The singer Barbra Streisand has fired off a blistering letter to leading Democrats in Washington calling on them to start fighting the "destructive" Bush administration.

The letter crystallises the feelings of many Democrat backers from the entertainment world who are puzzled that President Bush appears to have encountered so little opposition to his aggressively rightwing agenda.

The letter to senior Democrats is entitled "Nice Guys Finish Last or Where Do We Go From Here: A Case for the Democrats." It chides the Democrats for not doing enough to attack Mr Bush and his policies.

"What has happened to the Democrats since the November election? Some of you seem paralysed, demoralised and depressed," writes the 58-year-old Oscar-winning singer, actor and director, who has been one of the Democrats' key fundraisers in Hollywood.

She also attacks Mr Bush for reneging on electoral commitments to end partisan politics. "Look at his ratings - how could such a destructive man be so popular with the American people? Not only is he poisoning our air and water by withdrawing his promise to enforce emissions standards and arsenic regulations, but he's poisoning our political system as well. Bipartisanship only works if you can trust the other side. As we have learned in the past weeks, we cannot trust George W Bush."

The star of Funny Girl and A Star is Born writes: "We have a president who stole the presidency through family ties, arrogance and intimidation. We have a Congress passing laws that benefit corporations and the privileged few at the expense of the working men and women of this country."

Many politically active members from the entertainment world share Streisand's dismay that Mr Bush has moved the country to the right, in policy changes on the environment and abortion rights - with little obvious opposition.