Do Democratic partisans forget that House Dems Voted 2:1 against extending the PATRIOT Act in 2011?

[kpete]

(i admit, i had forgotten about this)

The House passed this bill by a vote of 250 to 153. 196 Republicans supported it, and 31 Republicans opposed it. 122 Democrats (including Nancy Pelosi) opposed the bill, and 54 supported it. It passed with bipartisan support--but a very Republican-heavy bipartisanship. Democrats, as those numbers show, opposed the bill by over 2 to 1.

Only two members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus---Corrine Brown and Eddie Johnson--voted for the bill. The other 52 Democratic votes were from a mix of Blue Dogs (the John Barrow's and Jim Matheson's) and New Dems.

What's particularly interesting is that the Democratic vote on extending the PATRIOT Act is almost the exact inverse of the Democratic public opinion on NSA surveillance in the recent Pew poll. 122 out of 192 Democrats opposed the bill: 63.5%. 54 out of 192 supported the bill: 28.1%

Hopefully, the House Democrats will continue to vote their conscience and the Constitution, rather than taking their cues from the President as too many in the general public seem to do.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/11/1215331/-Do-Democratic-partisans-forget-that-House-Dems-Voted-2-1-against-extending-the-PATRIOT-Act-in-2011

[Nuclear Unicorn]

1. Conversely, 1 in 3 voted to continue the PA. And they're a very loud 1.

Apparently, they found something in there they like.

[xchrom]

2. du rec.

[Bonobo]

3. DU rec. nt

[Laelth]

4. Democrats know their constituents generally don't like NSA spying.

But the President is the leader of the party, and if he says, "The bill needs to pass," Democrats in the House will do their best to see that it gets done. Some Dems. are allowed cover (allowed to vote no), so long as there are enough Dems. voting with the R's to insure passage. Thus, these two bills passed and became law.

Nancy Pelosi is very good at her job--always has been. If the President needs something to pass or fail in the House, Pelosi has been very effective at mustering the necessary votes.

Hopefully, the House Democrats will continue to vote their conscience and the Constitution, rather than taking their cues from the President as too many in the general public seem to do.

As if. Barack Obama, no matter what you think of him or his policies, has been a very effective party leader. Nine times out of ten, he gets the votes he needs out of his caucus.

That also means he's responsible.

-Laelth

[Maven]

5. Ah but Obama signed the extension (from overseas, even!) and supports it right to the ground

Therefore the program must be defended and all those who question destroyed

[awoke_in_2003]

6. No, I don't forget...

as I don't forget that the president signed the extension with little comment. I don't care if every democrat supported it, but the patriot act is wrong and has been since 2001. My opinion on this has never changed.

[Solly Mack]

7. ...