Over at Open Left, Matt Stoller is asking people to take a pledge to push people to be bold progressives:
What does taking the pledge mean? It means that when Democratic "leaders" tell Americans we must settle for watered-down solutions while bold back-benchers in the House or Senate are pushing strong progressive alternatives, we will clamor for those bold alternatives together until they are passed into law.
We said it in 2006 and it’s worth saying again: "better parking spaces for Democrats" is not the goal of all the hard work so many have put in to achieving Democratic majorities. And our elected leaders are only going to be as good as we make them.
Sign the Bold Progressives pledge here.
Related posts:
- White House Tells Progressive Groups: You’ve Been Rolled on Public Option
- Help Wanted: New Progressive Leaders
- Van Jones: Race, Politics, and the Progressive Movement
- If Progressive Members of the House Think We’ll Accept Co-Ops as Public Plan, Think Again
- Harman Shift On Afghanistan Could Reflect Impact Of Progressive Primary Challenge
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Signed, sealed, and delivered.
I want Truth. And Justice for each and every one of us; yes, Justice for All.
Done.
Done. I want my Constitution back — all of it. Not re-interpreted, New Wave, or given a bob. the whole damn thing. And I want it NOW.
Done did. Rightfully proud of my junior senator (Tester). Still working on convincing my (Democratic????) senior senator that he needs to spend more time with his family.
So, does this mean we have to try to derail the Obama campaign because he was never a progressive?
Tester is the best. Hope we can get more like him. You should be proud.
What a great idea!
Done, and mucho thanks Jane!
how is this different that what we’ve been doing the last 2 or so years?
OK PUPS Digg is now open for your Digging pleasures!
btw, i like the idea of telling our democratic leaders that they are failing us. but i can’t sign the statement and i’m surprised you did:
personally, i think the common sense vote for anyone living in pelosi’s district is a vote for cindy sheehan.
and i don’t think that a vote for steve porter – a blue america candidate – requires the absence of common sense.
what was the point of including this sentence in the statement?
Signed the pledge and told the Dems “Defending the Constitution and the rights of the citizens of this Great nation. And not bowing to Corporate money and interests!”
I spent the morning digging up onions and potatoes..I can dig this too.
Oh yes selise if I could I would vote for Cindy as Nancy has betrayed her constituents and the rest of the people of this nation by “Taking Impeachment OFF the Table”. She is very short sighted and does not realize that only Impeachment will keep this nation strong by sending a message to all future presidents that they cannot disregard the constitution and the will of the People!
I’d rather vote for Sid and Nancy!
OHH hope they are good taters and onions. I haven’t started digging my taters up yet. You can’t beat home grown veggies of any kind!!
Ok Who is Sid?? Sid Caesar?
Sid Vicious, the Sex Pistols. Sid and Nancy was a movie about them. Jane Knew.
Sid
Shit I should have know that!! I did see the flick on cable(:>((
i expect raven was refering to the sex pistols – which would make it sid vicious and nancy spungen.
died i think in the late seventies.
Oh, we had two killer frosts in a row this weekend, so we really had to. All that is left standing in the garden now are the brussels sprouts, the kale, the chard, and other greens from the cabbage family. We dug all the rest of the dead plants in, added compost, and put the beds to sleep for the winter.
My tomatoes turned out mealy and tasteless a couple years ago. Don’t know how I managed that.
Well pups I have to run my sweetie to the stores as she cannot drive yet because of the Angioplasty she had last Thursday. Will be back later this afternoon!
The king is gone but he’s not forgotten
This is the story of Johnny Rotten
It’s better to burn out than it is to rust
The king is gone but he’s not forgotten
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There’s more to the picture
Than meets the eye
Hey hey, my my
I don’t know about tomatoes, but I do know that when we’ve had a hot dry summer, the broccoli is just useless..it gets this hard center in the stems and the heads just are terrible; when that happens, I end up throwing the whole mess on the compost heap.
Long live Punk Rock! ;-)
exactly. btw, i’m not saying that voting against pelosi is something every progressive ought to do, i’m sure some progressives disagree – but certainly voting against pelosi ought not to be excluded from the tactics progressives might want to consider.
i really don’t get this apparent priority of democrats first and progressive principles second – not something i would call either bold or progressive.
then again, i’m still really pissed off about last week – that’s probably coloring my world view right now.
Down to seeds and stems again huh?
