The Blame for the FISA Wiretap Bill Lies Solely on the Shoulders of Pelosi and Hoyer

[tritsofme]

And the rest of the Democratic Leadership in the House.

Blaming the "Blue Dogs" and moderate Democrats for its passage is a fools errand.

The leadership was under no obligation to schedule a vote for this bill. The House could have adjourned and gone to recess, no harm no foul.

If Bush called our bluff and convened a special session of Congress, we could have spent August having embarrassing Iraq votes.

But instead Pelosi and Hoyer allowed Bush's bill to reach the House floor where they knew there were the votes for passage. This isn't a case of betrayal by the "Blue Dogs" it was a strategic move by our leadership, and we should recognize that.

Why do you think minimum wage never increased in the 12 years Republicans ran the House? It wasn't because a strong majority of congressmen opposed such an increase, it was because the GOP leadership never allowed a minimum wage bill to the floor.

Blue Dog moderate Democrats are an essential component of our majorities in both houses of Congress, without them we would still be wandering around in the minority, but there is no reason to bring a bill to the floor that rank and file Democrats strongly oppose.

While probably not the best model, Dennis Hastert had a system where a bill would not get a floor vote unless it enjoyed support from the "majority of the majority." This may not be a system we should pursue on every single bill, but I see no reason not to implement such a system when 70%+ of the caucus opposes such an important piece of legislation, especially when it deals with the Constitution and our civil liberties.

This was a failure of leadership, not Democrats that face a conservative electorate in 15 months.

[rudy23]

1. I wish I could recommend this more than once.

Why did they ever let this see the floor?

[sallyseven]

2. Hoyer was supported by the blue nose dems.

He controls them He wants to embarass Nancy. He is a creep.

[tritsofme]

3. BS, if Nancy stepped in and said no vote

There wouldn't have been a vote.

[partylessinOhio]

4. It's Nancy's baby. Goo goo, ga ga. "George is a lovely man."

[madfloridian]

5. The Blue Dogs appear to think Bush and Gonzales are credible..

enough to give all that power to.

Wonder why they would think that? Is that what they believe...that no matter how discredited a president is he gets all that power?

[madfloridian]

6. Blue Dog..deal makers..

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1420

[tritsofme]

7. To me it comes down to one very simple question

Why put the Blue Dogs on the spot?

Why schedule a vote you know that you will lose in the first place?

[madfloridian]

8. Whoa...why put the Blue Dogs on a spot? Outrageous statement.

Pelosi and Reid share guilt in this....

BUT..

The Blue Dogs voted to give Bush much broader surveillance powers

They ignored the fact that he a sadly discredited president. They ignored the fact that Gonzales has been lying before Congress.

...."Think of it. Here was a Democrat-controlled Congress that vowed to hold the White House accountable for its attempts to trample on the Fourth Amendment. And now it has done just the opposite. The danger can't be overstated. President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have never hidden their disdain for the niceties of the law, nor have they ever shown any compunction about using the powers of their office to go after political opponents. And now they have the power to invade Americans' privacy with impunity. There will be no checks and balances, no reports to Congress, no accountability. The potential for abuse is frightening.

They all failed us, but the ones who voted YES...deserve most of the blame.

[tritsofme]

11. You didn't answer the question

Why schedule the vote when it is known that the bill will pass?

[mhatrw]

9. Yes, and anybody who believes otherwise is a gullible fool. n/t

[Anita Garcia]

10. They must think their phones are immune!

Or, they really don't care if ours are not.