Not enthused about voting for a DINO? Take a look at this!!

[helderheid]

From Kevin Spidel's post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=839811&mesg_id=839811

snippet:

- At least 9 Congressional Progressive Caucus Members would become Committee Chairmen or Chairwomen
- An additional 35 Congressional Progressive Caucus Members would become Subcommittee Chairmen or Chairwomen.

The following Progressive Caucus Members would become Committee Chairs:

- Congressman George Miller, Chairman of Education and Workforce Committee
- Congressman Barney Frank, Chairman of Financial Services
- Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of Government Reform
- Congressman Bennie Thompson, Chairman of Homeland Security Committee
- Congressman Tom Lantos, Chairman of International Relations Committee
- Congressman John Conyers, Chairman of Judiciary Committee
- Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, Chairwoman of Rules Committee
- Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Chairwoman of Small Business Committee
- Congressman Charles Rangel, Chairman of Ways and Means Committee

The following Progressive Caucus Members would become Subcommittee Chairs:
- Appropriations Subcommittees -- Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and Marcy Kaptur and Congressmen John Olver, Jose Serrano, and Ed Pastor
- Armed Services Subcommittee, Congressman Neil Abercrombie
- Education and Workforce Subcommittees, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Congressman Dennis Kucinich
- Energy and Commerce Subcommittees, Congressman Ed Markey and Congresswomen Jan Schakowsky and Hilda Solis
- Financial Services Subcommittee, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Congressman Luis Gutierrez
- Government Reform Subcommittees, Congresswoman Diane Watson and Congressmen Dennis Kucinich, Elijah Cummings, Danny Davis of Illinois, and William "Lacy" Clay
- International Relations Subcommittee, Congressman Donald Payne
- Judiciary Subcommittees, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee and Congressmen Jerry Nadler and Melvin Watt
- Interior Subcommittees, Congressmen Raul Grijalva and Tom Udall and Congresswoman Donna Christensen
- Rules Subcommittees, Congressman Jim McGovern
- Small Business Subcommittees, Congresswomen Madeleine Bordallo
- Transportation and Infrastructure, DeFazio, Filner, Holmes-Norton, and C. Brown
- Ways and Means Subcommittees, Congressmen Pete Stark, Jim McDermott, and John Lewis of Georgia



Folks, it is that serious.

snippet

(Thank you Kevin Spidel!!)
This is SO IMPORTANT

[central scrutinizer]

1. I have two words for you: subpoena power

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baby

[helderheid]

2. Yeah baby!

[sojourner]

3. ok...got my attention!

oh yeah and my K & R!

:kick:

[helderheid]

24. :D Thanks! It makes me EXCITED to vote for Matheson! A vote for

Matheson is a vote for CONYERS!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. That's why I'll vote Democratic

even though I have my doubts about the progressiveness of Mark Pryor.

[blm]

11. I hear ya, but people would say the same about Kucinich and Murtha not too

long ago, and now look how they have ascended in value to the party.

[Tiggeroshii]

5. KR

[melissinha]

6. That is truly heart-warming!

Thanks for giving us specific reasons to work on this Congressional race.


:kick:

[helderheid]

32. I was talking to Laura Bonham of PDA and the UDPC (someone I worked

closely with on the Kucinich campaign) about this about the time Kevin Spidel posted that post - I was so excited! I hadn't a clue!

[melissinha]

35. thanks for sharing

we really needed it.


Now lets hope we can keep the cons in check til November when we'll get the power.

[rucky]

7. Oh hell yeah!

double hell yeah for Conyers!

[davsand]

8. But wait--they aren't "morally pure" enough! I could NEVER...

Come on, folks--we have ALL seen it here at DU one time or another. The statements that (Insert name here) is not a true progressive or "I could NEVER vote for (insert name here) because they are DLC/ DINO/ not a true progressive/ a slime mold..." have been here all along. "I refuse to settle for (insert name of whatever candidate emerged from the Primary that you opposed)" Has always kind of been one of my personal favorites. This is not new.

