Moderate Democrats Look To Serve Their Special Interests And Thwart Obama’s Agenda
Moderate Democrats Look To Serve Their Special Interests And Thwart Obama’s Agenda
Last week, when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) attempted to end debate on the $410 billion 2009 omnibus appropriations bill, he came “one vote short.” Tonight, he’ll try again. While several Republicans whom Reid had expected to side with him had defected, one vote against senator’s lack of support for ending debate was surprising: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ).
Menendez voted signaled his intention to vote against ending debate “in protest of a little-noticed Cuba provision that would ease U.S. rules on travel and imports to the communist-led island.” While Menendez claimed that including the Cuba provision in the omnibus was controversial, a majority of even Cuban Americans in Florida now support easing the embargo on Cuba. The effect of Menendez’s vote to keep debate open on the bill has been to increase the amount of time that Republicans have had to try to water down the legislation and delay work on other critical legislation. Still, Reid is likely to pass the legislation today with the Cuba provision intact.
In casting his protest vote, Menendez joined the ranks of a growing number of moderate Democrats who are withholding critical support for legislation in an attempt to force their Democratic colleagues into making narrow and often unpopular changes to important pieces of legislation. Other members include:
– Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND): Opposed to “stopping direct payments to farms with annual sales of more than $500,000″ despite the fact that ending such payments are projected to save “$10 billion over 10 years” and the program — which began in 1996 — was originally “dubbed ‘transitional’ and [was] supposed to decline over seven years.”
– Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE): Along with Menendez, Nelson opposed the Cuba provision in the omnibus. He also opposes the Employee Free Choice Act. Additionally, Nelson opposes a provision in Obama’s 2010 budget proposal that would overhaul the federal student aid program to ensure that Pell grants increase each year to keep pace with college tuition increases. Nelson opposes the measure, in short, because it could possibly harm a private student lending firm that operates in his state.
– Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR): Lincoln is “[t]rying to have it both ways” on the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) by refusing to say whether she’ll support the measure. As Arkansas News columnist John Brummett explained recently, Lincoln has an upcoming fundraiser which is expected to be heavily attended by the business community who appreciate her “generally pro-business voting record.” At the same time, however, Vice President Joe Biden — who supports EFCA — will headline at her fundraiser. As such and at the expense of the EFCA campaign, Lincoln appears to be remaining intentionally vague on EFCA in order to more easily fill her campaign coffers.
These Senators are enhancing the Republicans’ ability to “delay and obstruct,” with little to no positive benefits. Indeed, the fact that Reid will likely pass the omnibus package today with the Cuba provision intact should demonstrate that the Menendez delay tactic is not productive.
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Issue by issue, conservative Democrats reveal their funders. Note, I said funders, not constituents. Max Baucus accepts donations from numerous for-profit health care companies with no facilities in Montana.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:24 pmLooks like it’s time to take out the garbage.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:27 pmLet’s remember who these DINO’s are and find people to run against them in the next primary.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:27 pmThese people have been bought and paid for by their corporate masters and don’t want the gravy train to stop for themselves, as for the American people, well fcuk them and their petty needs.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:30 pmHopefully many of these blue mutts are up for re-election in 2010…
March 10th, 2009 at 3:37 pm– Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AK):
March 10th, 2009 at 3:39 pmBlanche Lincoln is from Arkansas, not Alaska.
Optimize your special interest, suboptimize the country.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:43 pmI’ll bet they’re going to have some busy inboxes and fax machines over this….
and keep repeating – it is a good thing the D’s are not a lockstep operation.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:49 pmThis is boiling down to “I get mine, you don’t get yours”
March 10th, 2009 at 3:52 pmCan someone explain to me why it is okay to trade with China but not Cuba? Thank you.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pmHarry Reid needs to make them filibuster. He has enough votes to get the bill passed (legislation DOES NOT need 60 votes to pass in the Senate). So just let these folks filibuster the bill and shut down the government. Because that’s what is going to happen if it isn’t passed soon. The bill was supposed to be passed last October. We are almost 6 months past when it should have been in effect.
If Harry Reid doesn’t step up to the plate on this and make them filibuster, then we will be lost and the next two years will be exactly like the last two years, with nothing getting done due to Republican’t and blue dog obstructionism.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:58 pmBecause Chinese ‘refugees’ aren’t a big demographic in a battleground state.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:59 pmUnfortunately, our system is set up to make whores out of all our elected representatives in Congress. Yes — both parties. The cost of getting a seat in the House or Senate (AND keeping it!) has become astronomical. And if you choose to do the right thing instead of dancing with who brung ya to the dance, you’ll find yourself replaced.
Apparently Menendez and Nelson are owned by the anti-Cuba interests, Nelson and Lincoln are owned by anti-labor interests, and Conrad is owned by large farming interests. It’s always been this way.
I’m sure Menendez understands that his tactic merely gives the GOP more time to execute their strategy. I’m also sure that Menendez knows the bill will eventually pass with the Cuba provision. I don’t think these things are as important to him as his need to demonstrate some kicking and screaming for his benefactors in order to stay alive.
The system has become insane. But how to fix it? We’ve already tried campaign “reform”…
March 10th, 2009 at 4:02 pmLincoln is up next year. The rest of the crew including Menendez come up in ‘12. Never too early to start the primary challenge.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pmdeebaser Says
March 10th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Because Chinese ‘refugees’ aren’t a big demographic in a battleground state.
___________________________________________________________
Another reason why the Electoral College sucks.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pmIsn’t this sort of opposition the analogue to John McCain’s long-standing objections to earmsrks? In both cases, what’s involved is essentially pork for special interests, whether voting to enrich local special interests by funding, or voting to enrich special interests by opposing a measure that threatens those interests.
