WOW !!! - Activists Threaten Primaries Against Dems Who Back Obama Trade Deals - HuffPo

[WillyT]

Activists Threaten Primaries Against Dems Who Back Obama Trade Deals
Michael McAuliff - HuffPo
Posted: 06/12/2015 5:00 am EDT Updated: 45 minutes ago

WASHINGTON -- Democratic activists are trying to add momentum to a revolt against President Barack Obama's trade push Friday, threatening to seek primary opponents against any Democratic lawmakers who back legislation that helps the trade deals pass.

The House is set to vote on several measures designed to help give Obama the fast-track authority he needs to pass major new trade agreements that would cover well over half the world's economy. Opponents, including most Democrats, say the deals will undermine U.S. labor laws, environmental rules, consumer protections and financial regulations while shifting even more manufacturing jobs overseas. A significant number of Republicans are worried about impacts at home from the deals, which would include the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and the Trade in Services Agreement.

And...

That's where the primary threat comes in, from the group started by former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, Democracy For America.

"Ahead of today's votes we wanted to be very clear to Democratic members of Congress: If you vote for either Medicare-cutting Trade Adjustment Assistance legislation or Fast Track Authority for the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership, we will not lift a finger or raise a penny to protect you when you're attacked in 2016, we will encourage our progressive allies to join us in leaving you to rot, and we will actively search for opportunities to primary you with a real Democrat," said Jim Dean, chairman of Democracy for America.

The Rest: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/12/democrats-fast-track-primaries_n_7566304.html

[daleanime]

1. Hell yes....

[Segami]

2. K&R!!

Thanks WillyT........

[WillyT]

9. Anytime Segami... Anytime !!!

[Agnosticsherbet]

3. This was a successful tea party tactic, and it is past time it was adopted.

We can get more and better Democratic representatives only if they run and we support them.

[calimary]

58. And look at the result. They're RUNNING the joint!

So WE should do the same thing. THIS is how progressives and liberals (I will NOT abandon or hide from that word!!!) can force our establishment Dems to take us WAY more seriously. WE are the heart and soul of the Democratic Party. And they need to stop overlooking us, ignoring us, and/or taking us for granted.

[Agnosticsherbet]

62. Exactly. It would put people who are more likley to support legislation that favors the poor

and middle class.

[arcane1]

78. Damn straight!

[RiverLover]

4. Love it!!!

We need to bring the party back to being Democrats, standing up for People & Planet!!! Get rid of the anti-labor, pro-corporate DINOs!!

[Scuba]

55. We can start with Ron Kind!

[PowerToThePeople]

5. Primary the shit out of those DINOs!!!##

[840high]

43. YES!!!!

[Vincardog]

6. Long past time to show the third way the door

[marmar]

7. Leave the corporate shills alone !!

[Enthusiast]

36. Exactly.

We are just defending ourselves from corporate greed.

[mindem]

8. Good,

showing some backbone can cure what ails ya.

[Arby]

10. Beautiful!

I'm of the opinion that many in Congress need to challenged by liberal candidates - regardless of TTP support.

[mother earth]

11. TY, Howard & Jim Dean, Democracy for America! Now THAT's what real dems do, there's no BS, ACTION.

K & R, WillyT!

[dreamnightwind]

67. Well, thanks to DFA anyway

Howard is busy campaigning for Hillary, who is not on our side on this issue, so he probably doesn't deserve thanks for this.

[mother earth]

89. Let's hope he enlightens her, OR changes his support to one who shares his valid concerns.

[dreamnightwind]

92. I think she is what she is

Would love to see Howard come around to the Bernie side, but I fear he has decided he'd rather be an insider than an outsider.

I could never get a real clear feel for where Howard is in the political spectrum, so I'm not the best person to comment on him, he always seemed better than most to me, but also showed plenty of centrist leanings.

[Dont call me Shirley]

12. Just called my Rep Michelle Lujan-Grisham, she is against TPP, Thank you!

Call your a Rep today! Call the Whitehouse today! Right now, pick up the phone and dial...