There have also been people on here that explain that it is called "working the full ticket" or that even IF you dislike the Dem candidate, you will benefit by supporting the party because we need to work toward a majority. I've made all these kinds of comments along with a simple statement of "pull up your socks and work the ticket," and I've been called a party hack and been told that there is no rule here at DU that says you have to be partisan.

Regards.




Laura

[Hekate]

59. Ain't that the truth

:hi:

Hekate

[formercia]

9. Congressman John Conyers, Chairman of Judiciary Committee n/t

[helderheid]

25. So well deserved! A Vote for D is a Vote for CONYERS!

[AuntiBush]

58. We Have to Keep Repeating that to Everyone we Know.

And, from what I hear people are voting Democrat, cross-the-board this fall - period.

[mmonk]

10. While I vote democratic,

I won't give all DINO's a pass.

[Up2Late]

12. I only WISH I could vote for a current DINO, my vote belongs to Diebold.

:mad:

[helderheid]

15. I'm voting absentee on a paper ballot for Matheson

[leftchick]

33. my absentee ballot is read by optiscan

:(

[helderheid]

34. mine probably is too but it will still send a message

[DancingBear]

13. And now, for the "pure" position

Here (I think) is the position MOST of us branded "too pure" here on DU take.

1) If there is someone (like Lamont in CT, for example) running in a Dem primary to oust a DINO (such as Lieberman) support that person in any way you can, and work like hell to get him/her the victory.

2) If said candidate does not win the primary, then by all means,

3) Pull the (D) lever in November, dammit!!!!!!

Thank you.

[helderheid]

14. that sounds fine to me!

:thumbsup:

[troubleinwinter]

18. Right on. Well put.

[troubleinwinter]

16. EXCELLENT post. Important. Thank you.

[helderheid]

60. You're welcome!

Thank Kevin Spidel! :)

[mmonk]

17. While this is a stab at "purists" whatever that means,

(I think the opposite is true, which is supporting a dem no matter his or her position should be called purist or loyalist at least), I will make the following comment: Those who would sacrifice your freedom or well-being are not fit to defend your freedom or well-being. I still maintain the right to reject a DINO.
eom

[helderheid]

20. Dude! Congressman John Conyers, Chairman of Judiciary Committee!

[mmonk]

22. Yes, that is good.

I still reserve my rights. Don't take my comments to mean I will vote for a republican.

[helderheid]

23. :)

[Zynx]

19. The Democratic Party is a coalition. We need centrists in order to make

the coalition work so we can get in power. There simply aren't enough liberals and progressives out there to get the job done. I wish people would realize this.

[helderheid]

21. It's been a learning process for me - I am so grateful for PDA

www.pdamerica.org

[drm604]

26. Agreed.

I will most likely end up having to vote for Casey here in Pennsylvania. I won't like it but I WILL do it, for the very reasons you've cited.

[helderheid]

29. I'm sure no one will challenge Matheson in our primary so I will

be casting my vote for him (but will be thinking of Conyers new position as I do so)

[LynneSin]

27. Primary: Vote to get rid of bad Dems. General: VOTE OUT REPUKES

it's a simple equation - more democrats means we get all these great progressive chair leaders AND the ability to control the flow of legislation on the house and/or senate floor (what was that %rate of democratic written legislation rejected by Bill Frist - like 80%?).

So when you pull that level at the primary, vote for the person you want representing you. But if that person is not the winner then please, please do the rest of the democrats across the country and DON'T GO FUCKING IT UP FOR THE REST OF US. I'll take your damn DINO if that means I can have people like Conyers, Waxman, Kennedy, Kerry and a host of other progressives running the show instead of the asshole repukes they have running the show

[helderheid]

28. WOOT!!!

:yourock:

[UrbScotty]

30. Bookmarked, plus K&R (nt)

[helderheid]

31. I LOVE your nick!

[helderheid]

36. .

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

37. Sorry, guys but Dan Lipinski (D) 3rd IL CD is not getting my vote.

He'll get his seat back with or without my vote. The Puke candidate is just a sacrificial lamb. Danny Boy will win reelection in a cakewalk...

