Van Hollen asks liberal groups to lay off

[Fido Dido]

Source: Politico

For the second time in less than a week, a Democratic leader is calling on liberal groups to back off in their efforts to target moderate Democrats who have been skeptical of President Barack Obama's ambitious budget.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen, in a Wednesday afternoon news conference, said that a wide range of attack ads by groups like MoveOn.org could hurt potentially vulnerable Democrats in their 2010 races.

“What I’ve been warning people very clearly is, beware of forming a circular firing squad,” Van Hollen said. “We believe people should be focusing their efforts on expanding the Democratic majority, and that should be their singular focus."

In recent weeks, MoveOn.org and labor-backed Americans United for Change have launched ad campaigns targeting moderate Democrats like Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana to back Obama’s budget.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/20772.html

[ShortnFiery]

1. ...

Only when they start behaving like democrats who support working, wage-slave Americans before the wealthy and mega-corporations.

[Duke Newcombe]

2. How has that been working for us the last eight years...

[ShortnFiery]

6. It's NOT going to change if us liberals fold like cheap suits whenever moderates say "Boo!"

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

36. I don't understand why it is that liberals are always told to stay in our place

But moderate and conservative "Democrats" can give Bush everything he wanted; can cave on torture, on the budget, on FISA, etc. Then, turn around and create a posse to go after Obama when, for eight years, they were silent? Can someone please help me understand this?

[msongs]

3. oh dear, the "new democrats" are getting mad at the liberals nt

[ShortnFiery]

4. The "new" democrats seem to hold the same ideology of the "old" moderate pro-corporate republicans.

Go figure.

[Dinger]

27. You Should Have Put Quotes Around "Democrats" Too

There's a stink that's getting stronger and stronger each day. We need to do a better job of electing D E M O C R A T S, real Democrats that is.
Something tells me Dennis wouldn't have put up with this shit. That's why he's still a congressman.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. Sadly, the president recently referred to himself as a "New Democrat"

While I knew that he was no liberal in the beginning, his co-option of that label is disconcerting.

[rwheeler31]

5. No

[Tom Kitten]

7. politics as usual, right?

why don't these dumbasses with power realize people want change soon and now? That the Republicans are a laughingstock?

[Suji to Seoul]

8. Screw getting any work done: The job of a Democratic Majority is to elect more Democrats

WHAT A BUNCH OF FUCKING BULLSHIT!!!!

WHEN WILL DEMOCRATS GET A FUCKING SPINE!!!

Sorry for the cursing, but this shit bugs the living fuck out of me to no end! I cannot stand this shit anymore!

Stop being weak and STAND UP TO THE MINORITY!!!

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

12. It is your language usage that is "weak and stupid"...

... it shows a lack of proper education and class.

[Suji to Seoul]

21. If you can stomach the Democrats working only to increase their numbers

and telling the liberal base (us) to go to Hell, you're in the wrong place.

And permanently on ignore for the baseless insult to my class and educational status and achievement.

I am well within my rights to use coarse language when I am pissed about being sold out to "gain a larger majority."

[clixtox]

22. That's your opinion and you know what they say... N/T

[rucky]

53. Nice sigline and avatar pic!

classy all the way

[unkachuck]

56. I don't find....

....anything wrong with Suji to Seouls' language....in fact, Suji sounds like everybody in my neighborhood, everyone I know....

"... it shows a lack of proper education and class"....and this shows an extremely elitist attitude....

....are you purposely trying to provoke a fight to demonstrate your intelligence or are you trying to justify your wasted education dollars?

[Runcible Spoon]

48. +1

Of course you will be engulfed in Flames of Righteous Internet Indignation.

[Wizard777]

9. He does have a point It's no good to win the battle with moderates and lose the war with republicans

We have a better chance of getting what we want from moderates than republicans. That's for sure.

[ShortnFiery]

10. We've been caving to the GOP and GOP-lite (DLC, Blue Dogs) seemingly forever.

They do NOT ever take us seriously - this time will be different! After all, the pro-corporate "new democrats" are merely pro-corporation moderate republicans of the 1970s. IMO, it's THEY (Blue Dogs) who must choose which party they to serve.

