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Just shoot me. Really, just put me out of my misery. This morning I quoted Hitchens approvingly, and now...on the heels of Nancy Pelosi's cave on the spending bill...Red State:
Our oh-so-powerful Senate Majority Leader has been no-doubt looking at his numbers lately, and they aren't good (H/T: Q&O). Shoot, they aren't even bad. If Reid wants to be a Senator in January 2011, let alone either the Majority or Minority Leader, he needs to get those numbers up, starting now. That means earmarks, and never mind all that nonsense that the Democrats spouted off about how they were going to stop with the pork. That was only agitprop to rope in more campaign contributions: nobody with the brains that God gave a goose actually believed it, right? Something related for the House Committee chairmen - except that in their case they're more worried about how embarrassing it'd be for them, personally, to not get anything done. Because while you can do quite well for yourself - perfectly legally! - as an appropriations chair, you need to be actually able to pass appropriations.
Let me put this in very stark terms: there is no Democratic Party in Congress. There are, instead, a bare majority of Congressmen and Senators who have banded together in order to gather power, influence, and money. Which is fine, as far as it goes - except that they are not actually using any of the resources that they are gathering to benefit the groups and causes who worked to put them in power. At best they are operating under terms of enlightened self-interest, albeit a very small-minded version of it: they are keeping their geographical constituents as sweet as is necessary to ensure re-election. And the Republicans know all of this, and will use this knowledge to pass the bills that we feel the country needs to thrive. And all of this is why 2007 was such a horrible legislative year for the progressive movement - and why 2008 will be no better for them.
I suspect that some will be distressed by the preceding paragraph. To those people, I offer the question:
What makes you think that anybody that matters, also cares?
I have nothing to add to this. He's absolutely right.
Chris Dodd for Majority Leader.
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Jane!
A sorry but true fact…
Hmmm… Would that be the DLC…? Thank god my Reps are members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus…
Boogie on!!!
Sen. Kit Bond (R-M0), who compares waterboarding to doing the backstroke, hates freedom.
Pardon my ignorance, but who are the people dancing in the picture at the top of the article?
i like that idea!
can we have a new house leadership too?
Steny! Nancy! Leadership!
Hoyer and Pelosi.
Is there any way this is a silver lining?
If this refers to the corporatists who “crossed over” to support Dems in 06, that could be a good sign. Of course, if it refers to us, maybe we should just line up single file behind Jane to save on bullets.
oh, and while we’re reorganizing our congressional leadership….
may i please have rush holt and russ feingold as chairs of their intelligence committees?
both dancing, but neither one leading, no doubt …
who are the people dancing in the picture at the top of the article?
Looks like Steny Hoyer and Nancy Pelosi doing the dem cave-in dance.
I dunno, I think it would be more accurate to say there’s no Democratic majority in Congress, not that there’s no Democratic Party.
While I agree that Pelosi and Reid are worthless, the Red State quote conveiently forgets the massive Republican obstruction in the Congress. It is this that is keeping most of what needs to be done from actually getting done. The little that does get done consists mostly of cave ins by the aforementioned Pelosi and Reid.
This Red State piece is really another in the ongoing campaign to rehabilitate the Republican myth of fiscal conservatism by accusing the Democrats of being the party of pork.
Just because both we and wingers criticize Democrats doesn’t mean that there is a oommon basis for those criticisms.
Forget Feingold as intell chair.
We need Feingold as majority leader. Since he’s a real Democrat, there’s about zero chance of that.
Limbo.
How low can you go?
Please!!
I haven’t seen the numbers in a while. Who’s lower Bush, or the Congress?
Put your left foot in,
Your left foot out,
Your left foot in,
And shake it all about.
You do the okee-dokee
And turn yourself around.
It’s reminding me of that other great leader Nero fiddling while Rome burned.
there is no Democratic Party in Congress.
Yes, sad but true. Funny that it takes Red State to point out the obvious.
That would be Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer.
Photo caption: Steny, please help me find my peach mint that fell off the table.
i don’t know if this is really true, but it’s my current working hypothesis.
speaker pelosi is meant to be the public face of the house leadership - to keep us in line, but things are being run according to the hoyer/emmanuel game plan, and for all i know it’s pelosi’s game plan too.
Sheldon Whitehouse for Intel chair?
or….
The funky chicken-shit
Well at least I can get some sleep tonight with this wonderful news:
“Bill Clinton has severed business ties with Los Angeles billionaire Ron Burkle, fearful that their deals could erupt into bad publicity damaging his wife’s presidential bid, according to sources who know both men.”
