Dems, meet your new minority leader - pro-life, pro-war

[LTRS]

and anti-environmentalist. So the sell out begins.

"Republicans said they hoped Reid's elevation was a signal from Democrats that they might play a more constructive role in the more lopsided Senate. Reid, who opposes abortion, is seen as more conservative than Daschle and less confrontational in his personal style.

He voted for Bush's tax cuts, and in 1991, was one of a handful of Democrats who voted to authorize the Persian Gulf War. He voted again to authorize the use of force against Iraq in October 2002. He has frequently opposed environmental groups on Western mining issues."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-reid7nov07,0,2909230.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Do the Democrats want to lose their base?

Because that is what will happen if they give DINOs the leadership positions. Any way we can write someone and tell them this?

[LTRS]

2. Good luck - I don't think they care what we think

[Democat]

3. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Less confronational than Daschle?

We need someone a thousand times more confrontational than Daschle and we get someone even wimpier who supports Bush on many issues?

What the fuck?

:(

[JohnKleeb]

4. I am gonna catch holy hell for this but Reid isn't anti environment

He's at odds with the environmentalists on western mining issues because well I believe there are a lot of silver and gold mines out there in Nevada, other than that Reid is quite pro environment, he's actually the who led the fight against Yucca Mountain. He actually has had a 94 and 88 from the LCV the last couple years. He is anti abortion but has a mixed record on this. Reid btw voted against the Bush tax cut it seems.

[sandnsea]

25. That's the problem though

It's always something. Montana just voted down a mine that would have put cyanide in one of the rivers. Montana has worked incredibly hard to clean up its rivers and the pollution from copper mining. If Montanans can get it, we can certainly educate Nevadans enough to get it. But not when a Democrat thinks he has to sell out to keep the votes in his state. On that note, our Oregn Dems in Congress voted for healthy forests too, because not voting for it would have been seen as doing nothing about the wildfires. Even though they all know we've got to change the way we manage forests. In W Virginia it's the coal mines. We've got to stand up for common sense and speak the truth about the balance between the environment and jobs. It can be done. Harry Reid is not the one to do it. I'm not sure who is.

[JohnKleeb]

29. I know its a problem

You know who's a real champion of the environment? John F. Kerry. I wish we could educate the Nevadans but my point is that Reid isn't anti environment at least overall. I sure do hope we convince them, but I don't like falsehoods.

[sandnsea]

34. I'm disappointed

That's all. I just don't know why we keep sliding to the right on everything. Think of how many Democrats voted for that stupid Medicare bill. So many things. It's all very frustrating. But you're right, DUers are shocked about Harry Reid and his record, but truth is it could be worse. They forget that they said the same crap about John Kerry. Maybe they better take a second look at John's record and realize he IS a liberal and the best hope the Democratic Party has.

[formernaderite]

5. Remember if he gets the nod...it's because he's the face of ....

...the democratic party. Daschle....same deal. Looks like a moderate nice guy from a red state no less.

Yuck....Reid is not one of my favorites. I'd love to see one of the ladies up there....NO not Hillary.

[Bombtrack]

6. Voting to authorize the use of force doesn't make one "pro-war"

how many times do people have to fucking say that. It wasn't a vote "to go to war".

[JohnKleeb]

11. I agree but the assertion about him voting for the tax cuts is also untrue

We are talking about HR 1836 are we not?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Sure it isn't. And, all those dead people in Iraq committed suicide.

I guess you'll have to continue to try to convince others what you've convinced yourself of.

Harry Reid and the rest of the sellouts didn't really OK the war when they gave Bush permission to do exactly what he wanted to do. Nahhhh. Those really smart politicians were "fooled" by him. They didn't look at the polls that said that the American people were frothing at the mouth to go to war. It had nothing to do with trying to convince the voters that they were "tough on defense".

Politicians playing politics? Tsk, tsk, heaven forbid the thought.

I got some bad news for you regarding Santa Claus.

[jpgray]

7. More conservative and less confrontational than Daschle? Shoot me

We are a party of Neville Chamberlains.

[papau]

8. damn good thing Nader forced the Dem leadership to change

We will have a 20% Green, 35% remaining Dem world where everything is controlled by the pro-life, pro-war anti-environmentalist working for the rich and corporate GOP who get 45%.

And Nader does not understand what he has accomplished!

[Doomsayer13]

9. He's actually represented his constituents!

He voted for Bush's first tax cut, as I recall, and voted against his second one and will continue to oppose further tax cuts. His environmental record is strong, despite the mining issues, which would've killed him in Nevada.

www.vote-smart.org
Environmental Issues
(Back to top)



2003  On the votes that the American Lands Alliance considered to be the most important in 2003, Senator Reid voted their preferred position 78 percent of the time.

2003  On the votes that the League of Conservation Voters considered to be the most important in 2003, Senator Reid voted their preferred position 84 percent of the time.

2003  On the votes that the Sierra Club considered to be the most important in 2003, Senator Reid voted their preferred position 80 percent of the time.

2001-2002  On the votes that the National Parks Consevation Association considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Reid voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2001-2002  On the votes that the League of Conservation Voters considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Reid voted their preferred position 92 percent of the time.

2001-2002  On the votes that the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Reid voted their preferred position 64 percent of the time.

