Washblog

cowering to the fascists with NEW rhetoric, NEW excuses, NEW bulls$$t.

Unfortuneately, the 1981 Boston Globe and NYT are not freely available on the internet, cuz if they were it would be fun to go down memory lane to read the reasons Dems were caving to the fascists 27 years ago!

So, instead of ancient 27 years ago history, which didn't exist therefore didn't happen to too many in blog-o-smartia, I'll just go back 2 years and 3 months, when people were pretzeling out excuses for Mr. NEW Excuse.

rmm.

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2006/04/02/164/90446

[new] Re: Obama Endorses Lieberman for Senate (none / 0) (#10)
by LizDexic on Sun Apr 02, 2006 at 09:21:19 AM EST

First, Obama voted for the Republican sponsored bill that limits consumers' right to sue in a class action suit. (When I called his office to voice my disappointment, his aide said "Well, the expectations were SO high for Senator Obama it was inevitable that some people would be disappointed.") Then, after many emails and calls pleading with him to support Feingold's censure resolution, Obama wrote me to say that he felt that "censure was not appropriate at this time." I have given money to Ned Lamont. Obama's support of Lieberman is the third strike for me. I'll never vote for him again.

http://www.liemail.com/BambooGrassroots.html

by rmdSeaBos on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 09:46:20 AM PST

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As you can see here the FISA Bill is not the only reason for Progressives to have concerns.

What I would suggest at this point is that we force Senator Obama to have to open a 2nd campaign phone line to handle all the calls from concerned Progressives over his questionable shifts to the so-called center.

Change I can believe in has to begin with a defining shift from politics as usual.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

by The Left Shue on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 10:21:45 AM PST

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Thanks for posting this Noemie.  I think Obama's support of retroactive immunity is a significant and sad error -- not just in terms of principle (as a former Constitutional law professor he should know better), but in terms of strategy.  Once more, the Dems are succumbing to the Repub definition/framing of 'security' by promoting the terrorist fear factor.  Perhaps too many beltway folks have gotten to Obama.  However, let's remember his record in the Senate was hardly audacious -- among other things, he never spoke out against the Iraq war in a way that mattered, with his vote.  That's why I was never an enthusiastic supporter.

That all said, I will/must support Obama over McCain and work for his election. At the same time, I refuse to be silent about my concerns. Please call his campaign office -- he needs to know there are masses of folks are out there who value the Constitution! (866) 675-2008

-Bev

by BevM on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 12:24:19 PM PST

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From True Majority

"Your calls and emails worked! We just got word that Senators Dodd and Feingold will step up as progressive leaders and filibuster this legislation. Here's part of the joint statement they just released:

"We will oppose efforts to end debate on this bill as long as it provides retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies."1 (1. dodd(dot)senate(dot)gov/index.php?q=node/4473)

This filibuster may be the last chance to stop immunity from becoming law and Senators Dodd and Feingold are going to need all the help they can get in preventing their opponents from cutting off debate on this issue. That's why we need you to call your Senators right now and ask them to support the Dodd/Feingold filibuster of telecom immunity."

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

by The Left Shue on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 01:05:56 PM PST

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First, I want to point out that the last place Obama backed Lieberman was into a wall - literally.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15766.html

Second, we have to realize what is happening here.

There is a contingent in the Democratic party who have power now and who - while their power would be reduced - would still dominate the Democrat party if McCain won. And they are clearly considering making that very thing happen.

These people have a totally different thesis of this election and how to beat Republicans generally. They actually believe that the thing to do is not to fight Republicans on hot issues - definitely not defense - and simply wait them out until economic conditions become Democrat-favorable.

This is a deeply foolish plan. The Republicans have already laid the groundwork for countering this  economic strategy with such diverse things has Medicare part D, slowly privatizing strategic air lift, the Iraq war and other maneuvers designed to pin down the government's most crucial assets and force the Democrats into unfavorable exchanges of power.

But it's also true that these Democrats are very powerful and if they revolt, Obama will lose. Whereas if Obama wins, he will be able to maneuver them. The Republicans are desperate to split these Democrats off from the party.

So from now on, Obama will constantly be picking fights in his own party. I think he got the FISA compromise TOTALLY wrong, but he's moved back to the right side of it because he's realized that for the moment there's no alternative but to fight.

I still find it stunning that Progressives still talk about John "DLC Patriot Act" Edwards as if he is Che Guevara reborn and Obama a crypto-Republicans, that Clintonista Paul Krugman STILL goes out of his way to attack Obama on behalf of Hillary "Flag Burning Amendment" Clinton  as if with Obama all hope of health care reform is dead and Salon, the Times and the entire Old Left is going out of its way to attack Barack Obama, his political associations and his family.

I'm beginning to suspect they are secretly more comfortable with Daddy Republican in control.

What I do know is that there is not a candidate - including Edwards, Clinton, Howard Dean, Kucinich - who has fewer anti-Progressive skeletons in his political closet. Am I satisfied with Barack Obama? No, but then I never am satisfied, am I.

I expect more from you people.

The FISA thing was a terrible blunder and I hope the Obama campaign's ears are still ringing with your complaints. Apparently they got the message.

But next time you find yourself going mental about Barack Obama, remind yourself who it was the John Kerry desperately tried to get for his VP.

In case you don't remember, I'll give you hint: he's the presumptive nominee of a major party and he's not the black guy.

by dlaw on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 05:40:57 PM PST

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...how many Democrats felt the need to get on this FISA "compromise". Yes, it's idiocy, but this is apparently a Congress of Idiots.

Obama can only work with the material he has.

by dlaw on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 07:56:19 PM PST

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The largest 'group' on the site is asking him to oppose.  The regulars on the open thread are posting sniping comments about the crazy radicals while being insulted that MSM is saying that Obama is 'moving' to the center.

ROFLOL.  But seriously, good idea to put the pressure on.

by ktkeller on Thu Jul 03, 2008 at 02:09:19 AM PST

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