If Dave Obey hadn’t taken a courageous stance on this yesterday, and Nancy Pelosi hadn’t backed him at that time, you may have a point. Today…not so much.
Yes, the Republicans are full of shit over “fiscal responsibility.” It’s just sad to see that the Democrats are largely with them on that front.
Did you see the Olbermann bit about the mouse that was genetically engineered to be fearless. He showed the mouse walking right up to a cat with no apparent compunctions at all. The mouse all but crawled up in the cats front paws, it was so bold. Olbermann made a remark that they’re thinking of using the knowledge to transfer the ability into Democrats. Would that it were that simple!
HELL NO!
i am a big, big fan - but until i understand why he’s been supporting amnesty for the telcos, he’s not ready. feingold is.
but give whitehouse time, though… i think he has amazing potential.
The Democratic Party and the Rupublican Party have just about completed their merger.
Whitehouse on Abrams now!
And guess who’s live on Dan Abrams right now!
All this and Aby Gonzo as lawyer of the year by the ABA. How much worse can it get?
Wait a bit . . . it probably will.
Dodd is also a real Senate Dem which is why Jane proposed him for Majority Leader. Feingold would do very well as Intel committee chair.
While I agree that Pelosi and Reid are worthless, the Red State quote conveiently forgets the massive Republican obstruction in the Congress.
It is precisely because of this that his statements are prescient, and accurate.
Whitehouse is on Abrahms.
Sheldon Whitehouse is on Abrams right now! Hmmm… 600+ Dems investigated compared to 100+ Repugs… Yep, DoJ is certainly ‘Fair and Balanced’…
more please!
I hate the Rs and I don’t care for the Ds. Both are a collection of egotistical self interested suck ups to corporations and … remember this phrase… special interests. Totally useless as far as the VAST MAJORITY of the PEOPLE OF THIS NATION are concerned.
I say throw them all out. One term and go home and spare us all the BS. That way they can steal as much as they now do.
There are at best 25 critters who are worth anything… out of something like 550? Pathetic is too kind of a term.
It’s just so nice to see the parties finally working together.
I guess I’ve just seen more consistency from Feingold w/r/t core Democratic principles, if such an animal can be said to still exist. Dodd would be fine too.
I really wish Feingold had run for president.
$165,000 per year, plus perks and bennies, for a three day work week. That’s what we do for our beloved Congress. And they pay us back with lies, cowardness, corruption and having cocktail parties.
Abrahms, political prosecutions during elections.
Whitehouse, the manual had stripped out the illegality of this. He gives kudos to Feinstein.
Abrahms, thanks for what you are doing.
Burning Rome-Inside job. Nero was behind it. He blamed the Christians. A devastating fire was needed for urban renewal. There were too many poor people taking up valuable real estate-and most were Democrats or illegal alien slaves. Nero ended up as a criminal fugitive.
SW is saying when the AGAG indiscretions were made apparent, in regards to undue influence within DoJ, they merely rewrote the manual…
Well, you can’t say I didn’t ask. It was a few years ago when I was working at a fundraiser for one of our homeboys here in Texas. Russ was the main attraction.
mostly talking about the loss of independence of the Dept of Justice - the”Bush Department of Justice” - talks about (what we already know) the HUGE expansion of persons in DOJ and the WH now allowed to communicate directly after historically having been limited, Cheney and Rove’s influence and interference at DOJ, the firing of US Atty’s for not being “loyal Bushies” - I think that covers most of it.
No new info for anyone who reads here regularly, but hey, not a large percentage of the U.S. tends to be C-Span junkies, so having it out there in front of a broader audience is good, no?
ABA is claiming it is like Time’s Person of the Year. Anyone qualifies, good or bad.
It would seem that KO had managed, even if indirectly, to have a brought about a “conversion experience” on the part of Dan Abrams.
that’s the first time I’ve ever agreed with Red State on anything, but they are absolutely right.
they do not represent the people and groups that brought them back to power. they have betrayed us, and don’t deserve support.
new and better democrats who are responsive to the movement please.
who will rid me of this troublesome Hoyer?
who will rid me of this troublesome Pelosi?
thanks all! it’s great to see that whitehouse is not letting go of the issues with the doj - i think that means he doesn’t trust mukasey.
We in this house are incredibly glad we found out about Obama’s elementary school essay saying he wanted to someday be president. And the same goes for his highschool drug dabbling days. We want to hear more about these kinds of issues. Thank gawd I know this stuff, I might have voted for Barack.
Trying to hold onto Olberman’s audience into the next hour, no doubt.
Yeah, I know, but how many people will be able to appreciate the subtlety of it?
Abu belongs at the Hague. In jail. period.
and succeeding, at least with this community.
