Please send Nancy Pelosi your support (CAFTA)

[ibegurpard]

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

See this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4213071&mesg_id=4213071

Pelosi Calls Steering Meeting to Review Defectors' Votes for CAFTA

By Erin P. Billings
Roll Call Staff

Thursday, Jul. 28; 02:49pm

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), angry that some of her own betrayed the party on a key trade vote, called a last-minute, Members-only meeting tonight to review the early-morning balloting and the reasoning behind defectors' votes.

Pelosi called for the special session of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee at a private whip meeting this morning, during which she said she “had a sleepless night” over the Central American Free Trade Agreement vote that narrowly passed early in the morning. Sources in the room said Pelosi was furious at the outcome and the votes of some of the 15 Democrats — notably some in safe districts — who joined the Republicans to pass the bill.

“I’ve never seen her like that,” described one Democratic aide who attended the meeting.

While sources insisted Pelosi has not called for any retribution in the Democratic Caucus, she left open the likelihood that defectors' committee assignments would be reviewed at tonight’s meeting of the Steering Committee, which helps determine Members' placement on panels.

"There's going to be a lot of discussion at the meeting, however it's going to focus on a certain group of Members who have no explanation for their votes. That's what it's going to focus on," said a senior Democratic aide. “There are a handful of members who have explaining to do.”

Another leadership aide said, “there are Members who have questions” about why some of their colleagues voted for the bill, and they want a venue to discuss the outcome. This source said it was unclear whether Members’ committee assignments would be in peril.

“There are Members who don’t seem to have any sort of reason for voting the way they voted,” this aide said. “While other Members who have tougher districts made the tough decisions.”

...more, subscription required...
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/10230-1.html

[Geek_Girl]

1. I think Dems are going to have to Strong arm defectors

The Bush is pulling strong arm tactics the democratic leadership needs to do the same! And I hope and pray that the defectors are voted out during the primaries.

[ArkDem]

2. I don't know if I can do that to my boys.

[flpoljunkie]

3. I read that Steny Hoyer did not whip the CAFTA bill. Why the hell not?

The Democrats ought to have known where the votes stood before the vote. There is no excuse for any Democrats to have voted for this one-sided CAFTA bill--not good for workers or the environments--here or in Central America.

Cheney was selling CAFTA as a "security issue"--sounds like Cheney's idea of how to try and sell this turkey back home.

[ibegurpard]

5. If that's true he needs to go

No excuse for this.

[Skidmore]

6. How do you get rid of him?

I thought those positions were by seniority.

[ibegurpard]

9. If it works like the state legislature I have seen

the positions are voted on by the members. Generally you are correct... the outcome is a fait accompli. However, if enough pressure was applied to them it might be swayed.

[flpoljunkie]

11. From The Hill on the Dems decision not to whip CAFTA...disgraceful!

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/072005/tale.html

At least some of the credit for the strength of Democratic opposition to CAFTA has to go to Democratic leadership. Even though leaders are not formally whipping the bill, they have made it known that this vote is of utmost importance to them. Democrats have the chance to score a major victory if they defeat the agreement and a partial victory if they can force vulnerable Republicans to cast a vote that could become a liability in the 2006 elections. Both Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) have met with members to discuss CAFTA.

By not whipping CAFTA, Democrats, in a way, are able to enjoy the best of both worlds. They are still exerting strong influence within the caucus, but not in an official way that might scare away Republicans.

“They did not make it a caucus position, but they did make it very clear that they would not take kindly to Democrats’ supporting it. They made that clear to me,” said Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), who supports the pact.

“There is no confusion on where the leader and I stand on this issue,” Hoyer said yesterday in defending the decision not to whip the bill formally. “If you are interested whether I have talked to people, I have talked to people; you know, you wouldn’t believe I have talked to people about it. I have. Do we have a formal whip opposition? ... The answer to that is no.”

[flpoljunkie]

12. The kicker...

The decision not to whip the bill formally may also play well for Hoyer personally. He has cultivated a reputation as a member of Democratic leadership who is friendly to business interests. Hoyer’s support of this year’s bankruptcy bill, however, triggered criticism from some progressives in the House.

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/072005/tale.html

[deminks]

4. Part of it was the Highway Bill,

and it was a shall we say, hot commodity last evening?

:hide:

[Pam-Moby]

7. Thanks for the post, but will not take emails

from people out of her district.

[mopinko]

16. argh

yeah, they tell you that AFTER you type it all. geez, i hate that. can't they just flag them?

[Mass]

8. Good

I wished that Reid had reacted like that after the Senate vote.

[Independent_Liberal]

10. Pelosi is kicking ass!

I look forward to her becoming the next Speaker of the House.

[PDX Bara]

13. And after that...

Nancy Pelosi appears to me to be a great candidate to be our first female POTUS.

[dmr]

14. I'll call her office tomorrow

I'm not a constituent, so will have to call

District Office - [phone]
Washington, D.C. Office - [phone]

[EFerrari]

15. Called the local office and heaped thanks and praise.

Which she richly deserves.

:nuke:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

17. I'll hold off.

It was Pelosi's job to corral the stragglers.