Dem Leadership Rolls "Over the Dead Bodies" Of Its Rank-and-File

Per my Creators Syndicate column from last week, check out excerpts from this midday New York Times dispatch.

Here it is:

"A trade pact between the United States and Peru won bipartisan support in a crucial Congressional committee Tuesday...The vote Tuesday was a victory for the Bush administration and Representative Charles B. Rangel, the New York Democrat who is chairman of the Ways and Means panel. Mr. Rangel argued, against the opposition of many Democrats...[Ways and Means Committee Chair Charles Rangel (D-NY)] noted that he may not be able to win over most of his party, adding, 'Our membership on this committee means that we will have to do things that at times will not be as popular as we would like them to be.'

[...]

Democrats regained control of Congress last year after a campaign in which many candidates promised to block future trade deals...While many rank-and-file Democrats fear that trade deals erode American jobs, Democratic leaders have developed close ties with Wall Street and with many high technology and industrial companies...

[...]

Critics of the deal say that it represents an extension of Nafta...Lori Wallach, director of Global Trade Watch division of Public Citizen, assailed the Peru vote as bad policy and politics. 'This is especially incomprehensible,' she said, 'after many of the freshman Democrats, who tipped the balance of power in Congress, were elected by focusing on ending more-of-the-same trade policies.'"

Notice that this Rangel admits he is passing the deal over the objections (ie. "over the dead bodies") of his own party. Notice too that he added that ramming the deal through the committee over the objections of rank-and-file populist Democrats represents "a very special day in my legislative career."

All I'm gonna say is this: Democrats, come election time, don't say we didn't tell you so. We told you so - and then some.

Cross-posted from Working Assets

Comments

[BBackSoon]

02:36 PM on 09/26/2007

Agreed, Dem leadership is not operating in my interest. I think we all believed that if we simply gave Dems an edge they would be savvy enough to use it.

In a way they have been. The problem is that they are now being fully funded by the same interests as the Repugs. If big Oil is paying your bills you do what big oil says. If big Pharma is your puppet master you dance the way they pull you.

Our system is broken and it may be broken beyond repair. We have people in power who are only interested in staying in power. We as a people have the attention span of a gnat and forget all the crap by the time elections come around.

Perhaps we have the government we deserve? We are a very selfish society. Me, Me, Me. We like big cars, big houses, the latest toys, 5-dollar coffee and as long as Idol is on we are sedated. Seems we are the same people as those we have in our government.

What happened to common good, and doing the right thing and taking responsibility? Oh wait those are quaint concepts of the romantic past. Or have I become a communist or a socialist?

Viva la Revolution.

[dadw5boys]

05:17 PM on 09/26/2007

ahhhhh WAKE UP!
The country has to keep operating while all this crap is worked out.
A dead lock of votes in Congress can't be over come but the problems of the USA keep comming.
Bridges falling, General Lieing, and SOLDIER DIEING BECAUSE AFTER 6 YEARS THE CONTRATOR HAS NOT DELIVERED ARMOURMED VECHILES!
IS BLACK WATER SUPPLYING THE ARMOURED VECHILES TO THEMSELVES FIRST?

[flatus]

12:37 PM on 09/26/2007

The theory seems to be, let America bleed out, let the rest of the world come up and then we will all move up together as one big happy economically tied family (In this respect, the theory is quite communistic.)

This will not happen, in my opinion.

Productivity is now so high that a small group of people can produce enough of a particular product for the entire world.

[Nonamnesiac]

12:31 PM on 09/26/2007

Excellent post by David Sirota. But in order to make the Dems responsive to their base, we are probably going to have to prove that we won't vote like Pavlov's dogs for any Democrat the corporatists put up in 2008 when the Dems start cynically ringing the Nader-baiting bell. There's going to have to be a litmus test. If the candidate will not favor immediate withdrawal from Iraq in a manner wholly safe for the troops, will not support repeal of both Trample Civil Liberties Acts (Patriot Act and Protect America Act) and the Military Commissions Act, and will not oppose all trade agreements that don't include meaningful labor and environmental standards, then we either don't vote or vote third party. From reading these blogs, I don't have a sense that progressives are ready to take such action on any one of those issues, let alone all three. So that makes the hillitarists right -- don't worry about the base because when the 2 corporate Parties put up their candidates, progressives can easily be Nader-baited into holding their noses and vote for the Democratic corporatist, meaning endless war in Iraq with a possible expansion to Iran, more SHAFTAs (I liked that one) and more assaults on civil liberties.

[bringbackimus]

11:51 AM on 09/26/2007

If the Democrats can't win the White House after 8 years of the very unpopular Bush administration, they will never regain the White House in my lifetime. Rather than selling their souls to the Clintons, and certain defeat, the Democratic "leaders" must choose real people with honesty and integrity to support. In some ways, I believe the Clintons and their henchmen, did not want John Kerry elected in 2004, because it would have been a roadblock in their march for H. Clinton's corination.

[thgy]

05:22 PM on 09/26/2007

I have often wondered about that too. And the traitor James Carville was in perfect position to trip Kerry when the time came.

[AKJM]

11:32 AM on 09/26/2007

Rangel should explain himself. His decision, over objections mine included, should be explained why it is the correct decision.

[bethinCary]

11:13 AM on 09/26/2007

I say buhbye: Charlie, Shumer, Clinton, Emmanual,Boxer, difi, Shuler,....

