What Party of the Little Guy?

This post began yesterday as a critique of the bankruptcy bill, but started mutating into an outline of why I think the legislative branch - and the Democractic members of it - is failing in its purpose as a representative body. Now that the bill has passed the Senate, it seems a moot point to a large degree. However, there are a few things that still need saying.

If we ever needed proof that we are not represented by our own government, this is it. No one wanted this bill except the consortium of credit card companies that drafted it, but it still passed the Senate 74-25. Why? Because Senators know who pays for their campaign war-chests. Yes, this is yet another go-around on the ridiculous wheel that is our political system, where in order to keep a job meant to serve the people of the country, our elected leaders enact laws that punish instead. Effective democracy? ARE YOU EFFIN' KIDDING ME? I do wonder when the Senate will start enacting legislation on behalf of whatever countries loan us money. Can't be too far off.

I know I'm the one who's always saying we should expect nothing less from our current crop of elected leaders. This bill, however, is particularly brazen. It is also pointlessly cruel, given the circumstances of over half the bankruptcies in the country. Couple that with the fact that even after all the proposed amendments to make it less vindictive failed, 18 Democrats still voted for it, and you realize that it's no laughing matter.

Because of this, I'm going to have to side with Fixer, those who Fixer quotes. The Democratic Party needs to be the party of the people, and if it can't be that, we need a new one. Yes, this is old news, but it's sadder now because these days it doesn't have to work like this. Dean showed the way to building a campaign war-chest without taking huge corporate donations. And I also wonder, if a candidate can't get the financial support of ordinary citizens, maybe they don't have any business running in the first place.