Democrats say no liberal plans in next Congress

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061126/pl_nm/congress_agenda_dc

Democrats say no liberal plans in next Congress

24 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three Democratic congressmen who are about to take important leadership posts said on Sunday they plan to pass popular legislation blocked by Republicans but would refrain from pushing some of the most controversial elements on the liberal agenda.
ADVERTISEMENT

The three, appearing on Fox News Sunday, are among the most liberal Democrats who will take over key committee chairmanships when Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives in January.

Rep. Barney Frank (news, bio, voting record) of Massachusetts, who will take over the U.S. House of Representatives committee that covers banking and other financial institutions, mentioned raising the minimum wage, providing cheaper drug coverage for the elderly and providing more affordable housing and help with college tuition as the focus of Democratic legislation.

"Our first efforts are going to be to do those things that I think the mainstream of America wants," Frank said. "Some things have become liberal because the right wingers who control the Republican party have abandoned them to us."

Asked about his opposition to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gay service men and women, Frank, one of the few openly gay members of the House, said he would fight discrimination but that issue was "not what we're going to begin with.",,,,,

[MADem]

1. Barney Frank is the smartest guy in the room. Give the mainstream what they want, and they'll be

inclined to trust us with their government. Heck, the mainstream wants plenty that people on either side of the political divide want. Start with that, and take it from there.

Some things have become liberal because the right wingers who control the Republican party have abandoned them to us."

[rfranklin]

11. Repeal of the Credit Card giveaway should be first....

Make it illegal to charge more than 15% on credit card balances.

[Hawkeye-X]

18. Hell, order a complete amnesty on usury charges

And have the CC eat the loss. They can certainly afford it.

Goddamn CC lobbyists.

Hawkeye-X

[qwlauren35]

21. Maaaaaaaaaan...

that would be sweet.

My card hit 22.9% just a few months ago.

But I don't see it happening. The companies will always argue that they charge those outrageous amounts because of the likelihood of defaulting, and to be able to carry someone else's debt.

We often think of a credit card as OUR debt, but remember, the credit card company is paying our debts on time.

If 1,000,000 Americans defaulted on their credit cards, I think those companies would be in trouble.

[mzmolly]

2. No one in the story characterized it as such. Some actual quotes:

"Our first efforts are going to be to do those things that I think the mainstream of America wants," Frank said. "Some things have become liberal because the right wingers who control the Republican party have abandoned them to us."

Asked about his opposition to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gay service men and women, Frank, one of the few openly gay members of the House, said he would fight discrimination but that issue was "not what we're going to begin with."

"Democrats like winning elections," said Rep. John Dingell (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan, the incoming chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the longest serving member of the House.

"We want to win elections and we're going to do our best to do so," he said. "This doesn't mean to get into any extreme positions on any matter. We'll do what makes good sense."

We have a POPULIST agenda. And that is "liberal."
OF - BY - AND FOR - THE PEOPLE

[jgraz]

3. It's only librul if you're talkin about them gays

Message from the right: Just let us keep our guns and keep on hating the fags and you can do whatever you want.

[benEzra]

22. Many of us NOT on the right would like to keep our guns, too. (n/t)

[stepnw1f]

4. Ahem... Liberal is Populist Assmunches.

Nice try though...

[Vorta]

5. Solidify position. Gain high ground. Secure supply lines, Set time to begin battle at 4 PM.

And then attack at noon.

[stepnw1f]

7. Right Around the Same Time My Favorite Team Plays (nt)

[w4rma]

6. Good plan. Although Reuters spun it to try to create a split. I support populism. (nt)

[IndianaGreen]

8. The Congressional Democrats should push for a classic conservative agenda!

One worthy of a Barry Goldwater, starting with getting the government out of the business of telling women what their reproductive choices ought to be, eliminating the ban on gays serving openly in the military, getting the federal government out of the business of telling the states whether or not they should bar gays and lesbians from marrying, or whether the states should decriminalize marijuana.

The most important aspect of a classic conservative agenda is to restore Constitutional rule, restoring the Bill of Rights (including habeas corpus), and taking away from the Presidency all of the powers that Bush has usurped since the 9-11 terrorist attack. Impeaching Bush and Cheney should not be off the table! If they committed high crimes and misdemeanors, they should be impeached and then should be extradited to The Hague to face justice.

[MikeNearMcChord]

12. AAAAAMMMMMMEEEEEENNNN!!!

[The Gunslinger]

13. Boy I wish thats what the conservatives were about...

Sounds good to me. That kinda shows the case of the Right moving toward Fascism and the left leaning toward the right.

[Joanne98]

17. Haha! Didn't Richard Nixon propose 2000$ a year....

For all US citizens whether they worked or not. He was a conservative. LOL.

[trogdor]

23. That's what he had to do to get elected.

Despite Vietnam, we had gigantic majorities in both houses of Congress throughout Nixon's presidency.

[Polesitter]

24. Right-o, if it's not in the Constiution, then it's a state issue and the

feds should butt out, 100%. Hmmm, sounds like the confederate manifesto - and it would void Roe, putting the abortion question squarely back on the states.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Must be that dern secret librul gender.

WTF? Do we have an agenda? When did we sort that out? Who exactly are 'the liberals"?

[Warren Stupidity]

10. Oh and I agree with the tactics.

Push popular 'librul genda' legislation right in the face of the repugnants and force them to fillibuster, veto, or sign on the line. Everything they block: keep bringing it back over and over and over. Make it crystal clear to the people just where the pugs stand.

[Zhade]

14. Not beginning with DADT is fine.

But we BETTER see them work on it this term.

We're through being used.

[bamacrat]

15. Well any change is good but...

I hate to see the dems just become good republicans. We dont need to roll over and let our fears destroy our chance at fixing this country and turning it in the right direction.

[Joanne98]

16. No liberal plans just progessive ones... hee hee

[Zenlitened]

19. Crummy headline by Reuters. Dynamite quote by Rep. Frank!

"Our first efforts are going to be to do those things that I think the mainstream of America wants," Frank said. "Some things have become liberal because the right wingers who control the Republican party have abandoned them to us."

Opportunity, prosperity, security, decency, fairness... yep, those ARE solely liberal issues now!

:applause:

[leesa]

20. Thank God they are continuing to enable the besmirching of liberalism.

It got them their jobs, but thank God they are continuing to vilify those disgusting liberals!

[LittleClarkie]

25. Why are these not considered Liberalissues?

They sure ain't Conservative:

"raising the minimum wage, providing cheaper drug coverage for the elderly and providing more affordable housing and help with college tuition."