Senate Democrat Fail

by: Zappatero

Tue Feb 07, 2012 at 09:53:29 AM MST

Senate Passes FAA Authorization Bill with Anti-Union Elements
Despite fierce opposition from major transit unions, the Senate yesterday gave final approval to the FAA Authorization bill, a five-year extension that removes uncertainty from the FAA, approves a next-generation air traffic monitoring system and, in Harry Reid's telling, creates hundreds of thousands of jobs. But unions were unhappy about changes to labor law insisted upon by House Republicans, and they expressed betrayal at the hands of Senate Democrats. (Ho hum. -Ed.)

But 37 Democrats supported the bill, including Commerce Committee chair Jay Rockefeller, Majority Leader Harry Reid, and top leadership members Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin. Here were the 15 Democrats who opposed it:

Akaka (D-HI), Blumenthal (D-CT), Brown (D-OH), Cardin (D-MD), Casey (D-PA), Franken (D-MN), Gillibrand (D-NY), Harkin (D-IA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Leahy (D-VT), McCaskill (D-MO), Merkley (D-OR), Mikulski (D-MD), Sanders (I-VT), Stabenow (D-MI)

But the pattern is clear and well-established with our 2 Democratic senators. And it is nothing to write home about. Though Mark Udall writes, and tries, he continues to be a milquetoast who compares quite poorly to his blood-relation senator from New Mexico. Bennet, like his political benefactor Bill Ritter, has shown a complete disregard for labor and unions.

This was yet another failure of Democrats in the Senate. Failure is the only way I can describe Bennet and Udall's unrequited bipartisanship, their double-dealing against the base, and downright tepid attempts at legislating. And if they think constantly playing the "middle" against everyone else is the safest way to win reelection, then there's a quarterback in Denver who can explain how that really works to these veteran politicians who currently represent us.

In case you don't trust this Cheetoh-stained blogger, take a peek at Ed Schultz, former Republican and expert on Upper Midwest values, discussing on the tube:

OMFG! Politico writes Bipartisanship's Obit

by: Zappatero

Mon Jan 30, 2012 at 17:56:51 PM MST

On the front of Politico is an article about how the big bipartisan deals that used to be relatively common in Congress now appear to be a thing of the past. From Politico:

 Call it the Split the Difference Scenario - a dream of Washington at its civic-minded best that has flourished for decades, even as the reality of Washington became ever more snarling and contentious.

Sometimes, the dream even came true, in iconic closed-door moments: a bipartisan bargain over Social Security in 1983, a high-drama budget summit at Andrews Air Force Base in 1990, a landmark spending accord between Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich in 1997.

The striking fact about Washington at the start of 2012 is how many people, in public and private, say they have concluded that the capital is no longer a city of splittable differences.

UPDATE: If you have the time, Digby explicates beautifully.

The Do-Nothing, Hate-Everything Republican Congress

by: Zappatero

Wed Jan 25, 2012 at 11:30:22 AM MST

• Ministry of Truth at Kos:

  My friend told me after the State Of The Union that the Republicans looked like a bunch of "miserable old sourpusses."

  "How so?" I asked.

  "He is talking about uplifting stuff and they look miserable."

  I wasn't even planning to watch, but happened upon it as it was just starting. The terminal, chronic negativity of the GOP was on full display. They were not moved by any rhetoric and were not inspired by any of The President's ideas. If the DNC wants some ideas for TV spots, they should just take the closeups of Republican leaders during that speech and run them in an infinite loop.
• Colorado's sublimely daft Doug Lamborn decided he had to stand up for something besides killing the EPA and Big Bird, so he played the ignorance card and skipped the address. Let's imagine the reaction to a Democrat doing that to President Bush. Unfortunately, the voters in CD-5 will never look back on their decision to choose Lamborn over Jay Fawcett in '06. (Hi, Jay!)
• Despite Mark Udall's continuing, lame attempts to foster bipartisanship (God Damn it, Mark, it's Dead, and you're the Last to know! (Even the Supes couldn't contain their pettiness and only a quorom of them showed up. ) If Udall has put this much effort into condemning the automatic filibuster used by Senate Republicans on almost every vote they take, no one would ever know it.
• And despite his late, and most likely futile, efforts to retake the debate on the budget and taxes, Obama's invitation to the speech of Warren Buffet's secretary (who pays a higher tax rate than her Billionaire Boss), showed that Republicans couldn't manage just 1% Solution of Sympathy for that tax dilemma. The result was heapings of scorn and derision for the hard-working woman.

