Fred Barnes makes a point:
Moderate Democrats aren’t a tough breed, but they’ve begun to question many of Obama’s policies. They don’t strike fear in Pelosi’s heart. But if their ranks swell, they could cause trouble for her, Reid, and especially Obama.
And Barnes is right. On Tuesday, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) came out against the Employee Free Choice Act even though he had no problem voting for it in 2007. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) voted against the omnibus appropriations bill and voted for about half of the Republican amendments to the bill (a voting pattern he shared with Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)). Budget chair Kent Conrad (D-ND) is warning Obama that he may not be willing to ram home his cap-and-trade energy policy using the the reconciliation process (a parliamentary way of passing legislation with only 50 votes). He also said that anyone who thinks he can easily pass Obama’s budget is smoking something. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) was only the most vocal Democrat responsible for spiking DNI Blair’s selection to head the National Intelligence Council over things he’s said that are critical of Israel. Finance chair Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) is floating McCainesque health care solutions that run exactly counter to Obama’s campaign promises.
I don’t know if David Broder is right to say that President Obama’s honeymoon is over, but we’ve clearly reached a stage where Democrats are balking at carrying out his agenda. The bigger the Democratic majority grows, the more infighting we will see.
I don’t see this as Democratic infighting but a moment of clarity. The Blue Dogs are showing their true colors. Evan Bayh is going to form a senate version of the Blue Dog Caucus. I wouldn’t have a problem with that if weren’t for the timing. What infuriates me is the fact that he didn’t feel the need to form one when Bush was president but NOW he’s going to form one. We need to call out these Democrats and ask them if they value people or corporations.
P.S. The Omnibus bill was not part of Obama’s agenda.
well, Obama wanted it passed, so it was a part of his agenda.
But that was more of picking your battles type of thing. A lot of the senate Dems were stunned that the administration didn’t lift a finger in getting the bill passed.
When does Bayh come up for reelection?
At some point the anti-government meme has to be shattered, and this overspending if it’s for the working class but prudent spending when it’s for the corporatists needs to be smashed.
Just saying
He’s up for reelection in 2010. But, he’s untouchable.
Yeah, the party couldn’t even come up with a decent candidate to run against Daniels for gov last year. I have exactly zero confidence in them on the state level. The guy is obviously electable and while he’s often a lousy voter on issues important to us, I shudder to think of some of the alternatives. Think Pence and Burton.
not to mention Ellsworth, Donnelly, and Hill.
Fred Barnes is right all right.
The problem with these commentaries are that they’re less enlightening than cheerleading for the negative outcomes these chumps like Barnes is wishing for.
for “infighting” or any other kind of fighting.
Democrats have no balls.
A couple of assholes like Joe and Mika say the President is going too far and Democrats jump up to slow him down.
Are you kidding? How long have you watched the Democratic Party in action?
In my experience, infighting is the ONLY kind of fighting Democrats like and are good at. And that goes back to at least Carter in my personal experience, and from what I’ve read it probably goes back to when the Democrats were basically the only party in the country after the Whig flame-out in the 1800s.
Look at the Democratic turf in Washington. The House, regardless of Pelosi’s quirks is on the same page with the Obama administration. The Senate is a different story. Kennedy is needed to champion the administration’s agenda and to provide effective leadership as little could be expected from Harry Reid.
However, Kennedy for all intents and purposes is out. Hence, you are beginning to see fractures throughout the Democratic membership of the Senate. Harry Reid has made it clear that he doesn’t want the job of floor leader for the Obama agenda. Reid’s executive non-bipartisanship attitude is stinking up the Senate Democratic caucus and its got people like Nelson, Conrad, Baucus, and Feingold holding their noses.
The Obama people share a large share in the responsibility for this split. In the process of trying so hard to court the Republicans, they have ignored the Democratic Senators, the very people that they need to move their agenda. This split shows that Obama is burning his political capital faster than GMC is going thru their bailout money. Barack better take note of this and start doing some serious one-on-one home cooking with the Senate Democratic caucus because the Republicans are certainly making plans to take advantage of the moment.
I wouldn’t go so far a say it’s a split but your points are well taken.
What’s the deal with bashing Feingold? He voted against the omnibus bill because he is an anti-earmark guy. Check his record. All the others deserve the bashing they are taking.
funny how “moderate” is now a euphemism for “right-wing” or “corporatist”.
it will be because of these moron Democrats in the Senate, not because of the GOP.
I don’t know what kind of power Reid has to take away committee assignments or punish members who are out of line, but he needs to lay down the law. Vote with us on cloture to remain in good standing, then vote your own way on the final bill. I think discipline has been fairly good up to now, considering, but will get tested mightily on health care, energy, EFCA, and the budget.
It was this same Democratic infighting, combined with unified GOP obstruction, that doomed the Dems in 1993-1994. Maybe this current crop of Dems don’t remember that history, but they damn well better get a refresher course.
BTW, Ben Nelson appears to be one of the dumbest members of the Senate, in either party.