the frustrated progressive

Maybe this should be my blog's name now because that's about what sums up my feelings when it comes to politics. I first got involved in politics back in 2004 after seeing a movie-- Fahrenheit 9/11-- and it woke me up to realize what damage Republicans can and have done to this country. Unfortunately on a daily basis, I see that Republicans are not alone in doing damage to this country. I can name two instances currently going on, one happening in Washington, and the other in Trenton where I feel like I'm being abandoned by my own party. Both issues have been commented on ad nauseum in this blog (healthcare and marriage equality).

Yesterday in Trenton, two Democrats voted no on moving the marriage equality bill out of committee. And in my home state just last week 8 Democrats voted against marriage equality. I thought that the Democrats had a party platform of valuing all families and hence giving the LGBT community the basic civil right of marriage. And now in New Jersey, with the fight for marriage equality on life support, we have to court Republicans because we can't get the Democrats to vote as a party for marriage equality.

And I had health care polls and posts on this blog earlier, before I started focusing on more local battles for and in Trenton. Today the key for healthcare reform that would keep the bloodsucking insurance companies honest-- a government-run public option-- was killed in the Senate today. Instead Medicare will be opened up to those 55 and older not 65 and older. I know that I did propose opening Medicare up at 55 over the summer, but not at the expense of the younger generation who needs healthcare reform just as much as the 55-65 crowd does (I am nowhere near 55, and have been ill for the last week-- I would have seen a doctor but because I'm uninsured, that was not an option for me). The Democrats have catered to their most conservative members and the Republicans in order to get more votes and appear bipartisan.

But I have some news for my fellow Democrats. The Republican party has been like a schoolyard bully. They're constantly spreading rumors and making threats if the victims (Democrats) don't cave into their demands. Just as in the schoolyard, if a nasty rumor gets repeated often and loud enough, the other kids believe it. Can we say death panels? Socialized medicine? The government will come between patient and doctor (which no MAN wants but apparently it's okay if you're female and want reproductive healthcare)? And personal attack rumors that are reminiscent of a schoolyard bully's words? He's born in Kenya? He pals around with terrorists? He's a socialist communist fascist? He's a secret Muslim?

And here come the Democrats, the spineless wonders who cave into the bully Republicans. The public option was the best hope for healthcare reform short of single payer. Most Americans wanted the choice of private or public insurance (and voters on my health care poll overwhelmingly favored public insurance). It was watered down so much to please the Republicans that it was barely viable. Most of us who WANT to be on the public option would not be able to. In my eyes that's not a viable option. Must we as a party compromise on our integrity in order to please the other side? From 2001-2007 when the Republicans controlled all 3 branches of government, I did not see them doing this. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.