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Bullying Congressional Progressives: Creepy, Revealing Quote from White House Staffer
Jane Hamsher details the extremely aggressive tactics the White House and House leadership used to coerce liberal environmentalist members to vote for the cap-and-trade bill despite their belief that it helped polluters more than it did anything else (and remember their ability to do that the next time they claim that a bill they ostensibly support simply couldn't pass because it lacked the necessary votes). Jane quotes from a Politico article reporting on White House anger towards Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, due to an impassioned floor speech he gave arguing that the bill was so industry-friendly that it would do more harm than good. That article contains this quote:
The White House is smoking mad at Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), who says he's voting against the climate bill - despite the lobbying of the entire First Family in the Oval Office last night.
If the bill goes down, Obama won't forget Doggett's role, Democrats say.
It's "stunning that he would ignore the wishes not just of his president, but of his constituents and the country," said an administration official.
This has been a emerging theme among both the White House and House leadership: that members of Congress have an obligation to carry out "the wishes of the President" (now, apparently, it's "stunning" when they defy his dictates). That was the same subservient mentality that led House Democrats who admitted they opposed the war supplemental spending and/or the foreign bank bailout to nonetheless vote for the bill: because they President favored it. The duty of Congress is not to obey the wishes of the President.
Note, too, that the sort of bullying tactics that were used for the war supplemental bill and now for the cap-and-trade bill are only directed towards the House progressives who want legislation to be less beholden to corporate donors; those tactics are never invoked against Blue Dogs who play a vital role in impeding progressive legislation and thus supply the perfect excuse for Democratic leaders as to why such legislation does not pass (let's see if these tactics are used against Blue Dogs who impede a public option for health care, the repeal of DOMA and Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and various issues relating to the closing of Guantanamo. Will we hear condemnations from Rahm Emanuel's underlings about how stunning and outrageous it is that they are defying the wishes of the President?
- Posted in
69 Comments so far
Show AllSounds as though Obama brought some of Chicago's thuggery to DC with him.
q
That's what Rush Limbaugh is always saying. Are Rush and Glenn in agreement?
Sometimes Rush is right (for the wrong reasons) - for example, he said something like Obama was worse for the US than Al Quada. Might be true.
The presidency itself is worse for the US than Al Quaeda, because it is so institutionally strong, and congress is so gutless.
No; institutionally strong is not inherently worse. Congress is gutless by design, which in no way is relevant to this discussion.
I repeat - oftentimes Rush is right (but for the wrong reasons). Some of his accusations of Bill Clinton or Obysmal are strangely prescient, the rest are bat-shit crazy. Obysmal IS worse for us than Al-Qaida.
Well, it's nice to see Obama has a spine. But he only acts with resolve when he's leans to the right-of-center.
Yep definitely twisted to the reptilian side.
Dick Cheney's 1st term, full steam ahead.
Ever notice though--they never threaten or bully the Democrats who reliably vote with the Republicans.
Telling, isn't it.
"who reliably vote with the Republicans"
I.e. who reliably vote with the Big Money.
We can guess who he'll back on the so called Health Reform issue , if this is who he backs on other issues. He's not BV$H for sure, but he's still just another front man for the BIG CORP. establishment. $$ owns DC folks not "the people."
SEAGLASS SEZ: "He's not BV$H for sure ..."
***
Correct. But the only real difference is that Obusha's articulate and most people don't recoil reflexively at the mention of his name. Other than that, though, he's nothing more than the 'good cop' to shrub's 'bad cop.' They both work for the same force.
Obama is a big business president. He hides the pro business agenda behind glowing rhetoric and misnamed bills. Obama is a fraud. Thankfully he doesn't live in my neck of the woods. The dirty little Democrats are as dirty as the Republicans. What a waste of liberty.
That flamer Rahm Emanuel sets the tone.
Obama is certainly showing which side he's on, and it isn't us. I remember a Democrat saying, "If he had only given us some cover, we could have passed mortgage relief. But he was saving his political capital" No he wasn't. He just had no interest in this issue of millions of more homeless Americans. They don't own banks.
