JFC!!! SEVEN dems voted to confirm puppykiller. SEVEN!!!

[niyad]

[niyad]

8. fetterman did not surprise me, but kaine certainly did.

[Celerity]

89. same for two others: Slotkin (no suprise) then Kim (big surprise)

[Jack Valentino]

91. DAMN! That is disappointing...

especially when it's my own senator (Slotkin)

She was my congresswoman before that...

[Cha]

52. And the "progressive" Sen from NJ, Andy Kim?

[Rebl2]

65. Hope

Kaine gets blowback from his constituents.

[yourout]

76. In a campaign littered with mistakes he was Hillary's biggest.

Brought absolutely nothing to the ticket.

[underpants]

121. He probably knew she would be confirmed anyway

[Irish_Dem]

2. Why are Dems are acting this way?

Several possible reasons come to mind.

[niyad]

4. None of them good!

[Irish_Dem]

6. Yep. Cannot come up with any explanation which sounds good.

[MadameButterfly]

5. Reallly? want to share?

[Irish_Dem]

10. Time to let others add 2 plus 2 and get 4.

[Smooth155]

11. We don't hold them to task

Because we democrats don't hold them to task like republican voters do with there politicians.

[Irish_Dem]

12. Yes one possible reason.

[Oneironaut]

24. "We have to be nice to Republicans!" (Droopy Dog voice)

[Magoo48]

47. Self interest and a fear to battle, even for our freedoms.

[Bread and Circuses]

101. Do Tell!

[Irish_Dem]

107. Maybe you can give it some thought.

[Emile]

124. Good question!

[58Sunliner]

3. Sick. JFC.

[Initech]

7. WTAF!!!

Something is inherently wrong right now!

[niyad]

17. It is indeed.

[Initech]

19. I'd place the blame on a certain "news" network...

Oh how I utterly loathe that wretched channel.

[mucifer]

13. I believe they are probably for sale. It's just getting scarier every day.

[niyad]

15. Sadly true on both counts.

[pdxflyboy]

14. Crypto Currency in phony foreign accounts?

[niyad]

16. I wish I knew. Something is happening.

[MIButterfly]

18. I'm in Michigan and BOTH of my senators voted to confirm her!

I am dismayed and disgusted. Every day brings something even more outrageous and unbelievable than the day before. How am I going to get through the next four years when this past week has been so horrendous?

I never liked Gary Peters, but I always voted for him because, as my mother used to say, the worst Democrat is better than the best Republican. Besides, what other choice do I have? I haven't missed an election since I became old enough to vote.

[kelly1mm]

102. You wrote:

"I never liked Gary Peters, but I always voted for him because, as my mother used to say, the worst Democrat is better than the best Republican. Besides, what other choice do I have?"

This is why they vote the way they do. There are no consequences as you will continue to vote for them.

[Cirsium]

20. Read it and weep

Here are the 7 Democrats who voted for Noem as Homeland Security secretary

Seven Democratic senators voted to confirm former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) as the head of the Department of Homeland Security, allowing her to lead an agency that will be paramount to President Trump’s plan to crack down on illegal immigration during his second White House term.

Noem’s nomination was approved with a 59-34 vote, cruising to the position with less scrutiny and uncertainty compared to other Trump nominees.

Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.)
Sen. Maggie Hassan (N.H.)
Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.)
Sen. Andy Kim (N.J.)
Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.)
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/7-democrats-voted-noem-homeland-213853044.html

[groundloop]

28. Everyone PLEASE write to them and express your displeasure

Sadly I have two ultra right wing trump ass kissing Senators, but I'm still going to give them hell for this.

If nothing else I'll be releasing some pent up anger.

[Think. Again.]

31. Tell them we can't accept nazi Sympathizers in the Democratic Party.

[Cirsium]

36. Fury

It is more like fury for me than displeasure.

So many people have been fighting so hard against the MAGA wave here in Michigan. Do they it are abiut that? Did it only matter when they wanted money? How do we face all of the people whom we convinced to support Slotkin now? They have made complete fools of their supporters.

It is not as though we are asking very much of them. Such a low bar. Kristi Noem? Kristi f-ing Noem??? What a huge "f you" to every Democrat in Michigan.

[Autumn]

37. Save the stamp and the energy. That won't do a fucking thing.

[doc03]

21. The first thought came to mind Fetterman. nt

[lame54]

22. Actually eight...

If you count Pennsylvania Senator Manchin Sinema

[Wiz Imp]

48. Wrong. The list of seven is given in post #20

For the Record, there have been 4 confirmations so far.

