Why aren't more on the left shouting about the Democrats who voted to filibuster the jobs bill?

[EffieBlack]

The President consistently takes heat and gets raked over the coals when he doesn't do what folks on the left want him to - or even when he does what we want but doesn't go far enough or fight as hard as we think he should.

Yet we rarely direct the same pressure and anger toward the Democrats who stand in his way.

While some here have criticized Nelson and Testor for voting with the Republicans to filibuster the jobs bill, shouldn't there be a louder chorus about this? While, in the long run, their votes didn't change anything since the Republicans had the votes to block the bill, their actions can result in far worse damage - among other things, they handed the Republicans a talking point and a club with which to undermine the President's efforts. They are already making a big deal about the fact that the filibuster was "bipartisan" and the President can't even get full support from the Democrats for the bill.

I'm convinced that one of the reasons Nelson and Testor - and others who vote against our interests - keep doing this is that they know there are no consequences. Or at least there will be fewer consequences if they screw Democrats than if they fail to kiss the asses of the conservatives and independents they spend so much time and effort chasing around after. That's because those folks will scream, yell and punish those who don't kiss their ring. We hardly utter a peep - maybe because we're too busy screaming, yelling and punishing the President.

Why do we let them get away with this, time after time after time?

We're pretty good at outrage on DU. Hell, an actor's defense of the President provoked more response and anger this week than two Democratic senators craven betrayal of their party and their president did.

So where's the outrage when it really matters?

[rosesaylavee]

1. K and R

I share your outrage.

[young but wise]

2. K&R.

[Tippy]

3. Didn't you know the blue dogs have all the right answers

Plenty of outrage here....I call them out every chance I get....even call out some, who I have known for years. Untill we tell them they think what they are doing is ok by the voters...

[Frances]

4. Go after the Repubs FIRST

I think we are playing into the hands of the Koch brothers when we lose focus on the best way to get economic justice.

ALL of the Repubs votes against. Only 2 Dems voted against.

[LaydeeBug]

5. Oh bullshit. When Obama capitulates to Repubs, I am rightfully pissed...

and when these DINOs do their bidding, they should be called out too.

[EffieBlack]

6. That would be great - if we really went after the Republicans first

But we don't. We bash the President at every turn, giving the Republicans a free pass.

And then when Dems vote against him, we hardly say a thing.

I'd be very happy if we went after the Republicans first - but that's not what people here do. At all.

[flamingdem]

17. Exactly. There should be 5 posts against Repukes to 1 against Obama at most on DU

but it seems to be the other way around in GD ..

[Bake]

52. It's because we take outrage at the Pukes for granted.

IN other words, we all agree that they suck. No need to beat that horse all the time. What? The Pukes filibustered the jobs bill? I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked!

See how weird that sounds? OF COURSE they filibustered it.

Bake

[fasttense]

7. It was a very weak jobs bill.

It had 3 treaties, I mean free trade agreements, to outsource more US jobs. It had more tax cuts for business.

I never like the package.

[TheWraith]

29. All the leading economists say you're wrong.

But thank you for our daily dose of Republican talking points.

[GeorgeGist]

38. You are misinformed.

[democrat_patriot]

8. 100% of repugs, .05% of Dems. That's why.

Dems are a small problem in comparison.

[Mr Gerrity]

10. 4% of Dems

And if did go to an actual vote on the bill, it probably would be 10% (6/54) of the Democrats and "Independents" voting against it(Webb,Manchin,McCaskill,Lieberman, added to the two). The Rupukes are to blame but our side sure isn't helping !!!

[EffieBlack]

12. We play right into their hands

And barely utter a peep of protest or criticism of the Dems who do it.

Yet plenty of people here don't ever think twice about pulling their punches when it comes to the President. If they were half as vociferous about holding Democratic "moderates" feet to the fire as they are about raking the President over the coals, we'd be a much more effective constituency.

[Enrique]

9. the jobs bill is all for show

it's all positioning and politics, no one ever expected it to pass, they all admit it's just politics.