I just cannot vote for him, I despise everything this man stands for. I've held my nose too many times in the past to vote for a Dem and this time I'm making a stand. I just can't do it.

[helderheid]

38. Even if that vote means strengthening progressives?

:crazy:

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

39. Sorry, but there is no way.

Lipinski should do himself and all his constituents a favor and jump to the other side of the aisle.

Helderheid, he's gonna win with or without my vote. The guy opposing him is Ray Wardingley. Wardingley knows himself he ain't gonna win. The Pukes aren't contesting this seat because the present occupant, Lipinski, votes with them all the time. I'm just gonna skip this race on the ballot in November.

My vote will not make a difference. I guarantee you that Dan Lipinski will win re-election in November and he'll do exactly as he is told to do by the powers that be in the Democratic Party of Illinois.

[helderheid]

40. I am not thrilled with Matheson. He voted for CAFTA for crying out loud!!

But he's who we have. I'd considered not voting for him until I heard about this. Anyway, I hear where you're coming from.

[BlueStorm]

41. I'm actually embarrassed to say this..

But I don't know many of these people in Congress, save for Kucinich, Waters, and Conyers..

Blue

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

42. Do you know who your Congresscritter is??? n/t

[BlueStorm]

44. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin are the Michigan Dems in the Senate...

And John Conyers in the House... I believe.

I might be wrong, I did call Levin's and Stabenow's office last year to state my concern about the SS privatization thing.

Blue

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

45. Just trying to clear this up, do you live in John Conyer's

District?

If you do, you're one lucky person. At the very least you have a real Democrat representing your interests, which is something I cannot say..

[helderheid]

46. No kidding! Color me jealous!

[BlueStorm]

62. Nah... I live in Grand Rapids...

So I have some sucky repugs as my reps..

This is a very conservative side of the state so Dems have a hard time getting elected here. Our local Democratic Party headquarters and DFA are trying to get more Dem representives though.

Blue

[bemildred]

43. This is not correct.

It is not the case that a Democratic majority in Congress means that any particular progressives, or that any progressives, will get committee chairs. I don't mean to say that a Democratic majority is a bad thing, it is much to be desired, but this argument is bullshit to the extent that is says that any particular people will get any particular assignments. What really matters is how many progressives are part of the Democratic majority. If the progressives are the majority of the Democratic majority, then they get to call the shots.

[helderheid]

48. Are you sure? Honestly, I don't know how the system works but read the

post by Kevin Spidel (whom I totally trust) and talked with Laura Bonham (who I totally trust) and this is what they said.

[bemildred]

51. Yeah I'm sure.

Committee heads are selected by a steering committee, and confirmed by a vote of the caucus.
The steering committee has guidelines, but it can and does do whatever it likes.
If you don't have a progressive majority in the Democratic caucus, you can't enforce anything.
And selection of Committee chairs is nothing like an automatic process.

Here is a PDF of the rules:

http://www.rules.house.gov/Archives/RS21165.pdf

[OzarkDem]

61. They may not be a guarantee, but

but looking at many of the names on the list, its probably safe to say the most of names on this list have a strong probability of serving in those positions, given a Democratic majority.

[Jack Rabbit]

47. Let us not forget

PELOSI FOR PRESIDENT IN 2007

[helderheid]

49. I didn't get what you meant before but do now! HOT DAMN!!!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Justice Is Comin]

52. I think she

makes a terrible party leader, let alone president. I don't know how she could be any more ineffective.

I'd like to see Harmon out on her ass too.

She said she was the best Republican in the Democratic party. She's thoroughly convinced me that's for sure.

[Jack Rabbit]

53. Harmon's remark was idle boasting

She has to contend with Joe Lieberman.

[helderheid]

54. She'd be heaven compared to what's in there now!

[Justice Is Comin]

55. Aunt Jemima

would be heaven compared to what's in there now.

[progressoid]

50. K/R!

[BrklynLiberal]

56. Kicked and recommended !

[samhsarah]

57. Hell F*N Yeah!!!!

Great Post!!!!!