Every single Democrat voted to confirm Rubio

Every single Democrat voted against Hegseth

These 6 Democrats voted FOR both Noem & Ratcliffe

Sen. Maggie Hassan (N.H.)
Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.)
Sen. Andy Kim (N.J.)
Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.)
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.)

Only 20 Democrats voted against both Noem & Ratcliffe

Baldwin (D-WI)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Duckworth (D-IL)
Heinrich (D-NM)
Hirono (D-HI)
Lujan (D-NM)
Markey (D-MA)
Murphy (D-CT)
Murray (D-WA)
Ossoff (D-GA)
Padilla (D-CA)
Reed (D-RI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schiff (D-CA)
Schumer (D-NY)
Van Hollen (D-MD)
Warren (D-MA)

[lame54]

59. Yes - Pennsylvania's Senator Manchin Sinema...

His betrayal counts as two

[Wiz Imp]

61. SMH

[niyad]

75. Please just stop this. Your "math" has no relevance to the actual vote count.

[lame54]

87. Please learn how to take a joke...

And pick up on how frustrated I am with Fetterman

[niyad]

96. I trust you will forgive me for not getting the "joke", considering some of the

jaw-dropping defense of that. . rather questionable nominee. Hoody guy is truly pissing me off, and he isn't even my senator (neither of mine voted for this disaster, although we are having a liitle chat about li'l marco).

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

105. Can't say I blame you.

[ProfessorGAC]

120. No Durbin?

On neither list.
I wonder why.

[Wiz Imp]

122. Durbin voted Yes on Ratcliffe and No on Noem.

The full list of those voting YES on Ratcliffe but NO on Noem

Alsobrooks (D-MD)
Bennet (D-CO)
Booker (D-NJ)
Coons (D-DE)
Durbin (D-IL)
Gallego (D-AZ)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Kelly (D-AZ)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Merkley (D-OR)
Rosen (D-NV)
Schatz (D-HI)
Smith (D-MN)
Warner (D-VA)
Warnock (D-GA)
Welch (D-VT)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

[ProfessorGAC]

123. Thanks! Read right past it.

[niyad]

74. Please stop this. Your "math" has no relevance to the actual vote count.

[Bluethroughu]

23. Despicable.

Keep normalizing these trash cans and we will not have a country left for a vote.

[Dem4life1234]

39. This!

I am so damn sick of this.

The piece of trash (I really want to say another word) killed a puppy and somehow she gets in?

[Nanuke]

25. What is wrong with them? Makes me sick.

[Jacson6]

26. When I was a kid my buddy had to put down his dog. It had Rage syndrome.

It is just a sad part of pet & live stock ownership.

[Think. Again.]

30. That isn't the reason Dems should be resisting fascism.

[niyad]

73. Go look up the puppy-killing story. It had absolutely nothing to do

with a sick dog.

[Cirsium]

27. Damn, damn, damn

Congratulations Peters and Slotkin! You just pulled the rug out from under 2,712,686 Democrats here in Michigan. I hope it was worth it. So many worked so hard to get you into office. Are we supposed to just accept this? You are normalizing the worst people in the country. That is not what we voted for, canvased for, contributed for. This a betrayal. Do you think we are stupid? That we will forget?

I am too upset to write any more about this.

[MIButterfly]

72. Thank you, Cirsium.

I totally agree.

[Think. Again.]

29. No nazi Sympathizers Allowed!

[Mz Pip]

32. Maybe, just maybe

some Democrats feel it’s time to stop saving Republicans from themselves. If they make things worse it’s on them.

[niyad]

95. Please explain how selling us out does that.

[Mz Pip]

100. Because

every time we rescue them by preventing what they really want to do from taking effect, their MAGA supporters don’t get to experience the consequences.

I doubt that’s really their motivation but sometimes I think the only way to get people to wake up is to for MAGA to be victimized. Tariffs are going to hurt everyone, not just the woke libtards. Increased drug prices hurt MAGA. Maybe they need to feel the pain to get it through their thick skulls that Trump’s policies really really suck and he doesn’t give a flying f… about them anymore.

[niyad]

116. You might want to watch politics girl's latest video, "What the F***?", and

possibky rethink things.

[Mountainguy]

33. Eating our own again?

More purity tests?

They voted for her because they think she's capable of doing the job she's nominated for. "Do I like her" isn't and shouldn't be part of the qualification.

[Walleye]

35. It's not about liking her, it's about unity being our power

[Autumn]

42. Seeing Democrats vote for a completly unqualified piece of trash being confirmed

to head the Department of Homeland Security and being upset at Democrats who voted for her is a purity test and eating our own. That boggles my fucking mind. Those democrats are unfit to hold a seat in our party if they think she's qualified to hold that position.