I'm ok with this. Given our situation now, the show seems the best we can hope for. No real work on jobs will ever get through this Congress, so we should at least make the GOP pay a price for what they're doing.

But I see no reason why DUers should feel the need to be part of the charade and pretend those Democrats prevented anything from passing. We're not politicians, we can keep it real, and we should.

[EffieBlack]

11. You've missed my point

Among other things, it's hard to "make the GOP pay a price for what they're doing" if folks on our own side are voting with them.

And while it's great to make the GOP pay the price, that's not what we do here. We trash the President mercilessly while giving the GOP a free pass. And then when Dems help the GOP, we give THEM a free pass, too.

[SpartanDem]

30. You're right for it's show

which is why party unity on this so important they just handed the GOP a talking point.

[bigwillq]

13. Congress is a mess.

And, imo, the No. 1 problem with our government.
I've been outraged at Congress for a long, long, time.
I plan on voting everyone out. One of these times I'll get it right! :)

[valerief]

14. The Republics filibustered it, too, and they're supposed to represent America, too. nt

[polichick]

15. Actually, when the left ran ads targeting blue dog obstructionists, the WH trashed the left...

At this point it should be clear to ALL Dems - including the WH - that we need to elect more REAL DEMS.

[ProSense]

16. Here's Bernie Sanders on MSNBC

Video: MSNBC: Senate Republicans Kill Jobs Bill

[great white snark]

19. Thanks ProSense. nt

[Zorra]

18. We're used to this sort of thing? It's no surprise.

It's been happening for years.

It's the "Third Way".

[zalinda]

20. Since Nelson or Testor don't represent me, and I can't

vote for them, what good would it do to complain about them? I can vote for Obama, which is why I can complain about his policies.

zalinda

[Enrique]

21. at some point, the WH is going to tell us to support Nelson and Tester

they're both up for re-election in 2012.

So we're supposed to make a stink now, and then shut up when Obama tells us to?

[samsingh]

22. who do we shout this to?

why are these morons even on the Democratic ticket?

[Telly Savalas]

57. Who's running against them in their primaries? Anybody?

If there were legitimate progressive challengers for these Senators in Nebraska and Montana, I'd like to think we would be hearing about them here. They're both up for reelection next year.

The progressive community can't win elections if it doesn't field candidates.

[Empowerer]

67. It seems like some progressives are too busy demanding the President be primaried to bothere

actually working on the ground to effect real change in the makeup of Congress.

[Autumn]

23. Are there people here trashing Obama on the jobs bill not passing?

I can't vote for those 2 assholes, it seems to be the punishment for them needs to come from party leadership. I would think that's the only thing that might get them in line because they don't listen to us. Mine sure doesn't, in fact that little piss ant blue dog told me he didn't need my vote. And that's a good thing because he will never get it again.

[Enrique]

25. party leadership

did anyone whip Tester and Nelson? (I loved writing that). Did anyone at the White House call either of them and twist their arms? Bill Daley? Obama himself even? How about Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, did they put any pressure on these two Blue Dogs we're supposed to be mad at?

I actually don't know the answer, maybe they did put some pressure, but I haven't heard of any.

[EffieBlack]

27. I understand from people who know that they were whipped by both the WH and Leadership

But unless they are getting pressure from the ground up, there's only so much leadership and the WH can do since they know that, no matter what the folks in Washington threaten them with, if they have support - or at least no consequences - from people on the ground, they can keep doing just what they're doing.

We have to stop waiting for "leadership" to do our work for us - and then whining about them when they don't accomplish what we want.

And the notion that "I'm not in their state, so I can't do anything so I won't say anything" is, in my view, pure bull.

There's plenty we can do, even if we're not in their state or district. Write letters. Send emails. Call. If you have friends in their state, get them motivated. If you don't, find out what organizations are involved there and offer them support. Instead of spending time pondering or pushing for a primary challenge to the President, threaten to support a primary challenge of the Dems who consistently vote like Republicans.

