House Dems united on 88% of 2005 votes -- many credit Pelosi

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: House Leader Keeps Diverse Democrats on Common Course
Under Nancy Pelosi, party members have held together on 88% of votes. But not everyone in her camp is happy.

By Mark Z. Barabak, Times Staff Writer


....As the highest-ranking woman in congressional history, the 65-year-old Pelosi can boast a number of accomplishments. She has helped the party raise record sums of money, helped recruit a strong crop of candidates for November and presided over the most unified group of House Democrats — as measured by party-line votes — in many years....

***

But there are still plenty of Democrats who fret that having a liberal, a San Francisco liberal, as House leader reinforces Democrats' wobbly image on defense and national security, boosting the odds against capturing the 15 seats the party needs to win control of the chamber....

***

...Congressional Quarterly reports that in 2005, Democrats were more unified than at any time in the past half century. The typically discordant lawmakers hung together for votes on energy policy, Social Security and the federal budget, 88% of the time in all, while Republicans were unified just under 90% of the time. Some of the credit goes to Bush and the GOP's combative House leadership, which has galvanized Democrats in opposition. There is also greater homogeneity in the ranks of both parties, as the number of centrists has shrunk.

But Congress-watchers say much of the credit goes to Pelosi, who has served as a combination den mother — perennially reaching out to members to hear their concerns — and strict disciplinarian, cracking down on those deemed less than team players.

In a case that Pelosi allies happily publicized, she threatened last month to remove Democratic Rep. Edolphus Towns of New York from a prized seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee after he defected on a pair of high-profile votes. Towns declined to comment for this article....


http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-pelosi23jan23,0,5874189.story

[merbex]

1. A couple of comments: I should look as good as Nancy Pelosi

when I'm 65

And

I hope she "disciplines" Stephen Lynch DINO - MA

That Schiavo vote of his plus others are a disgrace to the blue state of MA

[FightinNewDem]

4. "DINO"?

For god's sake, can we please put a stop to this idiotic practice of throwing around the epithet "DINO"?

Remember what "DINO" stands for. Democrat In Name Only.

Not "Democrat Who Sometimes Has An Opinion Different Than Mine".

Not "Democrat Whose Life Experiences And Core Beliefs Lead Him To A Different Conclusion On Occasion".

Not "Democrat Who Comes From A Political And Faith Tradition That Is Not My Own".

Steven Lynch is a loyal, tough-as-nails labor Democrat. He is a former iron worker who put himself through school by working construction in downtown Boston. Sure, he is a bit conservative on some social issues, but h is entirely in step with his South Boston and South Shore constituents.

[FreedomAngel82]

6. Nancy isn't a DINO

I've been following her since 2005 in January after Bush's little State of the Union and she isn't a DINO. She's a pretty good leader in the House. I don't agree with her on some things, like her current stance on impeachment or at least how she is wording it. I think she is trying to tell how we should vote to control the House again so we can do something without turning off voters or something. But other wise I think she's done very well with handling the press conferences and keeping people together for the most part. In the end she can't control a person and what he/she does but I think she does a good job. :) I hope she's the leader when we take back the House and can impeach Bush. Wouldn't she be president then? And I agree about her age. I didn't know she was sixty-five! Wow.

[merbex]

11. Lucky, lucky me -I can get up every day and know that if I contact

my Congressman, Bill Delahunt, his staff will be courteous and responsive

I can totally sympathise with Lynch's constituents- MANY of whom I have met who do not happen to reside within the narrow,insular parameter that is South Boston- who are not able to get responses that even Repug congressman and women give their constituents when they contact them about an issue that is important to them even if it diametrically opposed to that Repug's views

And BEST OF ALL Lynch's constituents DO NOT HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ACCEPT such shoddy service and votes that DO NOT REFLECT their district or their state. They can vote this coming September for an alternative because Stephen Lynch has a DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY opponent.

And even if he (shudder) manages to pull the primary off he still has to face the fact that MA is most likely going to lose a Congressional seat after the next census. Most people I communicate with are DETERMINED to see that his seat is the one on the chopping block

[FightinNewDem]

12. Lynch had a primary

Lynch had a primary.

Cheryl Jacques pummeled him from the left.

