Reid praises blogs, filibuster; Dismisses idea of party division

[truthpusher]

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=183

3/16/2005
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Senate Democratic leader praises blogs, filibuster; Dismisses idea of party division
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Reid lauds blogs, filibuster; Hits budget as “fiction”
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By John Byrne | RAW STORY Editor
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In his first-ever interview given online, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) lauded the role of blogs, asserted that his party is together on Social Security and said he believes President Bush’s budget is so disingenuous it should be classified as “fiction.”

(snip)

Sen. Reid took pains to detail why he feels blogs–and Internet news sites in general–are paramount. Reid says he believes much of the American agenda today is dictated by wealth and power, and that blogs offer “regular, ordinary people” a place to have a voice.

“What has happened in recent years… the concentration of media power, so one station, one owner can own 1,200 radio stations,” Reid said. “What this means is that wealth and power control most everything in this country. But one thing they do not control–wealth and power does not control the Internet.”

“I think the blogs are a tremendously important way for the American public to find out what’s really going on,” the senator continued. “That’s why I go out of my way to communicate any way that I can on the Internet.”

complete story: http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=183

[shance]

1. Reid is impressive. Democrats with GRIT are where it's at.

:)

[Frances]

2. There are definitely more Dems with GRIT

than Repubs.

I have decided that Repubs like to showcase the turncoat Dems like Zell Miller not to gain Repub votes but to demoralize Dems so that they don't vote at all.

No party has better handled, or I would say more evilly handled, PR than the present Repub party.

[Eloriel]

4. Yeah. Who said it was a BAD thing that Daschle got defeated?

Sometimes the milquetoasts just aren't worth the weight to carry them. And when they're in a leadership position, all the more so. I just couldn't find it in my heart to mourn his defeat, and by this time I know why.

[shance]

6. I agree with you there. Daschle didn't have what it takes apparently.

He's just too nice and diplomatic with people who could give a damn about diplomacy or being fair.

[Pepperbelly]

8. I wish we had his vote.

Anyway you cut it, Thune is a true shitbag.

[unkachuck]

14. I definately agree...

....Daschle was too 'mild', but he did throw a few speed-bumps in the path of bush....Daschle was drawing some blood, else bush wouldn't have came after Daschle as hard as he did....

....but what I don't understand is how a small State like South Dakota would let the Minority Leader of the US Senate slip through their fingers....Democrats take corporate money just as fast as Republicans do....but that's your loss South Dakota, and our gain....so enjoy Thune, maybe in 18 years he can be somebody....

[loudsue]

19. S. Dakota Dems DIDN'T let Daschle slip through their fingers...

It was the same election fraud that was perpetrated on the entire country that people's representatives were taken from them by slimey, cheating republicans.

Unless the voting machine mess gets fixed, NOTHING gets fixed.

:kick::kick::kick:

[KT2000]

3. You go Reid!

Every day he comes up with something new - something that gets to the heart of the Democratic party and I think he is pulling us together!
He is fun in that is is not just reacting but setting a new agenda for Democrats.

[JDPriestly]

5. Agreed

[Guaranteed]

7. He's doing well. nt

[RandomKoolzip]

9. A Senate Minority leader who actually opens his mouth

and says sensible things?

How odd.

[Califooyah Operative]

10. Go Reid! and Go Rawstory! nt

[Rose Siding]

11. Sounds good. I wish Raw Story had pinned him on bankruptcy

The interviewer got a good response on the SS question but the bankruptcy element got blown off.

This blogger recorded a statement from Reid's office. I don't know if Reid ever put it on his own site- if he's learning to value blogs he should:

"People who have the ability to repay their debts should be required to do so. I support this bill because it puts that principle into law and prevents the abuse of bankruptcy laws.

The bill is flawed in several ways. It does not do enough to protect people who declared bankruptcy due to medical emergencies or military service. It does not do enough to protect the employees of corporations like Enron and Worldcom that declare bankruptcy. And it allows people who engage in unlawful projects to avoid accountability. Democrats offered amendments to address each of these flaws, but they were rejected by the Republican majority. I hope the Congress returns to these important issues in the future.

But even with these flaws, the bill is an improvement over current law and merits my support."

http://icantbelieveitsnotademocracy.blogs.com/

HALF of bankruptcies are due to medical bills...
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/hlthaff.w5.63/DC1
...so how can this be called an improvement? Reid can't really believe that this Congress will ever return to this issue, yet he voted FOR the final passage. It was enough that a block of 41 couldn't be cobbled and whipped together to block cloture but why put your name on this business bill?

I really (really) want to believe in him and I truly wish him every success, but this inconsistency is disconcerting.

[LibDemAlways]

12. Citibank credit card processing

is in Las Vegas. Their Pac generously gave Reid over $35,000 during the last election cycle. Follow the money.

[redqueen]

18. Until campaigns are only financed by public funds

this will not stop.

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. He GETS it! Wonderful! Now he can help us keep the internet FREE

because it will surely be attacked by the blivet** cartel. It's almost the last holdout of the Free Press in this country and they will be attacking it. It's not IF, it's HOW and WHEN. And if that RW attack succeeds, that will be pretty much IT for our plans to turn this country back to the rule of law.

Thanks, TP!

Recommended

[Tigress DEM]

15. At least still open for FREE Speech

Some blogs might get in trouble with the new rules, but here's a solution at the candidate level that solves it.

New rules say if we refer to a site for the purpose of directing people to fund a candidate, then we become part of their campaign.

So if as individuals and groups we point to a non-money site.... The candidate can put up an ISSUES only site where people can go to look at the stance of the Candidate and they can do a name search if they want to contribute.

Then the blogs are only encouraging voter education, not pushing anyone to contribute and can't be put into the campaign category.

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. Do you have a link to a site with the new rules cited and explained?

I'd like to see the wording. I have no doubt that the neocons want to suppress the free internet, and I'm wondering if they also have "anti-partisan" language that could be used to ban all dialog about candidates and issues that can be labeled "biased." After all, they can get along without the freepers, but the progressives can't get along without their internet support and networking. How about alerting to fundraising events like campaign speeches at a certain time and place? That's not the same as putting a donation button right on the site, so is it allowed?

We need to watch carefully for the coming suppression attempts.

[Tigress DEM]

20. Truthout did a piece...

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/030705H.shtml

Blogger Alert:
Election Regulators Are Watching
By Anne E. Kornblut
The International Herald Tribune

Monday 07 March 2005

Politics on Internet is being reviewed.

<snip>

The six-member commission is divided evenly between Democrats and Republicans; their vote not to appeal the part of the judge's ruling dealing with Internet activity broke along party lines, with Democrats voting not to appeal.

Commissioners said they could consider several questions, including whether political Web sites were technically coordinating with official campaigns by posting links to a candidate's Web site, and whether partisan bloggers were making in-kind contributions by donating their expertise and computer equipment to a campaign.

By law, contributions of more than $1,000 or services of an equivalent value must be made public. Individuals are permitted to volunteer their time, and there is an exemption for newspapers, broadcast networks, magazines and other periodicals. It is unclear whether political news sites would meet the exemption test, or whether the commission would go beyond regulating Internet advertisements bought by the campaigns.

In an interview, Smith said he did not believe that the judge's ruling limited the panel to regulating only paid advertising on the Internet. "In theory, there's no reason why everything that goes on a blog advocating a candidate wouldn't be an independent expenditure and subject to regulation," Smith said.

*****
*****

This is why I'm saying we DEMS take the highest road possible and blog only to get people educated on the ISSUES and who they have as choices.

When a candidate is hot on a certain issue and we direct people to an "information only" website that has no finance links it isn't a endorsement to finance the campaign, but simply a way to make people aware of who they are voting for and what those people stand for.

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. Thank you! We will have to keep watching

...you know the Repubs are going to want to suppress progressive activism on the internet in more ways than this one. They might even use this as a legal lever - catch one post that goes over the "campaign" line and sue the owner of the blog or discussion board. And there are other potential strategies as well. We need to watch and we need to prepare.

[dandrhesse]

16. Reid represents the right state for his style

he knows when hold and when to fold'em. I bet he is one good poker player. He has the morals and the righteous anger to see him through any fight that he takes on. If the Republicans thought they could intimidate him, they picked on the wrong guy -
Give'm hell Harry!

[vSmith]

21. Relevence is important:

<i>'Now ev’ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
’cause ev’ry hand’s a winner and ev’ry hand’s a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.'</i>

[BlueIris]

23. Alright, I admit it; I misjudged him.

A while ago, a poster here insisted that liberals at DU who were intially wary or critical of Reid being minority leader would have to admit they were wrong because he has shown himself worthy of the position. So, I'll admit it, he has far surpassed my expectations. As a pro-choice voter, I'm still very uncomfortable with his stance on abortion rights, and I wish he would indicate a willingness to work more closely with Kerry. But he's a fighter, and he's smart and the party needs those qualities now more than anything.