Whitehouse Comments: 202-456-1111

United States Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121

[rainy]

28. Thanks!

[ananda]

13. Now make that threat a promise!

We need real Dems for people.

[dorkzilla]

14. Best thing I’ve read here in a loooooooooooong time

I recently spent time with some friends who consider themselves progressive Dems. They had NO IDEA AT ALL that any of this TPP stuff was going on. It seems some people ONLY come to life when there is a presidential election and couldn’t give a flying fuck otherwise. Glad SOMEONE is paying attention and sending the APPROPRIATE threats to these so-called Democrats.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

64. dorkz, that is my experience exactly. Some people live shallow lives.

[dorkzilla]

81. I’m constantly shaking my head over this.

And these are intelligent, accomplished people! If these are the finest we have what chance have we got to make a difference?

I don’t mean to sound like a Debbie Downer but it really freaks me out.

[marym625]

15. Good!

John Lewis is passionate on this. He is shouting vote no! "Do what is right! Stand up for the working people of this country! "

[KoKo]

16. Wow....Jim Dean's Comment!

[1StrongBlackMan]

26. Yeah. WOW ...

Refusing to support a candidate is NOT mounting a primary challenge ... the latter is moving us in a positive direction to our goals; while the former is not/cannot move us in a positive direction.

The latter can/will get us more legislators that will do what we want on 90+% of the issues we are concerned with; while the former, will get us legislators that will do what we want on 0-10% of the issues we are concerned with.

The latter will allow those candidates that do thing we do not like to ignore DFA and seek more financing/support from "the 1%"; while the former, will force those candidates that do thing we do not like to pay attention to DFA.

So yeah ... WOW ... that comment is not very strategic for a former Party Chair-person.

[calimary]

59. No freakin' kidding!!!!!

It's WAY past time that OUR side (NO DINOs!!!) found its voice. AND its muscle!!!

[1StrongBlackMan]

61. But ...

It's WAY past time that OUR side (NO DINOs!!!) found its voice. AND its muscle!!!

In a pro-active, constructive manner! It is way past time that foot stomping was scrapped, as a acceptable strategy, to be applauded.

[calimary]

68. Truly. But gotta say - managing the band has taught me something KEY

that applies here, methinks.

It's all in the numbers.

They pay attention to the numbers.

It's bucks, of course. But it's also numbers of people. People who will make their voices known and heard. In the case of the band, it's fans. Especially the active, involved fans. I remember sitting in a meeting with another band manager - of a bigger, better-known band we were hoping to tour with. He'd already researched us. He noticed that we had a goodly amount of fans on Facebook (which was good) BUT at the time, Facebook had an additional metric - of ACTIVE fans - those who were posting and replying and sharing our posts and being engaged. We had a lot of those. He noticed, and said so. "Your fans are engaged," he said. And we ended up getting on that tour.

It matters not as much that we have the demographic edge. It's much more important WHAT WE DO with that demographic edge. If we have all the majorities in the world and those majorities stay silent, apathetic, asleep, or otherwise uninvolved, not ENGAGED, then it doesn't matter if the entire freakin' world is on our side!

Hell, we see that all over the place at this very moment! Clear majorities across the country and the world are with US on all the issues - like single payer health care. Like parental leave policies, like respecting and honoring the earth, just to mention a few. But a fiercely manipulative, powerful, and well-funded few get the attention and the deferential treatment and THEIR agenda gets priority. Since we don't have that money, we have to use what we DO have - which is in the numbers. OUR numbers. Our numbers of people. But those numbers of people have to be IN. And COUNTED FOR. Those numbers gave to be active and IN THE GAME and FULLY involved.

When pur reps see that they're facing a wall of very serious and focused and wide-awake and insistent people bigger than a big screen Hollywood tidal wave, they will respond. They know they kinda HAVE TO.

[Babel_17]

77. He did speak of running challengers

"we will actively search for opportunities to primary you with a real Democrat"

And starving your opponents is sometimes the most effective strategy, especially when your resources are limited. An ineffective attack can weaken you, and strengthen them.

Maybe it's being charitable, but I take it as him welcoming them to a freeze out. It's worked well for Russia in the past.