We had a good season for our garden only one failure which was one of the tomato plants. Seems there is a virus affecting tomatoes in the raised garden everything in that part did great from summer squash, green beans peppers and such. All the tomatoes on the 30+ gal pots did fantastic! Some are still trying to set flowers and grow additional fruit!
Poof
Actually, it came too late for me.
Signed
“Standing up to anti-American fascism in all its current forms”
Put the fear of Wynn in her, at least, eh?
The mealy tomatoes may have been overwatered–that’s my best guess–but I’m a beginning level gardener. My squash crop was paltry this year. *sigh*
Signed it!!
well, she needs something to change!
ot: McCain’s Brother: VA Suburbs “Communist Country”
I think progressives’ first post-November project needs to be to get Harry Reid to give up being Majority Leader. He is up for re-election at home in Nevada in 2010, so he needs to tack to the right to satisfy his constituents. It’s okay with me if Harry Reid is re-elected, but I don’t want him to have to compromise our Senate Majority’s positions in order to do so. I don’t want him standing in the way of progressive legislation in order to achieve re-election at home.
Our Senate Majority Leader should never come from anything other than a safe Democratic seat (see Daschle, Tom).
And Harry Reid is anti-choice. Can you imagine the GOPs having a tax-raiser as a Senate Leader? I can’t — and being anti-tax is just as much of a core value for the GOPs as being pro-choice is for the Democrats.
Isn’t it?
Let’s help Harry get re-elected in 2010 by removing the burden of being Majority Leader from his shoulders. It will be easier for him to tend the homefires if he’s not also running the Senate Majority.
don’t the leaders mostly just do what they are told to do anyway? how much independent power does the majority leader have?
I think Dodd would make a great Majority Leader, although I’m disappointed with his stance on the Bailout shitpile…
p.s. are you voting for pelosi?
How can we organize to encourage his depature from the leadership? What can we do? Any ideas?
Works for me. I propose Feingold as majority leader. He screwed up a few months back (although I don’t recall the specifics) but he was one of the few who voted against the bailout.
Ha, ha, Raven…
dodd didn’t just vote for it – he wrote the amendment, he proposed it, he organized the actions on the senate floor for it. and he spoke in favor of it, imo, every bit as passionately as he did against telco fisa immunity.
imo, if accountability is to mean anything, then dodd has taken himself out of the running for our support as majority leader.
Hey, he had to protect all those Wall Streeters living in his state.
Need help. If I go to this event this afternoon, what questions should I ask?
Johnny Rotten is alive and doing commercials!
eCAHNomics, did the bill, save America from a Depression?
Along with my senior senator who railroaded the whole sorry mess through committee and out onto the floor. Max really needs to spend more time with his family. He will never get a serious Democratic challenger, as he is the second most popular politician in the state (Tester is 3rd), right behind Schweitzer, who is also pissing me off a bit lately.
Acc!!! … ount-ability!
Run for your lives!!!
Hang tough, selise!
;~D
Too soon to tell. Things do not look good in the economy. And the bill did nothing to give consumers the wherewithal to spend.
Dugg and signed; http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/466
Into the black(one of my fav’s Neil Young):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_My,_Hey_Hey_(Out_of_the_Blue)
“A victim of collision on the open sea
Nobody ever said that life was free
Sank, swam, go down with the ship
But use your freedom of choice”
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/d…..39648.html
What bothers you most?
We have a secret ballot here in San Francisco, but I am a progressive.
In addition to gas, food prices have increased so much this year consumers have a lot less discretionary income.
“Do you agree with Sarah Palin that the Constitution provides for flexibility in the powers of the Vice President?”
“Do you agree with John McCain that women should not have the right to choose?”
knew i could count on you!
Jane,
two words: Donna Edwards
How’d she work out? (cough, voted for bailout)
Do you agree with John McCain and George Bush that the fundamentals of our economy are strong?
Do you agree with John McCain and George Bush that we need to cut taxes for the rich?
What is your position of the capital gains tax?
What is your position of the inheritance tax on estates over $5 million?
Hi eCAHN! More gibberish from yers truly at #93 downstairs.
definitely nothing earthshaking…
fair enough. it’s none of my business how you intend to vote – was just surprised, given some of your previous statements that you would advocate voting for pelosi.
OT, but I responded to you downstairs. Sorry if you took any offense at my comment, as none was intended.
We had an opportunity to reject Clinton when he joined hands with Bush Sr.. embracing NAFTA early on.
We have several NAFTA moments this year with Obama.. particularly FISA and the bailout. We’ve been warned.
Now I don’t have the problem some folks do. I don’t live in a state which (at this point in time) has a chance of being a win for Obama. I sure wouldn’t vote for Nancy (and I have in the past, several times). I sure won’t be voting for any incumbent or any Southern conservative Dem on my AR ballot this year. Not one.
Thankfully Jane, Stoller and other progressives are willing to stay true.. which is why I continue to believe this is the best place and includes the best folks to work for change within the country and the D party. My Green votes this year will help the cause far more than anything else I can do on election day.
You got it. Throw in the towel. Let the GOP have it. Please, post more.
Can some kind soul tell me how Sen. Sherrod Brown D-OH voted on the bailout?
And Obama voted FOR it???? Is that correct? Biden???
I am guessing they probably did, which will no doubt disappoint a bunch of people but, dang it, if we ONLY push on negative subject matter, we’re gonna make our job harder re convincing people to become more progressive. Politicians are gun-shy these days. Can anyone blame them, after seeing how toxic the system has become.
They have to STAY in office to do good in office.
Dub & Duck are devoid of everything but greed & conniving madness
Brown is most of the way there to Prog., even though BlueAmerica gave up on him.
I know most of you realize I’ve got a thing about this subject, won’t let go, should. But Washington is soooo lethal an environment right now, I’m inclined to give some people a bit of slack if I know they’re trying to fight the good fight for all the good reasons.
No. I’ve never met him. This is not based on friendship, or any tie whatsoever. It’s based on his overall performance. I’m not alone feeling this way.
Doesn’t look like he cast a vote.
no offense, drdick! you didn’t just sell out the taxpayer to give wallstreet a bailout, you didn’t sell the 4th amendment to att – those are the kind of things that offend me. *g*
Well, BooRadley, if you don’t see the pattern, then let me spell it out. A lot of us either campaigned for Donna or dumped money into her campaign because we wanted more and better Democrats, right? Our family certainly gave a fair chunk of money toward that end. So, Donna’s first tough vote comes up (the bailout bill) and she folds like a cheap accordion.
I got the strong impression that Donna was the poster child for the “more and better Democrats” theme.
Donna’s actions, to me, only reinforce my opinion that a politician will say and do anything to get elected. Once elected, well, times change. Lobbyists arrive, party leaders make their wishes known, and two years later (next election), we hardly recognize the entity that we all worked so hard to elect.
(((Eureka Springs)))
i agree – for all our talk re fdr, i have trouble seeing him being able to accomplish so many progressive policies if there had been no pressure from outside his party. helping the dems in this case may not mean voting dem. mmv.
i don’t think that acknowledging what happened last week means we have to give up. on the contrary – imo, being clear on what is happened, while necessary, is only a first step in continuing our fight for a better future.
No offense, since I think this is a pretty good idea for Democratic party members, but I think I’ll stick to being an unaffiliated liberal.
wow. that DOES hurt.
When someone with that much power doesn’t just go along, but helps the process…
Is there any chance Dodd could have written the sections he did in an attempt to fend off even worse ideas?
I’m not defending him. I’m just trying to figure out where the bloomin’ heck some of the identifiable fault-lines lie. (”fault”, in the sense of pressure, weakness, some private vulnerability not widely known to the public: NOT as in “blame”)
Am I making sense to anyone? hellooooo?
Both Ohio Senators voted in favor the bill:
http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/7026
Does that essentially count as a “no”?
Anyone know if Brown was in D.C. for the vote?
Thanks for the link btw. I’d lost track of that.
does it please you that i just blurted out an expletive?
Ooops. another. therapeutic, actually.
FYI Don’t ANYONE count on OH’s Sen. Voinovich for anything, ever. That was his record in OH politics. It hasn’t changed. He is about as smart as a broken toaster, and equally as useful.
I think most folks are upstairs now.
IMHO, the ‘faultlines’ lie with the Dem leadership who-when ’scared’ by what the Bush Admin was saying- didn’t say, ‘ok, we’ll come up with a plan to address the issue’, instead saying ‘your proposal is bad, it needs to change, here is what we’ll accept’.
