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In reply to the discussion: The Seven Lying Democrats That Betrayed Democracy, and Joined GOP on HR 368 to Deny Vote on Clean CR [View all]woo me with science
(32,139 posts)23. And again we are conned. The familiar "rotating villains" strategy.
Last edited Mon Oct 14, 2013, 07:07 PM - Edit history (1)
We are being played by corporatists in both parties. Again.
These are not rogues. They are the designated villains for this round. This is the same con our own corporate-purchased party plays on us, over and over again.
http://www.salon.com/2010/02/23/democrats_34/
Tuesday, Feb 23, 2010 11:24 AM UTC
The Democratic Partys deceitful game
They are willing to bravely support any progressive bill as long as there's no chance it can pass
By Glenn Greenwald
Democrats perpetrate the same scam over and over on their own supporters, and this illustrates perfectly how its played:
.... Rockefeller was willing to be a righteous champion for the public option as long as it had no chance of passing...But now that Democrats are strongly considering the reconciliation process which will allow passage with only 50 rather than 60 votes and thus enable them to enact a public option Rockefeller is suddenly inclined to oppose it because he doesnt think the timing of it is very good and its too partisan. What strange excuses for someone to make with regard to a provision that he claimed, a mere five months ago (when he knew it couldnt pass), was such a moral and policy imperative that he would not relent in ensuring its enactment.
The Obama White House did the same thing. As I wrote back in August, the evidence was clear that while the President was publicly claiming that he supported the public option, the White House, in private, was doing everything possible to ensure its exclusion from the final bill (in order not to alienate the health insurance industry by providing competition for it). Yesterday, Obama while having his aides signal that they would use reconciliation if necessary finally unveiled his first-ever health care plan as President, and guess what it did not include? The public option, which he spent all year insisting that he favored oh-so-much but sadly could not get enacted: Gosh, I really want the public option, but we just dont have 60 votes for it; what can I do?. As I documented in my contribution to the NYT forum yesterday, now that theres a 50-vote mechanism to pass it, his own proposed bill suddenly excludes it.
This is what the Democratic Party does...Theyre willing to feign support for anything their voters want just as long as theres no chance that they can pass it. They won control of Congress in the 2006 midterm elections by pretending they wanted to compel an end to the Iraq War and Bush surveillance and interrogation abuses because they knew they would not actually do so; and indeed, once they were given the majority, the Democratic-controlled Congress continued to fund the war without conditions, to legalize Bushs eavesdropping program, and to do nothing to stop Bushs habeas and interrogation abuses (Gosh, what can we do? We just dont have 60 votes).
The primary tactic in this game is Villain Rotation. They always have a handful of Democratic Senators announce that they will be the ones to deviate this time from the ostensible party position and impede success, but the designated Villain constantly shifts, so the Party itself can claim it supports these measures while an always-changing handful of their members invariably prevent it. One minute, its Jay Rockefeller as the Prime Villain leading the way in protecting Bush surveillance programs and demanding telecom immunity; the next minute, its Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Schumer joining hands and breaking with their party to ensure Michael Mukaseys confirmation as Attorney General; then its Big Bad Joe Lieberman single-handedly blocking Medicare expansion; then its Blanche Lincoln and Jim Webb joining with Lindsey Graham to support the de-funding of civilian trials for Terrorists; and now that they cant blame Lieberman or Ben Nelson any longer on health care (since they dont need 60 votes), Jay Rockefeller voluntarily returns to the Villain Role, stepping up to put an end to the pretend-movement among Senate Democrats to enact the public option via reconciliation.
Tuesday, Feb 23, 2010 11:24 AM UTC
The Democratic Partys deceitful game
They are willing to bravely support any progressive bill as long as there's no chance it can pass
By Glenn Greenwald
Democrats perpetrate the same scam over and over on their own supporters, and this illustrates perfectly how its played:
.... Rockefeller was willing to be a righteous champion for the public option as long as it had no chance of passing...But now that Democrats are strongly considering the reconciliation process which will allow passage with only 50 rather than 60 votes and thus enable them to enact a public option Rockefeller is suddenly inclined to oppose it because he doesnt think the timing of it is very good and its too partisan. What strange excuses for someone to make with regard to a provision that he claimed, a mere five months ago (when he knew it couldnt pass), was such a moral and policy imperative that he would not relent in ensuring its enactment.
The Obama White House did the same thing. As I wrote back in August, the evidence was clear that while the President was publicly claiming that he supported the public option, the White House, in private, was doing everything possible to ensure its exclusion from the final bill (in order not to alienate the health insurance industry by providing competition for it). Yesterday, Obama while having his aides signal that they would use reconciliation if necessary finally unveiled his first-ever health care plan as President, and guess what it did not include? The public option, which he spent all year insisting that he favored oh-so-much but sadly could not get enacted: Gosh, I really want the public option, but we just dont have 60 votes for it; what can I do?. As I documented in my contribution to the NYT forum yesterday, now that theres a 50-vote mechanism to pass it, his own proposed bill suddenly excludes it.
This is what the Democratic Party does...Theyre willing to feign support for anything their voters want just as long as theres no chance that they can pass it. They won control of Congress in the 2006 midterm elections by pretending they wanted to compel an end to the Iraq War and Bush surveillance and interrogation abuses because they knew they would not actually do so; and indeed, once they were given the majority, the Democratic-controlled Congress continued to fund the war without conditions, to legalize Bushs eavesdropping program, and to do nothing to stop Bushs habeas and interrogation abuses (Gosh, what can we do? We just dont have 60 votes).
The primary tactic in this game is Villain Rotation. They always have a handful of Democratic Senators announce that they will be the ones to deviate this time from the ostensible party position and impede success, but the designated Villain constantly shifts, so the Party itself can claim it supports these measures while an always-changing handful of their members invariably prevent it. One minute, its Jay Rockefeller as the Prime Villain leading the way in protecting Bush surveillance programs and demanding telecom immunity; the next minute, its Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Schumer joining hands and breaking with their party to ensure Michael Mukaseys confirmation as Attorney General; then its Big Bad Joe Lieberman single-handedly blocking Medicare expansion; then its Blanche Lincoln and Jim Webb joining with Lindsey Graham to support the de-funding of civilian trials for Terrorists; and now that they cant blame Lieberman or Ben Nelson any longer on health care (since they dont need 60 votes), Jay Rockefeller voluntarily returns to the Villain Role, stepping up to put an end to the pretend-movement among Senate Democrats to enact the public option via reconciliation.
DUer leveymg and others have correctly identified what is really going on here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3839411
67. It's because this lunacy is all a quite rational way to propel the Center-Right Austerity agenda.
That's precisely why I don't believe this BS about 40 Teahadis being responsible for the "crisis."
A partial shutdown suits the deficit hawks in both parties just fine, since it's been adjusted so it doesn't actually impact payrolls in the military and Intelligence agencies. This is simply austerity and cuts to social programs without anyone having to actually vote for it, and that's making the Center-Right smile.
Of course, they won't allow actual default of the debt - the "threat" of that just another psychological device to make this seem like a real crisis. It's not - it's simply austerity by default.
67. It's because this lunacy is all a quite rational way to propel the Center-Right Austerity agenda.
That's precisely why I don't believe this BS about 40 Teahadis being responsible for the "crisis."
A partial shutdown suits the deficit hawks in both parties just fine, since it's been adjusted so it doesn't actually impact payrolls in the military and Intelligence agencies. This is simply austerity and cuts to social programs without anyone having to actually vote for it, and that's making the Center-Right smile.
Of course, they won't allow actual default of the debt - the "threat" of that just another psychological device to make this seem like a real crisis. It's not - it's simply austerity by default.
Wake up, America. We had a few good months in which the American people were united and seemed to have an awakening realization that we are being played by corporatists on both sides.
It's still happening.
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The Seven Lying Democrats That Betrayed Democracy, and Joined GOP on HR 368 to Deny Vote on Clean CR [View all]
kpete
Oct 2013
OP
Presumably Boehner could force another rule change to take control back from Cantor
BlueStreak
Oct 2013
#1
Were you unable to recall Gifford's name or is there some sort of derision involved?
Nuclear Unicorn
Oct 2013
#97
OK, but why not focus on what she's done that you don't like rather than her being shot in the head?
Nuclear Unicorn
Oct 2013
#99
They can't be that stupid, they knew what Cantor stood for and what would happen as a result. n/t
Uncle Joe
Oct 2013
#14
It makes no sense. There were already 221 GOP votes. Their votes weren't needed to pass it.
SunSeeker
Oct 2013
#20
Because now the meme can be that both Dems and Republicans voted against a clean CR...
CoffeeCat
Oct 2013
#72
They weren't even needed. There were already 221 GOP votes; only 217 was needed to pass.
SunSeeker
Oct 2013
#24
Barrow is a waste of skin. Trying to appease the Ga repukes who still hate him
NightWatcher
Oct 2013
#22
And again we are conned. The familiar "rotating villains" strategy.
woo me with science
Oct 2013
#23
It was not that close. There were 4 -5 spare GOP votes. These DINO's 7 were totally unnecessary.
SunSeeker
Oct 2013
#69
As per the unwritten rules for obligatory corporate Dem propaganda responses,
woo me with science
Oct 2013
#102
The propaganda will always be mystified at why Democrats betrayed us "this time."
woo me with science
Oct 2013
#140
Other than these 7, there have been remarkably few "betrayals" in this shutdown crisis.
SunSeeker
Oct 2013
#141
Having been shown your GG theory isn't applicable here, you resort to personal attacks.
SunSeeker
Oct 2013
#117
Arguing that my accurate description of the *arguments* and *tactics* in your posts
woo me with science
Oct 2013
#136
Calling me a "corporate Dem" is a personal attack, is factually wrong and is bullying.
SunSeeker
Oct 2013
#139
Are you saying these 7 did it because they wanted to provide cover to Republicans?
SunSeeker
Oct 2013
#82
Thanks for the great informative post. I had figured out about half of this, but
GoneFishin
Oct 2013
#67
They are seven nobodies. Less than zero, given what they've done. nt
Bernardo de La Paz
Oct 2013
#26
Is there a single district in this nation which elected a Democrat yet supports a shutdown?
Bjorn Against
Oct 2013
#45
Yes. I disagree with that. Winning the next election should not be the end game.
cui bono
Oct 2013
#86
Those representatives did serve the public interest. They didn't threaten the vote result --
pnwmom
Oct 2013
#87
More evidence that the Democratic Party leadership has been taken over by conservatives.
Scuba
Oct 2013
#68
Remember if you donate to the DNC these nitwits will most likely get part of it.
rhett o rick
Oct 2013
#71
I'm sure there are pork barrel government contracts in their districts on the chopping block
Snake Plissken
Oct 2013
#108
CAREERIST! There many people in public office who simply look at their positions as their careers.
Douglas Carpenter
Oct 2013
#81
the vote to shut down the government is extremely unpopular - it would have hardly been risky
Douglas Carpenter
Oct 2013
#92
I understand that real politic does mean sometimes compromising one's principles - hell it doesn't
Douglas Carpenter
Oct 2013
#95
If their districts are so feverishly far right that they can't avoid joining ranks with the sedition
TheKentuckian
Oct 2013
#123
Its the three from Minnesota and New York I don't get. How desperate for a job are they ....
marble falls
Oct 2013
#107