But for a bunch of people who spend a good portion of their time trashing the President to suddenly go quiet and all "I can't do nothin, say nothin about anybody BUT the President" is disgraceful. If they spent a third of the effort on this that they spent bitching at George Clooney for having an opinion, we'd already be much farther along.

[frylock]

24. oh brother. why don't you tell us what level of outrage would be acceptable to fulfill your needs..

people rail against the blue dogs every damn day on this website. those people are told to stfu and get in line. speaking for myself, i didn't vote for either of those assholes, but i can go out and yell at clouds if it will make you happier.

[whatchamacallit]

53. +1 n/t

[treestar]

26. Well yes there should

These kind of Democrats prove that when the left snidely says "we gave him Congress for the first two years" and then refuses to recognize they are not nearly as united and lock step as the Republicans and some of them are conservative. Like that is the President's fault. And then there is the excuse they or their constituents are not responsible for any of their actions, it is up to Obama to "strong arm" them with bullying threats a la LBJ(supposedly) like that works some magic.

Trouble is they don't want to make the effort to get a more progressive Congress but just elect a progressive President and demand that he be all powerful and "tough" which means forcing others to vote a way they (and their constituents) don't want to vote.

These types of Democrats are why there was no public option and no single payer. We have to win a lot more elections to get a Congress that will vote for that. Now as to how to get someone more liberal than tester to win in Montana, that's a tough proposition. Better to just blame Obama for allegedly not "arm twisting." :sarcasm:

[EffieBlack]

28. Bingo, dead on spot on right.

You nailed it perfectly.

[frylock]

32. trouble is they don't want to make the effort to get a more progressive congress..

you have got to be fucking shitting me with this nonsense. obama Himself endorsed these shitheel bdogs over real progressive dems. that's when the "purity test" and "no true scotsman" threads abounded. people were admonished to just get the fuck in line.

[treestar]

35. well if he did it's because he knew they could win

and were better than Republicans. Again you are just blaming Obama for nor somehow forcing or charming people in those states to be more progressive.

Explain how a President by himself is somehow supposed to get enough Montana residents to elect a liberal Democrat. We are lucky enough for Tester to get elected.

It takes more than the president saying something on the "bully pulpit." Since when do conservatives go "Oh, a Democratic President said we need single payer? Now I'm convinced."

Get real.

[frylock]

37. fucking lame ass excuse that really encapsulates most of obama's accomplishments..

no heavy lifting. go for the low-hanging fruit. it's hard work prezidentin. testor justed voted against the president's fucking awesomely BRILLIANT jobs plan. explain to me how lucky we are to have a guy like that. i'm all ears.

[eilen]

73. Explain how they are better than a republican when they vote like a republican?nt

When Medicare for all buy-in was up, I believe it was Obama's buddy Lieberman that blocked it with WH support.

[EffieBlack]

50. It's almost funny

The same people who insist the President should push for things even if the votes aren't there - "So WHAT if he can't actually get it through - we need to see him FIGHT!" - are now saying "This bill was never going to pass so the President's efforts were all just a campaign ruse/kabuki theater."

It's becoming more and more obvious every day that the very folk who are bitching the loudest at the President have absolutely no desire to see him succeed. They just want to sit on the sidelines and complain.

[Scuba]

31. Because for a bunch of them, it'll be their turn next. n/t

[Prism]

33. The party made its bed

What, exactly, would you like any of us to do? Every single time it's noted the Blue Dogs need to be primaried, the President, the DNC, the Establishment, and the Party Firsters yell and scream and rant and rave at the Left about unity and ponies and pragmatism.

Well, here's the bed you made with nice fluffy conservadem pillows.

Oh, not as comfortable as you'd hoped?

Pity that, eh?

[frylock]

34. yep. reap the fucking whirlwind..

this scapegoating shit is as tired as it is predictable.

[Autumn]

36. I so wish I could rec your post

thank you.

[EffieBlack]

39. WAAAAAHH!!! Everybody's against us! We have no POWER!!!

So I'll just sit here on my computer and bitch and moan and demand that the President be primaried!!! Yeah, that'll show E'ERBODY!!!

