Quote:
|
Originally Posted by aceventura3
Democrats continue to show me how empty their words were, and how they were using rhetoric for political purposes and political grandstanding. Was Bush right along, or did something actually change in the Democratic Party collective mindset that would lead them to legitimately support telecoms immunity?
|
host and ace....a majority of the Dems (128-105) in the House voted against the FISA amendments.
I think you are both missing one critical point ..... by most measures, there is no "
the Democrats" or at least to the same extent as there is "the Republicans".
Since 2006, with the election of more moderate/centrists, the Democrats have become less and less of a monolithic voting block....unllke the Republicans.
The tent is bigger and the opinions and policy positions are more diverse....which is a blessing and a curse.
One of Howard Deans' greatest under reported accomplishments has been the significant success since 2004 in "expanding the tent" of the Democratic party
Most recent data show the Democratic party growing while the Republican party is shrinking.
In 2000, voters identified with (or leaned towards) both parties at about an equal number - 40% each. In 2008, its more like 45% are selfd-identified Dems (or lean toward Dems) and 35% are self-identified Repubs (or lean towards Repub)
This bigger tent presents opportunities and challenges for Obama, Pelois, Reid.
I would agree that they haven't handled it as well as they could have. and no more so than on issues like the FISA reform and Iraq funding.
But I would still rather be in that position than to return to being the minority party...and hopefully, with a larger majority after November, that balancing act might be just a bit easier.
With that being said...I will withhold any further comment on the FISA amendments until the Senate votes later this week....
...other than reaffirming my opinion that the House bill accomplished the most important goal for me....providing more safeguards to prevent the recurrence of abuses we saw from Bush/Cheney/Gonzales between 2001-2006