John Salazar (D?-CO) votes to continue Cheyney funding.

[CanonRay]

To my shock and dismay, I found out that John Salazar (3rd CD, Colorado)is listed with the "Nay" group on HR 2829, the bill sponsored by Rahm Emmanuel to cut off funding for Cheyney's office. He voted with Tancredo, Lamborn, and Musgrave, and against DeGette, Udall, and Perlmutter.

Is this guy really a Democrat? I am thoroughly disgusted. Why do we bother working for people like him?

[LiberalFighter]

1. What are the consequences when we have a Democrat in office?

Although I would think we should have control to prevent the Republicans from doing the same at a later date.

[Hippo_Tron]

20. A Democratic VP isn't going to declare himself not part of the executive branch

So there should be no problem.

[sabbat hunter]

2. there are reasons for voting no

we dont want this coming back to bite us in the ass in '09 when the democratic party retakes the white house. the republicans could then turn around and try to defund our VP.

[CanonRay]

3. There were only 23 other Dems who thought so.

[sabbat hunter]

4. your point is? n/t

[Gman]

5. Yes, there are reasons for voting no

but the least reason should be it coming back to bite us. A 14% favorable rating for congress means a helluva lot of Democrats are pissed because the Democrats in Congress aren't doing enough of this type thing including but not limited to ending the war.

So maybe Salazar is in a conservative district and needs to vote no. That's called getting a pass. It happens when you already have the votes and don't need this one, so you give the guy a break and let him vote so it won't come back and bite him in the ass next year.

In any event, Salazar's record needs to be measured against everything he's voted on, not just this or war votes. If he ends up with a 75%+ good record, he's doing a good job for his constituents and us.

[Zodiak]

8. I score these things

and Salazar is one of the worst we have.....DLC and a habitual voter with the pukes. According to my calculation, he voted with the pukes 75% of the time on big issues (bill passage and nominations).

Feinstein (California) DLC 44.82758621
Leiberman (Connecticut) DLC 44.82758621
Rockefeller (West Virginia) 41.37931034
Conrad (North Dakota) DLC 41.37931034
Baucus (Montana) DLC 39.65517241
Carper (Deleware) DLC 34.48275862
Johnson (South Dakota) DLC 31.03448276
Lincoln (Arkansas) DLC 31.03448276
Salazar (Colorado) DLC 24.13793103
Pryor (Arkansas) DLC 22.4137931
Nelson (Florida) DLC 20.68965517
Landrieu (Louisianna) DLC 17.24137931
Nelson (Nebraska) DLC 3.448275862

He is WAAAAAAY more conservative than Colorado, which is essentially a purple state.

[Gman]

11. I'm glad you have an objective way of evaluating Salazar

I get real frustrated with people that are one issue and one issue only: the war. And that one issue determines everything. Even Lieberman has redeeming votes. For example he is very good on issues important to labor (my chief issues) and social issues. On the war, he sucks. But the RW is coming at us from so many directions, we need every vote we can get on as many of these issues as we can even though we may lose a few votes on other issues.

[Zodiak]

14. no one can be completely objective

I had to decide what the "progressive" side of all the votes were, which is colored by my personal beliefs (populist, libertarian left....essentially like 80% of DU), but it gave me a good gauge for deciding whether I "liked" a Senator or not.

Since my scoring was from the last Congress (109th), there were no war votes featured in my calculations. There were votes for funding, but they were unanimously voted for by both sides of the aisle.

[paulk]

18. but, he's not way more conservative than the western slope

which is his district...

[paulk]

6. why bother?

because the alternative is Scott McGinnis? Or some other whackjob CO Republican?

the western slope is conservative - we're lucky to have a Democrat elected from there at all...

[otohara]

7. Salazar Huge Dissappointment

he's in a conservative district, but his Senator brother is just as bad. They wear cowboy hats when in town doing media events.

[ludwigb]

9. Are we Stuck With the Salazars?

It's unfortunate that CO is so conservative. I'd love for a progressive to challenge these people, but I'd hate to see them lose to a GOPer, or drain so much money out of Salazar's war chest that he loses to a GOPer.

What do you guys think of Mark Udall? I suppose being from Boulder is a liability for some, but otherwise he seems pretty talented.

[otohara]

15. Stuck w/ Ken

2010, shorter for John. But yes we are stuck with both and will be for a long time IMO. John's district is more conservative vs liberal, but there are many Hispanics in his district and they both get heavy Hispanic vote. I know this, I won't be volunteering like I did in 04 for brother Ken.

John is member of Blue Dog Dems, and Ken is member of Gang of 14. Both clubs supposedly lean to a centrist point of view. Every democrat in the Gang of 14 vote has gone toward confirming republican judges without question.

[Zodiak]

10. There are no districts because he is a Senator

Colorado is his district, and it is purple.

Do Colorodans like 75% of Bush's policies? After 2004?

[otohara]

12. This Is Brother John, Not Ken

the Senator. And he is in a fairly conservative district that includes Alamosa, Pueblo, Grand Jct., and has many Hispanics, who love the Salazar bros.

[Zodiak]

13. ok...then I have egg on my face

forgive me for shooting before asking questions

[Divine Discontent]

21. I lived near pueblo

there is only one real gay bar in the town of over 100,000 people, gay people are beat in the schools, and no one is "out", my point with that is - if going into that town and seeing that, and hearing it from the tiny gay bar's patrons, then that tells me the district is a tad conservative - it's hard to push through liberal thinking with these types of small cities - but it happens over time. Keep fighting if you're round there! Hey, at least we got a Dem senator in there, better than nothing, and he's not as conservative as a Lieberman or Feinstein.

[depakid]

16. delete

[ProudDad]

17. From his voting record

I'd say no, he's not a Democrat.

He IS one of the biggest disappointments in the Congress...

[w4rma]

19. A DLCer. I suggest a primary challenge. (nt)