Perino Baselessly Claims 2007 Was Year Of The ‘Do-Nothing Congress’
Perino Baselessly Claims 2007 Was Year Of The ‘Do-Nothing Congress’
During the White House press briefing today, a reporter asked spokeswoman Dana Perino if the reason President Bush’s final State of the Union won’t be addressing Social Security or immigration is because such bold proposals would be “politically not possible.” Saying the President had shown “very bold leadership” in the past, Perino argued that Bush is avoiding “big ideas” because “it is unrealistic to expect” Congress to take them on this year.
Continuing her defense of Bush’s scaled down State of the Union plans, Perino then attacked the current Congress, claiming that 2007 was the year of the “do-nothing Congress”:
It is unrealistic to expect that this Congress is going to take on such big problems this year. They haven’t been willing to do it in the past several years; there’s no reason to think that they would do it this year. Remember, 2007 was labeled the “do-nothing Congress.” Hopefully in 2008, there are some things that we can get done.
Watch it:
Perino should brush up on her recent history before throwing around such labels. By any fair measure, it was actually the previous Congress — controlled by members of the President’s own party — that earned the title of “do-nothing Congress.”
In a recent New York Times op-ed, Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Thomas Mann wrote that “the 110th Congress does deserve some praise” because “in 2007, the level of energy and activity on Capitol Hill picked up markedly.” In fact, Mann notes, the 2007 Congress also outperformed the vaunted “Republican Revolution” Congress of 1995 on key measures:
In terms of both the number and significance of new public laws, however, last year’s Democratic majority significantly outperformed that Republican Congress. Only one item described in the Republican Contract With America was signed into law at the end of 1995, while most of the proposals the Democrats announced as their agenda were enacted.
Here’s Mann’s op-chart:
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January 25th, 2008 at 3:44 pm.
Well,
Dana is partly correct:
~ Ending the war… INCOMPLETE!
~ Oversight WITH accountability… INCOMPLETE!
~ Repealing the Patriot Act… INCOMPLETE!
And giving credit to what they have accomplished:
~ Removing Habeas Corpus as a Constitutional Right… COMPLETE!
~ Entertaining and normalizing the use of torture… COMPLETE!
~ Defending the ability to warrantlessly wiretap Americans… COMPLETE! (almost)
~ Making though-crimes punishable… COMPLETE!(almost)
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January 25th, 2008 at 3:50 pmRemember WH press secretary Dana Perino was labeled the know-nothing press secretary
January 25th, 2008 at 3:51 pmSure, like Ms. Cuban Missile (What) Crisis knows what the hell goes on outside her cocoon.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:52 pmRemember, 2007 was labeled the “do-nothing Congress.â€
She’s right, it was labeled the “do nothing Congress” by the neoCONS and the Bush Crime Family.
It should more accurately be described as the “neoCON Obstructionist Congress”
January 25th, 2008 at 3:53 pmAll she’s got is name-calling, and baseless name-calling at that.
It’s not her fault. It’s all they’ve handed her.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:53 pmDoes anyone even listen to this person? I thought Tony Snow was awful but his lies had more imagination.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:55 pmDumb as sh*t!
January 25th, 2008 at 3:58 pmDoes Dana realize that the 2007 Congress, which she said ‘was labeled the Do-Nothing Congress” is the same Congress as 2008’s? It’s the 110th Congress, and it spans both years.
Doy.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:59 pm“Remember, 2007 was labeled the “do-nothing Congress.â€
Labeled by who? You?
I can play this game, too: Remember, January was labeled Monkeys in Pants Are Awesomely Funny” month.
There we go. I expect all of you to use that label now. Because I made it up with no basis of fact.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:59 pmAs KKKarl says, “Create your own reality”. Unfortunately, it’s been proven there are a whole bunch of morons willing to believe that made up reality.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:00 pmDon’t be so hard on Dana. First of all, she’s one tree short of a hammock. And, if that isn’t bad enough, she was trained into the job by Little Tony Snow.
