I have never seen a better argument for term limits than what happened today

[NeedleCast]

Scared reps. That's all I saw today. People trying to save their jobs so they can go back to their leather upholstered chairs in their oak-lined offices.

What percentage of the people who voted no on the bailout today have their seats coming up for election in six weeks? Our representatives should be more concerned about representing us than the election but we, the people, just keep sending them right on back despite spineless partisan politics like we saw today. What are we going to do about it? What are we going to do with a house and senate that have an approval rating in the teens? We're going to send 95% of them right back to their leather upholstered chairs in the oak-lined offices.

I say we start with Pelosi and just catapult that useless POS into the sun. This bill would have passed today if it weren't for her hugely partisan speech minutes before the voting. Then we line up every friggin Republican who got their feelings hurt by Pelosi and voted no simply out of spite and it's into the sun with them too. It's not even whether or not Pelosi was right or wrong. It's about using this bill as some sort of pulpit to cast blame right before a crucial vote. Are the Republicans to blame? Hell yes! From the douche currently in the white house all the way back to Ronnie. In the long, it doesn't matter right this minute. What needs to happen is some sort of shoring up of the fuck-a-roo that's been created. It's not about fat cats and their gulf streams, it's not about main street, it's not about the poor...it's about un-fucking a situation that the people who are supposed to be representing us created.

I can't even begin to express the level of anger I'm feeling over BOTH parties right now. These fuckers are supposed to be doing the will of the people and instead they're bickering like children on a playground. For or against the bail out, you've got to be concerned about what happened today. Three hundred million plus people in the US are suffering (some much more than others) and our government is sitting there with it's thumb inserted squarely in it's fifth point of contact.

Think long and hard before sending your rep back to their leather upholstered chair because I promise you, with a few exceptions, they are NOT thinking about you.

[TahitiNut]

1. The poor fellows! They had to meet on evenings and weekends to leave time for their Day-Trading

... from their offices. (Such nice equipment and a REALLY fast connection!)

Oh! Lest I forget ... they needed to do some wire transfers to their offshore banks, too. Poor guys!

[babylonsister]

2. What scares me are people like Cantor and Putnam. They are

young and will be around for a long time, unless they get a better offer.
Supposedly, the young conservatives dashed the deal today, per Maddow. Why do they have that power?

[TahitiNut]

6. Never underestimate ...

[dubeskin]

3. Actually, I quite disagree

I really feel as if over the past week we've seen democracy at work. Politicians did not necessarily vote along partisan lines, as clearly demonstrated in the split vote, and we saw a real debate on the issues. Likewise, we witnessed Congress really meeting with the White House to discuss plans, and experts gave their advice. Then, after long discussions with real arguments from both sides, we witnessed a final vote in which people actually cared; not just the politicians, but the PEOPLE. In addition, this is one of the few issues which isn't partisan. NEITHER party could affirmatively say that their party stood on one side of the bill.

From what I read before the bailout, most people didn't support it anyway, and so weren't those who voted NAY in effect following the will of the voters?

[NeedleCast]

7. Most people who didn't support it

didn't support the original bill. That's fine. The original bill was essentially a blank check to the banking industry, or the universal version of the golden parachute, with the feds stepping in to buy up bad debt and give the banking industry more liquidity and the ability to loan money again.

I don't think the people who voted against this bill have, for the most part, a care one about the people they represent. They saw a lot of the public against the original bill and said hmmmmmm, I better vote against it or I might be looking for a job come November.

I didn't support the original bill either, but it turned into a pretty good deal - that is, a good deal after realizing that none of the options on the table are good ones. It sucks that we've come to this point. Its going to suck a lot more if we allow our reps and congress critters to do nothing. And what are they doing? They say "well, we'll meet again soon, maybe, and dick around some more." Meanwhile, credit tightens, companies can't make payroll, jobs are lost and people suffer.

[dubeskin]

12. So you're saying Kucinch doesn't care about his constituency?

I'm just using him as an example, but if so many politicians can rally against it, from both sides, as well as for it, I think there was a serious reason for their decision other than to be reelected.

However, from what I understand of the Dem's version of the bill, it was just a tighter bill. In effect, it seemed like the same thing just that Democrats supported it a little more. Honestly, I think now it gives Congress even more of an incentive to work on a better bill and get it out really fast.

Likewise, nothing will be different immediately. The economy will remain, for the most part, the way it was yesterday for a while I think, and if a good bill can be put out soon, it might start to look up.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. I believe it was noted that the majority of those who voted no were the ones that were not going to

be up for re-election.
According to most sources, the input from their constituents was greatly against approving this bailout.

[TahitiNut]

8. Here's a newsflash, Sherlock: EVERY member of the House stands for reelection every 2 years!

People shouldn't sleep through Civics class. :eyes:



The more reputable reports say that those voting 'No' were listening to constituents calling, writing, and emailing that were anywhere from 20-to-1 against to 200-to-1 against. Those voting 'Yea' are in relatively safe districts for such a vote ... like New York.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. But they do not all stand for re-election...

