The Lack of Spine in Both Parties

Howard Dean in the Huffington Post takes both parties to task for a lack of political courageousness. Dean cites the Tea Party Federation banishing Mark Williams for his "Letter to Lincoln" blog post.

"Now if the Tea Party, which is not a professional group of politicians have the decency to repudiate the racist fringe in their group," Dean wrote. "Why can't the Republicans."

The question poised by Dean is rhetorical. Dean notes, "(Republicans) will do anything to regain power." Refusing to extend unemployment benefits under the false pretense of fiscal conservatism. The political goal by Republicans was to make unemployed Americans angry at the Democrats.

Dean continues to hammer his point about Democrats needing a spine transplant.

The second lesson is harder. Stand up for what you believe in. I admire Nancy Pelosi because she is tough, gets things done, and doesn't take crap from the right wing or any one else.

The Obama administration panicked when Andrew Breitbart put the heavily edited videotape of Shirley Sherrod on the internet. Cheryl Cook, an undersecretary at the Department of Agriculture forced Sherrod to resign from the USDA. Cook told Sherrod she was "going to be on Glenn Beck tonight." The Obama administration fired Sherrod and Van Jones because of their fear of Glenn Beck. Can anyone imagine the White House firing an appointee because of what was said by Jane Hamsher, Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann or Arianna Huffington? Hamsher and Huffington want Geithner gone. White House senior adviser David Alexrod said Obama will not fire Geithner because "they have a man-crush on each other."

Obama had a private meeting with Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes. Obama could not even be bothered to attend this years Netroots Nation conference to speak to his base. This isn't to suggest Obama is a Republican. Obama is a politically reactionary politician who is fearful of media and corporate power.