For Dems, a welcome change of gears

Indeed, the spill — which scientists estimate could cause decades
of devastation and could wipe out the Gulf’s fishing industry — has
galvanized the country and becomes the change of subject
Democrats needed badly, as I explained in my column this
week. 
 
Democrats have scheduled hearings into the accident, and
the debate over regulation and oversight of oil drilling will
return to the headlines once again. Watch for questions about whether or not
this was preventable, and wait to see whether the Congress
passes the “Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act.” This would expand
liability for companies responsible for spills, in this case British
Petroleum, to $10 billion beyond cleanup. Liabilities are currently capped at
$75 million. Yes, million.
 
As the party unveiled its “Results Party” message for the
midterms last week, Democrats made clear they are running on a populist,
solutions-based message. They are giving themselves credit for taking
the economy from recession to recovery, and boasting
about stock market improvement in the last year, even as they
bash Wall Street on the Senate floor.
 
After they pass new financial-services legislation, what they are calling
“Wall Street reform,” Democrats will push legislation designed to
mitigate the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election
Committee, which now permits unlimited
corporate and labor spending in elections. The Disclose Act will require
strict disclosure of such spending, and Democrats are already facing
stiff opposition from business.
 
Democrats are way behind, and the electorate — the kind of voters who
show up for midterms — are scorching mad at them. It will take a lot for them
to turn the tide. But they hope to convince enough voters that
Republicans are protecting Wall Street, Big Oil and even the
health insurance industry. If they do, the election may not be the
thumpin’ it looks like now.
 

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