It is critical that Democrats and other Progressives get the PEOPLE a >70% democratic congress

[uponit7771]

FDR had an 83% dem congress at one time during his presidency and an average of around 70% dem congress throughout his 11yrs in the White House.

Progressives and democrats want Obama to deliver FDR type results....well, give him FDR type congress, seeing how the nations laws work Obama would have no choice but to move to the left were progressive and most democrats want him to be.

Your take?

Regards

Edit, we should get the people a >70% dem congress then Obama can't run from that no?

Your take

[WingDinger]

1. I have become somewhat unamused at our lack of involvement. Let Obama do Ething.

[uponit7771]

2. Yeap, we he said "we are the answers we've been looking" for people thought he meant every one

...on the stage with him.

[tblue]

5. We vote, write, fax, phone, sometimes rally & send $. That's not "involvement"?

What is then?

[uponit7771]

10. No, getting 3 other people to do the same with you...

[WingDinger]

15. Our peer pressure must unseat the Reagan paradigm. That must be loud and hostile.

[Poll_Blind]

3. My take is if the president consistently goes behind the back of the Dems we DO elect to cut deals..

...with Repukes, and then strongarm the Democrats in the House and Senate to adhere to those "deals", we're going to have the exact same ride as we have so far. Which is to say, a disappointing one.

Reid: 'I'm the Senate majority leader. Why don't I know about this deal?'

Rep. Conyers: Obama Demanded Social Security Cuts--Not GOP

Do you see how that works? This was the same way in Dec. 2010. This is not effective leadership with the party and it's why the President always seems to be in a pugilistic stance with progressive Democrats.

Or let's take another argument- picking Supreme Court justices. That's great, right? Well, Clarence Thomas could have easily been driven from the bench but the Administration chose not to pursue holding him accountable for his crimes.

The President isn't the end-all, be-all face of our Democratic government but, come on, the dude has spent way more time threatening and strong-arming Democrats in the party than he has the Repukes. This is a serious leadership crisis and it's not like it's going to go away unless he decides to address it. Like, seriously address it.

PB

[tblue]

12. I guess the op is saying we have to force Obama against his will

to enact progressive policy. Overwhelm him with progressives. Or else we get more backroom deals with industry and/or Republicans who must answer to the Tea Party. That may well be the only way because Obama will not do it of his own volition. Good point about Clarence. Can you imagine what the Bushies would have done to a corrupt liberal on the Court?

[WingDinger]

16. Nope, we must give him political cover. His political capital is 38ish.

We must keep his bargaining position strong. All he has is the bully pulpit and a veto. Republican two santa policy, has robbed him of any tools, as it was meant to.

[bigwillq]

4. Is that even possible in this day of partisan politics?

I think in 2007, when DEMS took over, DEMS controlled only around 53 percent of Congress. It seems awfully tough to be able to control 70 percent or more.
I'll be voting for progressives every chance I get, but that number might not be attainable, for either party.


Edit: In 2009, I think it was around 58 percent DEM, if my math is correct. Not good with math, and I added the figures quick.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. If he want's the votes of the left he should appeal to them, rather than pandering to the right.

Convincing the voters to vote for you is the job of the candidate.

[uponit7771]

9. Congress and President are two different branches of government

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. Are you suggesting that Obama can work alone?

But, allowing for that, then the candidates for congress should appeal to the left, even if it means opposing Obama, if they want our votes.

[uponit7771]

7. WOW!!! THIS GETS REC"D TO ZERO!!!! Seriously?!

[elocs]

18. Seriously! I UnRec any thread where the OP complains about UnRecs.

If you posted the best thread on DU today would it be any less great if you got no Recs?

[dtexdem]

8. No, it's critical that the Dems get the people a >70% Dem congress.

[uponit7771]

11. True, I'll change OP...

[Scuba]

14. Did Bush ever have that? He got EVERYTHING HE WANTED!!!! n/t

[uponit7771]

20. false

[Rochester]

17. Great idea, but how?

There's too many ignorant and hateful and malicious voters out there.

[frylock]

19. that would have been real easy if obama hadn't decided to resucitate the dying republican party..

obama's legitimizing the party and embracing their talking points has made that impossible.

[uponit7771]

21. K, even if it's hard it needs to be done no?

[uponit7771]

22. Bump

[elehhhhna]

23. can't believe we're having this conversation. he makes me angry.

he's a frikin republican.

[Motown_Johnny]

24. ?

Two great choices for Supreme Court.

The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

The Matthew Shepard Hates Crimes Prevention Act (which they said could not be done)

Children's Health Insurance

Tobacco Regulation

Credit Card Reform

Student Loan Reform

The Stimulus (including the largest tax cut ever, the largest investment in clean energy ever, the single largest investment in education in our country ever)

Health Reform

Wall Street Reform

The New G.I. Bill

The Food Safety Modernization Act (the most expansive food reform bill since the 1930s)

The Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal

The New Start Treaty (even when the (R)s said he would never be able to get it passed)

Locking up over half the loose nuclear material in the world in less than half of his first term, something most (R)s thought impossible.




Most of that list is from The Rachel Maddow Show and is included in this clip
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#4077 ...

In that clip she also estimates that ~85% of what President Obama said he wanted to accomplish in his first term had been accomplished in the first half of his first term.

[a simple pattern]

25. It would be wasted on him.

[B Calm]

26. We gave Obama a democratic congress and senate, and he still acted

like republican. Face it, the man is not a real democrat! He's more in line with Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh. . .