She never had a chance.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:00 pmShe’s not helping her case against the ditzy blonde label with that pitch.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:01 pmI am thinking the White House spokesperson is chosen by who gets the shortest straw. I sure wouldn’t want that job.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:01 pmAlthough there is disappointment about the 110th from Progressives regarding some major issues, Perino’s claim is not true. This is simply the same tactic that BushCo has used to discredit anything or anybody it doesn’t like. Lies, deception and smears which, to the un or partially informed, sound real. (After all this is coming from the WH isn’t it? Are you going to tell me they are being untruthful?)
January 25th, 2008 at 4:02 pmSo whom ever they attack, has to defend themselves and jump through hoops trying to set the record straight. It is a tactic that has been used very effectively since Lee Atwater and Karl Rove have pushed it.
The year of the obstructionist Repukelickins in Congress.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:02 pmOh, and caving in on the Iraq Occupation funding was something they DID get done, that SHOULDN’T have been done, but that’s not something they didn’t get done.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:05 pmI’m dizzy.
Lobbyists Fund GOP Retreat
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2008/01/a_note_from_our_lobbyist_spons.html#comments
January 25th, 2008 at 4:06 pmI would hate to be the dumbass in the bush barell all the time, that’s a miserable gig even for a blond….Next.?………Blessings
January 25th, 2008 at 4:09 pmRemember, 2007 was labeled the “do-nothing Congress.†Hopefully in 2008, there are some things that we can get done. /sarc off
There, I fixed Dana’s quote. Good one Dana. You may have a future in comedy, but you’ll have to wait for the writers strike – you wouldn’t do so well on the ‘reality’ shows.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:11 pmPerino says things without the slightest regard to how foolish they make her look. But then — look at who her boss is.
Anybody who does a lick of research can see that the 110th Congress was a lot more productive than the 109th Congress, even though they had to deal with a lot more obstructionism.
On the other hand, the 110th could have done more. Cutting off funding for Iraq, impeachment of Cheney and Bush, restoring habeus corpus — these and more come to mind.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:12 pmI am thinking the White House spokesperson is chosen by who gets the shortest straw.
Comment by texaslady — January 25, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
or biggest strawman.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:13 pmGet used to it.
David Cappiello, a Republican here in Fairfield County, CT, is planning on running against first term Congressman Chris Murphy. Cappiello has already used the phrase “Do nothing Congress” repeatedly in remarks.
It doesn’t matter that reality says otherwise. It’s a good, catchy phrase that Republicans will use effectively.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:14 pmyou wouldn’t do so well on the ‘reality’ shows.
Comment by Nature Rules — January 25, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Aw, comeon, wouldn’t you like to see her in “Your’re stupider than a fifth grader”?
January 25th, 2008 at 4:14 pmI sure would. Cause she is.
It is the failure of the main stream media to react to these totally false statements that is creating a real danger to our democracy and body politic. The truth must figure into the public debate. Reality is elusive and decision making impossible when truth no longer matters in the debate. Propaganda and “real” speak thrive in the environment enabled by the MSM.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:15 pmSouthern Mammal doesn’t understand that we can point out the Dana is lying about the accomplishments of the 110th Congress, without being satisfied with those accomplishments.
This is likely because the right-wing mind has a difficult time synthesizing two dissimilar concepts at the same time.
Studies have shown that it is much more comfortable with either/or questions than with multiple-factor issues.
So it’s really not its fault.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pmDavid Cappiello – Ewwwww
January 25th, 2008 at 4:20 pmWell Southernman something we agree on Term Limits for Presidents as well as Congress. Four years we may have been able to clean up but these eight years of Bush will be using your grandchildren’s taxes.
I am for quicker Impeachment as well when we see our administration totally off the track…clean them out.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:21 pmPerino argued that Bush is avoiding “BAD F’ING IDEAS†because “it is unrealistic to expect†Congress to take them on this year.
Yeah, because everything Bush wants is bad for America, so congress is being realistic in making sure nothing he wants gets done.
Bush/Cheney
Hague Trials ‘09
Buck Fush
January 25th, 2008 at 4:21 pmYou know after listening to Tony Snow on Bill Maher’s show…I am thinking he just couldn’t stop laughing at the crap he had to pretend was true each day. Although he lied through his teeth two weeks ago, “the economy is doing just fine.” Uh huh.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:22 pmOne day this girl will realize what she has been a part of and the shame will wash over her……she will either harm herself or she will turn into an ugly old vamp and shoveler of hatred and vileness…..sometimes their stripe does not change but the look in their eye tells you everything.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:23 pm2007 was the year of the obstructionist minority.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:25 pm#26
Hurts to type, buy Southern Man is dead on. Other that his comment about “until there is bipartisan support on all issues.” There are too many key issues that there will never be bipartisan support on – woman’s right to choose, for instance.
But term limits? Hell yea, please. But getting them is about as likely as my other pie-in-the-sky dream: public financing of campaigns. The problem with both is that in order to get those changes, Congress would eliminate their cash cows/perks AND cut down on their time in Washington.
But one can dream.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:28 pmOne day this girl will realize what she has been a part of and the shame will wash over her……
Comment by Fred — January 25, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
I think you’re giving her a lot of credit for reflection Fred, credit that has not been justified by any indication on her part that she possesses it.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:28 pmOne day this girl will realize what she has been a part of and the shame will wash over her……she will either harm herself or she will turn into an ugly old vamp and shoveler of hatred and vileness…..sometimes their stripe does not change but the look in their eye tells you everything.
Comment by Fred — January 25, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
Poo. She’s part of the privileged elite, Fred, and cushioned by wealth and power from a conscience. All this will just provide amusing fodder at cocktail parties with other members of the privileged class.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:29 pmin an article in my local paper, on 1/11, about how my congressman, SHIMKUS, “voices suppost for mccain”, this:
Shimkus said he doesn’t expect much substantive legislation to come out of this session of Congress. He added the Democratic majority blew its chance to put its stamp on the government.
“They squantered a great opportunity,” Shimkus said. “They overreached much as the Republicans did after the 2994 elections.
Their problem now is that this year is all about presidential politics,”… “They cannot move on anything huge.”
Shimkus said he expects several floor votes for political, rather than substantive, reasons.
i know for a fact that the “reporter”, aka stenographer, who interviewed shimkus and wrote this article is a certified dittohead water carrier… so, the slant is even more partisan than would be normal…
but, the meme “do nothing congress” – referring to the 110th – has been in the works for quite a while…
…
and, oh by the way, have you read the NYT “endorsement” for mccain?
January 25th, 2008 at 4:31 pmouch.
Fred – the true believers like Snow, Perino really do believe although they are in the outside world and surely have to see and hear the contradiction to their daily discussions. And think of their resumes, I lied for George Bush. Oh well, the lobbyists would snap them up in a minute.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:33 pmPerino should brush up on her recent history before throwing around such labels.
She should brush up on her hair. She’s nothing but a beard for the maladministration, one of the stoopidest, most ignerrent, and least capable liars they have fronted since 2001. Her only raison d’etre is to put up a dumb blond woman up front so (hpefully) people will expect less and demand less.
She deserves nothing but contempt and ridicule, heaps of derisive laughter and Bronx cheers any time she opens her yap.
Every time she lies, the press corps should follow with one question, the same question, every time: “OK, Dana, if you can’t answer that truthfully, then we really need to know: what is your cup size?” If she insist on being a bimbo, treat her like one, and point out that this is what she is, every time she tries this stuff…
Cheers,
January 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pm39 & 40
I’ll agree that they may never change thier behavior but it must affect them…..I can put them in a line and pick the vile republicans out for you. You mix em any way you want.
The look in cheny, bush, rummy, wolfie, etc…….the look in their eye gives them away…..they know that they are slimy human beings and must constantly be rationalizing why that has to be ok……
January 25th, 2008 at 4:37 pmFire Perino – she’s a dolt. This is Bush’s Congress (the repub obstructionists) who made it a “do nothing” year. If Dana had a brain, she’d realize that she’s uttering an indictment of her own party and president by her statement but, alas, she doesn’t have even the first clue mentally.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:38 pmCould someone tell me at what time press conferences changed from a divulgence of information and answering of questions to a shotgun discharge of hate and invective ?
