Inflation, Unemployment, A Crashing Real Estate Market And Bad Political Leadership

Why the Democrats haven't ended the war

If you're 25 or under, the economic policies pushed by Bush and the Republicans, with the support of reactionary Blue Dogs, you are in the midst of the worst inflationary spiral of your life. If you are over 25, the out-of-control energy prices, increasing food prices, increasing unemployment, crashing real estate market and rotten stock market you may remember marginally worse economic times. But unless you're even older than John McCain the pain at the bottom three-quarters of the economic divide in growing to unprecedented levels.

Stopping the disastrous standard of living slide will be the job that will take up all of Obama's presidency-- both terms. The economic downturn, a serious recession that could turn into a full down depression, isn't just the will of the gods. It is very much the result of bad leadership, not just bad leadership, but the absolute worst leadership in the history of our nation. And, you know what? It isn't even just Bush I'm talking about, although her certainly qualifies as the very worst president ever. And it isn't even just Republicans I'm talking about, although their narrowly driven ideological agenda, based on greed, selfishness, class warfare and corruption is certainly the single biggest reason for the inflation and unemployment disaster we're experiencing. But they couldn't have done it alone-- especially not in the past 18 months.

Eighteen months ago "the Democrats" were given the mantle of leadership in the House and the Senate. They've accomplished things of significance they would never have been accomplished by Republicans-- a long overdue, if niggardly, increase in the minimum wage, for example-- but "the Democrats" is dysfunctional as a concept. The party is riddled through and through with... frightened careerists and, in many cases, a Republican mentality that encompasses disdain for working families, worship of Big Business interests and personal corruption.

Regardless that Tom DeLay is an extreme right Republican and Rahm Emanuel is a corporate-oriented Democrat, the essence of the two as political leaders is identical-- and it is the worst our system has to offer. I almost threw up my breakfast shake today when I read a story about how Emanuel is on the road to the Speakership. If congressional progressives don't get it together and assert themselves and their values within the Democratic caucus, they-- and, more important, we-- will be the victims of the boundless selfish ambitions of the Rahm Emanuels and Steny Hoyers and Debbie Wasserman Schultzoids.

Matt Stoller talks with Brooklyn congressional candidate Kevin Powell about spineless Democrats who betray American values. Listen to what a real Democrat sounds like: