How many Democrats would need to be in the House and Senate to have...

[kentuck]

...a true working majority? Unlike the Republicans, the Democrats always have a number of Congressmen or Senators that side with the opposition, no matter what the issue. Republicans do indeed stick together. Unfortunately, Democrats do not.

If the Democrats had 250 Reps in the House, would that be enough to pass any meaningful legislation? If they had 55 Senators, would that be enough? Isn't it a bit strange that the Repubs can take the same number of Reps and Senators and pass just about anything they want - even without threat of a filibuster. But, switch the numbers, and the Republicans are still in control. Because we have accepted Republicans into our Party masquerading as Democrats. Republicans seem to control both Parties.

[azurnoir]

1. That might change

if we had a majority in both the house and senate, truly there are some Dino's out there that just want to be on the side that appears to winning. As to actual numbers it's 6 for the senate and I don't know for the house sorry.

[longship]

2. Sixteen are needed in the House; Six in the Senate

I don't know about working majority since that involves all sorts of assumptions and presumptions. Let's just leave it at sixteen. If we get more than that, it's all the better.

Nota bene: Melissa Bean (D-IL) is in a bit of trouble. We could need seventeen if we lose her seat to a Repug.

Here's my latest list of competitive races for November:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1571504

[kentuck]

4. I think you miss my point??

If we have a majority and a bunch of them desert to the Republican Party by their votes, there is a difference in our Party, in that we cannot bring our troops together like the Repubs do. There is a problem there that we need to address. Either these people are Democrats or they are not. Fuck the freedom to vote your fucking conscience. We want you to have a Democratic conscience - not a Republican one. If this continues after the next election, I will definitely support cleaning out these Repubs disguised as Democrats.

[longship]

5. I got your point.

What you are talking about is a *very* subjective thing. If you asked 25 DUers how many DINO's there are in the House, you'd probably get 25 different responses. I don't see anything meaningful coming out of such an inquiry.

As such, let's just stick with the only number that really matters: the number of seats we need so that Democrats have the majority, the Speaker of the House, the Majority Leader, the Chairpersons of all the committees and subcommittees, etc. These are the things which are important.

If you want an idea of how many Dems vote with the Repugs, why don't you jump over to Thomas and look at the voting records.

[kentuck]

6. Those things you mentioned are important...

but it is also important that we have someone as Speaker, as Majority Leader, as Chairpersons, etc that can get legislation passed. It is also important that we not have just the "right" number of Democrats voting with Republicans to derail programs that need to be enacted. Why do we have to have these folks that vote with Republicans when we do not have equal Republicans voting with us? Something is out of balance.

[longship]

7. You've hit the nail on the head.

I saw a DU post the other day--can't remember the title--which shows which Dems would ascend to the committee chairmanships if the Dems have a majority in the House. The number of them in the progressive Dem caucus is amazing--almost all of the committees.

I agree that some things are out of balance, too. However, there will always be Dems who vote more conservatively than some of us might wish. They are elected from districts which themselves are more conservative. It's like Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) who votes with the Repugs more often than most Dems because if he didn't his seat would be quickly filled by a Republican who would *always* vote with the Repugs.

There are some abberations in this trend--Lieberman and Feinstein come to mind--however, most DINO congresspersons are in districts or states which have a substantial number conservative voters. We need these people just like we need the progressives, and all the rest of the Dems. Without them, we would *never* get a majority.

I don't like the DINOs but I've supported more than one of them in my thirty-some years of voting because the alternative is to turn the seat over to somebody who would clearly not act in my best interest.

[kentuck]

8. Something I can't understand..??

Why don't the people of Nebraska just vote in a Republican? Before Nelson, they had Senator Bob Kerrey, who was quite liberal on many issues. So, I'm not sure that the people of Nebraska vote for a Democrat so they can vote like a Republican when they can just vote a Republican in to begin with?? Explain that.

[longship]

9. Because Nelson's a moderate...

And the Repug running against him was *not*.

[depakid]

3. At least 61

Republicans vote lock step in barrel and can and do use the filibuster.

Moreover, Ithe people who believe the DINO's (especially ones like Ben Nelson and Mary Landreaux) are going to magically stop enabling and voting with the far right are deluding themselves.