Let's Hear it For Obstructionists!

During my Sunday morning hangover ritual of water, vitamins, aspirin and Meet the Press, Tim Russert posed this question to Howard Dean:

But there's no Democratic plan on Social Security. There's no
Democratic plan on the deficit problem. There's no specifics. They say,
"Well, we want a strong Social Security. We want to reduce the deficit.
We want health care for everyone," but there's no plan how to pay for it.

And Howard Dean responded:
Right now it's not our job to give out specifics. We have no control
in the House. We have no control in the Senate. It's our job is to stop
this administration, this corrupt and incompetent administration, from
doing more damage to America. And that's what we're going to do. We're
doing our best. Look at the trouble they're having putting together a
budget. Why is that? Because there's still a few moderate Republicans
left who don't think it's OK to cut school lunch programs, who don't
think it's OK to do some of the appalling things that they're doing in
their budget....

Dr. Dean did a fine job answering the question, but the way The Rude Pundit fields this question is much more effective, though probably not appropriate for Sunday morning talk shows.

The right loves to say any time the Democrats resist or block a
Republican bill or nominee or idea, "Well, Democrats, why don't you tell
us what you'd like to do? What's your plan?" That's like a rapist getting
kicked in the nuts by his potential victim and then asking her, "Well,
okay, since you don't want to be fucked, what would you like to do?"
The only proper response is not for the victim to suggest alternate
activities ("Well, rapist, we could play a lively game of whist"), but
to say, "I'd like you to be dead. No, no, even better, I'd like you to
be buried alive. In a small coffin. Filled with scorpions. And covered
in shit."

If the Democrats had a brilliant plan for universal healthcare, do you really think they would even be allowed to debate it on the Senate Floor? If the House Democrats had a comprehensive energy policy that would solve all the present energy problems rather than give handouts to corporate welfare queens like Exxon, do you really think Dennis Hastert would let them discuss it?

The most the Democrats can do until 2006, is hang tight and try to keep the Republicans from ruining our country even more than they already have. As the minority party, that's what our job is right now.