[1StrongBlackMan]

82. Okay. Then see Post #23. n/t

[zentrum]

17. Wow.

[MissDeeds]

18. Excellent

The gloves are off - finally!

"...we will encourage our progressive allies to join us in leaving you to rot". Oh, this is getting good!



K&R

[1StrongBlackMan]

32. See Post #23 ...

Last edited Fri Jun 12, 2015, 07:23 PM - Edit history (1)

Yes ... the Democratic vote suppression gloves ARE off ... Sadly, this time, it's Democrats taking them off!

[corkhead]

19. In other words: Start acting like a Democrat or we will replace you with one.

[jopacaco]

20. Great!!!!

I love it. work for the people who elected you not corporations.

[Octafish]

21. TISA is what Goldman Sachs wants.

In a report from Public Services International called “TISA versus Public Services: The Trade in Services Agreement and the Corporate Agenda,” Scott Sinclair and Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood note that the already formidable challenges to safeguarding public services under GATS will be greatly exacerbated by TiSA, which blocks the emerging trend to return privatized services to the public sector. Communities worldwide are reevaluating the privatization approach and “re-municipalizing” these services, following negative experiences with profit-driven models. These reversals typically occur at the municipal level, but they can also occur at the national level.
-- Ellen Brown
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/06/12/fast-tracking-tisa/

We are in a world of stuff if these UNDEMOCRATIC deals go through.

[Punx]

22. And I will be supporting them.

[1StrongBlackMan]

23. Well. That is how it's supposed to work ...

when our legislators do things we don't like, we ABSOLUTELY go out and find folks that we believe WILL do what we like.

A couple thoughts:

First, we have to go out and find those folks that are willing and able to challenge those folks that did the things we don't like. Then, we have to work to get those folks elected. And finally, after the primary ... should our challenge candidate lose the primary ... those challenge candidates are going to have to commit to being a continuing presence AND we're going to have to continue to work to promote those candidates, so that in the next primary, those challenge candidates have a shot.

That is a lot of work! ... Unlike, what typically happens ... we make a half-hearted effort (or no effort at all) to find those challenge candidates ... and when weak (or no) challenge candidates appear(s), we complain that "the system" or "the DNC" or "TPTB", won't allow/let challenge candidates succeed. Then, we mount a half-hearted challenge campaign (i.e., "we don't need no stinking 1% campaign money, it's tainted! We are grass roots with a winning message! We will finance the campaign $45.00 at a time!) ... while complaining that "the system" or "the DNC" or "TPTB", won't allow/let the challenge candidates' message be heard. And finally, after the primary ... should our challenge candidate lose the primary ... the challenge candidate disappears and we complain that "the system" or "the DNC" or "TPTB", won't allow/let challenge candidates succeed.

Viable challenge candidates don't just appear ... Nor, does the support necessary for them to win. It requires a 365 day, "fill the pipeline and promotion" effort. But, again, as I said ... that's a lot of work.

[Punx]

33. Well said Sir.

[zipplewrath]

37. You're conflating two groups

The group that is making these statements are basically unions and various PAC's for environments or progressive causes. They are involved in every election. And they are more than willing to promote candidates into primaries.

You seem to be talking more about folks around here, who by the way aren't the ones who made the original statements, they are merely supporting the decision on the part of the unions and others who are deciding to move in this direction.

[1StrongBlackMan]

48. No, I was speaking to Dean's comment ...

But the thought behind my comment remains ... if they have challenge candidates, fine ... promote them, work for them, eget them elected; that moves us forward. Announcing that they won't support them does nothing good.

[zipplewrath]

53. The key part being who "they" are

Surely you don't expect unions to spend money on candidates that openly oppose them, regardless of what the letter is after their name. It's not that they have to spend money on their opponent, but they can reasonably decide to put their money where it serves them the best. That isn't necessarily on every single candidate.

[1StrongBlackMan]

54. That's just it ...

It's not that they have to spend money on their opponent, but they can reasonably decide to put their money where it serves them the best.

The better, more positive, strategy/course/action would be to announce the they (the unions) WILL be spending their money on {Insert challenge candidate's Name Here}. That's all I'm saying.