[Kittycat]

13. "We" - you forget that most of those Blue Dogs come from Red areas

or areas that are registered Dem, but really aren't by today's standards. It's better having a chance of someone voting on our side, then none at all, as the republicans seem to vote in blocs.

[ShortnFiery]

18. How about this? = Let's stop gerrymandering districts so we can genuinely reflect the will of

the majority of people? BOTH PARTIES are guilty of the above but IMO All Americans would be better served with TRUE moderates - a median of populism and basic small-business corporate interests.

[NikolaC]

26. While I Understand What You Are Saying,

the last election cycle should have told BOTH parties something. The people are sick and tired of the status quo, they are leaning more to the left. They did not want more of the same crap and were under the impression that putting Dems in the majority would change things. Right now there are too many Dems in D.C. who act like mirroring the Republicans way of doing things is what is best, so why be a Democrat then?????

For as long as I can remember, the Blue Dog DLCers have been spineless and cow-towed to the right and corporations at the expense of the rest of us. ENOUGH already, a grassroots effort needs to happen to get more left leaning candidates to run for office. No more of these safe seats because of name recognition for Democrats who do nothing but support some of the worst right wing policies and agendas while their constituents are unaware of how they are being screwed. JMO.

[ShortnFiery]

28. Well put.

I received a call from our Democratic Party of Virginia yesterday asking for donations. I told the young man on the phone, "Respectfully, I am one of YOUR voters who canvasses and beats the pavement in support of democratic candidates. However, I'm not going to give you one more dime unless/until I'm sure Terry McCallif is NOT a candidate for Governor. If this guy is nominated by OUR party don't depend on my volunteer time or financial donations until we can weed out these coporatists."

We have to communicate with our local and state Democratic Parties and stand firm. A "corporations before people" type right wing democrat is, for all intents and purposes, marginally better than a card carrying member of the GOP in office. The only real difference is that we may get a few extra bucks in tax breaks while they continue to GIVE WELFARE BENEFITS to the filthy rich. No more.

[NikolaC]

49. We Are of the Same Mind About McCauliffe

I had a call a couple of weeks back from a nice young man wanting to know if McCauliffe had my support for his run for governor. I was very polite and told him no, I don't care for McCauliffe and they cannot count of my support. I also stated that I would like to see who else will try running against him for the Democratic nod. I know that it will be an uphill battle for any Dem who wants to try to run against him, but I am hoping that someone does. Enough already with the sleazy corporatists who claim to be Democrats but won't represent their constituents once they have the votes.

[saigon68]

29. You forgot Traitors Like joementum limpmann

[Olney Blue]

52. Is that the AWOL chimp?

[Duke Newcombe]

11. naw...purity is SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT...

didn't you get the memo?

[Dr Fate]

15. So wanting DEMS to support the Democratic President's budget is a call for "purity"?

I guess I didn't get the memo either.

[Duke Newcombe]

17. Without question or robotically? Damned straight it's "purity".

If we want lock step conformity, let's stop calling ourselves Democrats, and call ourselves Republicans.

[Dr Fate]

20. How about stepping with the moderate President, not conservatives?

That is what I ask of these so called "Blue Dogs."

If Blue Dogs vote with Republicans against the Democratic President, then maybe they *should* call themselves Republicans.

[Dr Fate]

14. Obama's budget is moderate- these "Blue Dogs" should support the President.

If they were supporting the President, there would be no fight over this.

This is not about activists attacking so-called moderates- it's about conservative DEMS opposing a moderate DEM president.

[Umbral]

16. The only reason the Democratic majority needs to be expanded is because...

too many of the Democrats already there vote like Republicans. Maybe Van Hollen would like to address that issue.

[harmonicon]

19. what's the point of expanding the Democratic majority if it's in name only?

After the 2006 elections real shit could have been done by a Democratic congress, but nothing was. Bush could have been locked up, but he wasn't. Fuck expanding the majority if it also means watering down the party which is supposed to be for the working class. I think it would be fine if the Democratic party were actually a strong and unified minority rather than a weak and dislocated majority. What's the point of having a majority if the minority party is still calling the shots?

[No Elephants]

23. It's about how you vote while in Congress, not what you call yourself while running for office.

[iamthebandfanman]

24. lol! what a bunch of babies!

no wonder nothing got done in the 2 years before president obama.


welp, hes president now guys.. no more excuses for not doing shit.


deal with it!

no promote/support liberal ideas=no liberal support for you

whats so hard to understand about that ?

