Where are the Democrats?

[displacedtexan]

Has anyone seen an elected Dem on TV (other than Blanco & Landrieu) in the last week?

Where are they?

Is there a media blackout on Dems?

[nadinbrzezinski]

IThey are out of session

summer recess and commander cookoo bannanas has not called them to special session.

That said, locally mine is taking calls and trying to do what she can

Call yours

[flying_wahini]

1. i guess that are in bed with the republicans

too chickenshit to come out and make any demands....
i pray for those poor people.... and i usually never pray.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

10. With all due respect:

Bullshit.

There have been statements, in my email from Dean, Kerry and Edwards, along with links for donating. I suspect there are many others that I have not received.

The fact is that the repukes control all three branches of government and have a noise machine that leads the media around by the ring in its nose, the one they placed there. The media has been conditioned to ignore Dem statements and they do a fine, fine job at it, too.

Jeebus, what would you have the Dems do? They are not leading this country right now. Place the blame for deficiencies in response to where it belongs, rightfully.

Man, this kind of thing really gets my hackles up.

[Lost-in-FL]

16. What are they supposed to do?

Politicize the tragedy? That is for the GOP to do right now. Besides, would you rather have them complaint about * and not do anything about the tragedy just like must of us here?

[KaryninMiami]

21. What Would I have them do? How about quietly rolling up their sleeves

and heading down there to do something to help? How about speaking out about the fact that this has been horribly mishandled and offering to do whatever necessary to jump in and make a difference? How about coordinating efforts at each of the states they represent to make sure that food and water and money and other donations get collected and delivered as soon as possible to the areas in need? How about contacting their friends with private planes and asking them to fill those planes with water and food and delivering this to the areas hardest hit? Having survived Andrew, when I, along with thousands, donated thousands of hours and and gave as much as we could as to help those in need, I can tell you- there is a lot they can do-- and a lot we can do as well. But they have the benefit of access to funding, media and resources that many of us do not- simply because of their positions. It's not about being political- it's about being compassionate and about doing the right thing.

[Toots]

23. I agree but also I believe they are biding their time a bit.

There is going to be some noise made and questions asked. Whether the MSM airs those questions will remain to be seen. The Incompetence is sooo blatant that this one will be very tough for Rove to get much of a handle on. I suspect the Liberal Looters with guns will be the fall guys and the song and dance will be that they had tons of goods and supplies waiting on hand but it was too dangerous because of all the gunfire to distribute the stuff. Won't fly though. If they can't distribute life saving equipment and supplies in America how can they do so in Iraq?

[CWebster]

27. bidding their time while the bodies pile up...

But, but, the mean old Republicans may accuse of of being unpatriotic if we say boo. But not to worry--we have a plan, we will either beat them at their own game or play along and then, then they won't attack us! See how smart we are! We know how to preserve our own backsides!

[LittleClarkie]

34. If you're going to make an accusation like that you better not be guessing

"I guess" nothing. Blanket bullshit statements like that REALLY make my teeth itch.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. What do you think?

Christ, there has been a media blackout on Dems since about 1998.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. that too

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. Thank you.

I swear this place has gone apeshit insane.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

18. Apeshit infiltrated...

Is probably a more accurate description.

"Where are The Dems" is the height of deflection of blame and responsibility. I am sure that is the potential for agendas behind it.

Ascribe blame to the dems only after their holding the presidency and control of both houses of congress for a minimum of 4.5 years. Not one minute sooner.

[KingFlorez]

4. Absent as usual

Pelosi and Reid are nowhere to be found, as well as other Dem members of Congress. It's ridculous.

[LittleClarkie]

39. They were around yesterday

Reid told Frist that he'd better not be pushing the estate tax next week when we have Katrina to deal with.

Clark blasted Bush.

Boxer, it is reported, is busy looking for ways to get aid to people that circumvents the fubar president.

Dean has cancelled all fundraising trips and sounds geared up to help as well, saying "These are our people."

They are out there if you care to look, or if you've already decided they're not out there and have stopped looking. It might be better to draw conclusions based on evidence. You know, the way Bush should have in Iraq. Evidence is good.

[BlueJac]

Vacation.... they all are or were.