GWashington warned about political parties; now they are entrenched and the only real answer I can see -given the supreme’s and past court rulings that equate money with free speech and corproations with having the same rights as a living breathing person- is to have a Consitutional Convention. Scary yes, but what other answer is there? Probably won’t happen until the U.S. dollar is no longer the world’s reserve currency which will happen sometime in the future.
i don’t know the back story. all i know is what i heard on the senate floor. :(
my working hypothesis is that he is with us on the 4th amendment and on habeas corpus and against us when it comes to wall street.
OH Voinovich R – the only thing I’ve ever seen him stand for is not spending money, with no reference whatsoever to reason or need.
I think he swallowed the last of Nerdwhisk’s bathwater some day about 50 years ago.
on the bailout:
senate roll call
house roll call (friday’s vote)
Selise, I don’t know why the links on my diary didn’t get simple clickon capability but people really need to understand the current bill in view of:
Same Paulson bullshit, different day
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com…..on-20.html
Al Wynn’s campaign manager, I love you.
How much did you give to Donna?
How many times did you give to Donna?
How much do you donate to FDL each month?
Check your facts, Donna’s first tough vote was FISA. I bet you didn’t like that one either.
After the vote, she took Obama to the effing woodshed. Name me all the other liberals who did that?
How much did you donate to Regina Thomas? Obama endorsed Barrow. How’d that turn out? It’s precisely GOP trolls like you who cow liberals and drive reps such as Edwards back to the right.
Even Paul Krugman supported Donna’s second vote on the bailout. She was part of the hold your nose caucus.
George Wallace started the American Independent Party. Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond accomplished a lot more for white supremacists by remaining in the Democratic party as “CONSERVATIVES.” Liberals need to learn tactics.
You won’t get a third party candidate on the ballot, much less get them elected. Liberals have much more leverage INSIDE the Democratic party.
With so many vichy Dems to choose from, it’s no surprise a troll like you would pick on Edwards. She’s not a man and she’s not a 100% European American.
So sorry, was multi-tabbing and pulled up the House votes! My bad, I see others rescued me
Book Salon a couple of flights upstairs
Let’s be careful about calling someone a troll here. We can disagree without taking it to this point.
suggest u don’t bother with the H ;-> You have valid opinions, and speak with wisdom. IMO is just dandy, unless you’re tryin’ to pull my chain.
Seriously, thanks for the dialogue. I’m lost in most of this stuff.
I’m more comfortable with the fault lines than the details of the specific problem, horrific as the economic future looks.
I totally buy your assessment of leadership problems. IMO we MUST do what we can to bring change there.
thanks for the link. i have not read that one yet.
whoa – imo you are out of line. criticism of edwards sell out on this vote are not reason to call someone a troll or make allusion to sexism and racism. if you agree with her vote, or don’t think it’s a big deal, why not make that argument instead of personal attacks?
Thanks much for the effort.
We’re all flying in a wind-tunnel here, and there are leaks and cross-currents in every bit of this stuff.
You just got caught by a stray eddy.
What I want to laser in on is the powerful ones, Dodd and people like that, especially.
If such people have the right backing, I think some of them would LIKE to do the right thing. I mean, look how many of us wanted him to run for Pres., and then changed our minds, figuring he’d be so fantastic in Senate leadership.
Do people here, now, think that feeling at the Lake has just evaporated overnight? (and NO. I do not want to exclude those who are not logged on at this particular moment).
Are we willing to set egos aside and to work together to try to figure out just what forces were at play that made Dodd do what he did? How are we willing to consider him in the future? Will his behavior and stances on issues be influenced to ease over to a more progressive stance once Obama/Biden take office?
Yes, that last was an unfair bombshell of a question. For the sake of trying to figure who needs a hand up, a poke in the rear, a thanks (a rare opportunity, apparently), for the sake of figuring out out these pressures and their effects on leadership behavior starting in 2009, I wonder if we shouldn’t simple assume that Obama/Biden will win. (If mcsameapalling win, we’re literally lobsters in the steaming pot any way, so why consider that as part of this particular discussion? Beats me.)
Onward toward loonyville a la Adie. Now what? You’ve got Obama/Biden What do people think will happen? What SHOULD happen?
#1.Protect them FGS!
