What's the matter with Democrats

I'm a rampage against anonymously sourced stories, but this is one time when it's warranted. TPM posts an anonymous email from a long time insider staffer on Capitol Hill. It's as depressing as it is illuminating.

First, I admit I don't really understand how the archaic rules of the Congress work, but I've been trying to figure out how the GOP managed to push through so much legislation and block Democratic interference so successfully with a much smaller majority. These excerpts explain some of the tricks.

Every bill came to the floor under a closed rule so we couldn't propose amendments and our Senate colleagues faced a full amendment tree on every bill such that unless they had Republican patron they couldn't get votes either. Kennedy fought like hell for things like minimum wage and sometimes could arm-wrestle a procedural vote win out of them but things would just die in the hands of the Hammer in the House. ...

The Republican Majority in the House had steadily eroded so that by the end of the Clinton years they had only a 5 seat cushion (223) in the House, but their strong majority in the Senate (55) kept them firmly in control. ...

We got occasional fig leaves, and maybe could get a witness or two included in a hearing, but were essentially not a part of the final discussions to put together bills. ...

And this explains why Reid is such an epic failure as the Senate *leader*.

It was disheartening when it seemed that Reid was allowing McConnell's disingenuous narrative of "it's always taken 60 votes to get anything done" to take hold, but we were later even saved from that when Specter switched. ...

Of course, it didn't make any difference because Reid simply refused to use his power to push the Dem's agenda. But here's the really depressing part.

The worst is that I can't help but feel like the main emotion people in the caucus are feeling is relief at this turn of events. Now they have a ready excuse for not getting anything done. While I always thought we had the better ideas but the weaker messaging, it feels like somewhere along the line Members internalized a belief that we actually have weaker ideas. They're afraid to actually implement them and face the judgement of the voters. That's the scariest dynamic and what makes me think this will all come crashing down around us in November.

I've suspected since Coakley started to crash that the national Dems deliberately let her implode just so they could have their excuse for self-serving spinelessness back. Seeing it affirmed makes it all the more tragic. And infuriating.

I urge to read the whole thing. It's an education.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]