The Bohemian Grove is going to party hearty this year, thanks to Obama. For the working schmucks, life will get seriously grim. I hope Obama's life gets seriously grim come 2012. His chickens need to come home to roost.
Hard for me to believe I managed to vote for someone who so quickly has convinced me I can't wait to see him out of the White House. It's getting harder and harder to tell him from Shrub - except that he can read. You have to hand it to the corporations. They make sure we won't elect anyone who will do the right thing.
Everyone, go out and start getting signatures for a Main Street Party. People I talk to, left, right, and center, are enthusiastic. They know they aren't being represented and they want to be. I'm sticking to populist economic issues and staying under the radar with campaign donations. Congressional districts are pretty much the same size all over the country. Here in Peter DeFazio's district we need about 4300 valid signatures from registered voters. I'm getting lots of information from the Secretary of State's office. I'm about to email them another list of questions. We have to take our country back. I believe if we start doing it people will realize it can be done and the ball will start rolling. Right now, people are feeling powerless and the corporations want it that way. We need to show them they are powerful. If the Main Street Party elects people to local and state offices in just a few Congressional districts it becomes a movement. And then we can go after Congressional seats and REALLY shake things up. I would love to shake up those complacent asses in Congress giving themselves gold plated health care that we pay for, and generous "cost of living" raises while we lose our jobs and homes. Who do they think they are? Not public servants. They need a lesson in Civics.
When the people fear their government there is tyranny,
when the government fears the people there is liberty.
~ Thomas Jefferson
BFK,
Thanks for the action steps outline. I think 4300 signatures sounds doable, I'll have to check in with our Secretary of State in WI; I guess that's who is in charge. Our family bands play before that many people in a month,we should be able to get at least one in 10, I figure, maybe more. That means it would take about 10 months, not counting other opportunities. I'm sure we could find a volunteer candidate that needs health insurance.
"Hard for me to believe I managed to vote for someone who so quickly has convinced me I can't wait to see him out of the White House. It's getting harder and harder to tell him from Shrub - except that he can read. You have to hand it to the corporations. They make sure we won't elect anyone who will do the right thing."
I don't think any of us could have really predicted last year that Obama would go this far and in less than 6 months. Trust me, not even those who voted Nader or Mckinney could have predicted the extent to which Obama would sell out. There were early warning signs of Obama being a puppet and allowing abuse but no signs that he could be this nasty. He'll lose the center big. When I changed my mind on the last minute and voted Obama when I could have stuck to voting for Nader and thus make 2008 the first year to vote Independent, I did not expect much at all from Obama. However, I didn't expect even worse and so fast already. I think most of us did expect him to be Bill Clinton and some even predicted v2.0 but no one predicted worse. Certainly no one expected Obama to abuse his presidential powers like Bush has done and even worse in some cases. Well, he still has 3 years to kiss and make up. The chances of him turning around for the better are slim to none whether his party wins or loses Congress next year.
"Everyone, go out and start getting signatures for a Main Street Party. People I talk to, left, right, and center, are enthusiastic. They know they aren't being represented and they want to be. I'm sticking to populist economic issues and staying under the radar with campaign donations. Congressional districts are pretty much the same size all over the country. Here in Peter DeFazio's district we need about 4300 valid signatures from registered voters. I'm getting lots of information from the Secretary of State's office. I'm about to email them another list of questions. We have to take our country back. I believe if we start doing it people will realize it can be done and the ball will start rolling. Right now, people are feeling powerless and the corporations want it that way. We need to show them they are powerful. If the Main Street Party elects people to local and state offices in just a few Congressional districts it becomes a movement. And then we can go after Congressional seats and REALLY shake things up. I would love to shake up those complacent asses in Congress giving themselves gold plated health care that we pay for, and generous "cost of living" raises while we lose our jobs and homes. Who do they think they are? Not public servants. They need a lesson in Civics."
