Democrats Are Divided, as Some Back G.O.P. Bills -NYT

[Rose Siding]

Rapid-fire victories by Republicans on business-friendly legislation are exposing fissures among Democrats who are upset by their party's response to bills that sailed through in the early days of the Congressional session, with the latest example being the bankruptcy measure approved on Thursday.
...
"This is not where we as Democrats ought to be, for crying out loud," said Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa, after Republicans beat back amendment after amendment offered by Democrats in their efforts to soften the bankruptcy measure. "We are making a terrible mistake by thinking that we can have it both ways. We have to remember where our base is."
...
On the call to cut off debate on the bill, 13 Democrats joined Republicans, some of whom said privately that they were astonished that Democratic opponents of the bill were losing so many from their own party.

The support drew a scolding from John Podesta, a top Clinton administration official who now leads the Center for American Progress, a Washington research group. In a memo widely circulated on Capitol Hill, Mr. Podesta said lawmakers who viewed the bankruptcy bill as an easy probusiness vote were overlooking the impact it could have on the middle-class Americans who are being sought after by both parties.

In an interview, Mr. Podesta said the support by some Democrats for legislation like the bankruptcy bill contributed to the party's continuing erosion among working-class voters.

http://nytimes.com/2005/03/11/politics/11cong.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1110589212-qufzgwx3FqdPrcQea+nX4A

[atommom]

1. No kidding. The turncoat Dems need to hear just how much

they've pissed off their "base."

[GetTheRightVote]

2. You can bet on that one my fellow Americans

:kick:

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. KICK!

:wtf: is going on with this party?

:argh:

[intheflow]

4. That's just bullshit, Podesta!

It's the working class families who want the bankruptcy bill to die a sudden death. This guy leads a Dem think tank? No wonder the party is f*cked!

[madfloridian]

9. Uh, Podesta seems to agree with us on this.

Read it again.

[intheflow]

17. You're right. My bad.

Sometimes I just read too fast for my own good. :nopity:

[PROGRESSIVE1]

18. Remember, Clinton vetoed this bill while in office.

[Sandpiper]

5. It's time to start purging the Repub-lites from the Party

Support the progressive candidates in your local and state primary elections.

[ClintonTyree]

6. The Democrats that voted FOR this POS bill........................

had better watch their asses during the next election cycle. This party is changing, and those that aren't aboard the *S.S. Kick The GOP's Ass* are going to be watching the next battle from shore. I'm sick and tired of these DINO's and it's high time WE let THEM know that this party can't be bought anymore.

Every Democrat that supported this bill is fair game for political action, against them!

[DemocracyInaction]

7. Take Your Choice:

These "Democrats" are either stupid or corrupt or both. I vote BOTH. I could excuse a Congressman or Senator who is 12 years old but these bastards "ain't". They know and yet they voted. THEY ARE CORRUPT-------do you wish to challenge me on this????? If you do, please tell me why they are just innocent babes in Wonderland. I'm at the point that I want to flush these bastards as a signal. Sure, I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face. But it's the only way that perhaps some REAL Dems will eventually rise from the ashes. One's that know that I'm not to be fucked with any more. I have no time left for these people...none.

[madfloridian]

8. Carper's condescending statement....nice guy...vote him back in.

Vote them all back in until they sell us completely out. That is what is going on here today on this board....don't worry, be happy, our Dems are better than the Repubs.

SNIP..."I think we can all agree on a basic principle, and that is when people incur a debt and have the ability to repay some or all of them, they should repay some or all of them," said Senator Thomas R. Carper, Democrat of Delaware, whose state is home to large credit-card issuers that have been clamoring for tighter bankruptcy laws..."

Not a word about the people who could lose their homes and cars because of illness and medical bills.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

11. Thomas R. Carper of Delaware has proven Ralph Nader right.

"There is no fundamental difference between the two parties."

:eyes:

:wtf: is wrong with these people?

[pokercat999]

13. Ralph is one of the few

if not the ONLY pol against the corporate take over of Merica.

[madfloridian]

10. And lovely Ben Nelson...vote him back in...even if wrong, don't oppose.

SNIP..."There is a benefit in being involved in something that puts more fiscal discipline in the lives of individuals," said Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat of Nebraska. "My opinion from the very beginning has been: you support the president when the president is right, you oppose when you need to and, in every case you can, you look for compromise."

Read it, and support him some more.

[ulysses]

12. it's well past time to quit trying to paper over

the war going on in the party. This won't be resolved nicely.

As a side note, I wonder if John Podesta ever worried about the effect that welfare "reform" in 1996 might have on working class Americans...

[Sandpiper]

15. It's time for the blood letting to start

The Corporate, DLC, "Third Way" has been a unqualified failure for the Democratic Party at the national level.

It's time to fight to regain the soul of the party, and let it be as ugly as it has to be.

And for our part, what we all need to do is:

Don't Support Dems Who Don't Support Us!

[AuntiBush]

23. I'm with you. Don't support DEMS that are not SUPPORTING US RIGHT NOW

When clearly, we need UNITY more now then ever! Agreed!

And we'd be nuts not to think some have not been bought in, or frightened of god knows what. Take notes, names and next time around, remember who was loyal when we needed them the most!

[wildmanj]

14. democrats divided

i smell a skunk--dems divided--why i can hardly believe it----y'all suppose them dare dems love swilling from the trough of big business dat republicans swill from :silly:

[nookiemonster]

16. I don't think it's inconcievable

that some of our own party are in cahoots with these fascist fucks.

For some reason, the term "enema" comes to mind when I think about our POS government. Time to clean it out. :mad:

Sorry for the graphic commentary above. I'm awaiting the first Gannon / enema connection response. LOL :P

[katsy]

19. Podesta is correct...

This IS EXACTLY why the Democratic base is eroding.

I've been a Democratic all my voting life, as my parents before me.

2006 will be the first time I may be tempted to vote 3rd party. We need a 3rd party. The other 2 have abandoned Americans.

I'm beginning to believe that the Democrats can't get their shite together. Maybe when America hits rock bottom with neocon leadership, Rocky Republicans and Democrats will unite to clean house and rid ourselves of these parasites.

[SujiwanKenobee]

20. I don't think the Senators wade through the actual written legislation--

just rely on some underling to parse it. Comes down to party discipline and keeping a tight reign. Of course if Reid is conflicted about this legislation it's hard to impose anything on the rest of the Dem cabal. ANd how do you threaten to withhold plums when you have so little to confer thanks to Repub rule?

With bills like these, I think every Senator and Rep should have an assigned real life family from their state/district that is publicized with that person's name so that it is clear for all to see what the fallout of their particular vote will be. Select people who will be most impacted one way or another and hold feet to the fire by following the progress or undoing of that family.

[okieinpain]

21. what's really going to blow their little dem minds is when the

repugs turn their go along to get along pro-business vote against them. what a bunch of dumb fucks, I gurantee you some of these nuts will have an opponent say "he voted for that bad bankruptcy bill".

[bpilgrim]

22. they are beholden to corporations... the sooner we thin them from the team

the better.

it's a SHAME but FIRST we MUST take our party BACK before we can hope to have any influence on the other.

everyone of us needs to alert and educate our neighbors, coworkers, family and friends... it may take a while, we will lose some battles along the way but we must never give up.

and remeber... do it with a SMILE ;->

peace

[robbedvoter]

24. hey, someone is using Nagourney's quiclquill: "Scared democrats bow to the

mighty GOP in awe". That being said, shame on them.

[depakid]

25. "the party's continuing erosion among working-class voters."

I'm honestly bewildered as to why the DINO defenders here (and in the party) don't see this. The trend has been clear since at least the mid-90's and the election results bear this out....

This is what the Dem/Green wars were all about- and it's why 2000 saw Shadow conventions.

It's why Nader lost his mind, for crissakes...

[Gloria]

26. They're undermining Dean, that's for sure....I was all set to

contribute to the DNC....because of him. Now, I'm not going to because of THEM!! He's just window dressing for these creeps in Congress...(they think that, I don't)....Didn't he just talk to a bunch of these same people recently? Apparently, they aren't listening to him...