Anything less, and they are all frowns - exactly like last night.

(* - Apologies if I was a little harsh. - Z)

One less Democratic Wimp in the Senate

by: Zappatero

Tue Dec 27, 2011 at 19:57:03 PM MST

During the few months when his party had 60 votes in the Senate, he was the proverbial 60th vote, and with Republicans unwilling to negotiate on health-care reform he held enormous sway. He held out the longest, and he could have used his vote to demand almost anything. He could have asked for malpractice reform, tougher cost controls, or any other concession that pushed the bill to the right. What he chose to use it for was a parochial demand to give his home state a special Medicaid subsidy.

The maneuver may ultimately haunt Democrats, Mr. Collegio added. "By trying to be clever in helping Nelson," he said, "they may be opening up a can of worms they may not have wanted to open up."

Ben Nelson made the right call today. If he really desired to continue serving the people for another six years he could have actually started listening to them again. That shouldn't be so difficult. But many Democrats still have a hard time doing what's right for the people while in the thrall of staffers and media whose priorities are far different than ours.

Michael Bennet, who rightly criticizes the work ethic of his peers in Washington, still can't seem to grasp the basics of Populism 101. His spokesman recently touted the number of votes he made in concurrence with Joe Lieberman. Really? Lieberman? Bennet could learn a thing or two from Nelson's early departure. He might also pass off some of this wisdom to Barack Obama if the opportunity presents itself.

Or he could keep pursuing the path of bipartisanship with the same results he's already achieved - few to none.

Udall, Bennet and Friends prep for Medicare, Social Security cuts

by: Zappatero

Thu Oct 27, 2011 at 06:33:00 AM MST

According to exclusive reporting from Reuters the Democrats on the Super Committee are offering to cut Medicare and Medicaid benefits as part of a roughly $3 trillion grand bargain, which would well exceed the $1.2 trillion minimum goal the committee is tasked with meeting. From Reuters:

It calls for between $200 billion and $300 billion in new economic stimulus spending that would be paid for with lower interest payments from reducing deficits.

It also seeks around $400 billion in Medicare savings, with half coming in benefit cuts and the other half in cuts to healthcare providers. Details of that proposal were scant but tackling the popular Medicare program is always politically risky for politicians.

It is unlikely this specific deal being offered by the Democrats on the committee will be accepted by Republicans, because it calls for tax increases and more stimulus, but it still puts our social safety net in danger. It is another instance of the Democratic party steadily moving towards the official position of saying Medicare benefits can and should be cut.

Michael Bennet has complained about the way DC does business, yet supports these very efforts by the Cowardly Committee.

Both our senators are still afraid to do that's truly needed to fulfill their oaths and fix our budget mess. They are in mortal electoral fear of Grover Norquist's idiotic pledge and its adherents and the constant rhetorical war Republicans wage on common sense. And they do almost nothing to fight either.

Mark Udall's short-term memory loss

by: Zappatero

Mon Aug 22, 2011 at 07:27:33 AM MST

"We are suffering from the worst possible case of collective short-term memory loss.  During the past decade, tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans didn't lead to job creation and instead helped cause a skyrocketing deficit.  Why would we believe it will be any different this time around?  As I've said many times, instead of borrowing more money to pay for tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, we should focus our attention on reducing our national debt, stabilizing Social Security for the long term, and finding common-sense ways to create jobs."

I'm thinking Udall is counting on our memory loss to have us forget he actually had the proper answer for our budget problem. By now the Esteemed Senator has changed his tune on Social Security and is prescribing "pain" for all of us that will come in varying forms: the pain for Udall would be undoing the Udall legacy while having to read some nasty blog posts about how he has lied to Colorado's citizens; the pain for us would be in the cuts to Social Security and Medicare that he now feels are absolutely necessary but which will won't fix a thing but how Lawrence Kudlow thinks of Mark Udall. I would describe the pain as more like a medieval treatment with leeches.

The problem is the diagnosis and treatment are medically and politically backwards:

Too little, Too late from Bennet and Udall

by: Zappatero

Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 13:02:17 PM MST

WASHINGTON - Colorado Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall? both voted Tuesday to couple a debt-ceiling increase with more than $2 trillion in cuts and deficit reduction over 10 years - a compromise that disappointed them.

Udall said it wasn't the bill he wanted because it didn't include revenues or elimination of tax breaks for billion-dollar corporations, which would have ensured "that the wealthiest among us will help shoulder the burden of balancing our books."

