The Progressive Tea Party ...

President Obama has nominated Richard Cordray to be the head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. And, as you might have expected there is a certain politically active group of people out there who are all kinds of pissed off. Yup, once again the Tea Par… oh wait. Sorry, about that. Once again the people on the left who call themselves “progressives” have their panties in a knot.

It always happens the same way. Obama recognizes the reality of a situation and decides that rather than going through a long, drawn-out and ultimately futile fight, makes the smart move. In this case, it’s his decision not to nominate Elizabeth Warren who faces not just opposition from republicans, but doesn’t have a single democrat who matters* in the senate willing to fight for her. 

The reaction is also always the same. Progressives stare in complete disbelief that they didn’t get the toy they wanted. Then the lower lip starts trembling and then the tears start flowing. Then they throw themselves down on the floor of the toy section and scream, kick, punch and make absolute fools of themselves. 

Then, when they run out of energy, mommy picks them up and holds them.  She reassures them that their feelings are valid too, and that they will be allowed to blog about them when they get home. When they’re ready, they let mommy know that it’s okay to move on to the grocery section and check out the organic produce. 

The democrats have their own version of the Tea Party, and they are every bit as demanding that things be done their way and their way only. And, no matter how often they get what they want, when they don’t, they not only throw a fit, they start the name calling. 

While progressives are busy saying that the Tea Party is inflexible and should accept “political realities” they are proving to be exactly the same. After Obama didn’t nominate Elizabeth Warren, instead of accepting political realities, the progressives called Obama a “coward.” 

No matter how much they get, and progressives have actually gotten quite a bit, SCHIP, DADT repealed, DOMA all but dead, hate crimes bill that included gays and lesbians, HCR**, financial reform, new emphasis by govt agencies on equal pay, Sotomayor and Kagen on the bench, student loan reform, the ending of hostilities and draw down in Iraq, the beginning of the draw down in Afghanistan, and a whole lot more, it’s never enough. In fact, it’s like none of it ever happened.  Because in progressives’ minds none of those things mattered. The only thing that matters to progressives is the shiny toy they wanted RIGHT NOW. And they didn’t get it. So, it’s fit throwing and name calling time again. 

This has been the case since day one.  Almost immediately after being sworn in, the demands from progressives started and then haven’t let up or even paused to reflect on all the toys that they did get that they wanted. The only thing progressives can see is the one thing they didn’t get today. So at the same time that they are mocking the republicans for holding “symbolic” votes in the house, progressives are demanding a completely symbolic fight over Elizabeth Warren. 

With “supporters” like progressives, President Obama doesn’t need the Tea Party.

*Democrats who can persuade other democrats to act and have some influence in the senate.
**Don’t start bitching about the lack of a public option in HCR. The blame for that lies solely at the feet of Harry Reid.