Means almost as stupid as Republicans:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) muscled a $154 billion jobs bill through the House on Wednesday evening just before Congress departed for a holiday recess. With the vote in serious doubt until seconds before it was gaveled to a close, Pelosi worked the floor furiously, imploring her caucus to stick with her and move the measure through.
The bill passed 217-212, but when the time on the clock expired, it was losing 208-212. A few minutes later, when it hit 214-213 and then 215-213, someone shouted “gavel it!” from the Democratic side. A bill doesn’t need the full 218 to pass — only a simple majority of those voting. The presiding officer took the suggestion and closed the vote.
Not a single Republican approved of the bill.
The slim margin is strong evidence that deficit hawks have momentum in the ideological battle between one camp that demands more spending on job creation and another, dominated by the GOP and Blue Dog Democrats, calling for immediate reductions in the deficit. Even the fact that the money was being redirected from Wall Street couldn’t sway 38 Democrats, who voted with the Republicans.
No Blue Dog is going to lose his seat in 2010 because of the size of the deficit or the national debt. Plenty of blue dogs are going to lose their seats because THEIR CONSTITUENTS HAVE NO JOBS. So obviously, the logic is clear if you are a blue dog- vote against the jobs bill.
And no doubt when these idiots lose, some internet activist somewhere will claim it is because Obama is not progressive enough and Rahm Emmanuel hates the netroots.
El Cid
But, we gotta stop all da spendin’, ’cause I heard they’s spendin’ too much.
Dreggas
Of course, because it’s all the presidents fault.
TJ
I’m pretty sure we can recycle what we said from HCR, namely, Blue Dogs are idiots and anybody basing a strategy on them will regret it.
General Winfield Stuck
No Blue Dog stands a chance up against The Great Red Queen.
You go Nancy!!!
Tom Hilton
Their constituents–and Americans in general–deserve a lot of the blame: polls show that a plurality (maybe a majority) believe that the deficit contributes to unemployment (and conversely, that reducing the deficit would improve the employment situation).
Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.
dmsilev
And now it goes to Egomaniacal Drama Queen Central, aka the Senate. Maybe the bill should include $200 million per Democratic Senator to construct monuments to their own self-perceived awesomeness.
-dms
Cat Lady
Because two wars and Medicare Part D are free.
/facepalm
Edit (yay!): Is George Bush the luckiest person on the planet? Did he know, or was he just lucky, that this country’s population and media are the most memory deficient populace in the world, where everything he did with the Republican Congresspersons abetting was ready to all disappear down the memory hole on January 21, 2009? WTF!?
Malron
I just hope the progressives can stop foaming at the mouth and waving their hands long enough to field some progressive challengers to the BlewDawgs.
The Populist
Some whiny GOP congresscritter was on Ed Schultz’ show the other day crying about dumping health care in favor of people “standing in job lines”.
This vote proves what a fucking liar this guy and his party are. They want to get people back to work in an economy where employers are NOT hiring. Guess what rubes? People need to SPEND MONEY THEY DO NOT HAVE IN ORDER FOR COMPANIES TO HIRE.
Fuck I hate these two faced fucks. It makes my blood boil that Americans are buying this shit about deficit reduction…a deficit run up by the likes of REPUBLICANS for over 20 years. Fuck them.
Punchy
What’s “Blue Dog” even mean? They’re not blue, they’re not dogs.
Zifnab
Few progressives will morn the passing of the Blue Dog coalition. Honestly, I think it might do some good to shed the weight of the conservative wing of the liberal party, if only because – come 2012 – it gives a progressive a chance to win the seat back.
You can expect Kos will be looking for some hot pick ups in red states in the next four years. The netroots will be looking for something to crow about, and after this last year they’ll also be looking to get a few scalps.
KG
correct me if I’m wrong here, but typically there are two ways to reduce a deficit: spend less money; or, increase revenue (I suppose if you want to get really creative, you do both). One would think that a great way to increase revenue would be to create more jobs which would mean more people working, which would mean more people paying taxes, which would mean reducing the deficit.
Comrade Dread
I beg to differ.
I know when my then-pregnant wife had lost her job and we lost half our income all I could think about as I lay wide awake in bed at 3 in the morning was the size of the budget deficit in Washington, John.
freelancer
@KG:
You should run for office.
gwangung
@KG: Some even have this wacky idea that you sometimes have to spend money to make money (like, spending money to buy a suit, in order to get a job that requires you to have a suit).
Seebach
Deficits only seem to matter when Democrats are in power. Fuck these people.
demkat620
@Punchy: I don’t know either but apparently they are simultaneously the most powerful and the most endangered species in the world.
KG
@freelancer: two problems: I’m a terrible Republican (by today’s standards) and would likely be even worse as a Democrat.
