Questions about Rahm Emanuel, the man Cindy interrupted.

[Tom Joad]

Much about what Cindy did, and there are questions about her politeness. I want to ask questions about Rahm, the man she interrupted. His website says he wants a higher minimum wage. Wants to fund stem cell research. and says nothing that i can see about the Iraq war.

Why? Is it because he does not see it as an issue? Not important enough? A $400 billion govt program, costing hundreds of thousands of lives, and he has little or nothing to say?
He does find time to say something about Polish American Heritage Month. He does say something about possible corruption in the Iraq reconstruction. But does he have anything to say about the wisdom of keeping troops in Iraq?

I am perplexed.

http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh10242006.html
This article says that Rahm, the man charged by the party with recruiting candidates, mostly favored pro-war candidates (and also recruited anti-abortion candidates). I know people are going to say that Counterpunch is just too Left. But what evidence do we have that Rahm is anything other than a pro-war congressperson?

I would like to see what people can tell me about Rahm's position on the war. Maybe there is more here than i can see. If someone lives in his district maybe that would be the best source of information. Does Rahm want the troops to stay in Iraq "until the job is done", or does he favor a quick withdrawal from this illegal, immoral, insane war of aggression?

If he favors the war, isn't it Rahm who is hurting the Democratic party, and hurting our planet?

[Original Jack]

1. Until Iraq is resolved, there is nothing else to consider

Everything is on hold until we deal with Iraq.

[Tom Joad]

2. yet his website says nothing about it. fascinating, ain't it?

[VelmaD]

3. bullshit

There are tons of other things that need to be addressed right here at home. Health care coverage and raising the minimum wage spring easily to mind. As does doing something about poverty, hunger, and homelessness and the high cost of energy. Most of us are capable of multi-tasking and thinking about more than one issue at a time. I want the soldiers home NOW...but I want important issues HERE dealt with NOW as well. Just as we shouldn't let one more soldier die in this idiotic war...we shouldn't let one more person die homeless under a bridge or from some disease that would have been easily cured if the person could have afforded health care.

[Tom Joad]

6. I am just asking what Rahm's position is on Iraq. Seems not to have a public one.

Now i can understand a grocer deciding that he did not want to state his position, or even choosing not to have one.
But a US congressperson? and long-time congress person? Just does not seem like he is doing his job. Or has something unpopular to hide.

[VelmaD]

not sure why you responded to me...

since my post wasn't directed at you but rather at the newbie who said that everything else should be put on hold. :shrug:

But I agree with you. He should have his opinion prominently displayed. I'm not a big fan of Rahm and I'm certainly not gonna defend him. I was merely pointing out to the other poster that there are other issues that need attention besides the war.

[LittleClarkie]

10. The bullshit was not for you

The bullshit was for the poster who said that nothing but Iraq mattered.

[Tom Joad]

12. Right, and you do have a point, but i think he does too.

I mean, how are we going to fund national health care if it is spent bombing Iraq? Same questions Martin Luther King asked of Johnson.

[VelmaD]

13. I think you're putting words into the post in question...

that just weren't there. He didn't talk about funding priorities...all he said was that everything else should be on hold.

That said, I agree with you. My main objection to this war, the war in Afghanistan, and Gulf War I was and is essentially the point you just made...the huge military buildup and every war during my lifetime has been about taking money away from social programs to help people and giving it away to defense contractors.

[Tom Joad]

17. Yes, things that Rahm has nothing to say about. Publicly.

[mmonk]

52. The problem with the Iraq war and the importance of why it

should be addressed first is this: the war on terror is largely a fabrication created to invade Iraq and produce more military bases in other parts of the world. There is a whole new type of police state government that has agencies demanding expenditures based on this fabrication. As long as congress critters belly up to the trough for this "security and war on terror funding", funding that will better the everyday lives of our citizens (and primarily those in need) will be chronically underfunded.