It's beyond pity - it's downright pathetic.

Thank God most Democrats I know in the real world don't think like the people on DU . . .

[Prism]

40. Apparently the President has no power

In fact, to hear tell of it, this is the most powerless President in modern times. He has no control or say-so over anything at all - ever.

(Unless something good occurs, in which case it is entirely his own doing - and his alone).

Hey, I didn't make these rules. You're the one complaining that the Blue Dogs the President and the party establishment chose to keep aren't working out the way they'd hoped.

Bitch at them.

[EffieBlack]

41. The President has plenty of power. He just doesn't have magical, unlimited powers

And he'd have a lot MORE power if the people who are so proud of "holding his feet to the fire" would occasionally actually lift a finger to help him out.

[Prism]

42. The people did try to help him out - and were told to shut up for their efforts.

Seriously. People cannot complain about the Left when it attempts to primary a conservadem, and then complain about the Left when the conservadems the Left opposed do something awful.

Don't look at the Left. They didn't want these assholes in there either.

[EffieBlack]

48. Really? What did they do to try to help him out?

Besides talk?

[Prism]

59. They wanted to elect more progressives to Congress

But when the primary Blanche Lincoln effort began in earnest, what happened? Yep. The President and the party apparatus bitched and moaned. Party First people on DU screamed at the Left about unity and pragmatism.

Lincoln was a walking disaster, a prime primary target if ever there was one, but she got defended from the Left and the unions to the bitter end - and it was bitter.

So the next time you find yourself about to post "If you want President Obama to do something, elect a more progressive Congress!" think on how those efforts have been systematically shat upon by the power brokers in D.C. and their supporters.

And funny you're complaining about people talking when your OP's entire point is to bitch about people not talking. Eesh, make up your mind. Do you want the Left to complain about people or not?

[Empowerer]

68. How's Blanche Lincoln been voting lately?

And, fyi - I haven't posted any "If you want President Obama to do something elect a more progressive Congress" OPs, so your argument is misdirected. But I also get sick and tired of progressives who push back on such arguments turn around and do everything they can to weaken the President so that he loses leverage with Members of Congress that are there (a President with an 60% approval rating gets a lot more done in Congress than a President with 40% does with the same Congress). And then those same people spend their time beating up on the President or complaining about what he's not doing but never bother picking up the phone or a pen and pushing the Members of Congress to vote a certain way. Meanwhile, the people on the other side are doing just that - that's why many of the Members are voting the way they do. If the people they're hearing from and who are making the most noise are mostly coming from one side, the Member is going to assume that is the "will of the people" and vote accordingly.

So yes, I'm getting sick of people doing nothing but talking - especially when that talking is nothing but whining - but do nothing constructive to actually change anything. And when those people seem to direct all of their talking at beating up on the President yet they can't seem to find the time to direct any of that anger toward the people who are making it harder for him to do his job, yes, I'm going to say something.

[Prism]

72. Quite frankly, you're not in a position to know what people do

All you see here is a message board. It does not grant insight into what people may or may not do offline. And I'm particularly bored with the "whining" meme, especially since too many have used this President's entire term to date to direct that little insult towards the LGBT community.

Whining, hmm? And yet we're getting our shit done. Our pressure has worked. We didn't shut up when told by the same crowd again and again and again. I've seen the people in my community using their voice here, in letters, in media, with their representatives, right on up to crashing the President's events.

And oh my, how people howled and stomped their feet and complained about single-issue pony whiners.

But it got the President's attention, and he changed his tune. A shame that he gets it and the people who claim to be so invested in his success would have had him continue to be on the wrong side of history. All in the name of defending him.

You know what "Waaah, some people don't like the President as much as I do!? is?

Yeah, that's whining. And it hasn't improved anyone's life or this President's legacy a single bit.

[polmaven]

69. Well, besides talking,

the did whine a lot. Doesn't that count?

[Number23]

51. You got that right, Effie

But let me fix that for you...