January 25th, 2008 at 4:39 pmI’m gonna wait to see what Britney says about this because for me she has far more clout than this dumbass bimbo will ever have.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:39 pmYou have to wonder how Dana got her job….hmmmm….she’s beginning to get that “long in the tooth” look, too. It’s what a daily diet of spewing propaganda and lies can do to a person.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:40 pmPress conferences became a daily litany of defensive dodging and hate mongering under Tony Snow. Dana doesn’t have the intelligence and class to do anything BUT take the defensive. Clueless AND hateful.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:42 pmAfter making this statement, no doubt the WH will be very disgusted that she’s indicted them and their obstructionists to this extent publicly.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:42 pmCould someone tell me at what time press conferences changed from a divulgence of information and answering of questions to a shotgun discharge of hate and invective ?
Comment by MapleStreet
I think it got really bad when snow stepped in……they had already been on the defense before that but they had tried to run in guys like our southernman who wasn’t really up to the task.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:43 pmCould someone tell me at what time press conferences changed from a divulgence of information and answering of questions to a shotgun discharge of hate and invective ?
Comment by MapleStreet — January 25, 2008 @ 4:39 pm
My guess is Jan. 20, 2001. About noonish.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:43 pmThe look in cheny, bush, rummy, wolfie, etc…….the look in their eye gives them away…..they know that they are slimy human beings and must constantly be rationalizing why that has to be ok……
Comment by Fred — January 25, 2008 @ 4:37 pm
We’ll have to disagree. I say they’re filled with the arrogance of power and entitlement and believe in their own righteousness, and will never be troubled by a non-existent conscience.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:44 pmJMOHR: “It is the failure of the main stream media to react to these totally false statements that is creating a real danger to our democracy and body politic.”
Absolutely! The question we all should have asked when two separate public interest orgs listed 957 lies told to justify the invasion of Iraq was where was the media and why didn’t someone in the media question these lies in real time? In the late 80’s, defense contractor General Electric purchased NBC news. That’s really all you need to know about NBC news. Last night, Jack Welch’s pool boy, Tim Russert, asked McCain about the fact that he had said he didn’t know much about economics. The “straight talker” said “I never said that. Where did you get that quote?” Russert stared off into space, let it pass and went on. This was after weeks of Russert helpfully explaining his gruesome treatment of Clinton in Democratic debates by claiming that “they always go after the frontrunner.”
January 25th, 2008 at 4:47 pmWe’ll have to disagree. I say they’re filled with the arrogance of power and entitlement and believe in their own righteousness, and will never be troubled by a non-existent conscience.
Comment by gummitch
I understand although I disagree………I’m more of a Poe….teltale heart kind of a guy I guess…..I think that is one reason they don’t want to ever be put under oath…..they fear they will tell the truth and it will doom them.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:47 pmAre the LIE counters on this?……’Lie to us once…and the trust is broken forever.’ I never watch this dancing,bobing, weaving, dizzy headed dummy.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:56 pm.
She’s a Barbie girl…
In the Bushie world…
Lies fantastic…
It’s so Fascistic.
.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:56 pm“Remember, 2007 was labeled the “do-nothing Congress.â€
Also remember, 2006 was labeled the “butt licking Congress.”
January 25th, 2008 at 4:59 pm…2005, the “brown nosing Congress.”…
Comment by gummitch — January 25, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
We’ll have to disagree. I say they’re filled with the arrogance of power and entitlement and believe in their own righteousness, and will never be troubled by a non-existent conscience.
I agree with gummitch here.
I think that is one reason they don’t want to ever be put under oath…..they fear they will tell the truth and it will doom them.
Comment by Fred — January 25, 2008 @ 4:47 pm
Fred, you give these neocons way to much leeway. You must want to believe they are really lovely people at heart with a conscience, empathy, caring and understanding.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:02 pmSadly, they are no such kind of people. Their actions speak for them very loudly! They are essentially evil and destructive at every turn, and will never relent in their pursuit of their own power and importance.
If you say you are satisfied with this congress, you are lying. Until there can be bipartisan support on all major issues, the goverment is a failure.