It would seem that KO had managed, even if indirectly, to have a brought about a “conversion experience” on the part of Dan Abrams.
Mr. Abrams has recently been introduced to the concepts of ratings and advertising income as well.
I’d love to think he’s sincere…
And the US House just passed nearly 700 billion in defense spending today. Cheney drinks the good stuff tonight.
It sure beats Scarsborough.
I have been slowly coming to the conclusion offered by the quote within the quote. How else to explain the refusal honor their oath of office, and reluctance to push for impeachment despite the most vast collection of high crimes and misdemeanors than I have ever seen in my lifetime? Unfortunately, I have to include my “progressive” Representative Abercrombie in this crowd, and I will leave CTuttle to cogitate about his Rep., Mazie Hirono. Both, to me, seem more interested in using Republican misdeeds as a way to leverage more votes for Democrats next year, than as something that ought to inspire condemnation and impeachment. It’s enough to make one cynical.
But mere cynicism will not help us. Heck, take a look at what a guy named Jesus did with a dozen helpers 2000 years ago. Look at what a feeble old man named Gandhi did to take on the British Empire a hundred years or so ago. And what Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela have done.
Paolo Freire knows more than most about how venal and corrupt governments can be, having served in and against governments in several Latin American countries during the past half-century. His most famous book was “Pedagogy of the Oppressed,” but a more recent book was his “Pedagogy of Hope.” I suppose this should make me an acolyte for Barack Obama, but not yet. Edwards, Dodd, and Kucinich are my faves at the moment.
Keep the faith, baby.
Bob in HI
OK now he’s lost me. Since I just got home a bit ago time to go to the TIVO and watch Keith. LOVE TiVo!
“Cheney drinks the good stuff tonight.”
And what would that be—the blood of the Iraqi people?
OMG, you are so right. As do so many people in this administration.
and the blood of any dem who gets within pawing distance.
well… ok.. I guess, but I really don’t want to give RedState credit for anything at all. That just runs against the grain, ya know?… and shrub vetoed the child medical bill again today… just to give the Dems an excuse to cave further.
One piece of good news today, though: San Diego County hill-town Potrero today overwhelmingly ousted its reigning planning board and favor of a new slate, in a bid to halt Blackwater’s plans to build a base there. This is despite Blackwater’s attempts to bribe the town with handouts in the aftermath of last month’s fires. They still told ‘em to go packing.
Blackwater’s response (quoting Brian Bonfiglio, Blackwater EVP): “I don’t care one way or the other” (quoted int he San Diego Union)… he’s just gonna go over democracy’s head and get President Hunter to put the base in the town by decree.
http://www.yubanet.com/artman/.....2654.shtml
What???
696 Billion for death and destruction.
It sure beats Scarsborough.
That’d be the same JoeScar whose true, frothing fascist self is becoming ever-more displayed each and every day on National teevee?
(”When did the Liberal Media decide that waterboarding is torture?”)(I think that was from this morning)
Yes, that is good news. Now if we can manage to export all of the Blackwater folks to somewhere well out of range of the US I would feel far more comfortable.
I keep thinking of the Sinclair Lewis book, It Can’t Happen Here. Nightmares.
holy cow. vote was 370 to 49
Any hint of moderation that Joe Scar was displaying on his prime time gig was only ephemeral at best. IIRC, he came into Congress during The Newt’s Contract On America as a wing nut representing a district in Florida. About the best that can be said is that he actually lived up to his promise of self-imposed term limits.
How embarrassing.
I don’t care one twit about what the Democratic frontrunners say about pulling out of Iraq one day.
He was trying to keep Keith’s audience just as Abrams is. I never believed that Joe had it in him to get it. Don’t know about Abrams, but don’t care much either.
Does this mean the Democrats folded on an Iraq timetable?
Okay, then Joe should walk the walk. If he doesn’t think it’s torture, he should be waterboarded one morning on his show. That’s simple.
Put up or shut up.
Well, Duuuhhh! Ya just did…! 8-(
Yeah.. but at least allow me to be just a ‘lil happy that one tiny, impoverished California village, with high unemployment and much devastation from the recent fires, said ‘no’
And it’s simply unbelievable that a senior executive of a major corporation seeking favors would be quoted in the nation media crassly rejecting the community’s concerns today. Their response to the recall election wasn’t “we need to compromise and work with the community” or “we’ll explore our options”.. it was ‘how dare you say no! We’ll go over your head. We’ll run ya over!’ Unbelievable.
I see from selise’s link that Dennis Kucinich voted against the military spending bill.