Great work on getting the new party started and I wish you luck. I look forward to finding a political genius here in VA who can bring the Mainstream Party as a viable alternative though the Green Party is still somewhat viable and shares most of your values. Thank you for also bringing up the need to improve voter turnout and participation in local and state level elections as well. In fact, if turnout were at least 40% in most local and state elections rather than the typical 5-20%, we'd be seeing an entirely different representation and the Republicans and Democrats would be entirely different from what they are today.
The quote that really stirs up my anger toward President Obama is that Congress is to serve him (the President). Congress is to serve the people and not President Obama.
I hope the people in Rep. Doggett district re-elect him with a landslide. All those who think Congress is to serve President Obama and not the people should be defeated in 2010. If a Congressperson or a Senator thinks they are elected to serve President Obama and not the people who voted for them, than I say throw the bums out and elect third party candidates who know the role that Congress is to serve the PEOPLE!!!!!!
President Obama is no DIFFERENT than President Bush with his bullying tactics. I just hope that people realize now that they were suckered into voting for him, and will start to stand up to HIM. Congress is not to serve HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sorry but it just gets me angry to think that we have people serving in Congress who feel their role is to serve President Obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most are actually serving their paymasters - which has nothing to do with their congressional salaries.
The problem is, the Democratic party can field lavishly funded primary challenges, and/or pull all funding for the general election campaign. Just ask Cynthia Mckinney or Dennis Kucinich how it works. Kucininch only stays in due to the excellent organizing ability of the Cleveland area Laborer's locals and a couple other unions.
America and Americans love to hold themselves 'up' as a 'democracy'; to themselves and to the rest of the world.
But America has never been a 'democracy' and it never will be until the people eliminate the Plutocratic Oligarchy that the USA is ----and replace it with a 'democracy'.
It has been my contention from the Inauguration of Pres. Obama, that the only change in the White House has been the 'melanin' content of the skin of the occupants.
His overwhelming election should be a 'bright and shining beacon of light', that "no matter how things change, they stay the same".....as long as the current form of government is in power, nothing is going to change for Americans, except for the 'ultimate change for Americans'.
The lack of positive action to eliminate the Plutocratic Oligarchy that America actually represents will however--be a motivating factor for 'change'. The fact that the USA is a rogue nation, dangerous and untrustworthy, as well as the most heavily armed militaristic culture the world has ever known, is not lost on the world. The world will eventually reach its level of tolerance for the USA, and move to eliminate the threat---most likely for ever----that tomorrow brings with each day as long as the Americans are able to exist in their present form.
Most Americans laugh at this proposition, but they laugh out of ignorance and from arrogance and they too easily forget the lessons history has revealed from the examples of others who have gone before---but are no longer in existence. The very real possibility is that the world could move tomorrow, and for the first time in history, eliminate a potential enemy without an invasion or even a declaration of war. They simply could 'cut off' all lines of credit, and the Americans would turn upon themselves---very soon---- and the blood they shed would make the rivers and streams run red, all the way to all three coasts.
For those who are ignorant of American history; the Americans shed more of their own blood during the 'Civil War' of the 19th century, than all of the other wars they have been in before or since----and that also includes the "Indian Wars" ---that the USA never won.
Good Luck America, you really need it.
Amen, NativeSon, you've got it right.
"It has been my contention from the Inauguration of Pres. Obama, that the only change in the White House has been the 'melanin' content of the skin of the occupants."
Well put NativeSon. Barack Obama = a Beige Bush
Poet
Why is anyone surprised? I told my friends before the election not to drink the Obama kool-aid, but to look at his record in Illinois and the Senate. I wish I had campaigned more aggressively against him (not that it would have mattered).
After Obama promised to vote against FISA and then voted for it, there were no excuses left to vote for him other than being a closet right-winger (ie someone who is truly afraid of change and accountability).
Glenn Greenwald has been doing a superb job of exposing the true reactionary agenda of the Obama administration - and by extension, the Democratic Party.
He may not know it yet, but he's really a Green. Bill Maher was right: the Democrats are the new Republicans. How many of you are Republicans? How many are still "new Republicans"?