[...] "It will protect our economy from crisis and make a down payment on our debt, two critical first steps."

Bennet called the last four weeks in Washington "disappointing."

Both Michael Bennet and Mark Udall have caved on issue after issue since coming to office. Both complain about the results, but both have done nothing that would have changed those results. If they are being team players on the Obama re-election campaign, they better figure out this crap ain't working and that President Obama, sadly, may end up the primary casualty in Mitch McConnell's terror campaign:  

Mark Udall Hopes to Introduce a Balanced Budget Amendment

by: saindenver

Tue Aug 02, 2011 at 16:32:27 PM MST

One of the big victories by tea-party Republicans in the debt-ceiling measure signed into law Tuesday was securing a requirement that Congress vote later this year on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

The measure would need a two-thirds vote in each chamber, and then ratification by 38 states, to succeed. And most observers believe passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate is all but impossible.

Enter Sen. Mark Udall, the centrist Democrat from Colorado, who has introduced an amendment proposal and said Tuesday that Democratic leaders have chosen his legislation to be considered in the fall.

Udall is up for reelection in 2014. Many of his Democratic co-sponsors - including Sens. Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Joe Manchin (W. Va.), Bill Nelson (Fla.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.) - are running this year and need support from centrists.

But Udall's amendment has a couple of provisions that might win over some Democrats. It creates a "Social Security lockbox" (with apologies to Al Gore and his Saturday Night Live impersonator) that his office says would "protect the revenue and outlays of Social Security from any balanced budget requirement." And it prohibits Congress from providing income tax breaks for people earning over $1 million a year unless the country is enjoying budget surpluses.

Regardless, I don't like it.

Mark Udall besots the Udall Legacy

by: Zappatero

Sat Jul 30, 2011 at 19:27:29 PM MST

During his tenure in Congress, Udall was best-noted for his championing of environmental causes. He was also known for his devotion to campaign finance reform and the welfare of Native Americans. He authored the Alaska Lands Act of 1980, which doubled the size of the national parks system, as well as legislation concerned with protecting archeological finds, enacting civil service reform, legalizing Indian casinos, and providing for the safe disposal of radioactive waste.

8:51: Mark Udall: Nobody here wants the US to default. But in three days, the US is set to default on its debt.

Quoth Jane: Be honest Mark and tell everyone that if Social Security checks don't go out, it's because the Treasury is hoarding cash to cover $29 billion to bondholders on August 15.

9:00: Mark Udall: We should all support the wise and pragmatic Bowles-Simpson recommendations.

Quoth Jane: Which cut Social Security and Medicare benefits and reduces the deficit on the backs of senior citizens.

Quoth Zappatero: Can't you see that Bowles-Simpson is B.S., not "wise and pragmatic"?

Senator Mark Udall will get laurels and hearty handshakes for these statements from his Senate peers - creeps like Orrin Hatch and Tom Coburn - but he is doing no service to those who put him in office. Jane thought Udall was a Republican until she saw his name on the chyron. And here I thought Michael Bennet was the most pitiful senator from Colorado.

Mark Udall is preparing to undo funding methods that his father supported that have helped preserve Social Security as we know it. He seems to be doing the same to the Udall legacy with his recent remarks and lies. Mark Udall couldn't manage to spit the word "liberal" from his mouth, let alone act like one when it really counts. That's a legacy Mo Udall should not be associated with.

Senator Mark Udall lies about Social Security on CNBC

by: Zappatero

Fri Jul 22, 2011 at 07:24:22 AM MST

It should come as no surprise, then, that both Mark "The Timid" Udall and Michael "The Coward" Bennet both like it. The only ones who possibly love this plan more are Republicans whose wildest anti-New Deal dreams are finally coming true.

Mark Udall went on CNBC yesterday to tout the plan and spread some new (to me) lies about Social Security, something the Fully Vested Senator seems impatient to cut:

Bennet and Udall prepare to jump off Republican-constructed Medicare/Social Security cliff

by: Zappatero

Thu Jun 09, 2011 at 21:11:15 PM MST

Both Colorado Democrat Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet were among the first senators outside the so-called "Gang of Five" to get details - and support - a plan to slash more than $4 trillion from the federal debt through a combination of spending cuts, tax increases and Medicare and Social Security reforms.

Udall and Bennet have been briefed on the details of a still-working plan and officials from their offices said Thursday they are on board to help move the process forward in any way they can.

UPDATE: And right on cue The Denver Post jumps in to endorse the bipartisan solution that is halfway between Ayn Randian Social Darwinism and Democrats whose policies are just to the right of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

* - Someone please ban those words from our policy discussions for the next generation.

