For many years, Teapublicans have cowed Democrats into compromising their ideals. In fact, Democrats have become so accustomed to withering under partisan attacks many now give up their principles willingly. Witness the news from just the past two days.
Yesterday, the Obama administration dropped controversial new safety standards for children who are hired to work on farms. Apparently, the lies and misinformation circulated by Teapublicans that the new standards would negatively affect family farms was enough to make the administrations testicles shrivel to 2009 size.
Then today it was announced that, with the help of 13 Democrats, the Republican-led House passed a student loan bill that includes cutting the Prevention and Public Health Fund; part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The end result is to reduce funding for womens and childrens health programs.
Who needs the Supreme Court? It would seem that some Democrats are willing to help Teapublicans kill Obamacare themselves.
Also today, former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi stated that she was willing to embrace cuts to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare as part of the Simpson-Bowles Plan to reduce the national debt. Say what? Whatever happened to protecting safety nets from the Teapublican ax? What happened to ending tax breaks for the wealthy? What happened to fairness in opportunity and income distribution?
The events of these past two days capsulize one of the greatest problems with our government. Teapublicans whine and bully and threaten to get their way without concern for the welfare of our citizens and our nation. They can count on Democrats to drop to their knees and metaphorically pee their pants. And Democrats seldom disappoint them.
Damn, its difficult to be a Democrat!