Forgive me, but I was watching Hannity and Colmes on Fox Noise. Weirdly, Mitt Willard Romney was criticizing Obama. I think he was implying that Obama was related to Satan. I think Mitt is for Hillary.
I got a message for the Dog Abusing Mormon, stay out of our primaries.
is the rollcall up yet, for the latest House capitulation vote?
Clinton traveled to Wall Street to urge the securities industry and mortgage bankers to agree to a voluntary, 90-day moratorium on further loan foreclosures on owner-occupied homes and an interest-rate freeze of at least five years on subprime loans.
“If we cannot reach a voluntary agreement, I will consider legislation to address the problem,” added the New York Democrat.
See 71 above
Yes.
this has been another example of simple answers…
Bob, both our critters voted for it… I shall thank Mazie for it most Ricky-Tick… 8-(
Thanks. I’m disappointed in my critter. Her record was almost perfect up until this vote. Time to write again, I guess, and not a note of appreciation, for the first time. *Sigh*.
Sensenbrenner and Goode nay? Virgil Goode (R-Klan)? What the heck was that about?
At least we were spared the kabuki of a false debate on the 696 billion in MIC spending/borrowing this time around.
There are two military spending bills. This is the big one which pays for most of the Pentagon’s regular spending and arms programs plus part of the cost of Afghanistand and Iraq. The second is smaller $30-70 billion and is the supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan. It is this one where the Democrats were talking about drawing the line. Whether they do so or cave again remains to be seen.
jane - your link at “Nancy Pelosi’s cave” is broken… that’s why i didn’t get the connection to the “defense” bill, i hadn’t seen that it had been passed today.
Russ Feingold for Senate Majority Leader!!
I think everyone knows Bush and Cheney can keep up the occupations for a long time with 696 billion at their discretion now.
madness
DeFazio for Speaker!
Olbermann really said that? Dasm!!! He’s as PO’ed as we are.
i like it.
You can just imagine what the country would be like with the Clintons in the White House, Reid as Senate majority leader, Zoe Baird as attorney general, Richard Holbrooke as Secretary of State, Sandy Berger as National Security Advisor and George Tenet as Director of the CIA. Marc Rich as chief fundraiser.
Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich for President. No to the front runners.
I imagine that if Nancy is not the speaker, Steny will be. Who’s worse? I think Nancy does too little, and suspect that Steny would do too much. IMO
i’d love to see him be president. but right now, we desperately need him to chair the intelligence committee - jello jay has got to go and no one has been better on fisa, the patriot act, etc than feingold.
given a choice between Steny/Rahm and Nancy, it’s unquestionably Nancy. Sorry.
I understand the bill for Iraq and Afghanistan is separate.
But Steny would love to cave on that too. Which I respectfully disagreed with him on a few days ago (then the money was being considered together).
http://www.dailykos.com/story/.....513/419502
I thought you might, Ma Cheri! He’s certainly an awesome voice for Progressive values…
And Feingold was speaking in Philly last year(held by Moveon.org), and I weaseled by way in. He had a short Q & A after he spoke. I didn’t have a question. I just told him that I wished he would run for President. The room applauded loudly.
I agree. Steny scares me - I think he would sell his mother for power.
Wonder what Sam Rayburn and Tip O’Neill would have to say about Pelosi?
The best possible scenario… Sadly, reality comes crashing down…
Laverne?
It is going to take a hair-raising economic depression to shake things up in Washington. This is a risky thing, because it could shake in a reactionary movement that draws some of its support from people who feel betrayed by their so-called ‘progressive’ party. The problem IMHO is that our Congresscritters most of them have been in Washington for so long that it is their home, and they see the rest of the country through its lens. It means the life of raising money to buy polls that really don’t get to where people really think, and advice that says don’t rock the boat, because look at what happens to people who do.
We are stuck with this politics for a long time to come. The only thing we can say about our side is that they aren’t so blind as to ignore that our fiscal condition is a disaster, that Iraq is unsustainable, and that Afghanistan is also probably lost as well. They will also handle our civil rights a little more delicately than the present regime. It’s sad solace, but it’s all we’ve got for the moment.
Hi
This was a No Brainer, they just keep rolling over. I think the phone/email taps have had an effect and have had since 2001.
jo6pac
Heh, a wise acre, eh? :P
Why have insurance if the Government backup kicks in after 50 million?
Rahm.
Another edition of simple answers . . .
Bought and sold by the highest bidders; Rothschilds,JP Morgan,Goldman Sachs, Rockefellers, aka the Federal Reserve. Anyone watch Zeitgeist?
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
“A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various powerful interest, combined in one mass; and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in banks.”John C. Calhoun, Speech 5/27/1836