There is a genuine progressive party in this country, and it's past time people like Greenwald admitted it in public. If all of those who support single-payer health insurance, genuine sustainability, and an end to imperialism vote, work, and contribute to the Green Party, we'll have a new day in this country.
Granted, it takes some guts to give up your old loyalties and try something new. At this point, what have you got to lose?
Oregoncharles
Boosting the Green Party - or any other alternative party - must start at the local level. We need to seek out and support Green candidates for school boards, county commissions, and state legislatures.
National political parties are not built from the top. Trying to elect a third party candidate to the presidency without installing substantial support in the Congress and in state governments is futile. Even if by some miracle such a candidate were elected, he or she could do very little.
q
This Greenwald report reminds me of the shoddy treatment of Vermont's Senator Jim Jeffords by our previous president, and I admire Jeffords for his integrity in bolting his party.
As Greenwald notes, Obama is coming down harder on progressives than others in his party; this is another issue that gives me pause to consider my support of him. It is more apparent in all of these Congressional votes that Obama treats progressives like a red-haired stepchild.
"Try something new," Oregoncharles? That's the gamble. You lose millions in Democratic or Republican Party financial support, yet you gain your integrity and self-respect, and hope that translates to a victory in the next election. In Jeffords' case, he didn't seek reelection, but he was succeeded by the best Senator we've got: Bernie Sanders.
Senator Jeffords, believe it or not, is one of the greatest American Heroes in modern times. It will be revealed eventually that he kept the USA from becoming a right wing dictatorship under a Bush dictarship. The mainstream media (otherwise known as the CIA stenographers) hates him for it.
Doggett is a HERO with more integrity in his little finger than the entire Administration.
Mr. Doggett - you're too good for the Democrats.
Good point. Anybody out there Doggett's constituent? Ask him if he'll switch to the Green Party.
Oregoncharles
The duty of Congress is not to obey the wishes of the President.
Yet another example from Bareass Obimbo of the enduring legacy of George Wanker Bush.
Imperialist tendencies aren't limited to party. Then again, how many people here were hoping Obama would bring us the change we need? That's not the role of the president...he is to carry out the laws of Congress, not to change our political system. Technically, the duty of the President is to obey the wishes of Congress :-)
"That's not the role of the president...he is to carry out the laws of Congress, not to change our political system."
-a thoroughly absurd statement seeing as Obama campaigned on "change" and "hope" incessantly.
I could be wrong, but weren't you an Obama supporter? I think I recall sparring with a zmann which was a strong Obama supporter back when Obama was being hailed as The Great Messiah of Change & Hope. Could that be you per chance?
Yep, Ric. That's the same zmann.
Black_Anarch, thanks, I thought so.
Yes, I am an Obama supporter, and an Obama critic, for to be a supporter you also must criticize when they screw up.
And does it matter what he really campaigned on? He's not really supposed to change anything. Bush changed a shitload of things about the presidency, and none of us agree with what he did. If Nader had won, would you have wanted him to change everything, or stick to the constitutional role of the presidency?
I don't recall sparring with you though, unless this is a new handle for you.
As Wanderer continuously points out, the FISA vote was the turning point for Obama's true position, although my anger at that lessened somewhat when I read the text of the bill, which aside from the absurd retroactive immunity amendment seemingly reinforced the administration's requirement to get FISA courts to approve warrants before eavesdropping (or that was my reading of it at the time, nearly a year ago now). So I never bought into the hype about him, I just didn't want Florida to go for McCain.
zmann, I think implying that Obama wasn't mandated to bring change is disingenuous because he campaigned on it. The change Obama won on was a change in upholding the Constitution not crapping all over it like Bush. Nobody is implying that we expect or even want an imperial president that is going to radically alter the role of the president and its powers.
I think you know full well by change we mean: for the people not for the corporations, a cessation of war (he pretended to be antiwar and kept citing his now famous 2002 antiwar speech), single payer (he once said he favored single payer), transparency in government (he's becoming as opaque as Bush) and a change in a host of things in which Obama is carrying on just like Bush.
p.s. My old handles were tailcap and Ric Abreu, yes we did spar. I got banned a few times, hence my absence.