Comment by Southern Man
Southern Man is on the wrong blog. He should be over at redstate.org crying about this. It is not the Democrats who have gotten in the way of bipartisanship in this Congress, it is the Republiscums who filibuster anything that they try to do. I am actually mad at the Democrats for even trying to be bipartisan. They should be acting like the Republiscums did and not allow any Republiscum bills to even be heard in committee. And they should be relegating any Republiscum gatherings into the rooms in the basement the way the Republiscums did to the Democrats.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:04 pmStudies have shown that it is much more comfortable with either/or questions than with multiple-factor issues.
So it’s really not its fault.
Comment by ralph the wonder llama
They are also masters of dead-end questions like “When did you stop beating your wife”.
The American public is on to them and their lies. They will soon be a permanent minority and they deserve it.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:06 pmShe’s really cute – so people won’t hit her.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:07 pmterm limits???
isn’t that what elections are for?
does experience and seniority count for nothing?
why would anyone go for a job like that – well, the IDEAL representative, vs. the ones who use it as a step into lobbying (aka “term limits) – a job of SERVING the people, knowing that they would be out of a job in 6 years?
why? … would YOU?
January 25th, 2008 at 5:08 pm…
Nah, Merlin, I think Fred just believes that they are people.
People, in general, have the capacity to feel guilt, to know the truth from a falsehood, and to want to do what’s right.
When those impulses get subverted, you have sociopathology.
Fred would like to believe that the administration is populated NOT largely with sociopaths, but mostly with real, flawed people who devoted themselves to a cause they believed in, have seen it crumble and now see their best course of action as banding together and running out the clock.
I think it’s a toss-up. Could go either way.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:08 pmWhen Bush and the republicans had the house and the senate, I knew we were doomed. I voiced that opinion many times. Absolute power is bad for any party, and is why we have checks and balances.
Comment by Southern Man
SM really expects us to believe this BS? All he has ever done is to be a cheerleader for the Bush Crime Family. I have never seen him post anything about power corrupting. He’s just starting to get nervous because he is afraid that the new Democratic government is going to use the same powers that Bush took for himself. And if they do, he and the others of his ilk can say absolutely nothing about it because they enabled the creation of the Unitary Executive.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:14 pmI agree with Perino, that the current Congress has been a “do-nothing” Congress. They have done nothing to stop the administration’s illegal wiretapping, they have done nothing when the administration stonewalls their investigations and ignores their subpoenas, they have done nothing to prosecute war crimes, and they have done nothing to end the war in Iraq. Even if you make the case that they’ve been more effective than Republican-led Congresses, is that really much of an accomplishment? It seems reasonable to hold them to a higher standard than that.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:16 pmHell, it would have been better if they actually HAD done nothing. What have they done? Prolonged the occupation of Iraq, passed the “Veterans Disarmament Act” and the “Thought Crimes Act.” How lovely!!
January 25th, 2008 at 5:18 pmFred, actually John Dean has written a book on this called “Conservatives without a conscience.” His thesis is that the modern republican-conservative movement, by its nature, attracts people who are at least marginal sociopaths.
He’s not saying every modern conservative is a sociopath, but he IS saying that the modern movement attracts that kind of personality and that this is one of the core issues about what is wrong with the movement. I would add that the modern conservative movement is closely linked with the modern libertarian movement which is in some ways, by nature, sociopathic. The philosophical Mother of the movement, Ayn Rand, was a gruesome, misanthropic sociopath – a truly disgusting woman. Yes, she was a good writer, but she was a classic sociopath.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:20 pm…Russert stared off into space, let it pass and went on. …
Comment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper @ 4:47 pm
do ya s’post he had to listen to the command from HIS earpiece?
January 25th, 2008 at 5:22 pmJim: “I agree with Perino, that the current Congress has been a “do-nothing†Congress.”