The Populist
@Seebach:
Which is why I am wondering if the right gets another chance in 2010 will result in giving the public such a shock to the system the wake up and realize the GOP only cares about the rich and elite.
Comrade Kevin
@Punchy:
Well, it looks to be about as stupid as you might think.
James K. Polk, Esq.
@Cole : I hope you are getting exercise and taking care of yourself.
I would be very sad if you had a rage-stroke.
beltane
You have it backwards. The punditry will blame next year’s losses on the Democratic party veering too far to the left. If we only had more Ben Nelson’s and Evan Bayh’s, all would be well.
Ruemara
Gotta love Nancy. She knows how to strong arm better than Harry “Snapper Organs” Reid.
bago
@Zifnab: Only the finest in teabagger logic will do.
Prairie Logic
Here’s the problem with what took place: The Jobs bill is not going anywhere in the Senate because they can’t muster 60 votes for cloture. So red state freshman/others were asked to make another shitty vote for something that isn’t going anywhere on the other side of the Dome. Not smart politics.
MikeJ
Except it wasn’t a shitty vote. Cutting federal spending in a recession is the dumbest thing you can do.
J.R.
At some point in the next 3 years, John, you’re going to have to stop mocking any criticism Obama is taking and admit that, as the President Of The United States, and leader of the Democratic Party, he bares some responsibility for what happens in Washington.
Obama didn’t cause the mess we’re in but he felt he was the best person to clean it up.
This is the Job.
Midnight Marauder
@J.R.:
Agreed. But that doesn’t mean you get to blame everything goddamn thing in the world that goes wrong on him.
Ol Yeller
Blue Dog! Blue Dog! Shoot that puppy. Sorry – it was the only merciful thing to do.
Cat Lady
@J.R.:
Your argument is like asking him about what he thinks about Tiger Woods and Kanye West. It’s cause and effect FAIL.
BTW it’s “bears” not “bares”. I’d blame Obama if I were you.
Tax Analyst
At least Pelosi knows what the hell she is doing, and I’m very, very grateful for that. Too bad she can’t be cloned and subbed in for Harry Reid.
Ah, but that would upset all that Senate “decorum”, wouldn’t it? I think the solution to the Senate log-jam is a return to old-fashioned, moronic “honor duels”. Lieberman would probably look (and act) like frickin’ Barney Fife. Maybe he’d shoot himself by mistake and put him out of our misery.
wmd
The current problem with the federal deficits is not increased spending, it’s decreased revenue. More jobs means revenue can begin to recover.
Continuing unemployment means continued low tax revenues. Do Blue dogs want to drown government in the bathtub?
Califlander
Perhaps, John, but the consensus opinion will be that the Democratic Party has grown too liberal and needs to move to the right.
I know this, because that’s always the consensus opinion. And the Democratic Party has embraced and obliged that consensus opinion year in and year out for as long as I’ve been alive.
redstar
Umm, not.
When they lose, progressives won’t give a shit. Good riddance assholes.
Obama isn’t progressive enough…hell, as President he’s a frickin’ Blue Bog himself. But, that ain’t why these assholes will lose. They’ll lose because 1) They’re not Republicans (and they are in Republican districts by and large) and 2) They are voting consistently against the economic interests of their constituents.
Now, you can vote against your constituent’s economic interests with relative impunity…if you’re a Republican. It’s sort the brand, and you get excused for it, because, well, you have other things, like foaming at the mouth against gay marriage or abortion or school prayer or whatnot, going for you.
But if you’re a Democrat, the overriding branding works against you even if you yourself are a first class asshole and class-traitor.
And Emanuel, he can go fuck himself. But as for Emmanuelle, well, I’d be happy to help out ;-)
redstar
Umm, not.
When they lose, progressives won’t give a shit. Good riddance assholes.
Obama isn’t progressive enough…hell, as President he’s a frickin’ Blue Bog himself. But, that ain’t why these assholes will lose. They’ll lose because 1) They’re not Republicans (and they are in Republican districts by and large) and 2) They are voting consistently against the economic interests of their constituents.
Now, you can vote against your constituent’s economic interests with relative impunity…if you’re a Republican. It’s sort the brand, and you get excused for it, because, well, you have other things, like foaming at the mouth against gay marriage or abortion or school prayer or whatnot, going for you.
But if you’re a Democrat, the overriding branding works against you even if you yourself are a first class asshole and class-traitor.
And Emanuel, he can go fuck himself. But as for Emmanuelle, well, I’d be happy to help out ;-)
lol
Shorter Netroots:
2006-2008: “50 state strategy, booyah! We’re competing and winning everywhere!”
