Thomas F. Schaller Appreciation Post

One of Maryland's best resources, Thomas F. Schaller on why Democrats are wasting their time trying to win the white NASCAR vote.

His point is important, because if you trace all the reasons that the Democrats have been caving on important legislation lately, I am sure it boils down to not wanting to offend "the down-home, blue-collar, white male voter." What Schaller says is nothing new or groundbreaking, but its amazing how many Democrats still refuse to follow his advice.

I am kicking myself right now for not going to UMBC for undergrad, just to have Mr. Schaller as a professor.

Greenwald: Unpopular Democrats Should Stand Up to Bush

It's a shame that such obvious ideas have to be spelled out, but Greenwald does a great job of doing so.

Americans still trust the Democratic Congress far more than the President on "the major issues facing the country." Congress is so deeply unpopular not because they are investigating or obstructing too much, but because they are investigating and obstructing far too little. Every time "Blue Dog" Democrats and Democratic consultants and mindless, conventional-wisdom-spouting TNR types successfully argue that, especially on national security and war issues, Democrats need to capitulate to Bush lest they be politically harmed, they make Democrats look weaker, more like losers, and more impotent (the opposite of the "strength" they think they are projecting) and dig this political hole further and further.

With a President and a Republican Party this deeply unpopular, the only thing the Democrats could really do to harm themselves is to minimize the distinctions between them and Bush, and fail to take a strong stand against the administration. With very rare exception, that is exactly what they have been doing, and that is why they are held in such low esteem. That, of course, has been the predominant critique of Beltway Democratic insiders for quite some time, but this polling data proves this view rather conclusively.

Not much more to say on this. Rather depressing stuff, because right now, Democrats look like a bunch of pansies.

Employee Free Choice Act: Maryland Votes Down Party Lines

On occasion, Republicans Rep. Bartlett and Rep. Gilchrest vote with Democrats in the house. Maryland's unified vote against the Torture bill was a great example of this phenomenon.

Today that was not the case, and Maryland's two Republican Reps voted against working people and against the Employee Free Choice Act. All of Maryland's Democratic House members voted for the Bill. For a better analysis of the issue than I can give here, check out this mydd post.

Generally, I stand with unions. I find it much more easy to believe that big business is more actively involved in subverting workers rights than unions. I fear much more the lack of an ability to organize than workers being forced to do so.