The "Problem Solvers Caucus"?

[guillaumeb]

My own Congressperson, Dan Lipinski, is a member of the "Problem Solvers Caucus".

Lipinski was primaried in 2018 by a very progressive candidate named Marie Newman.

Newman beat Lipinski in the suburban areas, but Lipinski won by virtue of name recognition in Chicago.

Lipinski is the son of former Congressperson turned lobbyist William Lipinski. The elder Lipinski was a long time Chicago politician who ran for Congress, and later made certain that his son would be picked when Lipinski the Elder left Congress to make money as a lobbyist.

My issue with this so-called Problem Solvers Caucus is with their apparent lack of historical knowledge.

Did any of these problem solvers happen to notice that the GOP controlled Senate filibustered bills over 400 times in an effort to shut down the Congress, and President Obama?

Did any of these problem solvers notice that every time the GOP controls the House, only Bills with GOP sponsors are considered?

Did any of these problem solvers notice that to the GOP, the word compromise means "adopt the GOP agenda"?

Sorry problem solvers, you are blind or you are ignoring the reality that the modern GOP has no interest in compromise.

[empedocles]

1. Need a new label for the dem 9

[guillaumeb]

2. The see no evil caucus?

[Volaris]

4. Hrmmm...The Vichy Nine?

[empedocles]

21. Hmmmmm

[UTUSN]

3. Here's a definitive article from TruthDig (courtesy DUer Rainy) -

**********QUOTE*********

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/whos-really-leading-the-democratic-rebellion-against-pelosi/

Who's Really Leading the Democratic Rebellion Against Pelosi?

.... ... ideology is not driving this campaign, and this is no populist rebellion. In fact, its leaders have no discernible ideology at all.
That’s how corporate money rolls in the Democratic Party. It lays low, hides its true colors, and pretends it only wants to “get things done.”

The anti-Pelosi insurgency is not a movement. It’s a cabal, orchestrated by the appropriately hashtagged #FiveWhiteGuys, a group of self-self-interested players with big money behind them. ....

...vague on the issues, big on cliches and platitudes, ... is the hallmark of “centrism,” the billionaire-funded political faction that serves its financial backers by selling themselves as “non-ideological,” “technocratic” architects of “bipartisan” consensus who can “break the gridlock” and “solve problems.”

For this crowd, “solving problems” always winds up meaning the same thing: cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and an unwarranted obsession with the federal deficit that always—just accidentally, mind you!—winds up helping corporations and the billionaire class. ....

...claims to be “above parties and partisanship”—which, in the end, is another way of saying it’s free of any principles except the interests of its paymasters. It often comes in the guise of patriotism, as when Seth Moulton says he places “country over party”—a comment that, implicitly, is a deep insult to those who believe one party’s proposals would serve the country better than the other’s.

The anti-Pelosi campaign is being supported by one of the mainstays of the corporate centrist world—the cynical political ploy known as “No Labels,” which I wrote about in 2012, and its creation, the “Problem Solvers Caucus.” ... a guaranteed-employment plan for Republican and Democratic political hacks, ... ....

**********UNQUOTE********

[guillaumeb]

5. Indeed.

And this reveals the real agenda:

For this crowd, “solving problems” always winds up meaning the same thing: cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and an unwarranted obsession with the federal deficit that always—just accidentally, mind you!—winds up helping corporations and the billionaire class. ....

[Celerity]

10. great post

[pecosbob]

6. Funded by billionaires for billionaires...

[guillaumeb]

7. The billionaire class.

Operating, as they generally do, behind designated spokespersons.

[Eric J in MN]

8. I tweeted that Marie Newman should run again

...and she Liked my tweet.

Maybe you can volunteer for her in 2020. Did you volunteer for her this year?

[Celerity]

11. I would love to see her run again!

[guillaumeb]

20. I did, and I co-organized a meet and greet for her.

I have seen her a number of times at anti-racism events in Palos Hills. I also suggested that she run again, and start even earlier.

My view is that we in the IL 3rd District must also show up at Lipinski's very few Town Hall events and take the floor and demand answers from him.

[Celerity]

9. it was far more than just name recognition, No Labels/Problem solvers dumped in a million usd to

smear Newman in the last month or so.

2 previous posts of mine about this

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/100211449669#post2

The main one (probably the only one) I was most disappointed they (not just them, pretty much everybody else at a national and statewide level) failed at was helping Marie Newman win in Illinois. She was one of the few challengers who had almost universal support across the board, from Emily's List to Bernie, from National Organization for Women to Indivisible, from Our Revolution to Planned Parenthood, from Illinois Federation of Teachers to the SEIU, from Gloria Steinem to NARAL, From Justice Democrats to MoveOn.org, from the Human Rights Campaign to the Daily Kos, from LPAC to a bunch of sitting congresspeople.

She was running against arguably the worst Democrat in Congress, the pro-life, anti-immigrant (voted against the Dream Act and for Republican border security bills), anti Obamacare, anti LGBTQ (voted for DOMA and is openly against gay marriage), anti Obama himself (he refused to endorse him) anti stem cell research, etc etc Dan Lipinski. It is as safe a district for us as is almost possible, as it has been in Democratic hands since the 1950's, other than for 2 years after the Nixon 1972 massive landslide.

Lipinski eeked out a victory mainly because around 1 million dollars came flooding in at the end from No Labels and other Lieberman affiliated centre right groups (many of them supported with Republican money as well as centrist Democratic money) that hammered and smeared Newman with a shit tonne of adverts and direct mailings.

