Democrats Use Power of Majority to Pursue Agenda

[ClarkUSA]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday approved a multi-billion dollar package of tax breaks and government-backed loans for small businesses, as Democrats sought to use the muscle of their majorities to pursue a Congressional agenda that would make their case for retaining control in the House and Senate this fall.

After surmounting months of Republican opposition to approve the small-business measure and send it to the House, Democrats — over sharp Republican objections — set up a floor showdown for next week over a Pentagon policy bill that also touches on the politically charged issues of immigration and gay men, lesbians and bisexuals in the military.

The Pentagon bill would not only allow the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, but would also include legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who arrive in the United States before age 16, reside here for five years, earn a high school degree and complete two years of college or military service.

The immigration language is being added at the behest of the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, who is eager to mobilize Hispanic voters for his re-election campaign in Nevada, and it reflects a broader Democratic effort to secure support from Hispanic Americans nationwide by promising a comprehensive immigration bill in the future.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/17/us/17cong.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fpolitics%2Findex.jsonp

[onehandle]

1. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

@ that headline.

[Aramchek]

3. oh, everything would be different if we'd only elected Hillary!!

:sarcasm:

[onehandle]

4. I didn't support Hillary during the primary, but whatever. nt

[Soylent Brice]

9. nevermind

[ClarkUSA]

6. Why? Today, Elizabeth Warren, the woman in your sig, said she was fired up and ready to go.

"CNN: Warren says she's fired up and ready to "get some things done" immediately"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9151391

Get a clue.

Stop jeering at pro-Democratic OP headlines and do something constructive if you don't want to see Republicans take over the House. Volunteer to help Democrats win this November (see my sig).

43 million Americans who depend on UI to keep them out of poverty are counting on Democrats like us. A GOP-controlled House will never ever take up a bill to extend UI or TANF, much less food stamps.

John Edwards would agree with me, I'm sure.

[COgator95]

2. Ummmmmm.....

To little to late IMHO.

[Wilms]

5. Nooooooooooooo! They're going to hurt the Repiglicans f e e l i n g s.

[DBoon]

7. I never thought I would see The Onion in LBN

oh wait, this is someone's idea of real news

[ClarkUSA]

8. I'll choose The New York Times' reporting against an anonymous blogger's baseless snark any day.

:smoke:

[smiley_glad_hands]

10. Its obvious that some here hope the dems lose based on the comments in this thread. Nt

[Lasher]

11. I don't know if I would go that far but I don't like the amnesty.

And it's pretty bad timing trying to pull that shit now.

[Francesca9]

13. The amnesty part is puzzling

There are not enough votes to actually pass immigration amnesty. This will be used to vote out more democrats. So, what is the point?

The bill will really help business and will actually create jobs, eventually. After 4 years of ineffective job creation policies there is an important job creation bill right before the election and they make it into an immigration reform bill! Americans oppose immigration reform by a large majority. Why, why, why hide a potentially popular bill by blending highly unpopular immigration amnesty?

[Doctor_J]

12. Ah...I see. The article is dated 1933

:eyes:

[groundloop]

14. I don't like the New York Times reporting, at least in this instance

"as Democrats sought to use the muscle of their majorities to pursue a Congressional agenda that would make their case for retaining control in the House and Senate this fall."

Gee, I thought this bill was passed because it was the right thing to do for small business, the middle class, and creating jobs, NOT merely because it will win elections.

[Francesca9]

15. This is what fuels the tea party

Christine O'Donnell is unelectable unless the democrats keep this up. The voters dislike republicans and democrats. The republicans have attacked her, which makes her appear more and more a political independent and outsider. The democrats are attacking her which is unnecessary since she is way behind. Having BOTHY parties after her is exactly how she can win.

Now the Senate is playing games with the national security bill, which pisses voter off against BOTH parties. This just feeds the teaparty and helps O'Donnell

“The majority leader is turning legislation on our national defense into a political football,” Mr. McCain said.
Mr. Reid seemed only to inflame Republican anger when he conceded in a floor speech that the Pentagon measure had virtually no chance of being adopted until after the election but nonetheless called on Republicans to allow debate to begin next week."

There is an election in 45 days...