First government shutdown averted - now what?

I was already asleep when it happened but it played out pretty much the way I thought it would. Our political overlords reached a compromise, if by compromise you mean the GOPers get more than they asked for at the start and in return agreed to let the EPA function and not destroy Planned Parenthood -- this time.

This is of course, is just the first skirmish, (or squirmish if your native tongue is Palinese), and the big battles are not far in the future. Haven't seen a list of the "historic" and "painful" cuts yet, but I'm sure they won't be making the Democrats' former progressive base happy. I cruised the internets this morning. Lot of pissed off people out there swearing they'll sit out 2012 too to teach the Democrats a lesson they apparently didn't learn in 2010.

I'm as pissed off and disgusted as anybody. Maybe even more. It's clear the Dems aren't listening to us and once again allowed the GOPers to set the narrative. But I look out there and see a GOP that is out of control and not even pretending that their agenda isn't to utterly destroy the middle class and restore feudalism. Agree we need to send Dems a message. My problem is I think we're doing it wrong. Too much focus on the executive and not enough on the Congressional side. So we get stuck with a weak, triangulating President for another four years. If we could elect more strong progressives in House and Senate, THEY could "make him do it," in a way that we obviously can't.

Thinking that's where the Tea Party has outplayed us in 2010. I know they had a lot of help from the plutocrats who exploited Citizen United. But still, progs sat it out. Tea Party organized and elected maniacs who are now pulling the strings and suceeding in moving the narrative even more to the far right. Wondering if we could take a lesson from that strategy.

[More posts daily at the Detroit News.]