(No, I’m not joking. I’m scared witless about what some of those idiots out there might try)
I assume O/B will handle their own protection. Right? Hopefully some of the people protecting them right now have been vetted extremely well, etc. They surely look more present and serious then they did not too long ago. That makes me feel a little better. Anyway the actual protection is being handled by others, not us. Of course
BUT: One thing we could do now as well as after the election is keep track of “hate” blogs. Maybe some of you are already doing that. I know very little of them. But I do get the distinct feeling that the mall kin and rum limbo spew vile stiff that feeds the hate machine.
Maybe more pressure could be brought to bear on them. Just a passing thot. We certainly don’t want to stir up a trollywaah. So I would think it best that we watch the beasties, but don’t poke them into action. Report particularly troubling activity somehow so O/B people can be aware and track such activity in an official way, if they feel it necessary.
We could start that kind of thing right now.
2. Help counter political attacks on O/B and their aims.
Again, this is something that could start immediately and rev up from what we’ve been doing. More letters to editor calling out unfair attacks from M/P campain, rover, spewter, junior,their minions – all those winger-bot hate n’ bait tossers. More campaign backup & “grunt” work for the goodguys (both before and after the election). More money where you see it’s needed, if you can (sigh!). In-kind donations, talking to family, neighbors. Around us the hamsters who do most of the work are urging people to vote EARLY if it’s at ALL possible in your area. Make sure people know that, where, when, how.
BIGGIE: Make sure to have Dem. candidate lists from your area WITH you always. Be ready always to tell people which judge candidates are progressive-leaning. Push the idea of voting D. throughout the whole ballot. If the word Progressive bothers anyone, use Dem. instead. Just know that the more Dems we get in there, the more safe their majority and ability to lead will be.
Emphasize the hammerlock the Rs have had on Congress. It’s killing the little guys all across the country. To help yourself and your neighbors, you need to remove that hammerlock grip of the R’s.
3. A lot of you here at the Lake are incredibly gifted, well-trained in your fields, and articulate. Wouldn’t it be nice to send groups of reasonable, deeply concerned but not shouting-mad people with special talents in to approach Sen. Dodd and others you admire. Pick their brains and try to see what they need to help them succeed. Throw them a compliment and shake their hands and see if you, as a concerned Progressive, can help. Dodd, Brown, Kucinich, Frank, others you all can name just might respond more positively than you think. You give the good ones respect but have your facts and needs in order. If you are well prepared, I am guessing you’ll be listened to. Follow up with them. Stay in contact, respectful but firm and deeply concerned.
I’ve scribbled a mountain here, where there’s probably just a molehill. But I really do think WE can move the mountains if we’re careful and savvy and respectful. Don’t cry in their laps. Stop just a little short of that, but let them know you think our country is broken and you want to help them restore it.
don’t just babble babble babble like me.
(apologies: not even going to proof-read)
at least i hope the babble starts some smarter brains a’perking
We CAN enter into dialogue with those who are now afraid they should be building a fortress between them and the people. We’d jolly well better try.
thanks. i knew, but didn’t want to break into yet another thread. I put too much chaff in this one as it is. If someone wants to read it, it’s here waiting. ;->
Thank you! I hope you realize how much we all appreciate the compiling of this stuff. When these events and votes whiz by so fast, and they’re so critically important, it must be mind-bendingly tough to stick with it.
Bravo!
Re Dodd. Sad on the face of it, but I’m looking at the brighter side.
The Habeas and 4th amendment are critical and crystal clear.
The other (bailout) is murky and scaring everyone around the whole world. To tell the truth, I don’t think anyone thinks they have a definitive alswer
That’s all. ACK!!!!!
Y’know something, that last, the fact that the ginormous bailout was required, and everything all around the world is in turmoil because of the good old US of A’s mess, I think, proves beyond any possible doubt that the Republicants are dead wrong, totally flat lined, out cold, off the edge, with their song and dance all these past several years about getting rid of regulation and letting the economy run on “its” own whims.
Result of all their insistance upon forced marches to deregulation left us with pure and simple GREED and lust for power as the biggest forces in the world.
Congrats to the Repugnikans. They broke all the toys. Now what?
I dunno. I am not an economist.
Mebbe start by getting Obama and Biden elected, plus every other Dem. who can still push a button. Then start approaching people like Dodd, and ask them, “What were you thinking. How can we help. Where do we start.
Pardon, but we’re not leaving until you talk to us, work with us, and start working to fix our broken country. We can’t live like this. Our children and theirs can’t live like this.”
from the Pledge description:
“I just launched this pledge with a group of people, some of whom can be publicly identified right now and some of whom can’t.”
