Speakeasy No More

Paul Krugman at the NY Times ends his column about the subprime mess with a bit of friendly advice that, in a world other than the bizarro one occupied by Democrats, could fairly be described as a shout: "Given the role of conservative ideology in the mortgage disaster, it’s puzzling that Democrats haven’t been more aggressive about making the disaster an issue for the 2008 election. They should be: It’s hard to imagine a more graphic demonstration of what’s wrong with their opponents’ economic beliefs."
Puzzling, yes. But after a year of Congressional Democratic weakness, the temperate suggestions of many are likely to rise in volume from a whisper to a scream, so great is their frustration.

Former Democratic Congresswoman (and House Judiciary Committee member during Watergate) Elizabeth Holtzman, made a reasonable effort on Tuesday (despite the "enormous political resistance and cynical indifference from the media" with regard to impeaching VP Cheney) to remind the Democratic majority of what the administration's done: "wiretapping without court approval (violating the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act), authorizing and facilitating mistreatment of detainees (violating U.S. treaties and criminal laws), starting the Iraq war on a basis of lies, exaggerations and misstatements (an abuse of power)."

The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) also has made the effort (h/t Glenn Greenwald) and provided a reminder of the issues, titled "The Telecoms Knowingly and Intentionally Violated at Least 4 Statutes That Require Telecoms To Protect Consumer Privacy." Yet telecom immunity remains in the Senate Intelligence Committee bill and on the table.

The ACLU has tried, too, reporting events here, and here and here on a number of administration abuses.

Then there's Atty. Gen. Mukasey's former law partner, Scott Horton (a second h/t to Glenn Greenwald) writing this in Harper's, where he said among other things, "at this point, it’s clear that breaking the law is the Justice Department’s number one, two and three priority. And law enforcement? That’s disappeared from the scene."

And, it's worth noting, there was Sen. Dodd's email reference to supporters of some 506,000 emails sent to the Senate by those objecting to telecom immunity tucked into the FISA legislation.

But did I mention Rep. Robert Wexler's (and fellow House Judiciary Committee members Luis Gutierrez' and Tammy Baldwin's) efforts to bring articles of impeachment against Cheney? Their collective effort produced more than 100,000 signatures in support in no less than five days.

Meanwhile, this is how the MSM reports Democrat-"led" Congressional efforts:

From the LA Times, this headline: "Democrats' agenda in ruins despite taking Hill."

And the Washington Post, which has: "Spending Bills Still Stuffed With Earmarks" followed by "despite Democrats' vow to slash the number of such pet projects."

Or the NY Times, which has "Republican Unity Trumps Democratic Momentum."

Democrats certainly don't seem to have many friends in the mainstream media.
Now compare all this with Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi's website which, despite a raft of failures, has the following "Next on the Agenda" item: "Demand accountability and end the “rubber stamp” approach to Congressional oversight of the war in Iraq, the fight against terrorism, and homeland security."

Or Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's website, which includes this gem under the heading "Reid: Democrats Have Led The Way For Change In 2007": "And this Congress has also supported our courageous troops with more than words, but action." What follows is a list of accomplishments, such as 3.5% pay raises for the troops, "despite the President's opposition."

Clearly, many have tried repeatedly to remind Democrats what the issues are, as well as their obligations to their constituents. Yet all is for naught. Pelosi says that its a "waste of time" for the great unwashed citizenry who, despite their "passion," are merely "advocates" and not "leaders" like she and her colleagues (h/t Digby via Glenn Greenwald).
The big, substantial issues remain unresolved. Withdrawing troops from Iraq, ending the budget hemorrhage caused by that war, passing a well-designed FISA rewrite that excludes telecom immunity and corrects the flaws of the Protect America Act, revisiting the disproportionate Bush tax cuts that benefit the wealthy, conducting hearings on impeachment of--at least--the Vice President and the former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez for abuse of power, and violations of federal and international law on torture. And these are just to name a few.
The least that can be asked of this Congress is to actually fight--and not just rhetorically--for what its Democratic leadership says it stands for. Otherwise, what difference between them and the majority they replaced?