[freedomis]

11:07 AM on 09/26/2007

Just when I think things might change.
TO THE DEMS


I have been meaning to write something like this for awhile because of your feckless responses and kowtowing to a president who is out to destroy this country. Why? Because you are cynical and political to an extreme. It is either that or you want to have all the stuff that is on the books now plus a war that you think will help you and without the blame. This is neither humanistic or morally defendable. Petraeus got what he deserves and cutting off funds for this war is the way to go because when it comes to priorities for this occupation it is contractors first and troops last. You can see this from any facts that you look at. So who cares for the troops? Some of you have been doing a lot of talking but nobody has thrown a rock at this glass house of an administration. Leave it to the people thru MoveOn.Org to do the heavy lifting for what you are supposed to be doing. You will not get my vote because you are no better than the repubs. Is there any difference in dictators, if one is a dem. or a repub? The way that you are acting you just want the whole pie for yourselves and forget the people again. I’m 71 and cant help but wonder what of the younger people? Because of your feckless nature it is a bleak future for them. Tony

[peacehappens]

10:58 AM on 09/26/2007

I don't think there are two parties anymore. There is the illusion of two parties but once they are in office they have all agreed on the same agenda and protect each other. For example, Clinton's NAFTA which the dems backed, Ms. Pelosi's taking impeachment off the table, Charlie Rangel trying to reinstate the draft, the refusal of congress to stop funding the war, extending FISA (dems led the way on that) etc. How are they different from republicans?

It has already been determined that Hilary will be the democratic nominee. The voting issues have never been fully resolved and the vote will be rigged again. Whoever is in office will perpetuate the overall agenda.

I disagree that we are headed towards socialism. I believe we are a fascist state moving towards totalitarianism and a closed state. Our government is spying on it's citizens (thanks dems for making it legal now) and anyone can be named an enemy combatant and put in a secret prison forever. Blackwater was unleashed as a private police force, accountable to no one, on the citizens of New Orleans immediately after Katrina, people were shot and wounded or killed without reason, the public schools in New Orleans remain closed and charter (private) schools have replaced them and public housing that was not damaged during the hurricane has been shut down permanently (here come the developers) and the former tenants are forced to live in toxic FEMA trailers. Some displaced people have never been able to return home.

I don't believe that dems are concerned past the sound bites.

[Diogenes]

10:32 AM on 09/26/2007

Do any of you people seriously believe that the Democrats actually are going to deliver on health care?

[Herrington]

02:31 AM on 09/26/2007

You know the writing is on the ship yard wall and subway rail car. This nation is headed toward socialism in a big way. And it makes me wonder what the Republicans thought they could do to make people happy with being screwed day in and day out once they realized their political dreams of power. Bread and circuses are distracting, but not de-cerebrating.

The truth is plain and simple, when you are not hiding, we can see that you are as dangerous as a snake in a baby's crib. Go back into the bowels of the earth and let the humans get on with their lives. We will not harm you if you do not harm us.

[realitytrumpsbull]

01:22 AM on 09/26/2007

That's ok, the GOPer's do the same thing, and
both make a great case for the Independents...

[wndrwrthg]

12:37 AM on 09/26/2007

The decline and fall of america can be traced right to the door of the (non)leadership of the dems. It is irrelevant as to what the repubs. do, because there is no-one to oppose them. The dems. cower whenever the republicans fart. They are nothing more than foul, stinking political whores. We need purge the deocrat (non)leadership in whatever way we can. The democrat party is dead and the stench of it's decay is only marginally less foul than that of the republicans.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

11:55 PM on 09/25/2007

I've been trying to wake up the blind-side and ostrich-minded faithful since a week before the November election, when Speaker pelosi told the world on '60 Minutes' that impeachment was "...off the table."

Obviously, the 'leadership' finds plenty of rea$on$ NOT to care about their appearances, or even what voters might think actually motivate$ of their rep in CONgre$$.



Choir here...

[Zentomato]

11:54 PM on 09/25/2007

Charlie ya done good for a long time but now like a 1/2 gallon of milk that is beyond it's expiration date you've turned sour and must be discarded.

[coxproject]

11:28 PM on 09/25/2007

I'm growing increasingly tired of antipathy toward centrist Democrats. If we intend to retain power as a party (and I think we've learned over the last 6+ years why this is necessary), we need to take a page from the GOP's example and cohere, especially now in the face of the '08 elections.

Besides, while you may fault Rangel on this particular issue, you're ignoring his reliably liberal voting record. Get with the program and stop throwing those who make any move to the center under the bus.

[Maxiesid]

06:07 AM on 09/26/2007

I'll tell you what, it would be easier to 'cohere'as a party if the people representing this party weren't such a pack of spineless money whores. All of you that believe that to be the 'winning' party all the democrats have to do is become republicans will learn that you can demand that the rest of us line up behind whoever is appointed as the leader and shut up, but it isn't working now, and isn't likely to work in the future. Yes, you are going to have lots of republicans voting for you, but the rest of us won't be joining you.

[scooperss]

08:25 AM on 09/26/2007

All you can think of is *retaining power as a party*? It seems to mean that by going against their party they are doing the same thing republicans did for the last six years.

YOU didn't learn anything from the last six years. We DON'T need a party that is once again reneging on the promises that got them elected in the first place.