The DU Democratic Senators Hall of FAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Walt Starr]

Every dang last one of 'em make it to the Hall of FAME today! They voted to STRIP THE MEDICAID CUTS FROM BUSH'S BUDGET!!!!!!!!!! Give a CHEER for OUR DEMOCRATIC SENATORS!!!!

Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Clinton (D-NY)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Honorable mention goes to the lone Independent Senator:

Jeffords (I-VT)

And to give credit where credit is due, the following Republican Senators bravely crossed the aisle to deal a devestating blow to the agenda of George (kill the middle Class) Bush! We couldn't have done it without them!

Chafee (R-RI)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
DeWine (R-OH)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)

SCORE ONE FOR OUR SIDE!!!!!

[applegrove]

1. Slap the sociopaths down. Way to go!! Congradulations one and

all.

[ClassWarrior]

2. Sweeeeeeeeet...

Never Give Up.

[cyberpj]

3. Thanks for posting - I'll be calling and writing. Watched this on CSPAN

and it was a GREAT MOMENT!

PJ

[FreedomAngel82]

53. At least now

we know who our RINO's are. They better becareful. Rove might be coming after them.

[ewagner]

4. for our Dems

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

for the Repubs who had the guts to cross the line:

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[WI_DEM]

5. Now that is real teamwork

and thanks to the few Republicans who made it possible--I note that McCain is not among them. His reputation on DU I think is sometimes higher than his actual record.

[FreedomAngel82]

54. Wonder where he was

Yes. It was great that they worked together on this. Those republicans actually are non-partisian and think of their people unlike some of them out there. :toast:

[PittLib]

6. oh my god ...

Specter pulled his head out of his ass long enough to vote the "left" way for once. With all due respect for my ailing senator ...

[Emboldened Chimp]

7. Wow, two good votes in a row for Coleman...

What's going on with Norm?

[Pirate Smile]

14. Is he already worried about his reelection or what??!!!

[katinmn]

32. must be hearing from a few folks

:)

[Kathy in Cambridge]

8. Three of the Republicans who crossed were from New England!

:toast:

To Snowe, Collins and Chaffee. When is Chaffee going to leave the Repukes?

[cry baby]

11. Think they are getting ripped on freak-republic?!?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

13. You know it!

[Walt Starr]

17. Actually, I checked, this one flew right under their radar!

:evilgrin:

[cry baby]

18. They're to stoopid to know what's going on, I guess, or they are

actually on gov't assistance of some sort and they really don't want these things cut.

[cry baby]

9. HALLA-FREAKIN-LUYAH

[spartan61]

10. I think I'm beginning to love

Senators Snowe and Collins from the State of Maine!!! For Republicans they really aren't too bad.

[Withywindle]

12. Yaaayyyy!!

We need the good news. Thank you!

[Walt Starr]

15. AND OUR GUYS VOTED IN LOCK STEP!!!!

It's JUST SO GOOD!!!!!!

[whistle]

16. Bush has sneaked another debt ceiling raise through on his budget..

...the prick, so he wants the debt ceiling raised without a discussion or allow congress to debate and modify. What will that take the debt ceiling up to, anyone know?

[hiley]

19. It is Great Huh ?

Been doing my "happy dance".:silly:

[Jesus Saves]

20. Score one for our side

about friggin' time.

[annabanana]

21. Props to Reid..This is what Leadership looks like!

For a little letter of appreciation:

http://reid.senate.gov/email_form.cfm

[wildflower]

22. Nominated. Now this is bipartisanship!

I was (and AM!) so glad about the Medicaid vote. And glad to see some Republicans joining us.

:bounce:

-wildflower

[merh]

23. Yipppy!!!! Yippppy!!!

NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Keep the calls, letters, emails, faxes going out to the congress critteres! Make them hear us! We can make a difference!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3287853


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3288432&mesg_id=3288432

[wildflower]

24. Yes...we may have had setbacks but we're making a difference!

This was a very important vote.

We should celebrate every good thing that happens, no matter how small, and keep encouraging our representatives and each other.

-wildflower

[Walt Starr]

25. I'm definitely celebrating

And the three who sold out yesterday have won a reprieve until the next vote.

[WilliamPitt]

26. Any story link?

[Walt Starr]

27. Yep

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=3&u=/ap/20050317/ap_on_go_co/budget

Senate Kills All Medicaid Cuts From Budget

1 hour, 24 minutes ago Top Stories - AP


By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Thursday to strip all proposed Medicaid cuts from the $2.6 trillion budget for next year, killing the heart of the plan's deficit reduction and dealing an embarrassing setback to President Bush (news - web sites) and Republican leaders.


The amendment, whose chief sponsor was moderate Sen. Gordon Smith (news, bio, voting record), R-Ore., was approved 52-48 after days of heavy lobbying by both sides. It was widely seen as a test of the GOP-run Congress' taste for making even moderate reductions in popular benefit programs that consume two-thirds of the budget and are growing rapidly, even at a time of record federal deficits.


The Medicaid cuts could still be revived when the House and Senate try writing a compromise budget next month. The more conservative House was voting Thursday on a similar budget that would make way for up to $20 billion in Medicaid savings.


The budget sets overall tax and spending targets to guide Congress as it writes bills later in the year that make actual changes in programs and tax laws.

