The vice president didn't back off the notion that disillusioned supporters should "stop whining," a sentiment he uttered on Monday in New Hampshire, and which drew heavy criticism from liberals in the party. "And so those who -- didn't get everything they wanted, it's time to just buck up here, understand that we can make things better, continue to move forward," Biden said during an appearance on MSNBC, "but not yield the playing field to those folks who are against everything that we stand for in terms of the initiatives we put forward."
What are the things that liberals wanted that they didn't get? What are liberals whining about? I have the impression that the liberal base pretty much got want it wanted, with the sole exception of civil liberties. They got healthcare. They are pulling out of Iraq. But Obama, frankly, made a lot of promises regarding civil liberties. He has not kept those promises, and people on the left are annoyed about that. Is there something else here, or was this comment primarily about civil liberties issues? I don't consider myself part of the left's "base" so I don't have the perspective to see what other issues the left might be concerned with. Obama has contradicted himself quite directly on civil liberties and this comment, if I ought to be taking it the way that I am taking it, goes to show you that the Administration does not, in any way, take the civil liberties issues seriously. I am therefore utterly disinclined to vote for them. Biden, I want to make it clear that this comment is pretty much the last nail in the coffin of the idea that your party is going to get support from me. "These guys, if they win, the other team, they're going to repeal health care and I I want them to tell me why what we did wasn't an incredibly significant move that's progressive and helping people?"
Its totally unclear. Is it helping people? It certainly hasn't helped anyone that I know. Most of the provisions don't actually start functioning for years, and only then do we get to find out whether or not they were well designed. I'm not unhappy that it was passed, nor do I want it repealed, but I not sure I take Republican threats to repeal it seriously. Its just lip service. That debate is over. They lost. If they repeal it they will loose another election and it will get unrepealed for them. Thats not useful and they know it. I am unhappy that I get to choose between a party that openly violates wiretapping statues and thumbs their nose at ancient principals like Habeas or a party that wants to build wiretapping facilities into every single website and software product in the world and thinks that this isn't going to end up causing security problems. At least the Republicans aren't lying about their stance on Civil Liberties. Voting for them, at least I know what I'm voting for. "You're welcome, Joe Biden, for helping to get the more electable Democrat who actually excites voters to be the Democratic nominee -- instead of a lame corporate stooge," said Adam Green, of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, of Biden's remarks.
I guess I know what it feels like to be a part of the tea party. Sure it means aligning yourself with a bunch of nut jobs and morons, but sometimes, nut jobs and morons are better than crooked corporate shills. What are liberals whining about? |