Really! Why not? Too much heat from the government?
It makes me nervous.
Adie, thanks for your excellent suggestions. I have read somewhere else (can’t remember where for the life of me) but they had a similar argument. Everyone should not just go home after the election. Everyone should pick one or two issues that are the most important to them, and join or start a group that deals with that issue and that issue only. Follow the mold of a group like IAVA – deal with your issue only – that way it doesn’t get diluted. Then advocate and advocate and advocate. Write letters, fax and call. Visit when Reps and Sens are home in their districts. If you live close enough – be a pest in DC. Question them often and respectfully. Ask what they need. Then do it. Push, push push for them to do the right thing. Organize in your community for the same issue and get all those people to do the same thing you are doing.
Sure Obama/Biden is not as progressive as we want. But with sustained, respectful dialogue, pressure, more pressure, and sustained support – I think we can get a lot more done and push them (and Congress) further to the left.
Un-electing the Blue Dog caucus, and people like Pelosi will help as well – sends a message that the PEOPLE are in charge! Actually, even a really good primary challenge will send this message to a lot of people.
Anyway, thanks again for excellent ideas. That is the biggest problem I see right now – lots of people complaining – not many coming up with solutions.
If you you know “x” is not a troll, please by all means, vouch for him/her.
“x” claims to have contributed to Donna’s campaign. I call bullshit. Why won’t “x” say, how much? How many times? Is “x” providing financial support to FDL? The absence of a response from “x” to THOSE questions certainly reinforces my serious concerns.
We’ve had this discussion before. If you think starting a third party can have more impact; than electing more and better Democrats, please by all means share some evidence.
The Black Caucus ISN’T going to follow a third party.
The Unions AREN’T going to follow a third party.
Absent those two groups, the legacy media would REALLY ignore liberals. Feingold got killed in Wisconsin over FISA and the legacy media in WI barely mentioned he voted against the bailout.
Liberals effectively already are a third party, within the Democratic party. It’s the ONLY way to get any leverage at all. Donna Edwards is one of a very few milestones of success that liberals have had. We’re still in Iraq. We’re still in Afghanistan. The DoD’s budget isn’t getting any smaller.
IMHO, liberals are the political/moral descendants of abolitionists. The FEDERAL Fugitive Slave act of 1850 leveraged the power of the FEDERAL government against the slaves. The Confederacy and “Big Cotton,” were never about “states right” anymore than the neocons are really interested in “original intent.” Abolitionists got nothing done in the US until effing SOUTH CAROLINA fired on Ft. Sumpter. Big Cotton overplayed its hand and Lincoln was masterful in turning that into a violent and legal end to slavery.
As you already know, I have deep respect for the work you do for this community. I know you pounded the pavement for Lamont in CT. Ned lost. JoLie won. Liberals have to be willing to compromise in order to get stuff done. Native American tribes lost, precisely, because they were unable to unite against European American genocide.
I cannot think of many people in Congress, who mean more to the ENTIRE liberal agenda than Donna Edwards. For gosh sakes, she’s in Maryland, Steny Hoyer’s state. Steny wants to replace her with an Al Wynn. She’s already ripped Obama. You saw what Obama did to Regina Thomas in GA. All reckless criticism from liberals does is drive incumbent liberals into the arms of Steny Hoyer and other Vichy Dems. I have no doubt Steny has some one faxing this thread to Donna along with a personal note. “See Donna, I told you those limousine liberals would abandon you the first chance they got,” signed, “Steny.”
After what happened to Regina Thomas, and the FISA vote, how in the name of reality do you expect Edwards on a SECOND bailout vote to cross Obama, Reid, Pelosi, and Hoyer? As you documented so well, Liberals got next to no votes on FISA. If Donna wants to stay in office and help her dirt poor district, why should she stay loyal to liberals, who show zero loyalty to her? Sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the good.
Also, on the bailout, we need liberals in Congress, like Donna, to audit how Paulson spends the $700 billion. By law we can’t stop him from selecting a price, but Congress can provide sunlight and there’s a lot of interest from around the political spectrum. That can get leaked into the legacy media and they can help bring public scruting on Paulson to adhere to liberal models of valuating the debt.
That can get leaked into the legacy media and they can help bring public scrutiny on Paulson to adhere to liberal models of valuing the debt.