Clark is the only one to speak out! He knows leadership! :kick:

[BlueJac]

5. Vacation.... they all are or were.

Clark is the only one to speak out! He knows leadership! :kick:

[Debi]

38. Yes, during a campaign trip through Iowa Clark speaks out n/t

[KaryninMiami]

6. They are on vacation.

Or trying to come up with an "appropriate response" and a way to address the issue. I agree-- Why aren't they doing something, saying something, demonstrating by example of how an elected official SHOULD be reacting in times like these. It's pathetic, frankly, and their silence is disgraceful.

[sam sarrha]

7. wdorying about not making the RePugNuts angery and picking their butts

[Greeby]

8. Umm correct me if I'm wrong

But I thought that the minority party were not able to call emergency session

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

13. We're not able to do much of anything

but that doesn't stop some around here from bitching about it.

[AntiCoup2K4]

9. Air America is reporting that Congress is returning to DC tonight

...for an emergency session regarding the hurricane emergency.

[mattclearing]

11. Wes Clark spoke out.

There's a thread around here somewhere.

Otherwise, forget it.

[Totally Committed]

15. WES CLARK CALLS OUT BUSH:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2051179

TC

[jonnyblitz]

33. spoke out WHERE? on some web blog? nobody saw it.

:shrug:

[FrenchieCat]

36. Yes, Wes Clark spoke on one of the highest traffic blogs on the

Internet..... because that is all of the coverage he is getting at the moment. However, considering that his are written words, I wouldn't discount them, as you would like to do (why, I don't know :shrug:).

There was a google alert in my mailbox this morning.....(here it is)

In Iowa, Clark declares Bush mishandled storm
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=...
DesMoinesRegister.com - Des Moines,IA,USA
... Wesley Clark, traveling in Iowa on Thursday, was sharply critical ... lined up the evacuation assets," Clark continued ... President Bush, who will tour the Gulf Coast ...

But somehow, it was made to disappear....(when you go to the link, you get nothing). I did a pretty throughout search of the paper's site, and nada. I have written to them asking about this phenomenon.

PS- I realize that Wes Clark will never do enough for your liking....but that's not MY problem.

[FrenchieCat]

37. guess my writing worked, cause the article was "put back".....

Here Mr. Blitz.....cynic that you are to all things Clark!

Politics
In Iowa, Clark declares Bush mishandled storm

By JOLENE STEVENS
REGISTER CORRESPONDENT
September 2, 2005
Sioux City, Ia. — Retired Gen. Wesley Clark, traveling in Iowa on Thursday, was sharply critical of the Bush administration's preparation for and response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

"I think it's awful that we left 100,000 people stranded in New Orleans," Clark told reporters at a Sioux City news conference.

He said federal officials had plenty of warning and should have been more prepared.

"First of all, we all saw the storm coming. This did not come in the middle of the night like a terrorist attack. It was very clearly presented for hours before it struck," he said.

"We should have mobilized a joint task force, pre-positioned the National Guard, and lined up the evacuation assets," Clark continued.

"We can do much better than this in our country," he said.

President Bush, who will tour the Gulf Coast disaster region today, acknowledged the frustration of people who need food, water and shelter.

"I fully understand people wanting things to have happened yesterday," he said in an interview Thursday with ABC's "Good Morning America" program. "I understand the anxiety of people on the ground. . . . So there is frustration. But I want people to know there's a lot of help coming."

Bush has proposed an initial $10 billion in federal money for disaster relief.

Clark, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, has been traveling in Iowa with Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson, the state party chairwoman, to help stir up support in advance of the 2006 elections.

The Arkansas native has said he's not focused on his political future but hasn't ruled out running for president in 2008. He spoke Thursday morning at a closed-door fundraising breakfast attended by about 50 local Democrats.

Addressing the high gasoline prices in the wake of damage to the oil industry on the Gulf Coast, he said that "assuming we can get the materials out and ease supply restraints," he would support a move to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at this point to ease gas and oil prices.

"The reserve is for use in times of supply disruption," he said. "We're seeing the impact of this happening now, and spreading from the Gulf Coast into neighboring states in supplies of both car and aviation fuel."

For the longer term, he advocated an alternative energy policy, including using ethanol, to ease the country's reliance on fossil fuels.
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050902/NEWS09/509020383/1056

[Lena inRI]

14. General Wesley Clark has. . .

course the DLC and DNC kept him from being elected in 2004 yet he keeps on plugging away at the Bush fiasco. . .read his TPM blog entry for today: http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/9/1/123536/7907
(excerpts to answer your question)

In short leadership is everything we are not getting from this White House. Instead of challenging us to push ourselves to accomplish great things, we get platitudes. We can do better than that.

just this past week, there was at least 36 hours notice that a major hurricane was going to hit the Gulf Coast, including likely a devastating blow to New Orleans, which certainly came to pass. The President continued with his regular schedule on Monday and Tuesday in California, Arizona, and Texas to hold some staged Medicare events and enjoy more vacation time, while finally returning to the White House yesterday. The joint task force including National Guard set up by the Pentagon failed to be on the scene in New Orleans in a timely manner to stop the looting and assist in the evacuation. Where is the leadership?

Then just this morning, the President claimed that no one could have anticipated the levee breaches we've seen in New Orleans after Katrina hit. That's not leadership, that's an excuse. In fact, people have predicted this kind of disaster for many years, including President Bush's own FEMA in 2001, when they ranked hurricane flood damage to New Orleans among the three likeliest, most catastrophic disasters facing America. Instead, funding was significantly cut back, leaving key engineering projects on hold. Instead, this Administration focused on the war in Iraq, tax cuts, and private sector economic growth without asking the American people to make needed sacrifices for the good of the country. Again I ask you, where is the leadership?

:kick: Clark, sock it to 'em!

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Damn just talked to Boxer's office

and they are working with all involved, including Republican LO Senator, seeing how to go around the executive on this. Even gave her some ideas how to do an end run around the Executive... so the fact you are not seeing them on the TV does not mean they are doing jack or shit. Oh and did tell her the procedure for the ARC to follow to get International Aide moving

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

19. When was the last time Democrats got actual coverage?

Oh that's right - never. Wake up before blaming our own, will ya?

[newswolf56]

20. Dean has sent out a letter on Katrina, encouraging people...

to help with the relief effort, but as far as I know that's all any Democrat has done. I think the Democrats' silence may -- for once -- be smart politics: by saying nothing, the Democrats disassociate themselves from the atrocities inflicted by the Bush Administration's malicious failures in New Orleans and the devastated area in general. If my hunch is correct, the Democrats will wait until the immediate relief effort is complete and the death toll is known, than denounce Bush and his administration for their murderous policies: the political malice expressed in the slashing of the levee improvement and disaster relief funds, the deadly indifference demonstrated by the post-Katrina delays, how the crisis was many times worsened by the Bush policy of war-on-the-cheap that sent the National Guard to Iraq and so further stripped the U.S. of its disaster-response capability.

I believe there is a huge issue here -- an issue of more than sufficient magnitude to drive the Republicans from office in 2006 and 2008. Add dissent over the war in general, outrage at the outsourcing of the economy and growing fury over the runaway price of fuel and the obscene profits so being reaped by the oligarchy, and victories in 2006 and 2008 should be a certainty.

[OregonBlue]

26. AMEN NEWSWOLF56 - RIGHT ON, GREAT POST

[meow2u3]

22. There does appear to be a media blackout on Dems

Especially the Democrats who are doing their jobs as opposition leaders.

The Bush regime is (in)directly controlling the corporate media, and their agenda is to peddle propaganda that makes the Democrats look as if they either aren't there or engaging in party infighting.

Too many DUers are being taken in by this Rovian dirty trick, and it's time for us to stop ripping Democrats apart because of the way the media paints them.

[OregonBlue]

25. THE DEMS ARE NOT STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE

and why should they. The Republicans are primarily responsible for this debacle and I think the Dems need to lie low for now and let these media images speak for themselves.

I only hope they are all together somewhere in a dark room plotting their revenge and figuring out how they are finally going to stand up to this bunch of carpetbaggers.

[CWebster]

28. The Democrats need to step up to the plate

otherwise what is the point? They are useless.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LandOLincoln]

41. That's because he's never made one. Not once, not about

any Dem or other progressive.

Not once.

[LittleClarkie]

42. I'm not sure "our own party" is apropos

If you know what I mean. Perhaps I'm wrong.

[LittleClarkie]

35. LIKE YOU'D NOTICE IF THEY DID!!

Apologists my ass. What do you want from them? Photo ops so you can see them working?! Sorry, too busy for that. Maybe next time.

Where is your proof that nothing is happening. Where?! Are you just ASSUMING they're doing nothing because you hate politicians?!

BULLSHIT!

[Eloriel]

24. The Congressional Black Caucus held a press conf this a.m.

and were quite eloquent, as could be expected. I didn't get to hear all of it.

