Lessons in capitulation

Glenn Greenwald had an interesting column earlier today regarding Rahm Emmanuel's prediction that, ultimately, Progressives in the caucus would come in line behind whatever health care reform package gets put forward...thus giving Democratic leadership and the administration the freedom to simply ignore whatever concerns those progressives raised along the way.

And, of course, that appears to be precisely what is happening. In any way that matters, its the exact same game the GOP has been playing with the religious right, for years: "We'll take your votes, ignore your opinions on actual policy matters and you won't do a thing because, who else are you going to go with? The other guys?"

Greenwald called out the bill's supporters in the liberal wing of the DC chattering class as enabling the whole situation by undercutting whatever sniveleing objections they dared voice with the ultimate promise of support:

"People who signal in advance that they will accept a deal even if all of their demands are rejected will always be completely impotent, for reasons too obvious to explain."

Interestingly enough, when it comes to this White House, the exact opposite is also true:

People (Chuck Grassley, I'm looking at you) who signal in advance that they will reject a deal even if all of their demands are granted will be allowed to completely control the process.

If the progressives in Congress let themselves get rolled, it's because they're learning from the best: the guy in the Oval Office.