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May 14, 2015 07:03 AM UTC

Thursday Open Thread

  • 31 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“I reject the cynical view that politics is a dirty business.”

–Richard M. Nixon

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31 thoughts on “Thursday Open Thread”

  1. I suspected that it was too good to be true.  Once again, Bennet has engaged us in kabuki theater.  This time it lasted only hours.  After voting against fast track Tuesday morning, Bennet and 9 other "Democrats" marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to be woodshedded by Obama.  All ten have now announced that they will vote to begin debate – which means they will also vote to suspend debate and in favor of fast track. Did they get any concessions – i.e. currency manipulation, labor protections, environmental protections? No. 

    This was never about a rebellion.  It was about making Bennet and the other Democrats look good to the liberal wing of the party.  We have low information voters just like the right wing.  Some liberals will only remember the stink created by the vote on Tuesday and never learn about his change of vote.

    Please contact Bennet and tell him to vote against fast track in Thursday's vote.  Although, absent a real threat to lose the election because of a revolt from the left wing of the party, I suspect it will do little good.

    Give the Democratic Trade Turncoats Hell Over Fast Track Vote – naked capitalism

     

    1. Good catch. I do not trust Bennet on this either….or much else. 

      I got a mailer within hours praising this B.S. procedural vote, also reinforced by CPols little campaign quote.

      Corporate Dems are going to be the death of the Democratic Party.

      Therefore, in addition to calling your Representative (contact information here) be SURE to call your Senators if they are one of the traitors whose sellout was critical to Obama expecting to pass Fast Track later today. As reader Ulysses wrote:

      These are the ten Senate Dems who were in a White House meeting, earlier today, and enlisted to assist the GOP with giving President Obama fast-track approval tomorrow: Tom Carper (Del), and Sens. Michael Bennet (Colo.), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Ben Cardin (Md.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Tim Kaine (Va.), Patty Murray (Wash.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Mark Warner (Va.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.).

      I appeal to anyone who lives in any of these Senators’ states to contact them and urge them not to give fast-track authority tomorrow!! Carper and Wyden are probably lost causes, but the rest of them may be susceptible to constituent pressure.

      1. "endless Bennet carping…………"  Reminds me of the "endless Hickenlooper carping" last year that finally went away when the complainers were asked if they really preferred Bob Beauprez as governor.    C.H.B.

        1. Those on our side should not be "just another politician"…….I would expect more of Bennet and Hick and Udall and Polis than being a rockheaded reactionary Neanderthal.

          Being slightly better than a Gardner or Coffman ain't all that hot.

          2. I would rate all of them as more than slightly better on many vitally important issues. And if you don't think losing the Senate matters since Bennet is only slightly better than a Republican (check out his votes on social and other issues dear to the hearts of progressives. Now check out any R Senator's) what happens if HRC crashes on the shoals of some as yet undisclosed major scandal and we get an R president who gets to add another far right Supreme? I think your view is a little distorted by passion.

      2. More kabuki theater.  What did they get? Is the agreement going to be made public so we can all review and debate it? NO!  Will there be labor protections? NO! Will corporations still be able the thwart democratic policies through the ISDS? YES!

        For those who want real "reality-based" analysis of fast track and the related trade agreements, I present the following reading list:

        Gaius Publius: What’s Wrong with Wyden-Hatch-Ryan’s Fast Track Bill – The Specifics

        The Administration’s Dishonest Response to Elizabeth Warren’s Attack on Secret Investor Arbitration Panels in Trade Deals

        Wikileaks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Environment Chapter: “Toothless Public Relations Exercise”

        Fast/Track/TPP: The Death of National Sovereignty, State Sovereignty, Separation of Powers, and Democracy

        Thoughts About the Trans-Pacific Partnership

        1. Just wanted to put forward what they did get which is not insignificant, especially since up until 15 minutes ago McConnell was insisting they wouldn't get anything. I don't like TPP, Fast Track or many of Bennet's votes either but guess what? He is not, in fact Satan. To insist he is is just silly.

          He votes my way as a progressive Dem on social sphere issues that are important to me. Would I love an opportunity to elect someone more to my liking within the center range? Yes. But that's not an option in the real here and now world for 2016. We need to take back the Senate and certainly not to lose more seats. One thing Bennet will do is support a Dem president's judicial, especially Supreme Court nominees. 

