Reverberations from CAFTA vote are still being felt on Hill

[Rose Siding]

snip>
Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade, implied that Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), the first Democrat publicly to back CAFTA, may have made a deal with the administration. Rangel recalled a conversation he had had with Cuellar when both attended a meeting at the White House several weeks ago.

“He gave me his personal assurances that if I helped this president , that this president would be there for me,” Rangel recalled. “He said he knew this from personal experience.”....

Through a spokeswoman, Cuellar denied having made the remark.
....
Some liberal blogs have called for punishment for the “CAFTA 15” and have cheered labor unions’ pledge not to support members who backed the trade pact.

But some Democratic observers said they thought that approach is misguided. “They shouldn’t be upset with the 15 Democrats. It should be ‘Punish the CAFTA 202,” said Dan Maffei, senior policy adviser to Rangel, noting the number of Republicans who voted for the measure. “It was really impressive that there were only 15 . There was some disappointment with some members, but it was hardly a bad vote for Democrats.”

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/080305/reverberations.html

[wli]

1. we need recalls for senators and representatives

i.e. you vote against 95% of the public and you are out of office in 24 hours. Not that that's ever going to happen.

If we had it, every last representative and senator who voted for CAFTA would be out of office already.

[MSgt213]

2. Okay nobody get upset that 15 traitors just screwed over 2 countries

At least the poor and middle class in 2 countries. This is why we can't win an election for dog catcher now. We are so fucking easy to scatter.

[GetTheRightVote]

3. I for one will not forget this vote and will work to get those who did

vote for it kicked out of office in 2006.

:kick:

[belle]

4. That's not just a sellout, that's *stupid.* Ever known "this president"

to keep his promises? Dumbasses. thanks a bunch.

[Rose Siding]

5. We could have predicted this about Cuellar

He's the one who squeaked by in a contested dem primary in TX- a banker, I think and had close ties to repubs.

[Voltaire99]

6. Reverberations?

Like the reverberations that those Dems who backed the Iraq war and the Patriot Act and the Bush tax cuts--the three most injurious prongs of Bushism--are feeling?

Oooooh, they must be all atremble! Bet they'll really change their tune next time!

[krkaufman]

7. Punish the CAFTA 202+15

Yes, let's not allow the focus to be solely on the 15 Democrats who voted for CAFTA. It must be understood that the Republicans voted for CAFTA nearly unanimously.

The Democratic Party did not vote for CAFTA, the Republicans *did*.