Just caught the "bipartisanship"press conference...just got the AAR email...

[madfloridian]

I saw Pelosi, Durbin, and Hoyer spouting about bipartisanship. And I got the email from AAR about having Republican debates on AAR, and sharing the Fox debate in Nevada. If I want to hear the right wing, all I have to do is turn on TV. I wanted AAR to stand for something.

For 6 years the Republicans have destroyed our country bit by bit...they have torn us apart with divisive tactics.

We are going to be so "bipartisan" that we will be in Iraq forever, that we will no longer have to go to right wing sites to hear the right wingers because AAR will bring them to us.

I feel like we are coming out of the darkest 6 years in our country's history, and being "bipartisan" ain't gonna save us.

I'm with Joe Conason.

Joe Conason speaks for me. "Enough with the new bipartisanship"

The other side is not going to be nice. They are not about to let us stop their mission of Conservative power forever. We are falling for their tactics again. They are the ones who want us not to be partisan, then they win again.

[John Q. Citizen]

1. I hadn't gotten the new memo yet. Not a good sign though...

[blm]

2. It's been set up that way since we 'moved on' from Watergate, IranContra, BCCI, CIA drugrunning,

Iraqgate....and how does moving on always work out for the Democratic PARTY? And how does it work out for the Bushes and the Clintons?

[madfloridian]

7. Scratch each others' backs and move on together. Yeh, right.

We just keep going in their direction. I must have heard the word "bipartisan" 10 times in that press conference. I wanted to throw up.

[Beer Snob-50]

3. don't you think it is possible that by covering the

republican debates maybe aar could poke holes in all the rw bs they tend to spout.

[Nickster]

4. If that was the plan, how long until the RW pulls out because they are getting

torn apart by their new "partners"? I don't really think the plan is to tear into anyone, I really think they are trying to steer AAR towards the safe center.

[madfloridian]

6. The "sensible center". You know...the "vital center"...all that stuff.

I have lived my life that way, as a moderate/centrist. But the kind of "center" that took us to Iraq is not real center, it is fringe on the right.

[Nickster]

8. I considered myself a moderate up until about 6 years ago. But the RW has pushed

everything so far right that I find the current center to be unacceptable because it is still way too far right for me. Moving to the current center is just pushing our country further and further right.

[madfloridian]

5. I don't WANT to hear Republican primary debates.

Why should I pay XM good money every month for that?

I'm with Kos...this is not acceptable.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/3/7/14486/73685

[wryter2000]

9. I agree

However, I kind of doubt AAR is trying to be bipartisan. Don't you suppose it's more a case of know thine enemy?

[madfloridian]

10. I was going by this part....

From the email:

"So we're both optimists in the spirit of Walt Whitman, who wrote that "America is always becoming." Well, Air America too is always becoming.

But that requires a conversation called democracy. In the spirit that dialogue beats monologue, I am today contacting the New Hampshire Republican Party and the New York Post editorial page. Since the Democratic Party of Nevada actually invited Fox News to host that state's Democratic debate, I asked if Air America could host the first Republican debate in New Hampshire, assuring them that we too can be fair and balanced.

And to Bob McManus, editorial page editor of The New York Post, I proposed that he come on Air America to discuss his views and that Air America commentators would in turn once-a-month write an op-ed on his pages, because it's better to exchange ideas than insults. His 720,000 readers should hear from us and our 2 million+ audience should hear from him."

Hey it's Green's station now, he can do what he wants. I don't want to hear the editor of the New York Post. I can go to their website and read their junk. I don't want to hear Republican debates. I see them trying to become the kind of centrist org that doesn't want to make too many waves.

I would love to be wrong. I agree it is better to exchange ideas than insults...but I am not willing to pay the monthly amount to hear Republicans when all I have to do is turn on the TV.

[Morgana LaFey]

16. What we need MOST is NOT more exposure to the rightwing but

far, far, FAR more exposure -- and downright educating -- on core Dem issues. There are people right here at DU who don't get it about any number of subjects, and they PAY ATTENTION. What about the gazillions of people out there who are fed up to their eyeballs with Republicans but haven't a clue what the Left really stands for, other than Republican lies about us.

I couldn't agree with you more. I'm thoroughlhy, THOROUGHLY disgusted. I did not realize that it was the Dem Party of NV who actually invited Fox News. That is so utterly bogus it makes me apoplectic. Do we have a MOLE in Nevada?

As for AAR, bah. I'm done with them. Unbelievable. If anyone has contact information, I'd appreciate having it. I'm just about ready to vent my spleen at considerable length and vigor in someone's direction, it might as well be them.

[madfloridian]

18. It wasn't the Dem party...no one is quite sure how it happened

there in NV. The party head apparently agreed with consulting with anyone else...but that's a maybe. There's a question how it was done. He's soon to be out, not running again. Not everyone disagrees with it there, but many want answers.