I’m not opposed to earmarks, BTW, so long as they are sensible and make available assets to a large number of citizens in the specific state in which they are funded. In Nelson’s case, he is essentially limiting
Note: Postal two letter designations
AK = Alaska
AR = Arkansas
AZ = Arizona
March 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
This is nonsense, and one of the reasons why Washington doesn’t work. It is every man/woman for himself, and there is no teamwork. This crap is what makes the rest of the country angry. Stop fighting, start cooperating and help us get out of the mess we are in!
March 10th, 2009 at 4:04 pmWe need to sweep these guys out of the way. Reid needs to introduce the nuclear option and make these stones in our path moot.
Did you see the DOW today? Its up over 5 percent. The nasdaq’s currently up over 7! Sure its a rocky road back, but things will change and its time for these people who are playing politics and worse, profiteering or trying to extort funds and favors during a time of crisis.
We will come back in spite of guys like this but wouldn’t it be great if they were just moot?
March 10th, 2009 at 4:10 pmEnough with the Cuba thing. Its just another stale old boogie that can’t dance anymore.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:11 pmYeah, AR, not AK!!!! (It must have been fixed by the time I got here..) Anyway doesn’t Fox have a patent on mis-identifying political parties, states, religions, etc.?
Now all joking aside, the comments about remembering crap like this when it comes to election time are spot-on.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:14 pmAlso shining a bright light on this behavior helps expose the cockroaches (no offense to any actual cockroaches!).
Quoted for truth. Unlimited debate exists in the Senate because they are supposed to be the mature ‘elites’, unlike the ‘rabble’ in the house. Using a RECENTLY obscure parlimentry procedure to regularly block legislation perverts the framers intent.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:14 pmWhat is it with you people and guns? Isn’t a broom much more useful for sweeping?
March 10th, 2009 at 4:22 pmBrooms don’t go bang so where’s the fun?
March 10th, 2009 at 4:27 pmThis bill was put together last year. Were these congresspeople objecting all this time? Or are they now grandstanding for special interests?
March 10th, 2009 at 4:28 pmThat’s exactly it. You said it. Its grandstanding for their programs and constituents and its nonsense.
They need to be made moot. Bring back a 50 percent majority in the Senate and watch things start to get done.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:40 pmI think it is time to require our members of Congress to wear decals declaring their sponsors…like NASCAR.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:10 pmIt totally infuriates me that these blue dog Democrats are playing these stupid politcal games at a time when this country has entered into the Great Bush Depression. We need EVERYBODY working with our President to help out. SPECIALLY FREAKING DEMOCRATS !
IDIOTS!!
March 10th, 2009 at 5:28 pmBen Nelson has never acted like a member of the Democratic party team. The others are red sheep in blue clothing in it not to serve a constituency, but only to line their pockets.
March 10th, 2009 at 6:19 pmRepublican sleeper cells?
March 10th, 2009 at 6:31 pmfred garvin Says:
We need to sweep these guys out of the way.
————–
Should we just shoot them?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You really are an ignorant punk troll. You have no decency you have no brain you have nothing to offer but your endless stupidity. Why are you so proud to be so stupid?
March 10th, 2009 at 6:44 pmI see two potential solutions. 1. Do what Michael Steele is doing. Threaten any Democrat who does not support President Obama’s agenda with lack of financial support and then finance a more progressive opponent.
2. Instead of pussing out every time the Republicans say “FILIBUSTER!” and caving in, maybe Harry Reid should, oh I dunno.. MAKE THEM FILIBUSTER! Every time they threaten it, Harry Reid, Reid says “Okay okay! You win! Please don’t hurt me!” What he should say is “Okay, get out the cots. Republicans and people not supporting Obama’s agenda can sleep on the floor.”
March 10th, 2009 at 6:50 pmModerate Democrats! Would that be another name for DINOS or would you just call them RepubliCon stooges?
March 10th, 2009 at 6:52 pmI agree with everything you said except in that these are the only two options. A 3rd option is simple. Bring back the 50 percent rule and make the republicans moot for the next 2 years.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:38 pmHoodathunk [#28] – I hadn’t thought of that until reading your comment. THAT would be interesting! BTW, I just posted part of that on Twitter (w/out attribution). Hope that’s OK, and if you want attribution and/or a linkback please let me know and I’ll do it ASAP.
I tell ya, picturing senators and congressmen/women having to wear sponsor’s patches during debate is still cracking me up.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:50 pmIt honestly made my day!
Hot and bothered about “Communist Cuba” but no problem selling our debt to Communist China.
March 10th, 2009 at 9:40 pmMenendez is everything thats wrong with politics. Years in the wilderness, and he gets to the seat of power and instead of the peoples business, he emulates the villains. Pig.
March 10th, 2009 at 9:57 pmCan we please stop calling Democrats who are worried about pleasing Republican extremists in their conservative states… “moderates”?
They’re not “moderates”. They’re trying to stay alive in extremists states.
March 10th, 2009 at 11:53 pmRealistically, Menendez is the only aforementioned senator that could be bested in a primary by a truly progressive politician (it’s Jersey..we’ve got a few). But…
North Dakota…Nebraska…Arkansas…?
We’re lucky to have a Dem in there, even if they are disturbingly conservative on some issues.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:05 amT.P. Wrote:
Dear members of Congress,
What about the People’s interests for which you were elected to serve?
America
XOXO
.
March 11th, 2009 at 1:24 amThe basic question for (Democratic) voters: Is it better to have a gutless, self-serving Quisling like Ben Nelson in office, who will support progressive causes, when it’s convenient, and cave, when the chips are down – for example, on EFCA? Or should we risk losing a seat in an attempt to elect a more rock-solid liberal Democrat?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:45 pmAny way you look at it, campaign finance reform is essential.
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