Tough to Figure

I enjoy skimming Daily Kos. The site is concerned with electing "more and better Democrats." There are certainly policy discussions that go on, and lots of petitioning readers to email/call/write their representatives on particular issues. The site is definitely on the progressive side of things.

The amusing/annoying thing about the site, possibly related to the primary goal, is a tendency to shout down those who get so fed up that they vent the possibility or even reality of not voting for some (often Obama) Democrat (see parts of this thread). Lots of commenters try and pass off the progressive failings of the present administration and Congress as not their fault. As though Obama's continued mediocrity could be entirely blamed on the Senate, or that the ineffectual "big legislation" that has been passed has been some praiseworthy progressive victory.

Republicans are, in my opinion, worse than Democrats. But they are more effective at getting their legislation passed. Hell, we got GOP health care without a single GOP vote (on final passage)! Now that is some impressive legislating!

By contrast what fucking good does voting for Democrats accomplish? Doubling down on Afghanistan (Way to go Bush...I mean Obama!). Continued indefinite detention at Gitmo along with no prosecution of torture (Congrats on getting your way Cheney...thanks to Obama!). More and better chasing after government whistle blowers (can't have people finding out about laws being broken or failures of the government/military now can we?). And a brand new assassination of Americans abroad program (who wouldn't be excited?!?). And those are the things that Obama is in no way shape or form constrained by Congress on, with the assassination program being a bright and shiny Obama original!

To the folks at Kos who believe that Republicans would be so much worse I say: "Yea? So?"

What I do not understand is that Democrats (including Obama), if they want to retain power and be reelected, need to be viewed as capable of doing something. Republicans may stand on a platform that I disagree with, but even I, at this point, would prefer a government that does something over nothing. Good or bad, right or wrong. I am not the arbiter of that which would be best for this nation. The GOP is at least willing to enact their agenda. The Democrats do not provide any substantial counter to that right now. To me, it seems that only Republicans are willing to try.

I'm not likely to vote for them, and I don't like their policy, but if the GOP wins back the House this fall, it will be because voters like me don't see much point in giving Democrats "power". When my option is to vote the lesser of two evils, I see nothing wrong with voting "Present." Democrats--including Obama--should be aware that they lose more than they gain by being weak and ineffectual.