Houston, we have a problem.
Roll Call reports (subscription required) that a group of centrist Senate Democrats are working to block parts of President Obama’s agenda. As Obama and Democratic leaders consider using a budget rule to bypass Republican filibusters, some in the party are not going along.
A bloc of Senate Democratic moderates is quietly maneuvering to keep open the option of vetoing two of President Barack Obama’s most ambitious agenda items this year — climate change and health care reform.
Eight Democrats who want to water down new climate change legislation have already joined with Republicans and signed a letter opposing any attempt to use fast-track budget rules to prevent filibusters. Many of the same Democrats also oppose using those budget rules to prevent filibusters of health care legislation.
Democrats aim to use a budget reconciliation rule to make some key proposals easier to pass. Under reconciliation, only 51 votes are needed to end debate and force a final vote, instead of 60.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) are among the eight Democrats who signed the letter opposing reconciliation. Republicans are on their side, claiming the move would break Obama’s bipartisan pledge.
The other six Democratic senators are Robert Byrd (WV), Ben Nelson (NE), Evan Bayh (IN), Mark Pryor (AR), Bob Casey (PA), and Carl Levin (MI).
One, Al Franken’s 59th vote is even more important than ever right now.
Two, if these Senators are able to kill Obama’s agenda on health care and climate change, we probably won’t get another chance.
Evan Bayh especially has become a massive problem for Barack Obama and the progressive agenda. Despite overwhelming margins in the House and Senate and broad public support for the Democratic Party’s mandate, these Democrats are siding with the Party Of No on the most important legislation of our times.
The question is, what can we do about it?
As Matt Yglesias points out, Evan Bayh can’t actually name the members of the “Chickenshit Subcaucus”.
We should see what we can do about maybe, I dunno, seeing these folks don’t get work.
Since they are no longer even pretending to have the nation’s best interests at heart-what use are they? Get rid of em’!
I, for one, love it!!!! Even Bayh and the other members of this new coalition, plus the three Republicans, (Snowe, Collins and Specter), plus the blue dogs in the house are going to make sure that Obama doesn’t go overboard with the spending. Nothing wrong with that. Congress should be a check on the president no matter what party he comes from.
Also I just love the language of the op here. Bayh and Co. are not trying to kill Obama’s agenda. I laugh everytime I hear this. Now, progressives are whining up a storm that their agenda maybe curtailed some.
I applaud Bayh, Mary Landrieu, Joe Lieberman and others for putting together this team. Moderates and centrists will now control what passes in Congress, and what does not. There is a new sheriff in town, it’s called Democratic centrism, and the Democratic Leadership council, (of which I am a proud member).
Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama better get to know this group of Senators and Congressmen and women. If they want things passed, they are going to have to work with these people.
The DLC is alive and kicking!!!!
and what do you want to see done on health care and cap and trade?
You know, I can see Senators like Robert Byrd, Bob Casey, and Carl Levin knuckle under on cap and trade.
But health care too? Seems to me that the price these guys are willing to pay to crush cap and trade is to crush health care reform as well.
I mean for frak’s sake, can we not get anything done with 59 Senators? The hell do we need, 70? 80?
I love it too. You’ll simply expedite the process of blowing up the Democratic party. Your terrible political instincts will not only bring Obama down you’re going to prove once and for all who owns the Democratic party.
Thanks for doing your part 🙂