BULLETIN: Democrat acts like Democrat, successfully engages electorate on Democratic Policies

by: Zappatero

Fri Apr 29, 2011 at 06:59:48 AM MST

Who is that Democrat? The brilliant Governor Jerry  Brown of California:

First, he didn't come out of the starting block with a compromise pleasing to the entrenched extremist Republican minority obstructing a tax increase (unlike a certain President we know) (ref. John Hickenlooper).  He made a definite proposal and he stuck to it.  When the Tea Party gurus tried to change the subject and make unions the issue, not taxes, Brown refused to fall for the Shock Capitalist feignt and stuck by the unions.  He didn't flinch or apologize for his support of higher taxes, even suggesting - mirabile dictu - that the GOP's zombielike anti-tax dogma showed their bad faith and lack of concern for Californians (ref. Bennet and Udall).  They squealed like stuck pigs with lipstick on (don't apologize Obama) and looked foolish.

Second, Brown talked directly to the people of California, not just the obstreperous and incoherent Republican commandants.   Again, unlike a certain President.  Over and over again, he took his message to YouTube (you got to love that), as well as highschool gyms and union halls.  For a septuagenarian he made a certain young president look like a geezer.  Again the GOP squealed, and most people here saw the Republicans for what they are: ideological bullies who act like South Park's Cartman when somebody stands up to them.

No, and that's the primary lesson our Senators, our Governor, and our unemployed Representatives can learn from a successful Democratic Leader.

Did Gary Hart really say it?

by: Zappatero

Fri Apr 08, 2011 at 18:52:57 PM MST

A bipartisan forum to address the federal deficit problem in Denver Friday was supposed to be headlined by Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall. But the pair was stuck Washington while Congress tried to avert a looming government shutdown over federal spending.

...

Former Colorado U.S. Sen. Gary Hart, D-Colo., and current co-chair of the President Obama's bi-partisan deficit commission Alan "Snoopy Poop" Simpson, R-Wyo., then led a panel intertwined with local CEO's, military veterans and small business owners to discuss the nation's fiscal condition.

Sen. Hart said there are certain key areas of focus when it comes to the federal deficit: social security, Medicare, Medicad and the military.

"Those are the key components," said Hart "You have to deal with each of those things."

Michael Bennet, the crown prince of "bipartisan" shock doctrine

by: Mucius Scaevola

Fri Mar 18, 2011 at 12:06:55 PM MST

Press release here

March 18, 2011
Bennet, Johanns Lead Bipartisan Call for President to Support Comprehensive Deficit Reduction
32 Republicans, 32 Democrats Sign Letter

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet(D-Colo.) and Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today led a bipartisan call for President Obama to support a comprehensive deficit reduction package in any negotiations on the budget.

In a letter to the President, 64 Senators ask him to engage in budget negotiations beyond FY2011 that include discretionary spending cuts, entitlement changes and tax reform, to create meaningful deficit reduction. The letter notes that a bipartisan group of Senators has been working to craft a comprehensive deficit reduction package based upon the recommendations of the Fiscal Commission, and that the group's work represents an important foundation to achieve meaningful progress on our debt.

"By approaching these negotiations comprehensively, with a strong signal of support from you, we believe that we can achieve consensus on these important fiscal issues.  This would send a powerful message to Americans that Washington can work together to tackle this critical issue," the senators wrote.

They are pretending to want to "balance the budget" when what they are really doing is ramping up their war against the poor and middle class.  Where is there any mention here of the multi-trillion-dollar pricetags for our wars in the Middle East and other military expenditures? Where is there any mention of the deregulatory factors that caused the global financial meltdown, which led to the colossal bailout of Wall Street?  These are the same senators who recently doubled down on the budget deficit by extending tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, but now they want us to believe that the reason why they're attacking essential public services is because they're "deficit hawks"?  

This isn't about the budget, people. The budget is a pretext for expanding the oligarchy's class warfare against the poor and the middle class in America and around the world.
 

Surprise, Surprise: Senate Dems punk'd on Filibuster reform

by: Zappatero

Fri Mar 04, 2011 at 11:46:25 AM MST

• Do not negotiate with those who can't agree on even the most basic assumptions about a discussion.
• Do not negotiate with those who don't have the slightest intention of negotiating in good faith.
• And finally, never believe anything any Lying Congressional Republican says in any way, shape, or form:

Just over one month ago, the Senate largely abandoned a plan to ambitiously reform the Senate rules after the GOP agreed to a "handshake deal" which would curb the unprecedented spike in filibusters since the GOP lost control of the Senate. Rather than uphold their side of the bargain, eight Republican senators have now promised to take their obstructionism to unprecedented heights by threatening to place a hold on any bill which does not comply with five very broad criteria that constitute a particularly aggressive assault on the Senate's ability to function.