          Criticism is one thing and I've been very critical not only of Bennet but of Obama in many instances from day one of his first administration. Over the top demonizing just seems silly and not terribly helpful to me. It makes no sense to me to insist on supporting the quite hysterical core belief that Bennet, or any other Dem with whom I have serious disagreements, is pure evil by rejecting the possibility that anything they do could possibly be well intentioned or the tiniest step in a more desirable direction.

          Incidentally, since the concessions won involve allowing votes that the President opposes bringing to the floor, it doesn't appear that this is exactly a matter of the president bludgeoning them into submission. And speaking of the President, is he pure evil too? It’s his trade pact, after all, and if Bennet is pure evil for supporting it, it would naturally follow that you must find Obama to be Absolute Satanic Evil Incarnate?

          1. "Bennet is pure evil……….."  He's pretty good on public lands issues and supports the right of women to make their own health care decisions without interference from big government or big religion.

            Unfortunately, that is probably not good enough for those of the un-rehabilitated far left.

          2. From Firedoglake, Senate Democrats Fold, Obama To Get Fast-Track On TPP

            "The cosmetic concessions offered to the weak-kneed Democrats included some empty votes on currency manipulation and an extension of an African trade agreement – in short, nothing. Senate Democrats have set themselves up to get rolled when TPP comes up for a final vote and voting no means scuttling an agreement all their donors will be demanding they approve. Then again, maybe that was the plan all along – offer token opposition to appease the base, cave, then say your hands are tied because the fast-track has made the vote on TPP so binary you have to vote yes.

            For all the drama, Senate Democrats may have ended up where they started, with tough trade enforcement provisions that are broadly supported but without a vehicle to get them into law. Lawmakers from both parties say that even if the enforcement and currency bill passes Thursday, they may try to break off some provisions as amendments to the trade promotion bill that Mr. Obama must sign into law."

            2. Also should I stay home if HRC runs because I'm pretty sure she's as big on free trade and as pro-corporate and centrist as Bill and Obama so, you know, what's the point? Bernie or bust? Should that be my position?

                1. I'm sorry I have to work for a living. I can't spend all day and all night hanging out here. None of you have bothered to read the blistering criticism of HRC on Firedoglake. Just ingnorant response when you lack the knowledge to actually debate the policy.

                  1. I personally didn't say word one about Firedoglake. You made time for this non-response so you probably could have found a minute to respond to what I actually asked you. Still crickets.

  3. I'm going out on a limb here and making a prediction. After finishing the exploratory phase of his presidential campaign, Jebby will announce that he doesn't have to fire in his belly ("I don't want to put my family though the ordeal") and that he has better things to do with his time ("I can better serve the public in other ways"), and announce that he will not run.

    His trainwreck of a week featuring the foreign policy adviser question, the Iraq invasion question, and the question of whether his brother gave ISIS to the world will all go unanswered.

    Perhaps Mitt Romney will reconsider and be the RINO moderate candidate since Jebby's departure leaves only Chris Christie to fill that void.

      1. After the abject failure of McCain and Romney, both unpopular with the base and attacked early on by Limbaugh and friends but whose turn it was in the GOP establishment, they might be re-thinking the whole "turn" thing. On the other hand, Jeb has already sucked up a whole lot of money, the Kochs have him in their five to consider and the field is so weak. Guess we'll see.

        1. Sadly John Bolton announced today that he will not be running. (It was in First Draft column in the NY Times.) Wasn't Bolton one of the brains (and I use that word loosely) behind the neo-cons?

              1. Actually there's something a lot like that in the Old Testament (or only testament if you're Jewish) Don't  remember the exact wording but it basically says that when you hear that your enemies are coming for you, rise early in the morning, gird your loins (do remember that phrase. Lots of loin girding, whatever that consists of, in the Old Testament) and … ummmm…  go get them before they get you. And really crush them but good, too. Not much of that New Testament turn the other cheek stuff in my people's bible. There are also some instances of a pretty angry militant Jesus in the New Testament, though. It wasn't all foot washing and loaf multiplying.

                That's the geat thing about the bible. You can find something for everyone and every occasion to support any and all positions, often diametrically opposed. Which is why it's such a great source for rational law codes and we should just burn the constitution and use the bible instead. Go Huckabee!

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