If Harry Reid and Nancy aren't doing a good job - who would be better?

[leftyladyfrommo]

I am beginning to feel like they should be replaced with people who can do a better job.

[acmavm]

1. I agree. Unfortunately I don't know who would be the best replacements

for these to appeasers. I guess someone who would promise not to cut any 'secret' deals with this administration.

[SharonAnn]

31. I think they're doing very well. They hold very difficult jobs are moving the agenda well.

Yes, it's slow and not always exactly what I'd like, but it's an enormous improvement over the last 22 years.

[msongs]

2. someone who is able to do a good job and is not afraid of george w bush? nt

[Totally Committed]

10. B - I - N - G - O ! ! !

Someone who is not afraid of Bush would be nice.

Guts count bigtime, in my book.

TC

[leftyladyfrommo]

12. Schumer? I like him. n/t

[Totally Committed]

22. Too close in policy to Rham Emmanuel and the DLC for my tastes...

and he loves to kiss corporate ass to get corporate $$$ to look out for the little guy consistently.

Just my opinion.

TC

[acmavm]

32. Yep, someone not afraid of the bush** admin and who is not primarily

interested in that corporate campaign money.

[Totally Committed]

3. Barbara Boxer or Ted Kennedy in the Senate, and John Conyers in the House

Wouldn't THAT make the Right go nuts? LOL!

TC

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. I really like Ted Kennedy.

Don;t know much about Boxer.

[Totally Committed]

7. Teddy has been my Senator forever, and yes... he has foibles,

but, by and large, he has been a GREAT Senator for this State.

TC

[leftyladyfrommo]

8. He's not afraid of a fight. n/t

[MADem]

14. Well, it would also not please the conservative wing of the Democratic Party, either

The problem is, the Speaker and Leader aren't elected by US. They're elected by the members of the House and Senate, to consolidate and articulate their views.

These sorts of complaints are useless. IMO. It's like griping about who is the President of the Garden Club, just because you buy their petunias and attend their flower shows.

We didn't elect them.

If you want a new leader/Speaker, you need to speak to your rep and Senators--THEY voted for them.

I'll stick with Reid and Pelosi, myself.

[rurallib]

4. Feingold for one and John Conyers maybe.

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. How about Leahy? He has guts. n/t

[rurallib]

15. I am hearing some names I like.

Reid talks a good game but folds like a folding chair when the time comes.

[partylessinOhio]

9. Dennis Kucinich! He will stand up to * and speaks the plain truth.

[leftyladyfrommo]

11. That's a good idea. He would be good. But is he too far from

center?

[partylessinOhio]

17. I think it is more important what they stand for rather than where the stand.

Left, right, center - they are just labels.

Pelosi and Reid stand with Bush too often. So does Kennedy on immigration.

[liberalpragmatist]

13. What has been so wrong with Pelosi?

She's by far the most effective Democratic leader in decades and has kept the party caucus more unified than even the Republicans did between '95 and '06.

Yes, the Iraq supplemental was deeply disappointing, but she was an ally on this (she voted against the supplemental, as did the majority of House Democrats).

The simple truth is we do not have the votes to end this war; we have nothing approaching a veto-proof majority and there's no indication that the Republicans will buckle.

[BlackHawk706867]

16. I say John Murtha and either Feingold or Lieghy... eom. ww

[PADemD]

18. Sheila Jackson Lee and Barbara Boxer or Russ Feingold

[napi21]

19. I agree on Kennedy. He has a safe seat so he doesn't have to

worry about keeping his "voters" happy along with leading the Senate. The other thing I think we're missing here is who is the whip?

If you remember, Hastert was sure no firehouse of thoughts and ideas, but behind the scenes, the other Pub leaders in the Senate whipped, beat, and bribed their other members into line. And of course no one can forget Tom Delay! Always with the smail on camera, but I swear, he carried a death needle in his pocket to keep all the Pubs in line and on track!

I don't like the Pub tactics, bur even more than the "leaders" in the Hosue & Senate, the Dems need some kick ass people hearding on the floor!!!!

[TexasProgresive]

20. Maybe someone like BabyBitch- you know a unitary gov.

a Tom Delay or Newt Gingrinch but on the left- I think that's what you're looking for- but count me out.

[glowing]

21. I could do a better job, unfortunatley, I am not mega-rich or connected

so, I'll have to pander to the fools.

[Caution]

23. a leader who stops the passage of awful bills the republicans passed. Oh hey they are doing fine!

Seriously what do people actually expect? Healthcare reform? Veto. Pullout of troops? Veto. Oh yeah let's yank funding. Veto. Do it again. Veto. Do it again. Veto. Oh crap now the americans over there don't have food and water. Hey that will force bush to pull them out. Yeah because Bush gives a crap about that and won't just blame that lack of food and water on the dems refusing to support the troops.

Oh hey how about a bill to fix NCLB? Veto. the bankruptcy bill? Veto.

We do not have a veto proof majority. All we can expect them to do is to prevent passage of awful bills, refuse to renew the insane tax cuts. This is an OPPOSITION party right now. Until such time as we control the presidency or have a veto proof majority that is all we can be. We can stop awful appointments, investigate the abuses (which they are doing a great job of) and hope to actually make some decent compromises and more importantly POLITICAL gains such as the fact that we forced Republicans to go on record as still supporting this bullshit war which will cost them in the next election. Hopefully it will cost them both the presidency and any hope of regaining control of either the senate or the house.

Oh I know what was really being talked about. Impeachment. yeah that's realistic and useful. The moderates in the country right now would really love the democrats if we did that. they'd be so happy to see the political process devolve into that a mass of name calling, rhetoric and nastiness again. that will really help the democrats gain a useful ruling majority. good call. Oh and we don't have anywhere near the votes. not even close. anyone who thinks that just running through the process will somehow inflame the population and make them force their republican leaders to vote for impeachment are simply kidding themselves. The republican party would collapse. republican donors would abandon any republican senator or congressman who actually crossed party lines and their careers would be over. Anyone who thinks there are enough republicans who would actually vote their conscience in this situation is simply wrong.

[Not Me]

24. I was out running with a friend this AM and we were talking about

the very same thing. How disappointing Reid and Pelosi have been.
All the names mentioned have more guts than these two. I never expected much from Reid, but Pelosi has been a huge letdown.

[ludwigb]

25. Give Durbin a Chance

in the Senate. Of course, I would prefer Kerry or Feingold.

[librechik]

28. Durbin would be perfect--he's a uniter, not a divider

he voted for the IWR, though. Everybody did except Feingold. And though I love Russ and agree with him most of the time, he's a guy that can get people furious, and maybe Senate Leader needs more finesse.

Durbin is chock full of finesse!

[librechik]

26. bottom line, the only ones with credibility are Feingold and Lee

everyone else voted out of fear for the IWR.

[ripple]

27. Leahy, Boxer, Durbin in that order for the Senate

Unfortunately for Harry Reid (and us, as long as he holds his current position), his entire demeanor smacks of being a follower, rather than a leader.

I'll stick with Pelosi in the House.

[depakid]

33. My thoughts exactly

Reid was a poor choice to begin with and his record has only confirmed that he lacks the political fortitude to get the job done.

It would really behoove the Dems to find some way to ease him out gracefully before 2008.

[sampsonblk]

29. Anyone with balls-nt

[dmosh42]

30. Byron Dorgan of ND

I wouldn't have the least bit of hesitancy to back Dorgan, as he would really be what would satisfy most Democratic voters, but not the corporations. I have watched him on C-span many times, and can only be envious of the people of his home state, who have a real senator representing their interest. I live in NC, where we have no representation, just corporate whores.