The Line in the Sand

I know a number of Democrats frustrated beyond belief that every Democratic Senator did not arise in protest against the confirmation of Condoleeza Rice as Secretary of State. I know others exulting over the nearly-unprecedented revolt of 13 Democratic Senators. Some of both factions are making noises about what they will or won't do if the Democrats don't vote en masse against the confirmation of Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General. "We'll never vote for those DINOs again! We won't raise any money for them! I'll vote Green from now on!" and so on and so forth. One person on Democratic Underground posted this rather plaintive query: "if they won't stand up against appointees like this, then what WILL they stand up for?"

I'll tell you what they'll stand up for, where the line in the sand must be drawn.

Social Security is the line in the sand.

If the Democratic Party cannot protect what's left of the New Deal, then the party no longer has any reason to exist. The day our party allows the robber barons of the right to enact Welfare for Wall Street and gut our social safety net to permit the rapacious denizens of the brokerage firms to get their cut of our hard-earned retirement moneys is the day I leave the party.

Do I think that will happen? No, I don't. I'm sincerely hoping the party leaders don't wear themselves out with futile - albeit symbolically significant - protests against Cabinet nominees. They need to save their energy for the most basic of Democratic Party principles - the safeguarding of economic justice for all. That's what the Democratic Party means. All else is secondary.

DEMOCRATS STAND FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITY.