Modertate/Conservative Senate Dems may, once again, screw POTUS & the rest of us:

[Pirate Smile]

* Out of touch Senate to vote down Obama’s jobs bill today: We already know that the Senate will not muster anything close to the 60 votes that are necessary to overcome a GOP filibuster when it votes on Obama’s jobs bill tonight. That’s a no-brainer. What’s more to the point is that we don’t even know if a simple majority of the Senate will vote for it — even though the plan and its provisions have solid public support.

That’s because of uniform GOP opposition, yes, but it’s also because some Senate Dems are still wavering in their support for the jobs bill because of the tax hikes on the rich and other provisions. If Dem Senate leaders can’t prevent defections, and can’t muster a majority for the bill, Republicans will be able to argue that there’s meaningful bipartisan opposition to the it, perhaps blunting Obama’s message that the GOP is the only obstacle to the majority’s desire for progress on jobs — a message he intends to continue taking on the road through the end of the year.

The key provisions in the jobs bill have strong public support. They are backed by majorities of moderates and independents. Unemployment is basically a national emergency. Yet we’re now at the point where we don’t even know if a simple majority of the Senate will support a sensible, balanced measure to deal with that emergency — Dems can only afford to lose two defectors — that contains ideas that both parties have supported in the past.

It’s understandable that Harry Reid is lamenting GOP obstructionism and filibuster abuse in a new WaPo Op ed today. But what does it say that not even all Democrats, and perhaps not even a simple majority of the Senate, will support action in the face of this national crisis? What makes the disconnect between the public and the Senate even clearer is that Obama’s jobs tour has actually succeeded in building public support for the bill in recent weeks — yet if anything, opinion in the Senate is heading in the opposite direction.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line

Same people that caused all the problems during Obama's first two years. Grrrr.

Democrats scramble to save face on President Obama's jobs bill

By Erik Wasson - 10/10/11 08:14 PM ET

Democratic leaders in the Senate are scrambling to avoid defections on President Obama’s jobs package, which appears headed for defeat on Tuesday.

A lack of Democratic unity on the president’s bill would be embarrassing for the White House, which has been scolding House Republicans for refusing to vote on the measure.

-snip-
Despite the changes, the legislation still does not enjoy the support of all 53 senators who caucus with the Democrats. A handful of Democrats are undecided or leaning no on the bill.

Democrats who will vote no or are leaning no include Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Jon Tester (Mont.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.), who all hail from red states and are up for reelection next year.

Republican and Democratic analysts say it will be politically difficult for Obama to blame the GOP for blocking the bill if more than a few conservative Democrats break ranks.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/186635-democrats-scramble-to-save-face-on-jobs-bill

[ClassWarrior]

1. That's why I won't be an Obama team leader this time.

I plan to help elect a very liberal Democrat to the U.S. Senate.

NGU.

[abelenkpe]

3. Good!

That is what we need to concentrate on. More liberal dems to congress and in local elections. That's how reps are messing with dems anyway able to block things in congress and pass all kinds of anti union and anti choice laws at state levels. Also refusing funds for extending unemployment, Medicaid, etc. Reps have been willfully destroying as much as possible. Also making it more difficult to vote. We need a fifty state strategy that also focuses on congress and local elections.

[great white snark]

6. Would you support a Blue Dog over a Republican?

If your very liberal Democrat doesn't pan out.

[Dragonfli]

9. a Blue Dog is a Republican, just one that runs as a Democrat for political reasons

Why else do you think they back the Republicans with both votes and rhetoric?

[Vicar In A Tutu]

13. They actually do much, much, much, much less damage as Republicans.

They only serve to make the Democratic Party look weak, and then cause abject idiots to blame Obama for not being able to pass certain things.

[Pirate Smile]

15. I agree. They suck as Democrats but are still much better then Republicans.

Of course, the degree to which they continually undercut the Democratic message and unity weighs against how much better they are .... :(

[geek tragedy]

2. Fucking Tester. I expect this shit from DINO Ben and DINO Joe.

But Tester, cmon man.

[Pirate Smile]

4. It is so stupid! These are popular!

[Mass]

5. Where did you get that Tester was not a DINO?

[OHdem10]

7. Democrats and Republicans had better get this throught their

heads---The New Poor are the Middle Class. People
falling out of the Middle Class into Poverty is
something serious. This is why the country is going
in the wrong direction.

Both Parties had better think long and hard as they
protect the Rich and Powerful.

[salinen]

8. They've already sold the farm

The rich and powerful now decide how much richer and more powerful they wish to become.

[leftynyc]

10. Harry needs to issue threats

Committee assignments, pork - everything should be on the table. I'm sick to death of Democrats screwing over their own party.

[kenfrequed]

11. Ben Nelson

Is a goddamned blight and should be voted out asap. Primary the bastard! Hang WallStreet around his neck and get rid of him and the republicans.

[PragmaticLiberal]

12. And some folks actually think Obama could have gotten the public option.....

[ProSense]

14. Lieberman:

Via Daily Kos



Ugh!

[Pirate Smile]

17. I read that he will vote yes so the bill can go forward to debate though.

It will be nice when Lieberman is gone and a real Dem takes that Connecticut Senate seat.

Since I don't watch Faux, I don't worry about seeing him on there as a contributor relatively soon after he leaves the Senate.

[Pirate Smile]

23. Yep. I just read that Lieberman will vote yes - but then he wants to amend the Bill.

[Safetykitten]

16. The poor President. Only if he had more power, more of a powerfull position.

is there one? I mean being the President is such a weak position. Is there President of the galaxy? Maybe that has more power. He should run for that.

[Hutzpa]

19. Ain't that the truth

if it's not one thing it's another, they really don't like him very much do they?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

18. Do me a favor and don't refer to these assholes as moderate. They're not even "conservative". nt

[Pirate Smile]

20. I don't know what to call them. Well, other then nasty names.

:)

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

21. I know. To me it sounds more flattering than what they deserve. They are right wingers who

occasionally cast a decent vote or two. They seem more like Rockefeller republicans. On the other hand I do have temper issues. :P

[The Wizard]

22. They're not moderate. They're right wing radical

reactionaries disguised as Democrats.

[starroute]

24. What worries me is what all this may be leading up to

The Republicans keep talking about "bipartisan" solutions -- and we keep mocking them for it.

But what if they're planning to spring their own "jobs" plan -- consisting of deregulation and tax cuts for the wealthy, of course -- and round up enough blue dogs in the Senate to get a majority to support it?

Presumably, it would get filibustered down. But even that would hand the GOP a propaganda victory, where they would be able to claim that they're offering simple, common-sense proposals that the Democrats are rejecting -- and they would be able to run on that in 2012.

This means that we have to get out in front of this right now. Instead of fixating on the president's proposal and whether any small portion of it might pass, we have to get into chess-game mode and think several moves ahead.

In particular, we need to drill home points like these:

- The GOP claims that more tax cuts for the rich will create jobs. They're lying.

- The GOP claims that removing protections against you being injured on the job or your children being sickened by pollution will lead to higher employment. They're lying.

- The GOP claims that lower wages for the middle class will lead to corporations hiring more people. They're lying.

Right now, the do-nothing Congress is the Democrats' best campaign issue. But a we'd-do-something-only-the-Democrats-won't-let-us Congress would be a lot harder to counter.