Have The Democrats In Congress Sold Out The Core Values Of Our Party?

[Double T]

It seems that the Democratic Members Of Congress (House And Senate) have SOLD OUT the core values of the Democratic Party in favor of compensation from lobbyists for large corporations and special interest groups that do not promote the Democrats agenda. I have become very disillusioned with recent legislation that seams to just sail through congress in the middle of the night (Energy Bill) without any resistance from Democrats. What do you think?

[blm]

1. Did the media claim there was no Dem resistance on the Energy Bill?

Where did you get that info?

[Double T]

10. I use the Energy Bill as an example ONLY........

we could refer to the Bankruptcy Bill Or Iraq, Etc.

[blm]

18. So, you watched Cspan faithfully and read every article about those issues

and still decided that NO Democrat in the House or Senate debated those issues or countered the GOP in any way?

[Greeby]

2. Well, when it comes to the House

Read the Buzzflash interview of Congressman Pete Stark, entitled "Life under a Republican dictatorship."

Edit: Found the Energy Bill roll call:

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll445.xml

[Double T]

22. Democrats: Energy Bill: Yeas 75

That is 75 TOO MANY!!!! This is just another Tax Break For The Filthy Rich Corporations at every one elses expense.

[Teaser]

3. Some have, some haven't

Let's not start these circular firing squads, not when the Democrats have finally started doing some smart things, and finally started fighting back. It's not enough, and we still lose far too often (a fact which may be beyond our control as a minority party) but it does represent measurable progress from the previous 4 years.

[blm]

16. More accurately, some have and MANY HAVEN'T.

The many Dems who fought those bills are always getting smeared by those looking to get rid of ALL Dems.

[LittleClarkie]

4. Do the words "We're in the minority" mean anything to you?

We can resist all we want, and the thing's going through if the Repubs want it.

All it takes is a few Dems. I wouldn't paint them all with such a broad brush.

[movonne]

5. Except for a handful, THEY HAVE..

[Greeby]

6. Handful is not the word

Look at the roll call I just posted, between 120-130 against, and 70-80 for is usually how these things end up. So, there's more good people in the House than you might think

[Lefty48197]

7. No

.

[sandnsea]

8. Why aren't you on your way to Crawford?

Or handing out fliers? Or something, anything, besides whining and diverting attention away from what's important.

[Double T]

14. You Are Not Paying Attention To The Damn Question!!!!!

THINK FIRST BEFORE YOU ENGAGE YOUR KEYBOARD!!!

[sandnsea]

20. IT'S A DIVERSION

Quite obvious diversion. Go do something constructive.

[mom cat]

9. Absolotely!.....and we must fight like hell to wrest our party from the

corporate elite. There have been too many roll overs and I am tired of the Democratic party taking us for granted.The bankr7upsy bill is also a good example. Does anyone have a good list of the "sellout: Dems so we can pressure them more, or move to replace them?

[LSK]

13. heres some sites for you:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A//www.vote-smart.org/&ei=jSv5QqP0KqTg-AGqzMiGDg

http://www.cspan.org - has a section that lists votes and links to senate.gov and house.gov that shows who voted for what.

[mom cat]

23. Thanks! I just started my own file of the "un-dems"

[LSK]

11. which ones???

Sure there are a minority of Dem sellouts on the key votes, but more democrats have voted against issues such as CAFTA, Bankrupcty bill, etc and to label all of them is unfair. I have heard some damn good speeches by democrats against some of these issues.

So once again, I ask exactly WHO you are talking about?

[applegrove]

12. I think they have to pick their fights. We do. Also I don't think America

gains anything by shutting down the research that goes on with Petagon money. After all that is where all the new industry will be in the next century - nanotechnology just like the 20the century was about nylon, plastic, internet.

So the fact that some Dems want to be strong on defense in no ways implies they would have attacked anything but Afghanistan after 9/11.

[applegrove]

15. For sure their is too much subsidy towards old-fashioned energy.

Subsidy in the means of less than full employment for American workers. And dumping money (& going into debt) at the stock market. What are the rich doing? That is a good question. And I think most dems are against the tax cuts no?

Dems represent everyone (except the far right). They feel we should all do our part & stay out of dreamy wars.

Big Tent.

[endarkenment]

17. Just notice?

However there are a few who remain loyal to progressive Democratic Party values and who have not sold out to The Corporation.

[wurzel]

19. Democrats were always a minority, even when they were the "majority".

The Dems gained and kept power with an alliance with the "conservative" South. The Civil Rights bills ended that unholy alliance. Now we have to recognize we are, and have always been, a minority party. Only when we understand there is no "back then" to go back to, will we begin to form a majority party.

[pinto]

21. I encourage us all to get involved with the 2006 elections, locally, state

wide and nationally. Look at how well Hackett did in an overwhelmingly "Republican" district in southern Ohio. Look at the resonance Cindy Sheehan has had so far and help translate that to a state race - she represents moms, and families, with kids in Iraq. There are unasked and unanswered questions to be addressed. The platitudes are wearing thin. These families vote, whether CNN covers them or not. 2006, like all mid term elections, can be a local affair, and a springboard for 2008.