[xxqqqzme]

29. which democrat would U fault for not

calling out the NG? coordinating relief; getting FEMA moving - waking up homeland security. Which democrats, other than those U named, (even then the LA governor can only do so much w/ the NG troops left in the state) have ANY power 2 do ANYthing.

There is no leadership because we have no leaders. We are a country mired, nay, saturated in mediocrity. We R witnessing how mediocrity responds 2 human suffering.

Where do U live? What natural disaster hides in the shadows of your part of the country? U R looking @ what could happen where U live when next visited by misfortune.

I sent letters - ok, emails 2 Feinstein & Boxer, steroid boy & whorbacher 2day wondering what is 'on the books' for an earthquake disaster here. It too is gonna happen - someday. And it will be a disaster of epic proportions. R we being ignored as well? I know our funding has been cut cuz we're blue - it IS political, in spite of their protestations.

[Dr Fate]

30. I did indeed see Jesse Jackson's mic get cut on Larry King last night.

n/t

[sarahlee]

40. Just saw this

after watching some great speeches by Dems on the floors of both House and Senate. I think they are correct to keep in the background somewhat - doing the hard work of actually trying to find ways to help these poor people.

Just heard Edwards on MSNBC - he was pretty good.

Floor Statement of Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich:

The Supplemental for Hurricane Katrina

WASHINGTON - September 2 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) gave the following speech today on the House floor during a special session to provide relief money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina:

“This amount of money is only a fraction of what is needed and everyone here knows it. Let it go forward quickly with heart-felt thanks to those who are helping to save lives with necessary food, water, shelter, medical care and security. Congress must also demand accountability with the appropriations. Because until there are basic changes in the direction of this government, this tragedy will multiply to apocalyptic proportions.

“The Administration yesterday said that no one anticipated the breach of the levees. Did the Administration not see or care about the 2001 FEMA warning about the risk of a devastating hurricane hitting the people of New Orleans? Did it not know or care that civil and army engineers were warning for years about the consequences of failure to strengthen the flood control system? Was it aware or did it care that the very same Administration which decries the plight of the people today, cut from the budget tens of millions needed for Gulf-area flood control projects?

“Countless lives have been lost throughout the South with a cost of hundreds of billions in ruined homes, businesses, and the destruction of an entire physical and social infrastructure.

“The President said an hour ago that the Gulf Coast looks like it has been obliterated by a weapon. It has. Indifference is a weapon of mass destruction.

“Our indifferent government is in a crisis of legitimacy. If it continues to ignore its basic responsibility for the health and welfare of the American people, will there ever be enough money to clean up after their indifference?

“As our government continues to squander human and monetary resources of this country on the war, people are beginning to ask, “Isn’t it time we began to take care of our own people here at home? Isn’t it time we rescued our own citizens? Isn’t it time we fed our own people? Isn’t it time we sheltered our own people? Isn’t it time we provided physical and economic security for our own people?” And isn’t it time we stopped the oil companies from profiting from this tragedy?

“We have plenty of work to do here at home. It is time for America to come home and take care of its own people who are drowning in the streets, suffocating in attics, dying from exposure to the elements, oppressed by poverty and illness, wracked with despair and hunger and thirst.

“The time is NOW to bring back to the United States the 78,000 National Guard troops currently deployed overseas into the Gulf Coast region.

“The time is NOW to bring back to the US the equipment which will be needed for search and rescue, for clean up and reclamation.

“The time is NOW for federal resources, including closed Army bases, to be used for temporary shelter for those who have been displaced by the hurricane.

“The time is NOW to plan massive public works, with jobs going to the people of the Gulf Coast states, to build new levees, new roads, bridges, libraries, schools, colleges and universities and to rebuild all public institutions, including hospitals. Medicare ought to be extended to everyone, so every person can get the physical and mental health care they might need as a result of the disaster.

“The time is NOW for the federal government to take seriously the research of scientists who have warned for years about the dangers of changes in the global climate, and to prepare other regions of the country for other possible weather disasters until we change our disastrous energy policies.

“The time is NOW for changes in our energy policy, to end the domination of oil and fossil fuel and to invest heavily in alternative energy, including wind and solar, geothermal and biofuels.

“As bad as this catastrophe will prove to be, it is in fact only a warning. Our government must change its direction, it must become involved in making America a better place to live, a place where all may survive and thrive. It must get off the path of war and seek the path of peace, peace with the natural environment, peace with other nations, peace with a just economic system.”

http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0902-10.htm