He won handily.

Deal with it.

[merbex]

14. Touched a nerve? My ,my but that was back in his first run for the

OPEN seat because of Moakley's death

Now Lynchie boy has his own record to run on, excuse me, RUN FROM

Just remember this: South Boston is not the be all and end all of that district. There are MANY 9th district constituents that are very unhappy with his votes

He may win his primary, but it's pretty telling that he alone, out of our entire Congressional delegation, is the only one with a primary opponent

Whatever happens MA is going to lose a seat and I heard this weekend we may even lose 2

Lynch is outta here this Sept or when redistricting happens

You deal with it

[FightinNewDem]

15. Let's Cut To The Chase

You seem to have issues with South Boston, don't you?

Perhaps we should cut to the chase and say what you mean. You have an axe to grind with blue collar Irish, and you see Lynch as a grubby Southie mick who is holding a seat that deserves to be in the hands of someone of more delicate sensibilities and refined tastes.

It always amuses me when some on the Left think that this sort of thing goes unnoticed. Anti-Catholicism (particularly when irish Catholics are involved) remains the one acceptable prejudice among many of the self-styled intelligentsia. It reeks of elitism, snobbery, and arrogance. If you want the Dems to win, then you need to win in places like Manchester, Butte, and Scranton. When you piss on the heads of many folks who tend to lean Democratic (but who are put off by cultural/social elitism), you do the GOP's work for them.

[merbex]

16. I have issues with a MA Congressman who votes with Tom Delay

on the Terry Schiavo vote

I have issues with a MA congressman who does not defend a right to privacy in instances such as the Schiavo case which could happen to any family, or a women's decision to be in charge of her own reproductive healthcare

I have issues with a MA Congressman who up until mere WEEKS ago was a rah rah cheerleader for this War in Iraq

I have issues with a MA Congressman who is not responsive to his constituents who have valid concerns in these areas. People from Bridgewater, Stoughton, Easton, Brockton, Westwood -and I could go on listing the towns these people come from WHO HAVE CONTACTED HIS OFFICE AND BEEN TREATED RUDELY

The points I have raised have NOTHING to do with anti Catholic bias -NOTHING

As far as South Boston goes - it doesn't get its own Congressional district exclusive unto its geographic location. He represents the 9th District and when people with a different zip code than Southie's call or write his office they should be treated with respect

The problem with Lynch is he thinks he ONLY represents South Boston

If he keeps it up he's out of a job

[gimama]

2. Pelosi SF Town Hall a wk or so ago

..saw it on the Cspan, and she had her hands FULL. Even 'supporters' were protesting her position regarding IMPEACHMENT,Iraq,Katrina,other issues.
CodePINK stood in front of the stage the entire time. Although I'm not a Pelosi fan, I was impressed at how she maintained her..uh,dignity. Sure wish she'd lead the party to IMPEACH,get more behind such mavricks as Conyers, Murtha..now THERE's some LEADERSHIP!

[FreedomAngel82]

7. I agree

I saw a good bit of that and she did well. She didn't tell the protesters to be quiet or send them out like Bush would have and she let them come up and stand in front of her with their respective signs. She took it really well and answered their question's and on her position. Everything except that I'm on the same side as her. Maybe when more comes out about the NSA spying she'll get on the impeachment ball. Maybe some of the people she represents needs to pressure her more on it and show her why she should be on it.

[bluestateguy]

3. Pelosi is a good leader

And she won the vote on the Medicare drug bill in 2003. It's just that the Republicans cheated by bribing a congressman and keeping the vote open an extra three hours.

[FreedomAngel82]

8. She did pretty good with

either NAFTA or CAFTA. I can't remember which one. Even Ford junior from Memphis voted against it.

[KittyWampus]

5. But Pelosi Is Spineless & Needs To Be Replacesd

at least according to the Reactionary Screamers who dominate this forum.

[FreedomAngel82]

10. Well in that case

they just aren't paying enough attention to her. :) Since she's the leader in the House I follow her as much as I do Reid. They're a great team together.

[rodeodance]

9. I am glad she is getting some credit.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

13. As I've Stated Before, I Think She's Done A Great Job.

I'm proud of her, and hope she ratchets up the level even more this coming year.