This week on The Invertebrates: Oops, I Did It Again

The narrative about yesterday's election in the mainstream press is likely (who knows–maybe they'll surprise us yet) to be the timeworn critique of Democrats that always surfaces–they aren't being conservative enough. It is a remarkable thing indeed that Republicans are judged by how much they please the Republican base, while Democrats are judged by how much they please the Republican base.

Despite the assertions of those on the right, who, of course, say the Democrats are wild-eyed liberals, the Democrats have long made a habit of taking for granted the actual progressives, those who vote for them because there is no viable alternative. It's worth remembering that there was a demonstrable swell of sentiment on the left (from the likes of Howard Dean) against the health care reform bill as it now stands, which, as-is, will not please either side. The Lieberman-style mediocrity the party offers never appeals to conservatives, and never appeals to progressives, either. The latter ought to be considered, especially in light of the political make-up of this state–Brown could not have won without Democrats who are sick of their party never having the courage of their convictions. It's hard to imagine that many of them would find Brown an acceptable alternative were there any other viable choice. The hangover isn't going to be pretty for those folks.

Personally, I don't think the Democrats have sufficient convictions, nevermind courage. They are merely the inept alternative to the unholy, even more inept alliance of corporatism and conservatism that Republicans now offer. I, like many people I know, vote with the Democrats not because I particularly love them, but only because the alternative is so much worse. Progressives vote for the Democrats, but somehow Reid and Co. still manage to visit the Mercedes dealership and drive away in a Yugo. Not surprising, but definitely a palm-to-forehead situation.

It's too bad "sending a message" in our system means only alternating between two ridiculous parties, both of whom are in the sway of money far more than they are devoted to mere citizens.

There are, of course, lots of people who voted for the Republican yesterday as an endorsement of Republican policies. I expect to hear only that for a long while, but to take that as the sole message in the wake of a Republican victory in this bluest of states would be downright dumb–voters on the left are just as pissed off as voters on the right, if for different reasons. The combination made for this victory, not either of them alone.

Some interesting excerpts–

1) Barry Eisler, who supports doing away with the filibuster (can't say he's convinced me, but I agree with much of the rest of his sentiment)–

So are the Democrats cowards or cynics? I’m not sure. Sometimes, watching them, I see a study in learned helplessness — they’ve let themselves be beaten down so many times they just want to cringe in the corner and give up. Other times, I see the Stockholm syndrome — they want to lick the hands of the people who are punching them. Or maybe they do indeed know exactly what they’re doing — their "inability" to cope with those obstreperous Republicans is great for fundraising. Regardless, listening to them whine about how they can’t pass legislation because they don’t have 60 votes is like listening to a guy who says he can’t work because he’s wearing handcuffs — handcuffs he’s put on himself, and to which he’s holding the key.

Ironically, undergirding the cynicism and cowardice is stupidity. I doubt the average voter knows that much about the details of health care reform or any other proposed legislation or platform. Most people don’t choose a product because they really know the product’s features; instead, they make an emotional decision based on the product’s brand. At this point, the Republican brand is "bully." Not good, you might think, because most people hate bullies. But the Democratic brand is "coward." And looking out at a scary, uncertain world, a lot of people would rather be led by a bully than by a coward. Until the Democrats grasp this obvious, fundamental point, their fortunes will continue to come down to the results of single special elections, their turns in the White House to interludes between bouts of Republican incompetence so profound that desperate voters will temporarily grasp at any alternative. You can call this state of affairs a lot of things, but "prescription for getting things done" will never be one of them.

Between one party that’s "corrupt and inept," and the other that’s "batshit insane," what can be done?

And 2) Digby at Hullabaloo, a progressive who has an interesting take on the 2010 elections (again, not endorsing, just sharing his thoughts) explores the progressive anti-Democratic angst:

If my comment section, email and other blogs are to be believed, there is a lot of netroots angst about the Democratic party these days. It's certainly understandable. With the free floating anxiety that's pervasive out in the country as a whole, the horrific spectacle of health care reform sausage making and the toppling of President Obama from his heavenly pedestal, we have the making of a full blown insurrection on our hands. The question is what to do about it. …

There is a fairly compelling theory in political science that says that after political parties come into power, fulfill some pieces of their agenda, get fat and bloated and are finally removed from office, they then tend to deny the reality of their loss and blame it on everything but themselves until they lose enough elections that they finally realize that their ideology has failed. The current GOP is not there yet by a long shot. They are still in the process of doubling down on their radical agenda at a time when the economy is still in ruins, the effects of globalization are being fully felt, the planet is in peril and about to reach a tipping point, and a radical fundamentalist movement is trying to blow people up. I don't think the world can take any more of the right's prescriptions for these problems right now: Lindsay Graham is considered too liberal and neo-Hooverism is their economic program. Yes, the Democrats are corrupt and inept. But the other side is batshit insane.
…

We are in the most favorable year for primary challenges in recent memory. The insane teabaggers aren't going to allow any rational Republicans to run and the anti-uncumbent fever is going to be as high as it's been since 1994. The Democratic base has an energetic activist faction, the netroots can raise money and there is a burning desire to show the party establishment that they cannot take liberals for granted. It's a perfect environment for successful primary challenges.

And lucky for us, there are some brave progressives already out there taking on incumbents and there very well may be more. This time a few of them may win, and believe me if that happens, the Democratic party will not be able to spin those victories as being a sign that the party needs to move to the right.

I'm sure conservatives near and far are sharpening their crayons to draw us a cartoon view of the election that ignores progressive sentiment. Those cartoons will be full of the usual bromides (maybe even, if we're lucky, self-congratulation and grave-dancing), but remember: as much as our conservative friends would like everyone to believe that Democrats need to become more namby-pamby, more whiny and faux-conservative, the party could do with some cojones for once, some courage of its convictions. They never seem to manage it, but if they use the time between now and the fall to be clear and courageous about delivering on the agenda that got Obama elected, maybe they won't forever remain the useless triangulators everyone loathes.

JUST PLAIN FUNNY (and maybe even more important):

In the ongoing Texas battle to change textbook standards that affect schools nationwide (thanks to the state's enormous buying power), a highly amusing victory:

– Republican Don McLeroy lost a battle to “remove hip-hop and insert country music in its place from a proposed set of examples of cultural movements.”

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