[babylonsister]

13. Well aren't you special?! I've also read some didn't vote

for the bailout because of reelection considerations (complaining constituents), and others weren't affected. Those not affected might be bailing, retiring, whatever.

This current criticism on a discussion board is unworthy of you.

And I'm SO OLD...I never had a civics class. History, yes. Civics, no.

[TahitiNut]

15. (Sheesh! The idiocy!) There were 228 votes AGAINST it. Are you saying 115 aren't running?

Nonfuckingsense! I quote: "... the majority of those who voted no ..."


Here ... tell me which 115 aren't running for reelection...

Abercrombie
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Altmire
Baca
Bachmann
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Becerra
Berkley
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Boustany
Boyda (KS)
Braley (IA)
Broun (GA)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Capito
Carney
Carson
Carter
Castor
Cazayoux
Chabot
Chandler
Childers
Clay
Cleaver
Coble
Conaway
Conyers
Costello
Courtney
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Lincoln
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
Delahunt
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doggett
Doolittle
Drake
Duncan
Edwards (MD)
English (PA)
Fallin
Feeney
Filner
Flake
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gillibrand
Gingrey
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Hall (TX)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Herseth Sandlin
Hill
Hinchey
Hirono
Hodes
Hoekstra
Holden
Hulshof
Hunter
Inslee
Issa
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jordan
Kagen
Kaptur
Keller
Kilpatrick
King (IA)
Kingston
Knollenberg
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
Lamborn
Lampson
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lee
Lewis (GA)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lucas
Lynch
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
Matheson
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McHenry
McIntyre
McMorris Rodgers
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Mitchell
Moran (KS)
Murphy, Tim
Musgrave
Myrick
Napolitano
Neugebauer
Nunes
Ortiz
Pascrell
Pastor
Paul
Payne
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Petri
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Price (GA)
Ramstad
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Rodriguez
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Rush
Salazar
Sali
Sánchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Scalise
Schiff
Schmidt
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Shadegg
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Solis
Stark
Stearns
Stupak
Sullivan
Sutton
Taylor
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Visclosky
Walberg
Walz (MN)
Wamp
Watson
Welch (VT)
Westmoreland
Whitfield (KY)
Wittman (VA)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
Young (AK)
Young (FL)

[BrklynLiberal]

16. I guess the others just caved into what their constituents wanted..

Retiring Incumbents

Thirty-two incumbents are voluntarily retiring from the House.

Democratic incumbents

1. Alabama's 5th congressional district: Bud Cramer: "o spend more time with my family and begin another chapter in my life"<3>
2. Colorado's 2nd congressional district: Mark Udall: To run for U.S. Senate
3. Maine's 1st congressional district: Tom Allen: To run for U.S. Senate
4. New Mexico's 3rd congressional district: Tom Udall: To run for U.S. Senate
5. New York's 21st congressional district: Michael McNulty: "t's not what I want to do for the rest of my life."<4>
6. Oregon's 5th congressional district: Darlene Hooley: Because of the "cumulative effect of arduous travel, the relentless demands of fund-raising and 32 years of public service"<5>

Republican incumbents

1. Alabama's 2nd congressional district: Terry Everett: Because of age and health<6>
2. Arizona's 1st congressional district: Rick Renzi: To fight federal criminal charges involving a land-swap deal<7>
3. California's 4th congressional district: John Doolittle: To fight an FBI corruption investigation<8>
4. California's 52nd congressional district: Duncan Hunter: To run for President (dropped out)
5. Colorado's 6th congressional district: Tom Tancredo: To run for President (dropped out)
6. Florida's 15th congressional district: Dave Weldon: To return to his medical practice<9>
7. Illinois's 11th congressional district: Jerry Weller: To spend more time with his family,<10> amid questions about his Nicaraguan land dealings, his wife's investments, and his relationship to an indicted defense contractor<11>
8. Illinois's 18th congressional district: Ray LaHood
9. Kentucky's 2nd congressional district: Ron Lewis
10. Louisiana's 4th congressional district: Jim McCrery
11. Minnesota's 3rd congressional district: Jim Ramstad
12. Mississippi's 3rd congressional district: Chip Pickering
13. Missouri's 9th congressional district: Kenny Hulshof: To run for Governor
14. New Jersey's 3rd congressional district: Jim Saxton: Because of age and health<12>
15. New Jersey's 7th congressional district: Mike Ferguson: To spend more time with his family<13>
16. New Mexico's 1st congressional district: Heather Wilson: To run for U.S. Senate (lost the primary to 2nd District Congressman Steve Pearce)
17. New Mexico's 2nd congressional district: Steve Pearce: To run for U.S. Senate
18. New York's 13th congressional district: Vito Fossella: Amid scandal following a drunk driving arrest which led to revalations of infidelity and a secret family he maintained in Virginia
19. New York's 25th congressional district: Jim Walsh
20. New York's 26th congressional district: Tom Reynolds
21. Ohio's 7th congressional district: Dave Hobson
22. Ohio's 15th congressional district: Deborah Pryce
23. Ohio's 16th congressional district: Ralph Regula
24. Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district: John Peterson: To spend more time with his family<14><15>
25. Virginia's 11th congressional district: Tom Davis
26. Wyoming's At-large congressional district: Barbara Cubin

Vacant seats

The following seats are vacant because of the death or resignation of the incumbent:

1. Ohio's 11th congressional district: Incumbent Democrat Stephanie Tubbs Jones died of an aneurysm on August 20, 2008. On November 18, the district will hold a special election to fill Jones's seat for the remainder of the 110th Congress, until January 2009.