[zipplewrath]

56. Which is roughly what they said

Vote wrong, we won't spend a dime on ya. Vote right, and there's money to be had. They didn't say they'd fund the general election opposition. They did say they'd fund primary challengers.

[1StrongBlackMan]

57. I didn't read that ...

but then, I only read the snippet from Dean.

[zipplewrath]

60. Paraphrasing

"...we will not lift a finger or raise a penny to protect you when you're attacked in 2016, we will encourage our progressive allies to join us in leaving you to rot, and we will actively search for opportunities to primary you with a real Democrat,"

We won't spend a dime on you, and we'll encourage our friends to do the same. And in the primaries, we'll look for a challenger.

[ibewlu606]

24. Rec'd

Organized labor should have done this years ago. Why should our members hard-earned money go to finance the campaign of a faux Dem? Here in Florida, we have had enough of the likes of Nelson and Wasserman-Schultz. We need more like Grayson and state Senator DeSoto.

[jwirr]

25. I am surprised. When I have heard Howard Dean talk he sounds pro-TPP. Glad to hear this.

[merrily]

29. He endorsed Hillary some time ago, and she negotiated it.

I really don't know what the Dean brothers stand for anymore. It's confusing.

[DFW]

38. You can be for a candidate without being lockstep in synch with them on every issue

While Howard endorsed Hillary because he thought she was in general most qualified, it doesn't mean he'll be happy if she comes out enthusiatically in favor of the Fast Track. Don't discount what he may be whispering in her ear right now, for that matter.

[jwirr]

41. That is a good explanation for this action. Thanks.

[calimary]

63. Totally!

And this kind of thing will most definitely Help us toward the point of critical mass. This kind of thing will absolutely help us reach a tipping point. You better believe Hillary Clinton is watching this closely. And Bernie Sanders and others are, too. It gives added oomph to his movement too. We are reaching a point where WE, and OUR ideas, and OUR worldview can't be dismissed or ignored anymore.

This is what we need. More of THIS. The establishment Dems need to see and hear and feel this. They've dismissed us as insignificant. They assume we're either asleep or don't care or aren't paying attention. But when we can show muscle, that's EVERYTHING!

If they think you don't care, THEY WON'T, EITHER!!!

[vi5]

27. Finally.

We've avoided this tactic and approach for far too long and it's come back to bite us in the ass.

Let's do this.

[Demeter]

30. Amen!

[Enthusiast]

31. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

We know the damage these trade deals have done. The TPP is even worse.

If these people vote for fast track they are demonstrating their disregard for the well being of the American people. They have to go!

[LiberalEsto]

34. Someone PLEASE run vs. Maryland Rep. John Delaney (DINO)!

I have never been happy with the fact that in Maryland's last redisricting, we lost Chris Van Hollen as our member of Congress, and wound up with this tool Delaney.

[valerief]

35. "Leaving you to rot" as they'd leave us.

[AZ Progressive]

39. Everything is on the table if there are Democrats that intend to hand over American sovereignty to big corporations

America and its government and people are not the property of multinational corporations!

[City Lights]

40. Great news! nt

[raindaddy]

42. Helping them help themselves...

If this bill is fast tracked through congress, it won't be long before the details come to light and a little longer the repercussions.
Long after Obama is retired from office people are going to ask which Democrats actually voted for this POS bill?

[ruffburr]

44. For whatever difference it makes-

I'm glad to see this statement, anyone running as a democratic candidate be warned, Represent the will of the people or join the dustbin of history

[sabrina 1]

45. If the TPP passes that political revolution is inevitable and since the powers will go to

next President, what a campaign slogan for Bernie this will be:

Who do you trust with the powers bestowed on the Executive Branch by the TPP?

Insert photos of all other candidates and then Bernie with a link to HIS position on it for years.

[JimDandy]

46. That means YOU Senators Patty McMurray and Maria Cantwell

I have supported both of these Washington State senators for years. That stops now if they insist on supporting the TPP. Bought and paid for by Boeing and other corporations to do so.

Primary the hell out of them!

[shanti]

47. hah!

that was exactly what i was going to say about ami bera here in cali!

[JimDandy]

49. I see there is already quite a backlash against Mr. Bera

for supporting the TPP. Door to door protesting in his own gated community in CA. Hah! Hit him where he lives, otherwise the TPP will hit the 99% where we live.

[L0oniX]

50. Stop being so mean to Obama! Leave Obama and pro TPP Dino's alone!

[MohRokTah]

51. And this, my friends, is how activists can exert their will upon the party as a whole.

Thank goodness there is somebody like Howard Dean who knows how this shit is done!

[chev52]

52. TPP and constitution

Republicans are always harping about the Constitution and how the ACA is unconstitutional. I can't see how a trade deal like TPP doesn't violate the constitution and representative government but they don't seem to mind it one bit.

[bvar22]

65. I nominate Debbie Wasserman-Schultz as the first to be Kicked to the Curb:

The fact that she hasn't been fired yet raises alot of nasty questions about the Party Leadership.

In 2008 Debbie Wasserman Schultz refused to endorse these 3 Democrats
who had won their Primaries and had a chance to win Republican seats:

Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chair Joe Garcia

Former Hialeah Democratic Mayor Raul Martinez

Democratic businesswoman Annette Taddeo

All three had won their local Democratic Primaries, and were challenging Hard Core Republican incumbents with whom Wasserman-Schultz had become cozy.
Not only did the head of the DCCC Red to Blue Program REFUSE to endorse these Democratic challengers,
but she appeared in person at at least one (possibly more) Campaign/Fundraiser for their Republican opponents.



FL-18, FL-21, FL-25: Wasserman Schultz Wants Dem Challengers to Lose
by: James L.
Sun Mar 09, 2008 at 7:15 PM EDT
<snip>

Sensing a shift in the political climate of the traditionally solid-GOP turf of the Miami area, Democrats have lined up three strong challengers -- Miami-Dade Democratic Party chair Joe Garcia, former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, and businesswoman Annette Taddeo to take on Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, respectively.

While there is an enormous sense of excitement and optimism surrounding these candidacies, some Democratic lawmakers, including Florida Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kendrick Meek, are all too eager to kneecap these Democratic challengers right out of the starting gate in the spirit of "comity" and "bipartisan cooperation" with their Republican colleagues:

But as three Miami Democrats look to unseat three of her South Florida Republican colleagues, Wasserman Schultz is staying on the sidelines. So is Rep. Kendrick Meek, a Miami Democrat and loyal ally to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

This time around, Wasserman Schultz and Meek say their relationships with the Republican incumbents, Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and his brother Mario, and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, leave them little choice but to sit out the three races.

"At the end of the day, we need a member who isn't going to pull any punches, who isn't going to be hesitant," Wasserman Schultz said.

Now, you'd expect this kind of bullshit from a backbencher like Alcee Hastings, but you wouldn't expect this kind of behavior from the co-chair of the DCCC's Red to Blue program, which is the position that Wasserman Schultz currently holds. Apparently, Debbie did not get Rahm's memo about doing whatever it takes to win:

The national party, enthusiastic about the three Democratic challengers, has not yet selected Red to Blue participants. But Wasserman Schultz has already told the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that if any of the three make the cut, another Democrat should be assigned to the race.

http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1537

The bloggers also are furious with Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (D-Fla.), who similarly refuses to endorse the Democratic challengers to the three Cuban American Republicans.

They are calling for Wasserman Schultz to step down from her leadership role at the DCCC. And they're not letting up, even after one Florida liberal blogger reported that the congresswoman seemed "frustrated" by the blogs and had asked to "please help get them off my back."