[Mountainguy]

55. Why is she unqualified?

[Autumn]

63. Her job is to get rid of immigrants and she has no compassion or empathy.

She will follow trump off a cliff and she echos his talk of invading Mexico. My question is what the fuck makes YOU think she qualified to head up Homeland security? Because a few democrats voted for her?

[Mountainguy]

64. She was the governor of a state and has

experience managing an organization of that size.

Whoever takes up Homeland is going to do what Trump wants

[Autumn]

66. A governor of S Dakota who has no compassion or empathy.

Any Democrat voting for her is not looking out for our people.

[Mountainguy]

67. So again, not qualified because you don't like her

[Autumn]

70. She's a fucking republican. I don't dislike her. I loath her and her fucking kind

The kind who will kiss the ass of a fucking rapist who hates all women unless they look like his daughter and he can grab their pussy.

[Oopsie Daisy]

111. That's the crux of it. I think you've nailed it.

[Celerity]

98. Kristi Noem Brings Even More Conflicts of Interest for Incoming Trump Administration

https://accountable.us/watchdog-kristi-noem-brings-even-more-conflicts-of-interest-for-incoming-trump-administration/

WASHINGTON, DC — A new analysis from government watchdog Accountable.US found Governor Kristi Noem (R-SD)’s family investments pose a potential conflict of interest if confirmed as President-elect Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). At issue are tens of thousands of dollars in investment in Granite Falls Energy—a “fuel-grade ethanol, distillers’ grains, and crude corn oil” company that exports ethanol and other products on the international market—that could benefit from Noem’s control of DHS. These investments appeared again in Noem’s ethics disclosure form made public this week.

Specifically, Granite Falls Energy LLC is invested in a controversial multi-billion dollar carbon dioxide pipeline likely to be overseen by DHS’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and could qualify for federal carbon sequestration payments. And the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which oversees exports, controls border crossings that affect the biofuels industry, and administers potential new tariffs on ethanol. If confirmed, Noem could be in the position to reduce inspections on export shipments and block new tariffs.

Noem’s investments add to a rapidly growing list of conflicts of interest for the incoming Trump administration that set the stage for special treatment for corporate interests at the expense of everyday Americans.

“Kristi Noem brings even more conflicts of interest and potential for corruption to the incoming Trump administration. Noem made no apologies when she was accused of abusing South Dakota taxpayer resources for her personal benefit, so it’d surprise no one if she used her newfound federal powers to grease the wheels for her family’s biofuel interests,” said Accountable.US Executive Director Tony Carrk.

https://sites.google.com/accountable.us/twr-factsheet-kristinoem/

snip

Pattern of abuse of power

A South Dakota ethics board found sufficient information that Noem may have “engaged in misconduct” when she intervened in her daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser license. The state paid $200,000 to settle a complaint from the agency director after she was later forced to retire by Noem’s labor secretary. Noem’s family members received $600,000 from a COVID-19 relief program, previously capped at $100,000 until Noem raised the cap. Noem’s use of a state plane “blurred the lines between official travel and attending family or political events,” prompting a state investigation.

Governance challenges

During Noem’s tenure, the South Dakota governor’s office had a rapid turnover. Mark Miller became Noem’s fifth chief of staff to depart the office, leaving the governor’s office without a chief of staff for over a year. Noem was criticized for the trend of out-of-state staffers completing short stints in the governor’s office, which detached them from institutional knowledge and local relationship-building.

Politics over leadership

A recent report details Noem’s decision not to deploy South Dakota’s National Guard amidst historic flooding that ruined homes and businesses. Noem said, “We have to be wise about how we use our soldiers.” Noem was traveling out of state to support Trump during a “critical point in the disaster.?? Noem had previously spent millions of taxpayer dollars to deploy the Guard to the US-Mexico border, which was one reason Trump nominated her to lead DHS. The Department of Homeland Security also includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which assists with flooding and other climate-related disasters.

Lack of experience

Kristi Noem has no experience in federal homeland security policy. Her time in Congress did not include a stint on the Homeland Security Committee. In her book, Noem described meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during her time in Congress and canceling a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron last year. The anecdotes appeared to be an attempt to bolster her foreign policy experience, but her office later admitted the book contained errors.

snip

[niyad]

117. As ever, thank you for most valuable information. Would you consider

posting this as its own OP, for wider visibility? Thanks in advance.

[Celerity]

119. done

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219951284

[Lunabell]

45. Whaever.

[Mountainguy]

56. Whatever

[Lunabell]

57. That too.

[niyad]

78. Please enlighten us as to her real, rather than imaginary, qualifications, apart

from being a loyalist to the F'n, murdering, orange, RAPIST/TRAITOR**/FELON34.

[Mountainguy]

81. She ran a state government

She's more than qualified to run homeland.

[niyad]

83. Tell me what positive things she did for the regular people in the state,

as opposed to the power brokers. And kindly address her sycophancy for the orange TRAITOR**. Your determined defense of her is fascinating.

[Mountainguy]

86. None of those things matter

The question was why should Democrats in senate have voted for her. The only answer anyone wanted to give was either "BECAUSE" or saying she was unqualified. Her qualifications are clearly in line with several other Homeland secs. Her accomplishments are a matter of opinion and she's a Republican, so you shouldn't expect that her definition of positive action and yours aren't the same.

And question me all you want. I'm not the one here bashing Democrats.

[niyad]

97. No, instead, you are DEFENDING republicans, or at least one of them. A most

interesting state of affairs. On being asked to name one useful, positive thing she did for SD, you demur, claiming such is irrelevant. So she ran a state. .bfd, so do other fucked-up, incompetent people. She fucked up her state's covid response, and she could not even set foot on tribal lands. oh yeah, that is the person I want running TRAITOR**'s dept of brownshirts.

But do, please, keep defending her. Frankly, I need the laughs.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

88. She didn't do diddly squat but pose and posture. She's going to run for President in '28

South Dakota would vote for Charles Manson if he ran in the state as a Republican. The days of Tom Daschle and Tim Johnson (both Democratic senators and both very good people) are long gone in my home state.

I only visit my mom there now, who would rather be almost anywhere else. Even Senator Thune couldn't stand her when she was the state's sole Rep.

[Mountainguy]

92. I'm sure she will

But future political aspirations are also not part of the consideration.

[Oopsie Daisy]

110. It's insane, isn't it? Smearing and denigrating Democrats helps nothing...

... it fact it hurts. It divides and weakens our party, which only benefits the GOP.

[Walleye]

34. Dammit Democrats, say no to everything. How hard can that be. No need to decide. Just say no.

[niyad]

118. Have you seen politics girl's latest: "What the F***?" She agrees with you.

[Bobstandard]

38. Their excuse is their next election prospects

They’ll say the Republicans had the votes to get it done so they didn’t want to alienate Trumpers, MAGAts, etc, when the next election comes around. The assume that no matter how bad they are, we’ll support them simply for the D next to their name. It’s easy to see that most of all they care about themselves. No profiles in courage here.

[mac56]

40. Dog gone.

[Wiz Imp]

41. Purity tests that require ALL Democrats to oppose every one of Trump's nominees

Will lead to a Senate with only 25-30 Democrats total by 2028 or 2030.

Understand, that not a single Republican voted against Noem so she would have been confirmed even without a single Democratic vote so their votes had absolutely no impact.

[Autumn]

44. Bull. Capitulation to those fucking bat shit crazy republicans will make damn

fucking sure there is a Senate with only 25-30 Democrats by 2028.

[Wiz Imp]

50. Not a single Democrat has cast a yes vote for any nominee that has had any impact on the result.

Until that happens, requiring every Democrat to oppose every Republican is pointless since it accomplishes nothing. The nominees are confirmed anyway. No capitulation involved.

[SayItLoud]

43. No leadership in the Senate now:

Dems are adrift. Still sending me dozens of texts for $. Not a F'n dime going there way until we have leadership, a MESSAGE and a messaging operation that works.

[yankee87]

46. Republicans Rule with Democrats help

There should be zero Democrats helping MAGA. I fear we’ll be left in the dust if we don’t get some courage

[Wiz Imp]

69. Democrats didn't help MAGA. Nominees only need 50 Republican votes. Noem got 52.

Democratic votes had no impact.

[Dem4life1234]

49. Of course it's never DEI when it's their side!

She's so unqualified!

[Abstractartist]

53. This is a major problem

If this party thinks working with this president is the answer, then this party is going to have a MAJOR rejection of any democrat running in ‘26 and beyond. Every Senator that voted to put Noem in should be censored and if around in 26, have their committee assignments stripped, then primaried.

[Wiz Imp]

68. Go ahead and do that. I hope you'll be happy with a Senate with only 40 Democrats

Because I guarantee such action would lead to losing all of those seats.