Senate Democrats have failed us once again.

Those like Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, who continue to have the mistaken impression that Republicans want to do anything productive for our country, even as all evidence points to the exact opposite conclusion, are derelict in their duty as our representatives and have once again failed to display even the slightest bit of principle when dealing with the most despicable group of lying, hateful and ignorant politicians this nation has known: the Modern Republican/Tea Party.

Udall faults our contnuing dependence on foreign oil

by: Zappatero

Thu Mar 03, 2011 at 09:35:03 AM MST

Events that continue to unfold in the Middle East and Northern Africa have once again exposed our country's Achilles heel -- an addiction to foreign oil.

We really are addicted to any and all oil - not just foreign. Even Bush 43 knew that. While Neocons wants us to engage in another Arab country (two wars aren't enough?) to ensure that ever-flowing I.V. solution, Senator Udall lays out some other simple solutions - once again, because we really don't seem to get the point - that can reduce our need for that nasty Black Tar and its equally harmful derivatives:

Memo to Senator Bennet: Lobbying firm specializes in Filibusters and Secret Holds

by: Zappatero

Tue Jan 04, 2011 at 19:00:12 PM MST

"Washington's broken ways yet again have allowed the voices of ordinary Americans to be drowned out by the distorting influence of special interests."

Think Progress today reported that there is a DC lobbying firm that specializes in urging United States Senators to abuse their Filibuster and Secret Hold privileges for the benefit of the firm's Clients. These lobbyists had the unmitigated gall to actually be seen in public and were hosted recently at The Heritage Foundation.

Consummate Republican Hack Lamar Alexander is against filibuster reform, and even had the nerve to threaten us with actions by a theoretical Tea Party Senate, which in theory is scary enough, though most Tea Party members haven't had much time to read the most esteemed United States Constitution until now.

Let me know if you need more information on how to act with regard to filibuster reform.

Sincerely,  

Filibuster kill date just days away

by: Zappatero

Wed Dec 29, 2010 at 09:42:00 AM MST

Democrats are now almost unanimous in their support of a rule change for the next congress that will kill the filibuster:

All of the returning members of the Democratic caucus in the U.S. Senate but Chris Dodd signed a letter that supports filibuster reform initiated by New Mexico's Tom Udall, according to story in the National Journal by Dan Friedman.

The letter was sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid urging him to change filibuster rules.

Udall cites Article 1, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution, specifically the portion which says -- Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings. On the first day of the new Congress the Senate can pass new rules with a simple majority.

Bennet:

"I applaud Senator Udall for his thoughtful proposal to reform the filibuster.  Bringing a new voice to the issue helps us continue to build momentum for improving the Senate's rules so we can actually get back to doing Colorado's business."

"The Senate has suffered way too much gridlock, and there is a strong sense by the public that the Senate is dysfunctional."

Thomas Jefferson: tax the Wealthy on a Geometric scale

by: Zappatero

Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 13:05:07 PM MST

Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions or property in geometrical progression as they rise.

A progressive tax on the wealthiest Americans. A Jefferson fetishist (I'd say fraud) like Jon Caldara  might even agree. But what about our side?

Can Michael Bennet vote for enough bills favorable to Citi, Wells Fargo, and Goldman to make Republicans support him?

Will Mark Udall's tepid forays into bipartisanship stop them from calling him a "Boulder Liberal" next time out?

Should Betsy Markey have triangulated further against those who voted her in office?

Should John Salazar have completely forgotten he was ever a (D) in that hideous video?

The answer should be obvious today as it was on that stroll Jefferson took in pre-revolutionary France. Would Democrats be so bold as to follow in a Founder's footsteps?

Stop the presses! Mark Udall takes a stand!!

by: Zappatero

Fri Aug 13, 2010 at 19:11:16 PM MST

Nosireebob, this guy has Proud Progressive tattooed to the inside of his eyelids:

"Thank you Al Franken, John Kerry, Mark Udall, and all other Senators who favor Elizabeth Warren to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau! Thank you for putting Americans first!"

Cuz we know they're going to call Mark the same thing no matter what he does, anyway.

Don't we, Mark?