I so hope she (or anyone!) goes after Lipinski again in 2020. His views are repugnant to me, especially as a lesbian PoC.

snip


https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211436839

See this for a further example of threatening to vote against her (from the Blue Dog, Lieberman-backed, bi-partisanship-pushing, Problem Solvers types)


Stephanie Murphy, 8 other Democrats want promises from Nancy Pelosi in exchange for speaker votes

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-ne-nancy-pelosi-speaker-votes-washington-post-1114-story.html

Nine centrist House Democrats are throwing another hurdle in the path of top party leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as she sprints toward the speaker’s gavel.

It’s not an unexpected obstacle: The nine are members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a group formed to promote bipartisanship whose members agreed in September to condition their votes for any speaker candidate on support for a package of rules changes meant to improve how the House operates.

In a letter sent to Pelosi on Tuesday, the nine Democrats reiterated that their speaker votes are on the line and asked for a “written, public commitment” to their proposals by Friday.

“Our constituents and our democracy deserve better,” they wrote. “Put simply, they want us to govern again.”

snip

Signing the letter are Reps. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.), Tom O’Halleran (Ariz.), Jim Costa (Calif.), Kurt Schrader (Ore.), Daniel Lipinski (Ill.), Darren Soto (Fla.), Stephanie Murphy (Fla.), Tom Suozzi (N.Y.) and Vicente Gonzalez (Tex.).

snip


Bipartisan ‘No Labels’ group’s super PAC network revealed: mega Chicago donors

https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/bipartisan-no-labels-2018-super-pac-network-chicago-donors/

With a boost from Chicago-area mega donors, including White Sox and Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, No Labels, a group advocating bipartisanship in Congress, has created a network of super PACs to influence the 2018 elections — but doesn’t want its fingerprints on the money.

One of the super PACs, United for Progress Inc., has spent $740,334 as of Sunday to bolster Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., in his March 20 Illinois Democratic primary battle with Marie Newman in the 3rd Congressional District. The names of the super PACS don’t link them to No Labels. A Sun-Times investigation determined super PACS related to No Labels include: United for Progress Inc.; Citizens for a Strong America Inc.; United Together; Govern or Go Home; and Forward, Not Back.

The Sun-Times inquiry included interviews with donors or their representatives and an examination of documents filed with the Federal Election Commission. United for Progress, Inc., is playing political hardball, attacking Newman in the commercials and direct mail pieces it paid for. Lipinski is part of a No Labels offshoot, the congressional “Problem Solvers Caucus.”

snip

THE ILLINOIS CONNECTIONS: Last year, a No Labels leader, former Sen. Joe Lieberman, was a draw at a meeting at the Chicago Club, 81 E. Van Buren. Lieberman was the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee who became an Independent senator from Connecticut.

snip

[guillaumeb]

12. And, for those in the Il 3rd District,

we saw outside claims from hidden donor organizations that claimed that Marie Newman was a Holocaust denier.

[Celerity]

15. yep, I just posted about that, lol you must be reading my mind!

[Celerity]

13. Newman: My family will never forgive Lipinski

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/25/lipinski-newman-illinois-chicago-484736

snip

Newman blamed machine elements in Lipinski’s campaign as the forces behind disparaging text messages — including on St. Patrick’s Day, a major Chicago holiday when early voting was underway — that hurt her campaign among 3rd Congressional District voters.

While Lipinski is known for his mild-mannered demeanor and low-key political style, the 11th-hour texts accused Newman of running an abortion clinic, of wanting to put the Little Sisters of the Poor out of business and of being a Holocaust denier, she said.

“They did do all of those things,” Newman said, pinning the blame on Lipinski’s camp. “Just to be clear, my husband is Jewish, two of my family members are nuns, and my family volunteered for Little Sisters of the Poor, including my mother. My mother was so outraged they made that comment about Little Sisters of the Poor, she literally got sick one night. As far as my family is concerned, they’ll never forgive that comment that Mr. Lipinski put forth on me.”

Unofficial vote totals from Tuesday’s primary show the Lipinski family’s historic dominance has diminished. In past cycles, Dan Lipinski, who claimed the seat after his father’s longtime service, easily won Chicago precincts, with 70 percent or even 90 percent of the vote. But the latest Chicago ward and suburban township breakdowns signal that the tide is turning, with Newman claiming nearly half of the vote totals in what were once machine strongholds. Those results raise questions about Lipinski’s vulnerability in a presidential-year race featuring higher turnout.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[guillaumeb]

16. Great points.

Daddy Lipinski gave this seat to his son by waiting until after the deadline for filing to suddenly decide that he wanted to become a lobbyist.

And then Daddy Lipinski ordered the local organization to select Lipinski the Lesser. A number of us worked for Newman, and our group hosted an information night where she spoke. One of many such events.

Lipinski Jr. rarely holds public events, and rarely answers questions.

So it is up to his constituents to show up and demand that he answer questions.

[Voltaire2]

14. Following in Joe Lieberman's footsteps.

[guillaumeb]

18. Agreed.

They share much.

[CousinIT]

17. Yep. Republicans running as Dems ...

..https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211469155

[guillaumeb]

19. An excellent post.

[Lars39]

23. Thanks for posting that!

[Garrett78]

22. Their interpretation of why we kicked ass in the midterms tells me...

...they're lacking in all kinds of knowledge. Truly, what a bunch of moronic assholes.