Thank God most Democrats HUMAN BEINGS I know in the real world don't think like the people on DU

[whatchamacallit]

54. +1 n/t

[dsc]

43. I will say what I have pretty much always said about this sort of thing

when they are my Senators, or if they are ones who might consider national office some day, then I definitely write them and let them know how I feel. When they aren't I reiterate that I feel all proceedural votes should be conducted as votes that you have to vote the party's way to keep the priviledges the party bestows upon you.

[Freddie Stubbs]

44. If all of the Democrats in the Senate had voted for cloutre, it still would not have passed

[lumberjack_jeff]

45. Because they didn't matter.

It's kabuki.

Reid twisted enough arms to get 50 votes, knowing he wouldn't get 60. Presumably Tester is considered the most vulnerable in his district and was given dispensation to vote no.

Do you think Lieberman is on our side because he voted for cloture?

[julian09]

47. On key legislation that has overwhelming support from the public

dems,independents and yes even republicans, there is no dispensation. He doesn't have courage to vote with majority of his constituents.
It was because of the millionaire tax that they voted it down. How many millionaires in that lightly populated state of Montana; not as many as unemployed teachers, construction, police, firemen. No need for infrastructure repair in Montana. The vote is over, but it is not too late to let him know you disagree with him. Let him know if he insists on voting as repug, he can change party.

On all of DU so far today, this is the only thread on Obamas major defeat on jobs bill.

[EffieBlack]

49. Not the only thread, but one of the very, very few.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[paulk]

55. that nasty "left"

if we just kicked the whole lot of them out of the Democratic Party the world would be a better place, don't you think?

[whatchamacallit]

56. Another DINO fail, another round of hippy punching...

get a clue.

[ClassWarrior]

77. Yeah, no doubt. The wishy-washy, too-weak-to-take-a-stand "centrists" bail on the President...

...but somehow the people who hold the strongest, staunchest Democratic values get the blame.

:puke:

NGU.

[mitchtv]

58. what? you want teabaggers in the MT &NE senate seats?

I mean really there's your answer. And also, "that's the best the Dems can expect in flyover country". you will hear that again and again.

[Ignis]

60. Because most things that even appear like an attack on a (D) get nuked.

So why bother?

[EffieBlack]

71. That doesn't stop people from trashing the President . . .

[Ignis]

78. You mean criticizing the policy decisions of an elected official?

THE HORROR! :scared:

[Tx4obama]

61. Only TWO dems voted no. If they had voted yes then ....

there still would NOT have been 60 votes that are needed for cloture.

[Mimosa]

62. I'd hate to be a wimp. Some must be proud. ICK. n/t

[MFrohike]

63. Who cares

This Congress is no different from the lame duck Congress of late 1932. They're interested in positioning themselves for the next election, which is laughable as they're steadily degrading their own offices. The focus should not be on getting them to do anything, which is a lost cause, but on removing the elephant from around our necks and pressing Democrats to begin the long, hard struggle to reverse Reaganomics.

[Skittles]

64. WELCOME TO DU, MFrohike

:hi:

[MFrohike]

65. Hello to you, too

thanks

[bigwillq]

74. Hello.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Vinca]

66. I don't know about Tester, but everyone knows Nelson is a Republican in Dem clothing.

His constituents must also be Republicans in Dem clothing because they keep voting him in. It doesn't matter how hard we scream about helmet head, we're wasting our breath. Bottom line, it isn't law unless the POTUS signs it and apparently he's put his signature on the pink slips for 159,000 jobs.

[Pab Sungenis]

70. The outrage is here.

You just aren't paying attention if you think you don't see it.

[JVS]

75. Why does Obama continue to kiss blue dog ass after they fuck him over for the zillionth time?

[ClassWarrior]

76. The question should be, why aren't their constituents shouting about the Dems who screwed...

...Americans by filibustering the jobs bill?

The President's the only one who's elected by all of us. So I'm guessing that Turncoat Nelson and Cave Testor couldn't care less about the opinion of this lefty from another state.

NGU.