[acmavm]

25. They take our votes, they take our money, and they tell us to shut up.

That's not a good plan.

[bdamomma]

41. would be ok to call it a Class War? because it is us against them.

[BR_Parkway]

30. Then do the job they were sent to do - a 'representative' government

needs to be reminded who they represent

[nradisic]

31. Fuck the Blue Dogs...

Progressives need to lay down the hammer....big time. Evan Bayh is first in line. We need to teach the Blue Dogs a lesson and show them who has the most influence - the people.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

39. Yeah! And by the way, why do the media and even some liberals keep referring to the

Blue Dogs as "moderates"? They are NOT moderate! They are conservative!!!

[harun]

47. Damn right they aren't moderate, not even close.

[NikolaC]

50. They Are Republicans

plain and simple. They keep acting like them and voting in line with them, so why not just call them that? DINO just seems like too polite a term.

[PassingFair]

32. He should be warning the fucking "moderates" that we are WATCHING THEM.

If they don't represent the MASSES
of people that are sliding into
bankruptcy and poverty and low wage
serfdom...

then we need to CROWBAR THEM OUT.

[OwnedByFerrets]

33. Those moderates have ALREADY formed into a

circular firing squad. The progressives are trying to keep them from shooting :themselves". And, btw Van Hollen, the constitution give us the RIGHT to protest. I know you would like us to sit down and shut up, but we wont.

[Dr Fate]

34. They are not moderates- they are conservatives. Don't fall for thier semantics.

Obama and his supporters are the true moderates here. Those who side with Republicans are conservatives.

[OwnedByFerrets]

42. You are, of course, correct. Thank you.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

35. He's my congressman and we'll see about that come 2010!!

[bemildred]

37. Good. They fear us. nt

[bdamomma]

40. well those groups persistence must be working.

all the more reason why we shouldn't be quiet.

[MisterP]

43. yo, Chris, most people are Dems because they have higher standards

not because they want to root for one of two identical teams while wearing blinkers
why would Dems want to support a gaggle of Lynne Cheney clones? because of the Trojan-Horse Dems' pap derived from childish political philosophy? because having a Dem Speaker is so damn important it doesn't matter if bad policies get passed?
for 7 damn years we've been told in no uncertain terms that anyone attacking a Dem is a agent provocateur of the wealthy, trying to drag down our beneficient protectors, who only pass conservative policies because of high-flown realism, dire necessity, big pictures, compromise, the bipartisanship that magically ended slavery, chess games, secret information, superior eugenics, etc., etc.
Like patient little sheep, we've been told in 2004, 2006, 2008, to not rock the boat, that we can do something about the conservative Congresscritters after the NEXT election (but there's always a next election...) Saying we are emotional children, they tell us lefty legislation can only be passed with a Dem majority--but it never really gets done then, even. Sometimes they throw good legislation and Secretaries at us, mostly so loyalists can throw it in the faces of the wicked, degenerate Upton Sinclairs of the age.
DLC whinging sounds "reasonable" until you think about more than just how much meat is in the Capitol seats (or Oval Office)

[Cha]

44. No, Chris..not if that "Democratic Majority"

reeks of evan bayhs.

[fascisthunter]

45. expand? For what you asshole!? To Replace we liberals

so you never have to listen to us again? Seems that way already. So now that times have changed the Democratic Party will be the old Republican Party and the Republican Party will be the Neo-Fascist Party.

Quick... I hear your wealthy masters calling for your attention... make sure you are on all fours!

[fascisthunter]

46. dupe

[liberalsince1968]

51. Screw him...DINO's are worse than useless.

[bvar22]

54. LOL.

I'm sending a donation to MoveOn tonight.

No donations to the DNC, DCCC, or the DSCC until they start acting like Democrats.

Evan Bayh is up for re-election in 2010.
I WILL be supporting his challenger in the Democratic Primary, and hope to see this become a focused National campaign to unseat him as a warning to "Centrists" who vote with Republicans.

[Cha]

55. When will they figure out that the

more they whine about the blue dogs the more we're going to go after them?