<snip>

And from CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/03/17/budget.medicaid.ap/index.html

[wildflower]

30. It's in LBN and on the Greatest page...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1320517

:bounce:

-wildflower

[SharonRB]

28. It's about damn time!

If we could only get these repubs to go along with us more often!

[Walt Starr]

29. Heck, I could've take a loss on this amendment

as long as we could've had a lockstep vote by the Democrats! That's the biggest part of this thing! It shows they are beginning to see how this must work!

[ultraist]

34. I SURE hope you are right

Having a fractured party is only enabling the Repukes.

"Born again Pagan" LOL! Gotta love it.

[KoKo]

31. Needed that...now if that throws the budget vote into jeopardy ANWAR

might not survive. Bush/Greenspan and Wall St. want the Medicaid cuts as badly as ANWAR. They will push again, but if the budget bill goes down then we get both. Or, that would be my hope.

Of course they could always "compromise."

But, good to see this.

[ultraist]

33. WOW!!! I am impressed but must admit, FUCKING SHOCKED!

LOL! Even Lieberman and Landrieu voted like Democrats.

Great OP!

Some good news was much needed.

[UTUSN]

35. Shocked?! How's COLEMAN for Shock? Norm COLEMAN? n/t

[katinmn]

37. I just thanked him for crossing the aisle two days in a row

I must say I'm pleasantly surprised.

[DemonFighterLives]

56. I was thinking of emailing him

But I keep thinking there is something up his sleeve. Maybe I should just write now and hope for the best.

[Norquist Nemesis]

64. That's the one that my jaw dropped on, too!!! n/t

[Hand]

65. It's his Inner Democrat coming out. nt

[NoPasaran]

36. Hooray for our side!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[CindyDale]

38. My cousin must have written the Republicans

He is the only person in my family on Medicaid and the only Republican so far as I know.

[Patiod]

39. Given the top-notch care Spector receives, I'm glad he crossed

it would have been pretty hypocritical for him to have had wildly expensive tests that revealed a brain tumor in time to treat it a few years back, and then voted to cut Medicaid.

He's also getting the best treatment available (and God bless him for it) for his Hodgkin's.

[stevedeshazer]

40. I want to give RARE praise to my Republican senator, Gordon Smith

It was his amendment.

Plus, yesterday he voted for the Cantwell Amendment.

To...ummmm...Gordon Smith!?

:toast:

[katinmn]

46. Yes, to Gordon Smith!! That was a brave thing he did.

He will be on Bush's shit-list forever now.

[Terre]

58. He gets a letter of praise from me

first thing tomorrow morning!

Two surprises in as many days. Coulda knocked me over with a feather.

[Terre]

61. DONE!

That was a joy to write, and FAXed it instead of using those dang webforms.

:)

[Stop_the_War]

41. BARBARA BOXER !!!!!

[njdemocrat106]

42. Geez, even Mike DeWine voted against it?

I had him lumped in with the conservative fundy nut-job senators.

[InvisibleTouch]

48. He's pleasantly surprised me twice in the last 2 days.

I sent him a note of appreciation. Our other Ohio Senator, Voinovich, is a lost cause, but DeWine has at least the glimmer of a clue, and it should be encouraged.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

43. What a show of unity!

Wouldn't it be nice if they made this a habit?

:toast:

[mzmolly]

44. Thank ya Walt!

:toast:

[Walt Starr]

45. After my three Hall of Shame threads

I'm glad I finally got to post a Hall of Fame thread!

[merh]

47. I love this thread!

Damn it feels good to read the Hall of Fame! Thanks Mr. Starr!

Thank you Senators!!! :bounce:

[JNelson6563]

49. Excellent!

Nice to see. Thanks for posting Walt.

Julie

[AuntiBush]

50. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Each of you!

I'm in shock. I've got to call everyone I know. And Republicans, too. Notice Spector in there... maybe he's trying to mend a big fence.

SPECTOR: If you keep voting w/our Democrats and for the good of the people, maybe we'll forgive you!!!

:hugs: :pals: :beer::hugs: :pals: :beer::hugs: :pals: :beer:

[ailsagirl]

51. Fantastic job, Senators!!! They're learning, they're learning

Wouldn't it be great if this were the start of a new determination on the side of our reps/senators to VOTE FOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS?????

There's still hope!!!

:toast: :kick:

[UrbScotty]

52. Three cheers for Levin and Stabenow!

:bounce:

[Arkana]

55. That's two more cookies for Joe Lieberman...one for ANWR

and now one for this.

[elshiva]

57. Lieberman? What? Well, there might be still hope...

Hooray for MD! Sarbanes and Mikulski rule!

[OfTheTaco]

60. Lieberman

Hopefully will turn from the dark side one day, one step at a time.

[Liberty Belle]

59. Where's the list of Repukes who voted FOR cutting Medicaid?

I'm starting a file on our own Rep, who is beyond all hope. I will give the results to his next opponent with glee.

[IronLionZion]

62. Wow! score one for the good guys!

it's so nice to see this kind of unity in standing up to the fascists.

At least one of my PA Senators and both my NY Senators kick ass today. prick santorum is a lost cause but there's a glimmer of hope for ailing Arlen Specter.

[Left Brain]

63. Senator Ron Wyden, you make me proud!

Proud to be an Oregonian, proud that you're my Senator!