2009: “Wait, what do you mean they don’t agree with us on every issue? RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHM!”
DougL (frmrly: Conservatively Liberal)
@Malron:
“blewdawgs”? Not bad though I am partial to Blue Ball Democrats. How about Blew Ball Democrats? One step removed from teabagging, eh? ;)
Maybe Pelosi can loan Reid one of her balls? Can’t hurt to ask.
lol
People say Obama should be more like LBJ without realizing that he already is. LBJ was big on not having wasted votes for legislation – he made bills as liberal as they could and still pass.
And that’s what’s happened with pretty much every substantive piece of legislation this year. Every vote has been a nail biter; every bill has gone far as it could and still pass. No wasted votes.
Demo Woman
@MikeJ: You’re right. People credit WWII with getting the economy on track and although that is correct, the economy was poised to get back on track until they tried to tackle spending and the deficit. Charts show that the economy was growing in 33/34 and then stopped.
The reason it stopped was because they tackled the deficit.
handy
Yeah but that’s because Republican’s stand up for
white cultureHeartland American Values and we know the dhimmies are a bunch of homosexual commie Islamofascists who wanna take Real Murkins’ guns and bibles.Cat G
@Tax Analyst: Nancy has a quality I admire in the Speaker, she does what she has to to get it done. Jon Stewart has lately been doing Joe Lieberman impressions that I think is “Deputy Dawg.” It’s very therapeutic.
Light years ago I did human resources for a big corporation, and one of my favorite moments was when a very harried supervisor said “I mean, what DOES a person around here have to DO to finally get fired??” Clearly, there are no sanctions in the Senate for just about any behavior, except maybe not saying “my good friend from ________________________.”
The Senate is just worthless.
tavella
People may bitch about Pelosi, but she knows how to do her fucking job.
burnspbesq
@Malron:
Unlikely. Ask Heath Shuler if he’s losing sleep over a potential primary challenge from the left.
It’s much more fun to rant about Rahm. Or do utterly Quixotic shit like running Cindy Sheehan against Pelosi.
Califlander
@Cat G: It’s Droopy Dawg: https://secure.syspark.net/www.iletaitunefois.com/images/droopy07.jpg
Cat G
@Califlander: Cool and Thanks…
angler
the netroots, does this mean Kos and Dean? Both touted the 50 state strategy and pushed centrists in districts where they were the best chance to win (Tester, Mt, Herseth, SD, Martn GA), Rahm stuck to the swing districts, pour the dollars into Tammy Duckowrth in a vanity race in the Chicago collar. The blue dogs are fuckers, but they are in our party.
It’s a lot of moving pieces and the one that’s not moving right now is the White House. Ben Nelson has to what he’s doing, no problem. The prez won Omaha, too, but he wouldn’t be prez without the northeast, the west coast, and the upper midwest. Shame that he can’t represent them now. Where’s he going to be on the jobs bill in the Senate? Running for cover behind Byron Dorgan or taking the lead for making some jobs?
Heresiarch
And no doubt when these idiots lose, some internet activist somewhere will claim it is because Obama is not progressive enough and Rahm Emmanuel hates the netroots.
No, no, you’re getting it all wrong. We hate the Blue Dogs and can’t wait to see them fail miserably. If a Blue Dog fails, that’s a jab in Rahm Emanuel’s eye, and I can’t fucking wait for it to start happening.
The Raven
Hey, progressives have been complaining there’s not enough being done for jobs since the first recovery act. There isn’t enough because the administration simply isn’t pushing for it–at all, as far as anyone can tell.
Croak!
Kristine
If the Blue Dogs die, we have the New Dems to take their place.
DanF
My congressman, Baron Hill, voted against this bill… Just sent yet-another message telling him, respectfully of course, that he and his advisors have blue dog shit between their ears.
August J. Pollak
And no doubt when these idiots lose, some internet activist somewhere will claim it is because Obama is not progressive enough and Rahm Emmanuel hates the netroots.
It’s funny how you keep saying this sarcastically as if progressives aren’t happy to support that.
August J. Pollak
BTW, Nelson is now saying that even even he gets everything he wants on abortion language, he’s still filibistering the bill unless it reduces the number of people it covers. But…. shut up, liberals!
One of the questions I’d really love to hear from John, et. al is exactly what has to be done to this bill to make you agree it’s crap. Honestly. You keep bitching over and over that progressive are ignoring “what it provides” without saying exactly what your minimum on “provision” is. Are you just with Obama, in that you’ll accept anything?
Paul in KY
I think the ‘Blue Dogs’ think that Democratic turnout will be depressed in 2010 & thus their electorate will lean more Repub than usual.
I tell ya, these clowns are really depressing me.
Nancy Irving
And here I thought “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter.”