A Democratic Win in November Does Not Spell V-I-C-T-O-R-Y

by Steven D at Booman Tribune

...the American electorate's disgust with 6 years of Republican misrule, lawbreaking, corruption, pre-emptive war and homeland insecurity may be so high that Republicans will find themselves unable to steal enough votes to prevent the Democrats from recapturing a majority of seats in one or both houses of Congress this November. If that happens many on the left end of the dial may feel giddy.

Well, I am here to tell you don't get your hopes up.

[...]

even if the Democrats do succeed beyond my (and your) wildest imagination this November. and Nancy Pelosi or John Murtha is elected Speaker of the House, we will not have gained anything like victory. All we will have done is fired the first salvo in what is likely to be a long and protracted battle to reclaim our government of the people, by the people and for the people from the forces of tyranny, bigotry and ignorance.

Now, many of you may be thinking to yourself (or speaking out loud to your computer screen) ...

Just hold on a minute Steven. No one is claiming the democrats regaining Congress will bring on the New Millenium or create a liberal utopia, but surely we can claim some small manner of victory this Fall should Democrats win the election. Control of only one house will mean control of Congressional committees, and with that the power to investigate and issue subpoenas. It will mean Democrats can set the legislative agenda in at least one house, and can cut of funding for Bush's war of choice in Iraq. It will mean the media will have to take Democratic spokespersons seriously and give them and their message more airtime. It will mean the neutering of President Bush Puppet and the man behind curtain, Cardinal Richelieu Vice President Cheney. It may, indeed even mean impeachment. At the very least it will mean an end to the Conservative agenda being crammed down our throats by the wingnut members of Congress.

To which I can only say, yes indeed. I plead guilty to no small measure of hyperbole. But it was hyperbole employed in a good cause. For we should not delude ourselves that the Democratic Party, as it is presently constituted, is a friend to liberals and their progressive causes. Far from it.

Read the entire post