[jalan48]

54. And the rose colored glasses are coming off. This is our government folks.

[Scubamatt]

58. I am beside myself with anger

with our "leadership"; I get that the Pukes likely had the votes to get her through, but these votes undercut the message that Trump is nominating the most extreme fanatics ever. Once again, Dem leadership seems more interested in showing that "they will work with the president" than in demonstrating how extreme these fascists are across the board. And please don't start with me that we couldn't have won any way. Fighting on all fronts with strong consistent messaging: lays the foundation for when Trump overplays his hand; AND helps keep morale up in the rank and file. Pukes know this and do it well. How many of Biden's or Obama's cabinet nominations got SEVEN (!) Puke votes?

[Wiz Imp]

71. RE: "How many of Biden's or Obama's cabinet nominations got SEVEN (!) Puke votes?"

For Biden it was 12 out of 15. And those 12 all got at least 14 Republican votes. And a 13th got 6 Republican votes. The other 2 nominees got 1 and 4 Republican votes respectively. Not a single Biden nominee was opposed by every Republican.

For Obama, there were a total of 32 cabinet nominees because he served 8 years and numerous cabinet members left in the middle of his term. Of those 32, 9 were confirmed via voice vote which effectively means 0 no votes. 2 were 100-0, and 2 more were 97-10. Only 6 got less than 70 total votes. Only 4 got less than 60 total votes. Only 1 of Obama's nominees was opposed by every Republican.

Even in 2017, 7 of Trump's 14 cabinet nominees got at least 15 Democratic votes. Democrats' willingness to vote for many of Trump's nominees certainly didn't seem to hurt the Democrats in the 2018 & 2020 elections.

[stillcool]

80. thank you for taking the time to

explain that. Means a lot.

[Wiz Imp]

90. No problem. A lot of people seem to think it is normal for the opposition party to oppose the vast majority

of a President's cabinet nominations. In reality, Trump in 2017 has been the only president in history (until now) where the vast majority of his cabinet nominees were NOT approved by the vast majority of opposition party Senators.

Republicans historically don't oppose Democratic Presidents' cabinet nominees except in rare cases. They know the nominees are going to be confirmed anyway. They save their fight for legislation and judicial nominees where they can have an impact and make a difference.

[betsuni]

104. Thank you.

[Scubamatt]

93. Thanks for the details

I stand corrected ; thanks for talking me off the ledge - I hope you're right about it not coming back to haunt us.

[yaesu]

60. Appeasing the Nazis never looks good on a resume. nt

[ZRB]

62. It's called politics

It's amazing how few people, even on a political discussion board, have any idea how the government and politics actually work. It's cringey.

[dem4decades]

77. Remember how everyone wanted Manchin out, even though he gave us the majority? I'd take him and the majority in

a heartbeat now.

[niyad]

79. Amazingly enough, a great many people on this political discussion board

know exactly how politics work, but, hey, nice insult.

[ZRB]

106. It's about being re-elected...

…in a Senate map that’s only getting more hostile. The outrage should be saved for consequential votes.

[BunkieBandit]

85. This is Democratic Underground !!

Not let's play along to get along dot com.

[Scubamatt]

94. The problem

is that since Trump's rise, normal politics don't seem to apply - at least not for him and his cronies. It's not that folks don't understand politics - it's that Trump has rewritten the rules without consequence and to many of us, it seems like our side still believes the old rules apply. Until someone sane gets control of the Republican party, the old rules/protocols don't apply.

[onenote]

99. So is this the new standard? A purity test in which any Democrat that votes for any Trump nominee is a DINO

who no longer deserves or should receive our support?

Folks are going to need a bigger bus if that's the standard for tossing elected Democrats under it.

[betsuni]

103. Thank you.

They seem to confuse it with being activists/private citizens who aren't representing constituents (and don't have more information and experience doing their jobs than people on a message board) but saying/doing whatever they want as personal opinion, a government of one. Then comes the whining and purity tests.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

82. WTF?!?!

[niyad]

84. Disgusting, is it not?

[bdamomma]

108. She's

unqualified and a loyalist to the felon. Because he is a weak sick sociopath among other things.

[Emile]

109. This centrist behavior is why we couldn't have a public option

when they passed the Affordable Care Act.

[Oopsie Daisy]

112. Centrist behavior is why we have the ACA in the first place.

Try not to bite the hand ...

[Emile]

113. The centrists voted for it, only because it didn't have a public option.

So in a way you are correct.

[Passages]

114. What is the net gain for the country?

Who benefits?

I don't understand the votes for Marco Rubio either, he is allegedly the "normal" Republican?

[Emile]

115. Good question!