Republicans have set the historical record for obstruction. 67 fillibusters is the largest number of filibusters in history for any single session, and the session isn’t over with yet. Does that enter into your thinking at all? Please keep in mind that Republicans made their strategy well-known early on – they would stop at nothing to obstruct as much legislation as possible and then claim that Democrats “couldn’t get anything done.” It’s a cynical political strategy and I see many of us have fallen for it hook, line and sinker.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:23 pmYeah, Katy, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of GE’s paid hitmen was yelling in his ear “don’t go there!” As one of the nation’s largest military contractors, McCain is just the kind of guy General Electric wants – a warmongering crackpot. That’s why they’ll continue to let him lie in your face and tell hero tales about him until this is over.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:26 pmThe LIES continue… soon we will be at the 1500 mark for LIES made during this filthy administration.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:30 pmAlejandro, Democrats have attempted to shorten the occupation of Iraq almost 10 times during this session. These attempts have been obstructed by Republicans. But General Electric, Viacom’s and Murdoch’s paid pool boys have conveniently forgotten to explain that to you and you evidently can’t figure it out for yourself.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:30 pmBeleieve what you want Matt. Until congress inacts term limits, congress will not work for the people, republican or democratic. Only the power that comes with the position.
Comment by Southern Man
SM seems to think that the problems with Congress is that there are no term limits. He doesn’t see that the real problem is the K-Street and other lobbiest influence on Congress and the obscene amount of money they have to raise to run for reelection. But, then, he’s a Republiscum and they are usually short-sighted and will always ignore the big money interests in government.
If we have true campaign finance reform (public financing of elections) and do away with the influence of the lobbyists by forbidding Congress to take ANYTHING from a lobbyist, Congress will go back to representing “we the people”. There is no need for term limits. I am fine if someone wants to spend their life in public service. I admire people like that and would not like to lose their expertise every 6 years.
Finally, I think we need to elect House members for a 4 year term rather than a 2 year term. If they have to raise money to be reelected every 2 years, they are pretty much in a perpetual mode of fund raising and they won’t be devoting the time to their job that they need to in order to represent our wishes.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:31 pmTwo to three terms and your out. Our forefathers intended it to be that way in my opinion.
Comment by Southern Man — January 25, 2008 @ 5:28 pm
What a shame that the forefathers intended it to be that way, yet forgot to put it in the Constitution.
Uh– my bad. It was Southern Mammal’s opinion. Not a fact at all. My mistake.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:32 pmShould have told Newt that, SM. Didn’t he promise to enact term limits when he drafted the Contract with America?
January 25th, 2008 at 5:34 pmWe already have term limits. They’re called elections. The founders never intended a system where representatives favored by a majority of their consituents were forced out of office anyway because of a parliamentary rule. If you want to get the entrenched power out of the legislature, publically fund federal elections. Then, there is no reason representatives have to go to corporations for money, no reason a corporate lobbyist is in their office and no way for them to run other than on their record and their positions.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:34 pmComment by ralph the wonder llama — January 25, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
Nah, Merlin, I think Fred just believes that they are people.
People, in general, have the capacity to feel guilt, to know the truth from a falsehood, and to want to do what’s right.
When those impulses get subverted, you have sociopathology.
Exactly. You say it much better than I. I simply felt that saying it in the extreme would hit home better. Saying it your way is more real and certainly more understanding and less judgmental. And as a consequence, I felt it would get less response.
And yes, people populating this Administration should look into their own psychology. There are many who exhibit an inability to separate fantasy from reality.
Fred would like to believe that the administration is populated NOT largely with sociopaths, but mostly with real, flawed people who devoted themselves to a cause they believed in, have seen it crumble and now see their best course of action as banding together and running out the clock.
I think it’s a toss-up. Could go either way.
Well, I would like to believe in Santa Claus… However “belief,” or fantasy in the garb of hopes and dreams of what “should” be, is what got us into the mess we have suffered for the last 7 years. Giving people “leeway” when they are an unknown quantity is fine. But not when the record is overwhelming, as is the case of BushCo.
People aren’t “drafted” to work for a political party. They choose to do it. And they do it willingly, as Perino is here, for whatever their reasons. Like joining a gang or a church, you are what it stands for, and are responsible for the part you play in it.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:35 pm“If not every consevative, what is your estimate?”
Honestly, I wouldn’t have any way of estimating something like that. All I can say is that I agree with John Dean that many of the core positions don’t work for people who have strong social conscience or a strong commitment to what many of the Founders called “the social contract.”
