Losing the roots: the Dems may have to chance a spine

I'm not yet as disgusted with the Dems as Greenwald is. Judging by the past ten years it's dangerous to assume we, the People, are thinking rationally about anything. Politicians need to, every day, calculate how rational the voter is likely to be.

On the other hand, at some point a too craven Congress risks alienating their core supporters:

Glenn Greenwald - Political Blogs and Opinions - Salon

... If the Democratic Congress capitulates yet again, there will be plenty of time and opportunity for all sorts of recriminations. I think it is quite encouraging that much of the 'netroots' is now devoting its energies and resources not to supporting Democrats, but to opposing Congressional Democrats who merit defeat.

...Matt Stoller and Open Left, for instance, are devoting most of their energies to figuring out how to surmount the obstacles to waging effective primary challenges against Bush-supporting Democrats. The fund-raising entity run by FDL, C&L and others has begun targeting worthless Democrats, funding and running robocalls against Bush-enabling Democratic incumbents in their districts (those inclined can help fund those efforts here). MoveOn is actively considering spending large sums of money to support primary challenges against war-enabling Democrats. Obviously, there is no point in working to empower Democrats who enable and support virtually all of the worst aspects of the Bush agenda...

It's a tough balancing act. I believe that the American brain is still in intensive care; the patient should be moved too quickly. Still, the loss of the core, and the inevitable return of Nader [1], requires some calculated risks. Congress may have to start resisting -- even though the American people aren't quite ready.

I wish we were a healthier People, but we're not.

[1] I think George Bush and Ralph Nader have a great deal in common. Neither has much of a learning curve, both are convinced of their righteousness. A just world would condemn them to share a house for the rest of their natural lives.