Well Obama did institute some early changes that could be done through executive order, ordering Gitmo closed, banning torture, lifting the global gag rule, stuff like that. On other things so such as transparency, yes, he's upholding Bush's use of state secrets to my chagrin. So far he seems to be following the SoA agreement signed with Iraq under Bush to withdraw from cities by tomorrow, and I suppose we'll have to wait till 2011 to see if he pulls out completely. However, his escalation in Afghanistan and appointment of McChrystal completely disgusts me. You're right, he has completely backtracked on single-payer, I think he is so fixated on the idea of bipartisanship that he's holding that up as a standard over actual solutions (the media does this as well).
But again, much of the change we need has to come from legislation. And what he can definitely do about that is use the considerable influence of the presidency to push for progressive legislation. But, he's not.
And yes I remember your old handles now, sorry to see you got banned.
Oh, and about transparency...check this out, just released today I think.
http://www.usaspending.gov/index.php
zmann SoA=SOFA?
bipartisanship=whoring for the corporations.
Yeah, I caught myself on that yesterday, I have no clue why I called the Status of Forces Agreement the SoA. I must've have been missing my favorite computer game, Shadows of Amn.
"I got b______ a few times"
Don't write that!
"My old handles were tailcap and Ric Abreu"
My old remote and distant friend who used to be on this site, JWVerez, told me about you back when he introduced me to this site. I'm happy that as a former Marine you were a hero for being able to overcome the brainwashing that the Marines brainwash their troops with from start to finish. I read his one of his old posts where he talked about how one of his nephews got brainwashed into being a Marine and even spoke against his own family and even worshipped Raygun on defense only to find him dead in 2003.
P.S.: I met him when my company and his company were getting together for a meeting and his disabilities got me curious about him so I got to meet him and his family. From there he introduced me to places on the Internet that are enlightening such as this site as well as other major progressive blogs and forums. He's been in the hospital for months and I haven't checked in a while except that his wife did get back to me not too long ago to tell me that he's still trying to hold on to his life and overcome his ailing. His wife, friends, coworkers, and even some of the managers are fighting the crooked hospitals and doctors to keep him alive and possibly recover well. I'll have to get more info on that but I think he'll be happy to see you again.
Glad to make your acquaintance Jennifer. I have read your posts and think you are enlightened. Thanks for the compliment about undoing my "Marine indoctrination". I used to be soooooo brainwashed I thought the US should nuke any country that dared not bow to our will if you can imagine that!
I am sorry to hear that JWVerez (I remember that handle), your friend (and mine in a way) is sick. I will say some prayers for him. Please tell him I wish him a speedy recovery and God bless him. I also hope he prevails over the crooked hospitals. And lastly, give him my thanks for turning people on to CommonDreams and other good sites that allow the sharing of ideas and commentary.
In case I offended any atheists substitute prayers with "sending good vibes" and God with higher power.
Got a fund-raising call from D's yesterday. I told them they'd get no more money from me and I was joining the Green Party. I wish I'd said the Socialist Party. I can't quite make up my mind.
gin
I got a call a week or so ago and told them not another dollar till single-payer was on the table. I wish enough of us could make a difference.
WORKING FAMILIES PARTY is the way to go! Check it out.
mas.smarba@gmail.com
I did check it out. I love how you've leveraged votes by cross endorsements overall to gain ballot access per the laws of NY State. However, WFP did endorse OBAMA in 2008. How's that working out for ya now?
I got a call from the ACLU a couple weeks ago and gladly donated the $20 to renew my membership with them. Best money I've donated yet, I think.
Bullying so-called "progressives" really isn't all that hard.
While Lloyd Dogget's position on cap-and-trade is admirable, given usual political behavior, it's a stretch to call it "courageous." He's simply doing the job he's been elected to do: the people's work.
The facts that he's independently wealthy and comes from a safe district don't hurt either.
And also don't forget, he was one of the leaders in promoting corporate agicultural interests when the farm bill went through. Lotsa big farmers in the 25th (TX) Congressional District.