[still_one]

19. Of course Iraq is important, but we are one vote away from losing everything on the supreme court

We have so little time to do so much

The only way we can deal with this administration on Iraq is through massive investigations, and gather evidence which not only will point to violations of law, but also abuse of power. Then we must impeach

Sure Congress can stop funding the war, but the corporate media and administration would accuse the Democrats of not supporting the troops. On the other hand, if a case is methodically built against this administration it will NOT only have a chance to end the disaster in Iraq, but also provide support for the Democrats in 2008. Unfortunately, that will take time, but while the investigations are going on, the Democrats should be proposing a timetable for getting out of Iraq, though I have no doubt this administraton will ignore such demands.

Unless you know another way that Congress can deal with it, without destroying our chances in 2008, I am all ears.

[still_one]

11. You are darn right. We are one Supreme Court Justice away from disaster

A woman's right to choose, illegal wiretaps, civil rights, and so many freedoms are hanging by a thread

That is not to say Iraq is not important, but it isn't the only issue

[Tom Joad]

15. I would not tolerate a congressperson who refused to support a woman's right to

choose. I will not tolerate a congressperson who refuses to publicly oppose this war. And i will not tolerate a party hack, like Rahm seems to be, who recruits pro-war and anti-choice dem candidates.

[still_one]

22. On those specific issues you mentioned we agree

The problem I have with Rahm is he goes out of his way to avoid talking about Iraq. Saw him on Bill Maher some time before the elections, and he was talking about the Democratic agenda. Not one word was mentioned about Iraq. That told me everything I needed to know about him.

The good news is that Democrats in both houses have already made it quite clear that Iraq is THE major issue, along with ethics. I certainly hope this results in investigations, and if violations of law appear, impeachment

[Original Jack]

14. Multi-task all you want.

How can inadequate healthcare in America compare to this?

[VelmaD]

16. It's not a matter of comparison...

Here's a little job for you...get in your car and drive down to the nearest overpass and tell the homeless people living under it that you can't be bothered to care about them because there's this war going on. You cannot claim to have compassion for children being blown up in Iraq if you don't have room in your psyche for compassion for people here.

[Original Jack]

18. Got news for you

The homeless people living under MY nearest overpass have it WAY better than Ali.

[VelmaD]

21. didn't think you'd do it

You just keep right on going with your one-track mind. The rest of us will work on fixing all the other problems in the world as well.

You do realize that you're engaging in exactly the same kind of unitary thinking that has dug us into this mess. The rest of the world has been allowed to go to hell because our government doesn't have time to focus on anything but Iraq. Nukes in Iran and North Korea - no attention. Genocide in Darfur - no attention. The Isreali-Palestinian peace process - no attention. You name it, all the troubles in the world, are getting pretty much no high level attention because of Iraq...this is NOT a good thing.

I prefer to aim higher. I know I'm smarter than George Bush and I hope you are too...which means it's highly likely you and I can both keep more than one thought in our hears at a time.

on edit: I'm headed to bed. Welcome to DU and have fun duking it out. I'll pass on the same advice I got...wear a cup. :hi:

[Original Jack]

23. When the house is on fire

... you tend to disregard the paint peeling from the walls.

[Tom Joad]

20. They are very likely Vietnam vets. or gulf war vets.

Anyway, there should be no real disagreement here, as we all want the war to end. What we might do is all agree that Rahm very much deserved an interruption today, if he is going to contunue supporting this war, and that will not only result in massive Iraqi and US casualties, it will impede all other programs we think are important.

[still_one]

24. That depends if you are the person in need of the healthcare doesn't it?

[Original Jack]

25. If you need healthcare

don't avert your eyes.

[still_one]

27. Obviously, you have such tunnel vision, and believe that is the only issue

then you appreciation of suffering is much to selective for my tastes

Something should be done for everyone who is suffering

You want me to show you some picture of the Dafur?

How about, homeless here who freeze to death?

There are a lot of problems that need to be dealt with, NOT JUST ONE

[Nutmegger]

5. Welcome to DU.

:toast:

[wryter2000]

37. Welcome to DU

:hi:

Iraq is the issue, but I think we can tackle more than one at a time. I, personally, am horrified at Bush's violation of our civil liberties (like the opening mail story). Those also need to be looked at ASAP.

Not excusing Rahm, though. If Cindy had demonstrated against Dennis K., I would have said "whuh?" Emmanuel may well deserve it.

