Pension Bill Splits Senate Democrats

[Thrill]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040410/ap_on_go_co/divided_democrats&cid=512&ncid=1963&sid=96378798

Just another show of how weak this Party is at sticking together. The Repukes NEVER cross over in large numbers like this.

[Cocoa]

1. Durbin must go!!!

kidding, of course. But interesting that Daschle is on the "right" side of this, and Durbin is on the "wrong" side.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., voiced regrets, too, yet voted for a bill he said was "vital for United Airlines, based in my home state," and help manufacturers Caterpillar, Goodyear and John Deere as well.

[Hippo_Tron]

8. It's usually the opposite...

Dick Durbin tends to be more liberal than Daschle.

[wasichu]

2. why is our party divided on every issue?

I can't think of any issue where we are united.

[Old and In the Way]

4. Our party votes to support their local constituent's interests.

Republican's vote to support their Party's interests. That's the difference.

[sangha]

5. Did you read the article?

It explains, sometimes in detail, exactly why Dems are split - It's because the bill benefits some union members while hurting others.

[sandnsea]

7. I disagree

Read it again. It is whether people believe you have to help corporations in order to keep workers employed or not. The ones who believe you have to appease United Airlines by allowing them to screw workers EVEN MORE. Those who have bought into the Republican corporate mantra for the last 20 years are the ones who supported this stupid bill. They pressure their Congress people and we end up with legislation that hurts workers.

[sangha]

9. That's not right

I see lots of sloganeering, and little evidence to back you up. The Dems are in a minority and did not have a chance to vote on a perfect bill. The only options they had was to either vote for the bill, and screw some people and help others, or vote against it, and screw some different people while helping some others.

[sandnsea]

10. Happy to provide evidence

"Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., voiced regrets, too, yet voted for a bill he said was "vital for United Airlines, based in my home state," and help manufacturers Caterpillar, Goodyear and John Deere as well.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said she received more than 280 calls from pilots "telling me that if this bill does not pass, United Airlines may have to terminate their pension plan." She was one of 33 Democrats to vote for the bill; 12 voted against."

"I don't think there are two separate stock markets, one where large corporations are invested and then another for everybody else," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., another reluctant supporter."

It's in the article. People who think what's good for corporations is good for workers. That's the problem in this country. Stupid people who believe this and Senators who won't sit them down and tell them they're wrong, or worse, believe it themselves.

[Cocoa]

6. united on judicial appointments

along with many other issues, which are straight party line, or straight party line except for Miller, Breaux and Nelson.

[sangha]

3. Like you care about the issue

Win or lose, this bill was gonna result in hardship for a lot of workers and retirees. Instead of focusing on that, you don't say one word about it in order to focus on attacking Democrats. You could've commented on the issue, or the Repukes who are screwing them, but instead you chose to attack the Dems,

Your priorities are obvious