1999-2000  On the votes that the League of Conservation Voters considered to be the most important in 1999-2000, Senator Reid voted their preferred position 75 percent of the time.

1999-2000  On the votes that the National Parks Conservation Association considered to be the most important in 1999-2000 , Senator Reid voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

1999-2000  On the votes that the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population considered to be the most important in 1999-2000, Senator Reid voted their preferred position 65 percent of the time.

[JohnKleeb]

13. yep I cant explain the mining issue because I am not a Nevadan

but other than that his environmental record is quite solid.

[jpgray]

21. He's not a bad guy by any means, but I don't like him for Minority Leader

The Republicans aren't interested in working with us to get things done. They are interested in consolidating and holding power. Therefore any significant compromise they seek comes loaded with the premise that they will use it to defeat the Democrats in the next election. Remember Frist calling the vote on unemployment benefits to call Kerry off the campaign at his whim--they will use the legislature to win elections and enrich themselves and their supporters, not to do what's right for the country.

[JohnKleeb]

24. I agree but look at everyone else jp

He's not at all what they say he is, Reid that is.

[jpgray]

28. Yes, he is getting a bad rap

Given a chance he may do a good job for us in there.

[JohnKleeb]

30. Its making me revise my political thinking

I believe in the 2.5 way :).

[goobergunch]

22. You think posting hard evidence

is going to convince people that Reid isn't such a bad guy? ;)

I've liked him since the "Searchlight Filibuster" - anybody who's willing to stand up and talk for nearly 12 hours straight against Republican procedural tricks can't be too bad.

<edit: added winking smiley>

[JohnKleeb]

27. also the man who convinced Jeffords to join the dem voting caucus

btw check out my thread on his voting record. I think the mistake so many of us make is we think like the republicans in black and white instead of shades of gray.

[smirkymonkey]

10. I just sent an e-mail to the DNC telling them that I will not give

one more cent or minute of my time to the Democratic party unless they shape up and stand for something.

I almost think their strategy IS to become moderate Republicans, since the Republican party has been hi-jacked by the Christian Fundamentalists.

The further they go to the right, the more likely I am to abandon the party altogether.

[Horushawk]

26. I agree

I hate spineless Dems -- I'm sooo tired of them

[LiberteToujours]

12. NOW can we start a new party?

I don't know why we keep going back to these idiots, hoping they're going to start getting it right suddenly. They're not going to get it right until the PEOPLE put them in their place! We talk about Bush and America as a battered wife, but we're just as bad with the Democratic party it seems.

[Mojambo]

17. I want to start the New Democratic Party

And people will call us the NewDies.

Who's on board?

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. the sellout began way before this

-----------------------------------------------------------
Support Cobb, Nader, and Badnarik as they pursue recounts!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/electionreform.htm

[PretzelWarrior]

15. FUCK THIS. I'm writing to my Dem senator and representative

I cannot believe we are going down this road. THe DEMS REALLY DO WANT TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

[Still_Notafraid]

16. The

Country is going to hell in a hand basket fast,I hope this guy will fight Bush,and fight for us.

[dave502d]

18. Durbin says he has votes to be next Democratic whip

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said Friday he has the backing of his Democratic colleagues to become the party’s second-ranking member when the new Congress convenes in January.
.
“At this point, I think it is safe to announce that I have the support of my caucus and will be serving as the new Democratic whip when the Senate is reorganized,” Durbin told reporters in Chicago as Democrat Barack Obama, the state’s new senator-elect, stood at his side.
.
Durbin said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., who had been mentioned as a possible whip candidate, had called him that morning to say he wouldn’t run.
.
The post of whip is the second-ranking job in the party leadership and involves rounding up votes on major issues.

http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1038970&l=1&t=Iowa+%2F+Illinois&c=24,1038970

[JohnKleeb]

19. Thats good to know

I like Durbin more than I do Reid but I really think Reid isn't as bad as people are saying.

[Q]

20. That's ANTI-CHOICE and PRO-WAR...

...Why do Democrats continue to debate on RWing terms? STOP the 'pro-life' rhetoric in it's tracks. The fact is...one can't be 'pro-life' and 'pro-war' at the same time...especially when they're supporting a war that didn't have to happen AND is killing thousands of INNOCENT men, women and CHILDREN.

[neebob]

23. None of this is making me want to run right out and change my registration

from independent to Democrat. Until last Wednesday, I felt pretty guilty about not having done that.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

32. Different face same Jello.

Do they really think that another rollover puppy from a small state is going to endear them to the "heartland" goobers?

[miss_kitty]

33. he's one of those glad-handing Thugs

who calls himself a Democrat. ugh. the slippery slope just got slicker and steeper.

[Senior citizen]

35. When the Rethugs began planning to take over the

mass media, the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches of government, and everything else they could get their hands on, do you think they neglected to think of taking over the Democratic Party?

Evil they well may be, but absentminded they are not.

The pukes do what Noam Chomsky calls manufacturing consent. They get the mass media to spread their talking points and to make it appear that the majority of Americans agree with them. Then the Democratic leadership dips a toe into the mass media, decides that the majority of Americans really do believe what the mass media says they do, and comes forward with a puke-lite platform designed to appeal to the puke-manufactured majority opinion. Nader is very wrong in referring to the pukes and Dems as the corporate parties--they are one party in everything but name, at least at the leadership level.