One thing I learned today is that the Senate does not really employ a whip operation like the House. For example, rather than have deputies go around telling senators how they are expected to vote on a certain issue, Harry Reid merely sends out an email to everyone in the caucus letting them know how he plans to vote.
Of course they have strategy sessions. But the Senate operates with independence on most things. There are good reasons for this. On the whole, it probably makes the Senate a better institution than the House. But it is also less disciplined and more prone to getting blindsided by opposition antics.
This week the Senate was debating the Department of Defense appropriations bill under a consent agreement. The two sides agreed to allow five amendments from each side. Once they agreed to the number of amendments, the Democrats lost control over what the content of the Republican amendments would be.
And that is why they were virtually powerless to prevent the Republicans from using one of those amendments to condemn MoveOn.org. Actually, it was technically possible for the Dems to block an amendment, but it would have required 41 Democrats. In the end, we only had 25. And I think it would have messed up the the consent agreement.
I don’t bring this up to rehash the MoveOn controversy. I bring it up because it seems like we sometimes suffer from a lack of preparation.
I’m really tired of getting rolled by Republicans that are much more willing to bend the rules and play dirty.
What’s your bellyache?
that is simple. the democratic party.
How about the party system in general. It sucks. I believe in direct action now. I don’t give a shit about the republicans, the democrats or the greens, and I know for damn sure they don’t care about me. They just care about power. They want your votes on election day, but don’t want to work for them.
While there is a kind of abstract level where I agree with you, talking to people that are actually working on these issues in Congress, I can tell you that many of them are just as sick to their stomachs about things as we are. They’re just as committed to doing the right thing.
But I also feel like there are currents in play that are working against us. And from a bird’s eye view it really does look like they want power more than they want to go to the wall to do the right thing.
I guess I would say that things are not as bad or as cynical as they seem. But they are also not as innocent as they would have us believe.
I will say this: the problem does lie within the Democratic caucus. I mean, obviously, the Republicans could fix this in two seconds. But the reason we can’t go radical is because the caucus is too divided. And things look too good for them to risk the whole pot on a major constitutional crisis.
Talking with them, they really believe (and I think they are right) that they are setting up a landslide election that could bring us a ruling majority unseen since 1964. And without the ability to move the caucus for radical action they seem resigned to waiting for the big win next November.
No one I know wants to wait, but they just can’t really do anything else.
That covers why they can’t do the big things — no skin off their back if 1000 more US soldiers and 100,000 Iraqis die while they set up their landslide. Who cares?
But actually, it is not so much in the big things that I fault them — it is in the little things, like not running Congress so they don’t get blindsided, like not having their talking points ready, like adopting Republican talking points. None of those are likely to derail the train of history, but they demonstrate these are essentially lazy, unserious people.
And then I wonder, so what if they get their big majority, considering their demonstrated incompetence? This is not promising.
And if Cheney declares martial law and installs his shadow government? The one he wouldn’t tell Congress about? Between the National Guard and the mercenaries, he has plenty of firepower… and I remember Kent State. With Blackwater roaring down American streets looking for someone to shoot at, it will be worse because the only law they obey is their paymaster’s command.
And if there are NO elections?? Or if the elections are a sham like the LAST TWO? Or if the California delegation gets split?
How will our fearless leaders look then since their reliance upon the law crumbled into the shredder? Will Reid and Pelosi order a few more hearings and request a few more documents?
Wowie-zowie, how impressive.
Not.
All we have to do is look at the Iraqi parliament to see that a number of warm bodies isn’t enough to make a viable government that serves the will of the people that elected them.
If Congress doesn’t impeach NOW, as per their sworn duty, they will have yielded rule of law to Cheney and the Chimperator.
a really really big bellyache
As always the bought and paid for MSM and the fact that all media is in the hands of only 6(or 7) corporations.
Not a bellyache. Just a question about the anti-union ad you’re running on your left sidebar. Seeing as your initial membership came predominantly from dkos/pie wars refugees and how they were welcomed here into a place that sold itself as a haven for the marginalized, how is it that you can run an anti-union ad on your site BooMan? As someone who contributed to last year’s series of diaries here about the history of the labor struggle in this country it’s a little disturbing to see you accept something like this on your site.
I accepted it and only later realized it was an anti-labor advertisement. Their address ‘laborpains.org’ made me think it was about difficulties unions are having.
I’m pretty sure they offered the ad by mistake, too, because I was linked in a positive light in a couple of right-wing blogs, including RealClearPolitics last week. I even started getting right-wing talking points in my email.
In any case, I’ll take their $60 rather than call blogads and ask them to drop it. I can use their money after the drought of ads this summer.
My ad policy is pretty much limited to rejecting ads I consider to be extremely offensive.
It’s “bare knuckles” time —-
nothing less than that.
And Reid has go to get beyond this “email” crap. He’s got to “make the rounds” and get a little “face-time” with his Senate Compadres/Dems.
Walk softly, but carry an awful mightly BIG STICK!!!
That’s the long & short of it — & so far, us Dems are gettin’ the short end!
yeah, I was surprised to learn how hands off he is.
It reminds me of a married couple that text messages each other when they are in different parts of the house. I wonder if something is lost in the digital age.
On one level I understand that Dems listen and way in in the strategy sessions, and an email from the leader saying how is going to vote is an indicator of what he wants to happen. I also realize that the Senate has a rich tradition and it can’t be trifled with without ruffling feathers.
But I really can’t believe that the GOP was so laid back.
Yes — the Senate has a rich tradition. Has Reid ever heard of Lyndon Johnson? Some leaders know how to get something done. Why anyone would want to be the leader and not know how to get anything done leaves me nonplussed.
I share your frustration. I wonder if LBJ would be a modern day blue dog or a Steny Hoyer appeaser or whether he would seize the bull by the horns…so to speak.
My guess is that since LBJ was out for LBJ, we’d often be furious with him — but he would also understand the entire landscape in ways that would enhance the Democratic coalition.
I’m just so tired of the fucking bullshit.
Amen.
How about a Constitutional Convention to straighten the mess that we have let ourselves get into? We need it to keep becoming more obligated to the military/industrial complex.
That way, Repukeliscum motions to ban abortion, require picture IDs tattooed on your forearm and the death penalty for underaged sex can be written in as Article IV.