If ever there were a moment for Democrats to press their political
advantage, this is it. Their message on many of the biggest national
issues — taxes, guns, education spending, financial regulation — has
widespread support, and they have increased their numbers in both houses
of Congress. But after years of being out-yelled by strident right-wing
ideologues, too many in the Democratic Party still have a case of
nerves, afraid of bold action and forthright principles.
That’s particularly evident in the Senate, which the party controls. Last week, Democrats had a rare opportunity to change the Senate’s rules by majority vote
and reduce the routine abuse of the filibuster by Republicans, which
has allowed a minority to slow progress to a crawl. But there weren’t
enough Democrats to support real reform, so a disappointing half-measure
was approved. The reason was fear: Fear that they might return to the
minority one day, fear that a weakened filibuster might hurt them, fear
that Republicans might change the rules to the disadvantage of Democrats
if they regain a majority.
Similarly, fear is preventing many Democrats from fully embracing
President Obama’s sensible and long-overdue proposals on curbing gun
violence. A proposal to require background checks on all gun buyers —
the top priority of most gun-control groups because of its effect on
handgun proliferation — is beginning to win strong bipartisan support.
But Democrats from swing states — including Harry Reid of Nevada, the
majority leader — are backing away from a bill
to ban semiautomatic assault weapons, and it is not clear if the Senate
will vote to prohibit high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Senate Democrats are not even united
on the obvious need to raise additional tax revenues as part of budget
agreements to reduce the deficit. Though Senator Charles Schumer of New
York is pushing to raise more revenue through tax reform, Max Baucus of
Montana, who leads the tax-writing Finance Committee, has resisted the
idea.
Mr. Baucus, who has also expressed skepticism about an assault-weapons
ban, comes from a state that supported Mitt Romney last year, as do most
of the other nervous Democrats. It’s true that the growing support for
gun-control measures and for higher taxes on the rich is not spread
evenly across the country, and that the party’s majority in the Senate
is precarious.
But senators have an obligation to lead public opinion, not to follow it
blindly. Hunters in red states know full well that a semiautomatic
weapon bristling with military features is unnecessary to bring down a
deer or a duck. If Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, who just
won re-election comfortably, were to make that case, he might change a
few minds, given his unquestionable support for Second Amendment rights.
If Mr. Manchin explained that such a ban was anything but a “gun grab,”
people would pay attention. Instead, though he supports background
checks, he will not endorse anything further.
After four years of timidity, Senate Democrats say they will finally
vote on a budget this year, no longer afraid to stand up for higher tax
revenues and targeted spending increases. That is a sign of progress,
but it remains to be seen how strong a budget will pass and how many
Democrats will back it.
Politicians play in a rugged arena and are understandably obsessed about
losing power. But that power needs to be used for something other than
perpetual re-election. The next two years will challenge lawmakers of
both parties to demonstrate that they came to Washington for a purpose.
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