Sometimes You Have to Look at the Leadership Re: Harry Reid

[Fantastic Anarchist]

How many times has he been given the shaft? Like a battered spouse, he keeps going back thinking things will change.

It's time for real progressives to call the shots. Enough!!!

I don't even care about the conservative, Chuck Hagel, all that much, but fuck me silly, how many times are the Democrats going to give before they call in their bets????

I'm fucking fumed.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Perhaps Reid is getting exactly the outcomes he wants.

Maybe he likes triangulating off of the Republicans, rather than actually having to get things done.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

3. It's certainly plausible.

That's why I don't get into party politics, but this is really fucking pissing me off.

In a real world scenario, I have an ex-girlfriend, who is now my best friend. She keeps going back to this lump of shit that emotionally and physically abuses her. She lives in another state, and despite all of my suggestions and advice, I can't help her because she refuses to help herself. I'm angry and helpless because of it.

It's somewhat the same with the Democratic Party. It's just infuriating!

[MannyGoldstein]

13. I feel like the Party left me in 1992.

That's when the Third Way hijacked it.

They've done a great job - by their standards, not mine - by always moving right while screaming "The Republicans are making us do it! And if you don't like it... Well who the $&@# else ya gonna vote for, chumps?!" . Their wealthy patrons have become fantastically wealthier, as have the Third Way politicians themselves. The rest of us are in the toilet, of course.

Now it's time to take our party back. Americans are ready.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

14. Within the party or from outside of it?

Of course, I don't believe in parties, per se, but I do want to advance progressive causes, and with the Democrats, I'm just not seeing it happen from the leadership. They are always forced, as it should be, from social movements. Otherwise, they suck at the same corporate teat as their Republicans counterparts.

[SoCalMusicLover]

10. Let The Campaign Donations Roll....

Waiting to hear him complain AGAIN about how the big, bad repubs are preventing things from getting done.

Make sure you send him more money so he can fight them in the future.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

15. LOL ...

Funny and sad at the same time.

[Cleita]

2. According to Bernie Sanders, Reid has some really right wing Democrats he

has to herd with the Democratic caucus or they would vote with the Republicans. I can sort of understand that but if that is the case then he is being held hostage by the right and I think needs to start shaking those really conservative Dems down. I think he needs to find out the Achilles heel in each and every one of them and use it to make them behave. We might have better outcomes then.

[Hard Assets]

4. Oh for fuck's sake - that's why we have primaries.

We need to get rid of those DINO's as soon as possible.

And reseed the democracy with true progressive Senators and Representatives.

We got off to a good start with Warren.

We need more. A LOT more. I don't care if the South is so goddamn conservative, it's time to get their head out of their asses and come to this century like the rest of the country.

[Cleita]

6. The problem is that those DINOs still get voted back in, in states like

Montana and Indiana etc., not to mention the Southern states. Other than trying to get people to move there to change the demographics, what else can be done?

[Hard Assets]

8. Low information voter education.

Every person on the campaign should be required to educate the Republicans as exactly what we represent. Since 2008, Obama hasn't taken away your guns or your freedom. So what's next, Republicans?

[Fantastic Anarchist]

16. Yes, believe in your causes, show them that they work, and they will vote for you.

Quit with these Blue Dogs (which is a few from less populous states) controlling everything. A guy from Montana or Idaho, can decide which policies should be enacted? Really?

Show the people how your policies work, and they will come.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

5. He's not a leader then.

I really do hate party politics (I'm not a member of a party, but I am a progressive). With friends like Harry and the conservative Democrats, we surely don't need the Republican party, the Teahadists and reactionaries.

[Cleita]

11. I do agree. Senate leaders in the past have been able to

shake down those factions of the party to make them do the things that needs to be done. Reid is a total milquetoast when it comes to that. I don't know why the Dems don't get another leader. I have written my Senators about it.

[kentuck]

7. Too late now.

No longer can change the rules with a simple majority.

[Hard Assets]

12. Thus the nuclear option is still available

and I am recommending that Reid kick it into gear as soon as possible.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

17. He had his chance ...

... but like Manny said above, maybe this was by design.

[riverbendviewgal]

9. It is time for Harry to retire

He is not at all effective.

[Blue Idaho]

18. What a racket...

The House of Representatives now works half time and spends weeks and months on vacation while passing feel good bills guaranteeing reelection from their home district. Now it seems the Senate - thanks to Harry Reid's masterful leadership - has become yet another political circle jerk where the no meaningful business happens.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

19. Exactly. What good is electing Obama if nothing is going to happen now?

It's effectively like the Democrats do not have either house of Congress.

Democrats, effectively neutered again.

[Blue Idaho]

20. I have always argued against term limits

Now I'm beginning to wonder if I have been wrong. Way too much entrenched self interest inside the beltway.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

21. I sit on the fence with that (it's a double edge sword).

However, I'd like for each and everyone of them to be instantly recalled by simple majority from their state/district (but assuming the districts are proportioned fairly).

[Blue Idaho]

22. It's really all about the money I'm afraid...

Until we chase the money out of Washington the politicians will always fear the lobbyists more than they fear the anger of the electorate.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

23. Yes, absolutely correct.

Citizens United needs to go.

[SoCalDem]

24. Term limits are the ONLY real answer...and NO pensions

unless the serve 20 CONSECUTIVE years..

my plan:


house would be TWO 4-yr terms max
senate would be TWO 6-yr terms max

and NO pension unless they spend time in both houses with NO gaps..

That would allow for 20 years MAX..and many would have a gap which would probably send them off to something else

and NO lobbying/contract work for 5 years after the complete a term

boards of directors...think tank..defense contractor..etc..

They come to DC and never leave...they need to go home and get a real job...

[Blue Idaho]

25. Where do I sign on?

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

[mucifer]

26. Term limits mean we get rid of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren .

I'm NOT OK with that.

[SoCalDem]

27. Not necessarily

They would have TWENTY years of possible service, and during which time they could certainly be available for a presidential run or a supreme court appointment, or to serve in a cabinet..and there is nothing wrong with true public service after senate/house jobs..Not everyone "needs" to "retire" to Wall Street banking/think tank paper-writing/corporate lobbying.

People USED to go back to where they came from, and resumed their "normal lives", doing whatever they did before they went to DC.. It's only been in the last half-century that legislation in DC became too hard for them to give up.. Too many saw the big-payoff after "service" as their rightful due.

As wonderful as some of our long-time servers have been, I am willing to let them go, in exchange for being free of the true assholes that sneak in too often, and stay too long.

We are a country of more than 300 million people...surely there are more than 535 people who are qualified/interested/capable of being advocates for the country.