[TahitiNut]

19. It look to me like less than half of THOSE voted "Nay"

Oh ... and "caved into what their constituents wanted" is called Representative DEMOCRACY.

:eyes:

[babylonsister]

17. No, but there are some who actually vote with their constituents.

There are some who vote their conscience, knowing that's what their constituents want.

And don't infer I'm an idiot.:grr:

You're intransigent at times.

[TahitiNut]

20. The "constituents" were uniformly against the bail-out bill all over the country.

Against. Every poll and all the calls, mail, and email. Move-on.org ... democracy.now, and other left organiztions were AGAINST it.

With the possible exception of Congresscritters from Manhatten and the banking bedroom communities, constituents yelld "No!" ... and every Congresscritter voting "No" was voting consistent with the demands of their electorate.

Even on DU, it's an overwhelming majority who are AGAINST it as it was proposed AND as it was presented. MOST want something better.

No matter how thick they tried to gild it, it WAS and IS a turd. It did NOTHING to correct ANY of the underlying problems and did NOTHING except give LIP SERVICE to those victimized by predatory lenders ... many of whom have crashed and burned.

It's a TURD.


As a "solution" it'd be like cleaning up the dog shit on your lawn by dumping it over onto your neighbor's lawn.

Maybe 'some people' think that's OK. I don't

[TahitiNut]

21. Here's another newsflash ... one that's been IGNORED on DU.

EVERY one of the "far right-wing" Congresscritters voting 'Nay' has LIBERALS and PROGRESSIVES in his or her district, no matter how "red" their district is. (We're CONSTANTLY reminded of this on DU.) When these Congresscritters talk about calls, mail, and email running 100-to-1 against the 'bailout' then we're NOT talking about a uniformly 'conservative' of 'uninformed' constituency.

So, the broad-brush smears about their constituency ... merely because someone, in their INFINITE whizdumb, disagrees ... is complete and utter bullshit.

[MichiganVote]

5. Pelosi's speech? Oh please, the only thing lamer than that was the charge by the crybabies

that Pelosi had wounded them. I agree the whole thing was sick as hell tho'.

[NeedleCast]

9. That's what I'm saying

They didn't vote based on what they thought the right thing to do was, or what was best for the people, they voted because they were offended by Pelosi.

[MichiganVote]

14. Oh they're just pointing the finger in her direction...anything other than themselves. Sick fucks.

[Old and In the Way]

18. That's their excuse, anyways.

This whole crisis was hatched to further the political interests of the Republican Party. Bernacke, Paulson, and the WH have been discussing the growing problems in the financial markets for months. Why wait until 5 weeks before a Presidential election to drop this turd? Because they dearly wanted the majority party (ie Democrats) to go on the record of supporting the bailout....right this minute or the whole world ends! Our reps aren't financial wizards/economists and they get handed this piece of crap plan with the Secretary of Treasury saying we have to get this done right this minute or we will have a great depression next week. Of course, the Hobson's choice was - save our economy and let the Republicans vote against it so they can transform themselves into the people's economic protectors.

The agreement Pelosi and the Democratic leadership supposedly had with Republicans was that a majority of both parties would sign on to this to nuetralize this as a campaign issue. I watched the vote...Republicans seemed to tip their collective hand fairly early during the vote process....it was clear that they didn't live up to their end of the bargin...and why should they? Nothing would have been better to get the Democrats to support this loser while they get to be populists with the common folk.

This is pretty much a domestic version of the IWR vote in its timing and cynicism hatched by Rove/Bush to salvage this election for McCain.

[Old and In the Way]

11. I'm glad I didn't have to cast a vote today on this bill.

Vote yes and piss off your constituents. Vote no and potentially start implode the financial markets.

Just what did Pelosi say that offended those fragile flowers in the Republican caucus? Something to the point that we would not be in this position today if Republicans hadn't been deregulating and non-oversighting every law on the books over the past 10 years or so? Poor things.

I'm not interested in term limiting my reps. If they are doing a good job for me, I'll happily support them. If they suck, I'll do whatever I can to get them un-elected. I don't like have my choices made for me on who I can vote for. Republicans used term limits in the 90's to get worm their way into office...that worked well for the country. And who gets the power in Congress if everyone is out after 1 or 2 terms? The career bureaucrats that aren't elected become the power brokers...with no oversight by the voter.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. The speech wasn't partisan

the pukes and some dems played Charlie brown

And by the way... I have seen term limits in action. They ain't as glorious as you think they are