[neuvocat]

4. GQ just had an interview with him.

I can't find it on the site but I'm not at all impressed with him. Regardless of party affiliation, the guy's just a real butthole.

[Tom Joad]

7. He probably states his convictions about how men should dress well in that article, i imagine.

But what about Iraq?

[neuvocat]

26. LOL

Actually I haven't made it that far yet-so far just stuff about fundraising and the way he acts towards people. I don't know if she knew anything about him before cutting him off but seriously, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

[madfloridian]

30. Here's the article from GQ....very interesting.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/838

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

8. Rahm's a canny political player. Don't look to him for substantial policy

statements.

He's going to have his savvy put to the test with the current crop of Democratic legislators. The political spectrum varies greatly in that group. MKJ

[Greeby]

9. Aye, it's quite clear Rahm gave candidates who ran....

On getting out of Iraq and/or impeachment, the cold shoulder. This was the guy, after all, who is in charge of the party machinery for winning elections in the House. It's not on, whatever way you look at it

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

35. Well, he did run Tammy Duckworth.

And he certainly did his part to keep the spotlight on Bush's conduct of the war during the campaign.

[mod mom]

36. but he joined Carville in denouncing Dean's 50 State Strategy when his own

sponsored candidate, Duckworth, failed. This is no criticism of Duckworth, but he screwed over the Progressive candidate (backed by the PDA) so he could make a mark.

[madfloridian]

39. Cegelis was backed strongly by DFA as well.

She was one of the first of the DFA candidates, actually, I think she was a Dean Dozen.

[mod mom]

51. well doesn't that explain alot! It sounds like a power trip against Dean.

[mopinko]

43. tammy duckworth was not all that antiwar

she had as lukewarm a stance as can be. she was a good soldier, and would not rock the boat. she beat a seriously antiwar dem in the primary.
rahm knock off a few other hard core antiwar candidates, as well.

rahm carries water for aipac. he is a slightly moderated, and better looking joementum.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

49. She was certainly a flaming liberal considering her district.

And yes, I am well aware that Rahm is a jewish politician who many on DU disagreee with, which automatically makes him an AIPAC shill. Geez.

[Freddie Stubbs]

53. And Democrats won a majority in the House

Looks like his strategy was a smart one.

[madfloridian]

28. Not one of my fav people...good article about him and Carville et al

He did work his butt off for the party. I don't like him, but I respect what he did. Carville talked out of turn about him in this article. It is a pretty interesting one from GQ.

Carville implicates Rahm and the Clintons (not specific, but says connect the dots)...in his attack on Dean right after the election.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/838

"Flush with victory after the election, Rahm’s allies, led by Carville, try to mount a coup at the DNC by publicly attacking Dean and suggesting he be replaced by Harold Ford, a Tennessee moderate who just lost a Senate race. “You can’t go into 2008 having a party chairman that is completely disconnected from the congressional leadership and the campaign committees,” Carville tells me, further pounding the wedge that divides the Deaniacs and the Clintonites. When I ask if Rahm agrees, Carville says, “It’s not any secret that Rahm has expressed disdain for Dean and not very secret that Rahm and I are close. It doesn’t take a lot of dot-connecting here.”

What about the Clintons, who, given Hillary’s presidential ambitions, have more cause for concern about who runs the DNC in 2008? “Let’s just say nobody has called me telling me this is a bad idea. Sometimes silence is eloquence.” Not only did Carville’s coup fail but it arguably strengthened Dean, who, speaking before his state-party allies, mocked the attempt as a desperate attack from the “old Democratic Party.” Cutting his losses, Rahm quickly leaked word to the press that he and Dean had negotiated a truce."

More at the link, including Dean's only response to the attack.

[mod mom]

33. I agree. I am still angry how he interfered in the Dem Primary process in Ohio

We Ohio Dem voters don't need a fast talking DLCer choosing who will be our candidates. Let the voters decide!

[midnight]

29. I hope that this Dem is not pro war. It is draining this country

of wonderful soldiers, and destroying our economy. How many of you would love to see this money go to money to go back to school so that you could have a better job. Open up the health care to everyone, and don't tie it to a job. Provide a growing economy so that whomever wants a job has one. I'm sure there are other important issues, but this war is a waste.

