Crud. They picked Hoyer.

[chaska]

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/us/us_congress

[DaveinMD]

1. good

He's been a great party builder in Maryland. The dirty secret is that he's more liberal than Murtha.

[grizmaster]

2. the filthy dirty non-secret

Hoyer is a huge supporter of the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq

[still_one]

3. If he still has that position, and the Democrats follow it, WE DESERVE TO LOSE IN 2008

[grizmaster]

4. even the repubs are bailing from that position

but it does reveal much about his character (or lack thereof)

[still_one]

11. I hear you

[DaveinMD]

6. that is not the only issue

and Murtha voted for the war as well. He's much more conservative on a host of issues.

[chaska]

7. What the hell is that???

Somebody went to an awful lot of trouble for a very weak joke. God, I love stuff like that: so bad it's good.

[grizmaster]

8. the worse the pun

the more effort it deserves


... at least in my warped little world

[LSK]

9. you are getting that from what exactly????

And dont show me the IWR vote because Murtha voted for that too.

[grizmaster]

10. here's a starter kit for you

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?pid=140373

In reality, Hoyer did disparage Murtha after the Pennsylvania Democrat broke with the Bush Administration's policy on the war last November. "I believe that a precipitous withdrawal of American forces in Iraq could lead to disaster," Hoyer wrote on November 30, "spawning a civil war, fostering a haven for terrorists and damaging our nation's security and credibility. I still believe that we can--and that we must--achieve success in Iraq."

Since then, Hoyer has edged away from his support of the war, emphasizing his unity with the Democratic caucus. And antiwar liberals have thus far split on who to support. Rep. Maxine Waters, head of the Out of Iraq Caucus, is backing Hoyer. In a letter sent yesterday, a group of progressive Democrats backing Hoyer cited his commitment to raising the minimum wage and support for civil rights, reproductive freedom and the environment as decisive factors.

http://www.issues2000.org/House/Steny_Hoyer_War_+_Peace.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/hoyers-campaign-to-under_b_11848.html

Then, while Pelosi works to resist the influence of corporate interests as she goes after the GOP's "culture of corruption," it is Hoyer who is deliberately landing stories in newspapers about his efforts to formalize his own system of legalized bribery - putting his own campaign wallet ahead of Democrats' efforts to develop a message of reform. Today in Roll Call, for instance, it was Hoyer who placed the story that details his efforts to "woo K Street" (aka. the corporate lobbying community). The story notes he convened a meeting of "50 business-minded Democratic consultants, lobbyists and corporate officers to get them to commit to writing checks." And in case you didn't think Hoyer was trying to land these stories - just check out his website where he brazenly displays a similar story, as if his corporate shakedown operation is a trophy to be marveled at - and not an albatross that directly undermines his party's message.

Finally, it has been Hoyer who has made a point of actively working against Pelosi on major congressional votes. You remember, it was Hoyer - the Democratic Whip - who refused to whip votes together to try to defeat the corporate-written Central American Free Trade Agreement. When Pelosi tried to build opposition to the disgusting bankruptcy bill, it was Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat in the House, who not only didn't whip against the bankruptcy bill, but actually voted for it, after pocketing massive campaign contributions from the banking industry. While Pelosi was taking a stand by voting against the Iraq War, Hoyer was voting for the Iraq War. And when Pelosi worked to keep her caucus together in opposing the GOP Energy Bill, it was Hoyer who voted for the nauseating legislation after pocketing more than $300,000 from energy/natural resource industry cash. That legislation that literally gave away billions of taxpayer dollars to the energy industry profiteers who proceeded to bilk Americans with higher and higher gas prices.

[msongs]

5. meet the new boss, same as the old boss nt