This prompted even harsher reaction from perhaps the most influential of the progressive political bloggers, Markos Moulitsas, a.k.a. Kos, founder of Daily Kos, who wrote on his blog Wednesday: "On so many fronts, the Republicans are standing in the way of progress, on Iraq, SCHIP, health care, fiscal responsibility, corruption, civil liberties, and so on. Those three south Florida Republicans are part of that problem. And she's (Wasserman-Schultz) going to be 'frustrated' that people demand she do her job?"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/19/AR2008031903410_3.html

Here are Kos comments on the Wasserman-Schultz betrayal of the Democratic Party:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/03/20/480511/-DCCC-Says-Uproar-Over-DWS-Recusal-Much-Ado-About-Nothing




A lot of time has passed since 2008, but I don't take these kinds of betrayals lightly.

bvar22
Cursed with a memory

"I want to thank Debbie Wasserman-Schultz for being an outstanding chair of our party. (Applause.) She is a great partner."--President Obama

With "partners" like this, we don't need Republicans!

[Duppers]

70. +100

[99Forever]

66. Good. Democracy in action.

Dumping traitors seems entirely appropriate.

[Duppers]

69. Email from Jim: 2600+ calls to Pelosi

DFA members made more 2600 calls to Pelosi's office. Mine was one of them.

ACTIVISM WORKS!!!

[ut oh]

71. We can hope

but I think a lot of the Dems in office should be primaried anyway. If we are to push our gov't back to the left, we need more progressives in office and put Third Way Dems to pasture...

[wolfie001]

72. Somewhere George Carlin is Smiling! nt

[Arugula Latte]

73. That's the way you do it!

(That, and you play the gee-tar on the MTV ...)

[Babel_17]

74. Organized labor, and organized Democrats; both good (nt)

[NancyDL]

75. Good!

It's beginning, and it's about time.

[orpupilofnature57]

76. !!!!!!!!! Just wrote Kristen Gillibrand and said

This is the move toward fascism since ' The Great Business Plot ' .

[djean111]

79. I live in Florida. I will be voting for Alan Grayson for anything state-wide, if the candidate is

a DINO. Even if he is not on the ballot.

If a politician votes with the GOP, he is not a Dem.
If a politician voted for the TPP/TPA/TISA/TTIP not a Dem. If a politician shilled for the TPP - not a Dem. I will only vote for actual Dems. Simple as that.

[orpupilofnature57]

80. +1000

That's what it will take .

[Babel_17]

83. "we will actively search for opportunities to primary you with a real Democrat"

Count me in.

[hifiguy]

84. About damn time.

Somebody needs to put the fear of Dog into some of these Repuke wannabees.

[Thespian2]

85. I would like to second bvar22's recommendation...

Wasserman-Shultz is a disgrace to the Democratic Party...

Even though I live in Canada, I vote in Florida...there are good, progressive candidates in the state, but losers keep winning primaries...

[markmyword]

86. It's About Time!

It's about time that the Democrats/Progressives stood up to all the corporate and Wall Street politicans and laid it on the line. These politicians were elected to REPRESENT US not the 1% and the next future job after Washington.
Keep it up Jim Dean and no back pedaling.

[GoneFishin]

87. More voices like this and fewer milquetoast mealy mouthed sellouts would be good.

I would give 'til it hurts to a fund dedicated to primary these traitors.

[Calista241]

88. Considering the incumbency advantage of the last 50 years or so

Is close to a 90% re-election rate, I'm not sure how effective this tactic will be.

[99Forever]

91. That was then, this is now.

The Political Revolution is on. If you want to subserviently submit to the .01%, that's your choice. But I won't surrender to the Corporatocracy, ever. It's time to wake up and take a stand while it's still possible.

[99Forever]

90. Exactly. Great piece, Willy, thanks. n/t

[WillyT]

93. You Are Quite Welcome ...

[brooklynite]

94. Okay -- enough chest-beating; who have they got?

They know who the Democrats who voted "yes" were; if they don't roll out alternative candidates soon, it'll all be bluster.

[WillyT]

95. Well...They're Probably Gonna Wait Until After Tuesday's Vote... Yet...

It’s worth stressing here how much progressive organizing had to do with this defeat. President Obama personally appeared in Congress at the last minute Friday morning to appeal to Democrats one more time, on the heels of crashing the congressional baseball game the night before. But Pelosi and Democrats remained unswayed, and in her speech, Pelosi instead credited the work of activists holding members to a “hot stove” back home.

DULink: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026824223