January 25th, 2008 at 5:37 pmSpeaking of LIES and deceit… the filthy corporate powers that be are going after Kucinich’s congressional seat. He was on Ed Shultz’s show asking for donations to compete against the money the corporations are putting up against him.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:37 pmhad enough, they try to shoot Kucinich down every two years. He’s never had an election in which entrenched corporate power didn’t try to overwhelm him with money. In this election year, I’ll be very surprised if people buy the corporate message and not Kucinich’s core message.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:41 pmI thought ‘07 was:
“The 7th Annual Year of the Admit-Nothing/Deny-Everything Press Secretary”.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:48 pmyea!
what THEY said:
bilbobaggins @ 5:31 pm and
ralph the wonder llama @ 5:32 pm
and Ret. Col. Jack Ripper @ 5:34 pm
“term limits” – another recent (and re-used) rightie meme…
i love the increasing numbers of concern troolls who’ve been
showing up lately…
… not.
January 25th, 2008 at 6:20 pmFacts make no difference to them — they continue to repeat their pat litttle phrases, which are picked up and further repeated by the media and voila! it’s a fact.
January 25th, 2008 at 7:13 pmComment by Merlin — January 25, 2008 @ 5:35 pm
Very well said. Thanks.
January 25th, 2008 at 7:23 pmIf the Patriot Act is an example of doing something, then do nothing!
January 25th, 2008 at 7:30 pmHey, I’m sure there are many things to bash the Democratic congress for, but can we at least keep in mind that the Patriot Act was passed by a republican-controlled congress in an environment of fear right after the 9-11 attack when Bush had an approval rating in the 80’s?
January 25th, 2008 at 7:36 pmSadly, they are no such kind of people. Their actions speak for them very loudly! They are essentially evil and destructive at every turn, and will never relent in their pursuit of their own power and importance.
Comment by Merlin — January 25, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
Yep, Reagan Vampires.
This hatred was birthed, coddled, suckled and encouraged through years of Reagan attacking education (to dumb down the electorate in the generation(s) we see now) AND helping RACIST find new ways to hate the poor and middle class!!
Reagan started the New Facism in this country!!
January 25th, 2008 at 7:59 pmComment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — January 25, 2008 @ 7:36
Hey, I’m sure there are many things to bash the Democratic congress for…
Right on Col, as usual. Unfortunately, the response to the frustration and anger we all feel after these last 7 years of abuse, is sometimes a wild striking out at the nearest object. Marital disputes come to mind here. (Spouse has trouble at work and comes home only to take it out on the partner and the kids.) With the 110th we have good reason to be unhappy about some major issues. That said, we should not forget the context, the larger picture that is involved. This all takes place in a Congress that is still obstructed by rethugs and Blue Dog Dems.
Beginning in January 2009 those frustrations will be relieved. I am utterly convinced of this. We will finally have both the Congress (overwhelmingly) and the Presidency working together to put the country back on track and begin forward motion again.
One final thought. It strikes me that this “bash the Democratic Congress” thing is a neocon meme! One that we are picking up, and much to the delight of those same neocons, we are flogging ourselves with it!
Better we flog BushCo and the neocons than ourselves!
January 25th, 2008 at 9:30 pm#74: Republicans have set the historical record for obstruction. 67 fillibusters is the largest number of filibusters in history for any single session, and the session isn’t over with yet. Does that enter into your thinking at all?
I agree that the Republicans have acted as obstructionists, and I agree that they have made more use of the filibuster than any previous Congress. The Democrats have actively helped them, however. If Harry Reid were half as tough on Republican filibusters as he has been on Chris Dodd’s filibuster of retroactive immunity in the FISA bill, these filibusters wouldn’t have been effective. Reid, in fact, has actively made it nearly impossible to strip telecom immunity from that bill. Other Democrats–Feinstein, Rockefeller, Nelson (both of them)–have behaved similarly. Democrats have been weak with regard to investigations of administration malfeasance, and no one has followed through on any threats about holding in contempt of Congress those who defy subpoenas. Is that the kind of leadership you want from a Democratic majority in Congress? For me the answer is “no.” If you’re happy with the way the Democrats have conducted themselves, though, that’s your prerogative.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:59 pmAll that said–and just to be clear–I still think the poor performance of the Democratic Congress is better than what we would have had if the Republicans had remained in power.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:01 pmemail message from harry reid:
Dear Katy,
Republicans seem to have forgotten that national security is one of the most important issues we address in the Senate. Yesterday, they proved the only thing they care about is politics.