[noamnety]

31. He says there will a turning point for a new direction

which is that the war will continue as scheduled, but they'll have better accounting. :eyes:

"Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, organizer of the Democratic campaign to win back the House in the recent election, claimed the next war spending bill would be “the turning point for a new direction.” According to Curry of MSNBC, Emanuel “said the bill will impose conditions which Bush will be forced to accept if he wants the money, such as a commission to investigate funds unaccounted for or allegedly wasted in Iraq."

“To voters who’d be disappointed because they thought the new Congress would bring the troops home from Iraq, Emanuel gave a tentative answer: ‘From now on we are beginning to figure those questions out in the proper way.’”

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/dec2006/dems-d12.shtml

[mod mom]

34. sounds pro war to me.

maybe he should volunteer to enlist and make a real difference.

[Tom Joad]

44. Sound like he wants the war better managed. Nothing about ending the war.

[windbreeze]

56. The answer Congress must give to more funding...no matter what

damn direction shit is going...is NO...in NO uncertain terms...no boogybooing around about it...NO, damn it...NO MORE MONEY for the bullshit "war on terror, in Afghanistan, Iraq, OR Iran....NO more funding for any of it...Tell a certain counry to fight it's own battles and not to count on us to do it for them...
windbreeze

[stray cat]

32. How many people die from lack of health care?

or should we not worry about them until the situation in Iraq is completely resolved - like after 2008 when the republicans take over again because the dems accomplished nothing.

[noamnety]

40. When I brought that up about Saddam before

I was told that NOTHING excuses gassing Iraqi citizens, raping them, or torturing them. Not even if he had a really really nice health care program.

Seems to me the same ethics should hold true for Americans. Even democratic Americans. Even Emanuel.

[mzmolly]

38. I don't know of ANY pro IRAQ war candidates recruited by Rahm Emmanuel?

The article above seems to take issue with the fact that we're not pacifists?

I do think the point about his lack of mention regarding Iraq on the website is a very valid one.

[Tom Joad]

45. Yes, I looked and could not find one mention of Iraq, except the point

about money being mismanaged and unaccounted for An important issue, to be sure, but is the democratic party position only that this war was fiscally mismanaged?

Most of think it is immoral and insane, and even if it were run cheaply it would be just as crazy.

[mzmolly]

48. The position of the Party is that the war must end ASAP.

Indeed it is immoral and insane - not to mention disastrous, counter productive and futile.

[mdmc]

41. mission accomplished

as long as the dems are a little less evil then the pukes, we win.

[Tuesday_Morning]

42. Here's David Sirota's piece

on Rahm Emanuel

http://davidsirota.com/index.php/2006/12/26/the-hero-worship-machine-rolls-on/

Very interesting.

[Jcrowley]

46. Stright from the horses, um, mouth?

"I am glad the President has realized the need for increasing the size of the armed forces... but this is where the Democrats have been for two years," commented Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the new House Democratic Caucus chairman.) The Democratic leadership promptly pledged to make such an expansion one of its top reform priorities in the New Year.

Military expansion from the world's largest War Machine as labeled REFORM?

With leadership like this the cliff's edge is near.

[bvar22]

47. Rham's Economic Philosophy:

If its good for Big Business, its good for America.

War is very good for Big Business.

Don't expect Rham to support Single Payer Universal HealthCare (Medicare for Everyone)
He will align with other CorpoDems to sell America "Affordable HealthCare", which will be nothing more than tax payer subsidies for Big Pharm and HMOs, and will do little to change the system.

Back in heyday of the DLC, before they scrubbed their site and hid their membership roster, the DLC frequently featured Rham as an Economic genius, and he often lectured the DLC on the benefits of Free Trade and removing all restrictions from corporations.


Rham??? :thumbsdown:


The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[Generator]

50. Republican lite

Half the calories, but not as refreshing!

[mod mom]

54. from Randi Rhodes:

(paraphrased)

Rahm handled the situation extremely poorly. Why couldn't he invite her up to the podium and welcome her to address the press saying no one has allowed you to say what needs to be said. Instead he leaves when interrupted.

Me:

excellent point.

[mdmc]

55. He should have countered with all his leadership on bankruptcy

reform.

That would show her!