"I’ve taken all the tough votes for Obama that I intend to take this term"

[impik]

Not that it's going to make any "progressive" to think more than two seconds before the next time they'll trash the president - But for those who are actually live in reality-based universe, here's, once again, the real problem. A fuck-up congress, not a hard-working and well-intended president.

Now we can all see clearly why President Obama is pushing so hard for his agenda in his first two years. He’s unlikely ever again to have anything approaching his current 20-seat margin in the Senate and 40-seat margin in the House. With almost no GOP votes for his bills in either house, Obama’s programs are barely scraping by as it is, especially in the Senate. The key question: Will the January panic by Democrats shake any Senate vote loose on health care reform? Probably not, but everybody will be watching closely. It may also be difficult for the President to get his other controversial items (climate change, immigration reform, etc.) passed. As one semi-threatened Democrat said to me just before Christmas, "I’ve taken all the tough votes for Obama that I intend to take this term." That sentiment may well spread and harden in the Democratic caucus.

http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Larry_J__Sabato_110A7CAC-BDDA-46EF-AABA-BC9E653D07F2.html

[busymom]

1. Wow. Unbelievable. The last time

he will take the tough votes for Obama? What about taking the tough votes for his constituents?

[OHdem10]

4. Perhaps what is good for his constituents is not good for Obama..

[busymom]

8. You have a point n/t

[Tesha]

5. His "constituents" are doubtless his big donors and corporate friends and *NOT* "we, the people". NT

[Andy823]

9. It's really sad

When members of congress, no matter what party they are in, don't care about the people that put them in office, they only care about getting re-elected so they can continue to get all that "MONEY" from special interest groups! As long as the special interest groups pump millions into the pockets of the members of congress, nothing will get done. There needs to be some real change made in this country, but it has to start in congress! If congress doesn't work with the president then nothing can get done. The republicans make me sick with all their NO votes trying to make president Obama a failure, but the democrats aren't much better after what they did to the health car reform bill.

We need to get the money out of politics, but the only way that can happen is if congress does it, and they aren't about to kill "THEIR" golden goose!

[Tesha]

2. I wonder what "tough votes" these were?

The Democrats haven't taken any votes that
I would consider tough.

And that's a huge part of the reason why 2010
is going to look just like 1994. :(

Tesha

[spoony]

12. I'm trying to figure that out, too. nt

[Captain Hilts]

3. I don't trust Sabato, but this is still not good to read. nt

[katandmoon]

6. I thought anonymous sources quoted by Politico were to be treated with skepticism?

[Vinnie From Indy]

7. What a crock of shit!

Their have been no TOUGH votes for Congress in the last few years. I cannot think of a single vote in the last few years where Congress has denied big business what they wanted. This just shows how truly insulated many of our representatives have become.

[fugop]

10. More evidence what Obama is facing

This kind of quote drives me nuts. You're supposed to take tough votes, you idiot! That's your freakin' JOB! You're supposed to stand up for the principles of the Democratic Party that you're allegedly here to represent. You're supposed to take the Democratic side on votes like climate change, health care and immigration reform. Otherwise, why the hell is there a D after your name??? No wonder nothing gets done. Imagine what Obama could do if Democrats could stand up for principles the way the GOP does. Sure, the GOP stands up for crappy principles, but at least they stand up!

[dkf]

11. This could be someone who hates the mandate without a public option with a middle class tax

Thrown in. I'd be steamed if I had to vote for this crap.

[TwilightGardener]

13. Not sure how Obama is expected to get anything more progressive

through Congress than what ends up actually passing. I don't mind the demands and pressure that progressives place on him to go leftward--that's healthy. What IS unhealthy is the automatic cynical dismissal by some progressives of everything he attempts--complete with knee-jerk insults and the constant attempt to find fault. Terminal malcontents create a toxic environment.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

14. Nice sneer quotes on "progressive."

The most gullible. delusional brain-dead zombies lecturing about "reality" transcends Orwellian... it's Kafkaesque.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

15. This one is --

a very, very hard worker. :eyes: