Conservatives getting desperate
well I've been scanning the local conservative boards which I do day to day just to keep up on the philosophy and positions of both sides. What I find is interesting, when Democrats lost both houses and the presidency there was a sense of "oh well, they have control lets sit and do nothing for 8 years". They tried to form coalitions with republican power and move themselves to not impede or even question anything the republicans did, they voted with them and when they did put up some kind of opposition it was quickly put down by the leaders of their own side. But when Republicans lost power what happens? They go out right ballistic. The members of the house and senate though in the majority block every bill that comes by their desk, make demand after demand to be included in the system and instead of a bill requiring a 51-49 vote it needs a 60-40 vote in order to pass due to filibusters. And on top of that you have people on the right saying that if they are left out of ANY discussion they will have a full on revolt and civil war.
Really? If I remember correctly you never once went to any effort to include any democrats in deliberation when you were in charge...I actually remember that when they did threaten to filibuster the judicial nominees you threatened to change the rules of the senate to eliminate the filibuster as an option for the majority. (which, 2 years later when you became the minority used more in 1 year than in any time in the entirety of united states history) I honestly don't know why the democrats don't have more of a spine in this case, I don't know why they don't tell conservatives to sit down and shut the fuck up, which is precisely what their majorities in the last 2 elections gives them the authority to do. Why do the Dems always have to start with the republican framework and then compromise from there, always giving us right of center policies that haven't worked for 40 years. It frustrates me to no end how much we have to bow and please the republicans and how little we get in return. We sat for 2 weeks stripping proposals from a bill in the house where we have a HUGE majority just to please republicans and NOT 1 republican lawmaker broke ranks and voted for it. We really need some new leaders up there, people like recently elected senator Al Franken, and progressive stalwart Russ Feingold. People who will take the fight to the conservatives and challenge them on their ground rather than always playing defense. Lawmakers who can say to conservatives, "you are wrong, the country thinks you are wrong and unless you have something constructive to input you have no say in this bill". Let them filibuster, and let them go to the american people and try to make their case, the polls show that nobody is listening to them, well....nobody except the senate and house democrats.
Here's some #'s to prove my points. (taken from Gallup)
Do you approve of the way each of the following has handled the passing of the stimulus bill?
President Obama:
Approve: 67%
Disapprove: 25%
No Opinion: 8%
Congressional Democrats:
Approve: 48%
Disapprove: 42%
No Opinion: 10%
Congressional Republicans:
Approve: 31%
Disapprove: 58%
No Opinion: 11%
And another (taken from Pew Feb 4-8)
Do you approve of disapprove of the job the Democratic leaders in Congress are doing?
Approve: 48%
Disapprove: 38%
No Opinion: 14%
Do you approve or disapprove of the job the Republican leaders in Congress are doing?
Approve: 34%
Disapprove: 51%
No Opinion: 15%
Really? If I remember correctly you never once went to any effort to include any democrats in deliberation when you were in charge...I actually remember that when they did threaten to filibuster the judicial nominees you threatened to change the rules of the senate to eliminate the filibuster as an option for the majority. (which, 2 years later when you became the minority used more in 1 year than in any time in the entirety of united states history) I honestly don't know why the democrats don't have more of a spine in this case, I don't know why they don't tell conservatives to sit down and shut the fuck up, which is precisely what their majorities in the last 2 elections gives them the authority to do. Why do the Dems always have to start with the republican framework and then compromise from there, always giving us right of center policies that haven't worked for 40 years. It frustrates me to no end how much we have to bow and please the republicans and how little we get in return. We sat for 2 weeks stripping proposals from a bill in the house where we have a HUGE majority just to please republicans and NOT 1 republican lawmaker broke ranks and voted for it. We really need some new leaders up there, people like recently elected senator Al Franken, and progressive stalwart Russ Feingold. People who will take the fight to the conservatives and challenge them on their ground rather than always playing defense. Lawmakers who can say to conservatives, "you are wrong, the country thinks you are wrong and unless you have something constructive to input you have no say in this bill". Let them filibuster, and let them go to the american people and try to make their case, the polls show that nobody is listening to them, well....nobody except the senate and house democrats.
Here's some #'s to prove my points. (taken from Gallup)
Do you approve of the way each of the following has handled the passing of the stimulus bill?
President Obama:
Approve: 67%
Disapprove: 25%
No Opinion: 8%
Congressional Democrats:
Approve: 48%
Disapprove: 42%
No Opinion: 10%
Congressional Republicans:
Approve: 31%
Disapprove: 58%
No Opinion: 11%
And another (taken from Pew Feb 4-8)
Do you approve of disapprove of the job the Democratic leaders in Congress are doing?
Approve: 48%
Disapprove: 38%
No Opinion: 14%
Do you approve or disapprove of the job the Republican leaders in Congress are doing?
Approve: 34%
Disapprove: 51%
No Opinion: 15%