicans (and Democrats - yes you Corinne Brown) there's real politicians out there who care. Like Paula Dockery, a Republican, whom I respect.
So? Fix it! I'm not talking about a wholesale "Throw the bums out!" attitude, that's what got us in the fix we're in today. Find out which politicians in your district actually care about the people. I'm not talking just about the ones who's platform you agree with, the others too. Just because you don't agree with their platform, doesn't make them wrong or you wrong.
Help vote out the idiots. Just don't replace them with more idiots because they're a new face.
Funny how sometimes you make a comment and then happen upon an
article that underscores your point. This is what I'm talking about:
The Republicans have so discredited government that Democrats will encounter trouble backing the programs that they, and a conflicted public, know the nation needs...
The failed conservative revolution has left behind a deeply frustrated electorate. Two-thirds of Americans say the country is going in the wrong direction, and a solid majority says the country faces big problems rather than manageable ones. In response to these problems, a majority of Americans now say they want a more active government.
People want government to get serious about addressing the challenges we face as a country. Huge majorities want the government to be more involved in a range of issues including national security, health care, energy, and the environment. To tackle global warming, two-thirds of Americans support stronger regulation of business. When it comes to health care, the results are dramatic. By a two-to-one margin, people opt for a universal health care system rather than separate reforms dealing with problems one at a time. A majority even goes so far as to say it's time to establish a Canadian-style health care system.
All of this sounds like the opening that Democrats and liberals have been waiting for. Years of failure by Republicans -- from the Enron debacle to the catastrophe in Iraq to the non-response to Hurricane Katrina, from congressional corruption scandals to wasteful spending and ballooning government debt -- have taken their toll on the American people. Americans are rightfully angry and impatient with a government they see as having achieved almost nothing for them in years.
The article goes on; detailing the problems of our two party system and chronicles the distaste of the public for all things government, particularly in light of Congressional inaction.
The resolution is precisely what I told Nutty above:
Democrats need to stand up and take on the government -- not its size or scope, but its failure to be accountable -- and deliver the results that people expect for the tax they pay.
Restoring the credibility of government to lead, to deliver solutions for America's problems, is the major challenge facing progressives. Whether we can succeed on this critical measure will, in a large way, determine whether we are able to build a governing majority or even take control of the White House.
Here are five things that Democrats need to do if they want to restore faith in government and turn to their advantage the dangerous situation they find themselves in now:
Resist the temptation to remain the protector and defender of the federal government. Instead, seize the mantle of change and accountability. Demand that government performs and produces results that improve people's everyday lives.
Be real, stay authentic, say what you mean, and stand behind what you say and do. Perhaps the biggest reason the public no longer trusts politicians is their depth of disgust for double-speak and for politicians hiding from their mistakes.
Establish accountability as a core element in everything you propose by always including a specific set of performance measures. Voters will not, for a second, listen to what Democrats want to do on health care, education, or energy if you do not demonstrate that these proposals have tough accountability measures to ensure results.
Advance a strong fiscal-accountability agenda to cut waste and make government more efficient and results-oriented. That includes auditing every federal department and agency to make sure funding is going to meaningful projects and to people, not the bureaucracy; eliminating no-bid contracts; creating an inspector general for Iraq to oversee U.S. spending there; and reducing energy costs by requiring all federal buildings to meet modern energy-efficiency regulations.
Go much further on anti-corruption, ethics, and lobbying reform. Institute new whistle-blower legislation to protect government employees from retribution if they report waste or corruption. Create a permanent independent commission outside of Congress to investigate and enforce ethics rules for members of Congress and their staffs, rather than continuing to allow Congress to police itself.