[glitch]

19. You got that right - all the time they waste "debating" wingers or presenting the other side

represents the real opportunity cost of not discussing the details of real issues that affect real Americans.

[wryter2000]

21. Hmmm

I wish our side would stop with the kumbaya. We'll only get a kick in the teeth in return.

I'm not a paid subscriber, but they'll hear from me. I want to give some of it a listen first, though. If they let the Republics spout and then point out that the facts disagree with everything they say, I'm fine with it.

[madfloridian]

11. To make it clear..I have nothing against reaching out..

What upsets me is hearing our House Democrats be so afraid to take stand on anything. I expect it in the Senate, not the House.

Dean was right...they appear to have the Stockholm Syndrome.

Dean: Well, you know, I think there's a tendency within the Party—inside Washington, not so much outside Washington—towards the Stockholm Syndrome. That is, you kind of drift towards the winner. In this case, the winner turns out to be a fairly right wing president. And I think it's a tendency inside Washington to think that if we can only be a little more like the Republicans, then we can win.

It's a bipartisan problem. Bob Michael had this problem when he was Minority Leader, and Newt Gingrich stood up for what he believed. Now there's nothing I believe that Gingrich believes, but I do admire Gingrich's strategic ability. He differentiated the two Parties, claimed a particular set of issues and then beat us with those. We really need to understand that you win by differentiating yourself from the other party.
http://www.crocuta.net/Dean/Dean_Interview_Hannity+Colmes_Jan13_2005.htm

There is a difference between working cooperatively with the other party and realizing that we at least in the House have the power to get things done by moving ahead without those who hold us back.

[Morgana LaFey]

17. Well, I probably admire you

I'm not so eager to do any reaching out. Seems our outreached hands so often get bitten or chopped off. OR they grabbed our arm and slung us over their heads onto the floor below (martial arts style). Count me in with the Dixie Chicks: I'm not ready to make nice. Let some of THEM do some (sincere) outreach for a change. I don't recall any -- none. Nothing comes to mind.

[b_cmh]

12. Make YOUR demands!

The only way to tell our Democratic leaders what we as American Citizens want is to tell them directly.

As a liberal-Christian-Democrat, I am personally composing a message to Nancy Pelosi demanding that 6 years of wrongs be made right - starting with the impeachment of this ENTIRE administration. I encourage you to do the same by going here:

http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact/contact.html

In 2004 Republicans touted 51% of the vote to be a referendum on our society and their policies. This past election WAS indeed a referendum on policies and actions by the American people on the Bush administration and Theo-Republicanism.

Do your part because airing your complaints on a mostly Democrat-visited forum isn't going to get the job done!

[newyawker99]

22. Hi b_cmh!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[b_cmh]

23. Hi Yawker

Thanks!

[madfloridian]

13. Blue Dogs say they represent the majority, but they don't want to "play general"

First, here is a poll on blocking escalation of the war and getting the troops out.

Would you support or oppose Congress trying to block Bush's plan by creating new rules on troop training and rest time that would limit the number of troops available for duty in Iraq?

Support: 58 percent
Oppose: 39 percent
Unknown: 4 percent

Wow, that's pretty high support, so I guess that means the Blue Dogs agree.

Here is what Allen Boyd, a Blue Dog leader boasts:

"We think this is the group that represents where the greatest bloc of Americans are -- toward that big middle. Not far left, not far right, but that big middle, that's going to be able to get things done," he added. "And it's going to have to be done on a bipartisan basis."

That sounds good except it is not true.

"Iraq is a good example," Boyd said. "The majority of the caucus would say, 'Let's be really strong in forcing the president out of here.' Well, some of us are really uncomfortable playing general, and you're going to see that reflected in what we vote on."

So they say they represent the majority, the really big center, but they don't like what the majority says. So they won't do it.

That and much more things at MyDD today:

Blue Dogs Own The War Now, Too

[tnlefty]

14. I did the 5th, and I'm no where near ready to play nice!

After what his bunch of thugs has done (and refuse to apologize and make correct for), no I'm sorry but f*&k that!

If only the "center" were actually the true center and not to the right of center, I suppose I can just hope.

[cascadiance]

15. If their definition of "bipartisanship" means compromising what people want vs. corporations...

... then I say no f'ing way! There's no room for compromise or "bipartisanship" there! They've been f'ing us for way too long for us to give in this time.

[madfloridian]

20. Two things...

I read tonight they are presenting a plan tomorrow. Good for them, will be watching. I think it was a Pelosi press release.

Also I very much commend them for starting hearings at once about the judges being fired at Federal level...they started those hearings right away. It is healing to see someone taking charge.