Answer: They are Landrieu, Feinstein, Nelson, McCaskill, Bayh

[TheDebbieDee]

and now Specter, among others.

Question: Who are Democratic senators that CANNOT be counted on to vote in favor of the issues that are important to me, Alex!

Sen. Specter will be another walking "monkey wrench" in the Dems plans. What do you think?

[Ian David]

1. You forgot Byrd. n/t

[KamaAina]

5. And Lincoln (D-Wal-Mart).

:P

[bvar22]

24. And Pryor (D. Wal-Mart)...

and don't forget Lieberman. He's not even sure which party he belongs to, so he votes the Republicans on all issues concerning Money/The Rich, WAR, and Israel.

There is also the other Nelson who is a Republican at heart and wallet.

On Edit: That is why the magical 60-Vote Majority is just so much bullshit. With the current batch of "Democratic" Senators, you couldn't pass a Progressive bill with a 75 vote majority.

[TheDebbieDee]

6. He can go in the "among others" category............

Long story short, there are too many conservative Dems in the Democratic party.

[Supersedeas]

2. look as the list of Dems that voted for the Military Commissions Act

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. Sad but true.

We don't have 60 Democrats, even with Franken.

We have somewhere between 40 - 45 Democrats and 15 - 20 Repuke traitors in Democratic clothing.

And I'm being generous with the 40 - 45, since a great many of them are far less than reliable at times.

[OKNancy]

4. but he would have voted the same way as a Republican, so

it really doesn't matter. I also predict he will change on some things once he is in the Dem caucus.

[LSparkle]

7. And Udall and Tester and Lincoln and Pryor ...

I'm starting to agree with a poster who wondered earlier
today whether Rove had suggested that moderate Thugs become
DINOs and infiltrate the Democratic Party.

And I thought Obama's victory signalled the end of the DLC ...

[Ian David]

8. To let them campaign on OUR DIME. n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

19. Udall and Tester hurt my heart. They really do. I thought they were much more populist.

[glitch]

22. Udall especially. Had much higher hopes for him. nt

[sampsonblk]

9. Specter is much better than Lieberman

He has real arguments that you can agree or disagree with. Unlike Joe Lieberman, who jumped on the terra terra terra train and never jumped off.

Specter is a thinking man. I disagree with him on some issues, but he always has reasoned arguments. I respect that.

[jgraz]

14. The turd my dog left this morning is better than Lieberman

Just sayin...

[endarkenment]

10. Yes but now he is our monkey wrench.

And that really does make a difference. Specter will vote D on many issues, issues that as an R he might have voted against cloture on out of party loyalty. The Obstruct and Attack strategy that Dear Fat Leader pushed on Teh Party of Stupid is now in shambles.

[Dogmudgeon]

11. Too bad!

What law says that you can't lobby them? You'll never be able to count on them to support your issues if they can't count on YOU to make your desires known.

I don't understand the mindset of being a progressive, but expecting legislators from other states to read your mind and vote the way you want them to. It's passivity. The only reason why these legislators do not vote to your tastes is because other people lobby them, but you don't.

Government does not exist to satisfy our desires, but to do our business. That requires hands-on management. I know that I, as a progressive, won't get my tush kissed, but at least my legislators will know what I want of them. Including Arlen Specter. (Yes, I'm from Pennsylvania.) When more of us lobby them, the more progressive they will become. Sitting around complaining about DINOs and the DLC and Traitors and corporations is a mug's game.

Write a note to Specter. Go ahead. He may not read every letter individually, but his staff does. Your lobbying matters. Write to a bunch of legislators, yours and others'. Recruit a few other people to do the same.

These guys LIVE for this kind of thing. Make sure the voices they hear are Progressive.

--d!

[jgraz]

12. This is the problem with having the Pugs collapse

Everyone will flock to the Dem lifeboat, and the party will become far more conservative as a result.

[RufusTFirefly]

15. Perhaps what we need is a FOUR-party system

1. A party for the fundies
2. A party for the paleocons
3. A party for the corporatists
4. A party for progressives

[nichomachus]

16. Hell, I'd settle for a two-party system

Instead of one party -- the Corporate Party -- with it's two rights wings, Democratic and Republican.

[jgraz]

25. What he said ^^^

:thumbsup:

[sampsonblk]

20. Good thinking

I think its depends on our party leadership (or lack thereof). Some right wingers will never cross over.

I think its much more likely that we will end up with several minor parties. I think that's great.

[glitch]

23. Until it gets too big and has to split into the Dems and the Progressives

No more fascists, just centrists and leftists :woohoo:

[RufusTFirefly]

13. Yup. One more way of blackmailing us to move further to the Right. n/t

[Pacifist Patriot]

17. That would be Nelsons plural.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

18. Don't forget BOTH Nelsons, Ben and Bill. Include Casey, Udall in that mix...

[Zen Democrat]

21. I think Specter will be a much better Dem than Ben Nelson!

Arlen will need President Obama to campaign for him next year. He'll be onboard.