They spent the day filibustering on the Senate floor, preventing Democrats from introducing any amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) bill. This means they are blocking an important amendment, which I support, that would make sure phone companies don’t receive retroactive immunity.
At the end of the day, Senator McConnell decided he would try and stop debate entirely by filing for cloture. That means if Republicans get 60 votes on Monday, debate on this vital issue will be shut down.
Normally I wouldn’t go this deep into Senate procedure, but if you care about your civil liberties and our national security, it is vital you tell your Senators to vote no on cloture Monday by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/fisa
Looking at this situation makes me think the President and Republicans want to fail so they can run and cry to the media that Democrats are weak on national security. That line didn’t work in 2006 and it won’t work in 2008.
Closing the debate on this bill now is wrong.
Tell your Senators to vote no on cloture Monday by visiting:
http://giveemhellharry.com/fisa
Thank you,
Harry Reid
.
“Normally I wouldn’t go this deep into Senate procedure…”
January 25th, 2008 at 10:21 pmuuuuuuuuuughhh… go there, harry! go there dammit!!!!!
They were elected to impeach the regime in the white house.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:26 pmThey didn’t do that.
They accomplished nothing.
Want better approval ratings?
Chimpeach!
Perino is a god damned filthy liar who ought to eviserated as cleanly as she eviserates the truth.
i smell sexism here in not going after her jugular. If Ari Flesher or Scott McClellan had performed as poorly the white house press would have been all over her.
She getting a ride because she is female.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:58 pmDana: ‘A DO NOTHING BUT LIE’ white house press robot.
January 26th, 2008 at 1:46 amPERINO IS A WH0RE!
January 26th, 2008 at 8:29 amkinda funny… following harry reid’s message (above), i find this one today:
Yesterday Harry Reid again brought forward the version of the FISA bill containing a provision for telecom immunity for their criminal complicity in illegal wiretaps of American citizens. Sure we need to win another filibuster, but we also need a stronger message. Reid must go.
What part of exercising power doesn’t Harry Reid get? The Washington
Post reports him “pleading” with the White House. And yet, it is his decision which version of the FISA bill to have the Senate consider, and by choosing to bring forward the bad one, he is knowingly forcing opponents of yet another “get out of jail free card” for Cheney cronies to get 60 votes to strip it out of the bill. Or filibuster yet again.
Step Down Harry Action Page:
http://www.usalone.com/step_down_harry.php (anyone can use this link)
Facebook Version:
http://apps.facebook.com/fb_voices/action.php?qnum=pnum784 (for this
link must be a member of Facebook and logged in)
This is the last straw. Time and again he has abdicated his leadership, claiming he is “personally” opposed to things, while collaborating to stack the deck in favor of the other side of the policy issue. Reid has got to go.
And call them on the phone too. Here are the tested toll free
numbers, 800 828-0498, 800 614 2803 and 866 340 9281.
[...]
it goes on quite a bit longer… you get the point…
January 26th, 2008 at 10:35 am…
I think from now on she should be referred to in the media as:
January 26th, 2008 at 7:44 pmWhite House Spokeswoman Dana (Bubblehead) Perino
I see a lot of messages saying to impeach, but you have to realize, the Dems hold a one vote majority in the Senate, and that vote is Joe Republican-in-all-but-name Lieberman. Not only do Senate Democrats not hold enough votes to force a vote and end a fillibuster, but they don’t even have a real majority of votes with Lieberman the Traitor.
When you attack Harry Reid over the Senate’s inability to oppose Bush strongly, you’re really just playing into right-wing talking points. They want you to think the Democrats just decided not to really oppose Bush or the War, when the facts are very different.
Want Republican policies opposed? Want the War ended? Vote in MORE Democrats so they have a real majority to work with. It’s up to us to make it happen.
January 26th, 2008 at 8:26 pm