I keep thinking about the dangers posed by Corporate Dems who are socially liberal

[cali]

Jim Himes is a stark illustration. I believe these people are a real threat- not just to the party, but to the country. Himes says the right things and he votes the right way on social and civil rights issues, but he has done very little for minorities, the poor and the struggling middle class, in his district. He's certainly been there for his wealthy constituents. And yes, he's pro TPP.

Himes, former Goldman Sachs VP, represents the district with the greatest wealth disparity in the entire country. He represents Bridgeport, poor, with a minority majority and he represents some of the wealthiest communities in the nation; the gold coast towns of Fairfield County, including Greenwich, Hedge Fund capitol of the world.

He has an excellent voting record on social issues.

Here is an example of what he's done for his wealthy Wall Street/Hedge Fund constituents:

<snip>

On March 6, 2013, Himes co-sponsored H.R. 992 [18] which rolls-back provisions in section 716 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Citigroup’s recommendations were reflected in more than 70 lines of the House Financial Services committee’s 85-line bill. Two crucial paragraphs, prepared by Citigroup in conjunction with other Wall Street banks, were copied nearly word for word.[19] According to the Congressional Budget Office[20] "H.R. 992 would allow certain financial firms to retain financial portfolios containing swaps while remaining eligible for assistance from the Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)."

Voted affirmative for H.R. 922. the Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act.[21]

Voted for H.R. 2374, the Retail Investor Protection Act.[22]

<snip>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Himes


More warning signs:

The Campaign to Fix the Debt has named Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) one of 32 inaugural “Fiscal Heroes” for placing a priority on fixing the debt. The Campaign to Fix the Debt is a non-partisan organization dedicated to putting America on a better fiscal and economic path.

<snip>

“These Members have in a variety of ways played a leadership role in focusing national attention on the pressing issue of the debt and have been working to forge credible solutions,” said Maya MacGuineas, head of the Campaign to Fix the Debt. “They all share a recognition that we will need to take a comprehensive approach to address the core drivers of the debt, and they are willing to confront the policy challenges of coming up with solutions. Given that there is much more to be done to confront the nation's debt challenges, it is important to recognize those who are focusing on these issues.”

Himes was previously recognized by the Concord Coalition for being among the “Brave 38” Members of Congress to vote for the Simpson-Bowles budget proposal.

http://himes.house.gov/press-release/himes-named-%E2%80%9Cfiscal-hero%E2%80%9D-commitment-fiscal-responsibility

Top progressive group comes out against Himes as DCCC chair

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/224062-top-progressive-group-comes-out-against-himes-as-dccc-chair

[tularetom]

1. But but but…social justice is more important than income inequality!

People tell me that here on DU every day. Why are you trying to confuse me with facts?

[LWolf]

8. There is no social justice

without income equality; it's part of the package.

[heaven05]

25. but, but, but there is nothing confusing about

Last edited Tue Jun 16, 2015, 09:40 AM - Edit history (1)

a certain 'privileged' segment of the population that is always telling POC what is most important for them to gain racial equality. We are not 'told' it's social justice/racial equality in housing, jobs, wages and the myriad other ways POC face white privilege racism everyday. We are only continually told that economic equality will stop all the racism, murders and executions of POC and poor people. This distractive BS is very familiar. "Money will solve your problems black person", forget that if I am financially able to survive, of which a vast majority of POC are in this country, so far, still are, that a tail light, walking through the wrong neighborhood, walking in the street, selling "unlicensed cigarettes, a child playing with a toy gun in the park or "mouthing off" for an unjust detention, by 'authority', neighborhood watch included, of any type can and will get you killed by the modern KKK hiding behind a badge and gun. But, but, but nothing. Nothing confusing about economic equality versus racial equality. The former will not help the latter and vice versa. Not in this country, never has, never will for a vast majority of POC.

[TBF]

2. I'm actually married to one -

and he loves Hillary of course. I've come to some conclusions over the years and I simply think of him and many others as today's anti-psychotic republicans (as opposed to the tea party extremists). I think some of it is just the way you are raised. I was brought up in a small town with parents who belonged to unions. My family was full of small business (farmers) and factory workers - and if you go back far enough to the old country (Germany/Poland) they were farmers, small shop owners, or servants of some type over there.

My husband was brought up in a sort of Beaver Cleaver environment - with a decidedly more middle class lifestyle. Professional father, mother doing PTA etc. He is a kind person in general (and very open on social issues) but he has a corporate job and doesn't seem to understand the power that corporations have been given over the years. Also does not really understand what it is like to live in poverty. He tries to when we talk about these issues but the American Dream thing is very much ingrained and he doesn't see how people are trapped in poverty. He can understand the more glaring issues - he knows "Jane" is more likely than "Lakisha" to get the interview, but he doesn't really understand that "Jane" with her private school background is also going to get the interview before public school "Charlene". He doesn't understand how the working class who used to work in manufacturing are now relegated to Walmart at best, and seems to think if they just hang in there and make wise choices it will get better.

It is a difficult thing we are dealing with and we are seeing the split very clearly in this party.

[Ken Burch]

4. Is that "anti-psychotic Republicans". or "Republicans on antipsychotics"?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[rurallib]

11. to me these are the old Rockefeller Republicans of my youth

we had this great shift between Nixon and Reagan. Repubs went after the south, Rocky repubs felt uncomfortable there so slowly drifted to the Dems. When the repubs went after the crazy evangelicals, Rocky repubs really felt uncomfortable. With their money theu were able to 'persuade' Dems to - shall we say - soften some of their former stances.

[TBF]

12. I'm a little younger -

born mid 60s - but that makes perfect sense from what I've read. I believe it is due to this shift that we don't really have a "left" party anymore - we have a centrist party and a crazy party.

[DanTex]

3. I agree. And also people who say the right things about economic policy, but tend to ignore severe

problems like gun violence. But, hey, nobody's perfect, and either way Dems are much better than Reps.

[cali]

6. i can't think of a single one. and sorry but bernie's record on social/civil rights issues

is much better than hillary's. He didn't need to "evolve" on marriage equality, other LGBT rights or immigration. He never advocated deporting children or denying undocumented immigrants and he was an activist for civil rithts before she was and in a way she never engaged in.

[DanTex]

10. Sure you can. His name is Bernie, he voted against the Brady bill, in favor of legal immunity for

gun manufacturers, and he thinks gun control is "elitist".

But like I said, nobody's perfect. He's a valuable member of the progressive coalition, despite his teabaggerish views on guns.

[frylock]

17. keep fuckin that chicken

[heaven05]

26. unwarranted

response, in my book...

[frylock]

28. really? in response to "teabaggerish views on guns"?

I felt it was pretty mild. This poster has been beating this bullshit for a couple of weeks now, despite Sanders being very clear as to why he voted the way he did.

[DanTex]

30. Yes, teabaggerish views on guns. How else would you describe someone who thinks

gun control is "elitist." If he wants to vote like a teabagger because people in Vermont like their guns and he doesn't care what happens in the rest of the country, that's his choice, but now he's running for president of the whole country.

[frylock]

32. this seems to be your assigned task, so like i said before..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6839018

[DanTex]

33. Yeah, I wouldn't want to discuss the issue either if I was in your position.

[frylock]

34. The issue has been discussed..

Senator Sanders has been very clear as to why voted the way he did. While I don't particularly care for his votes, I've weighed all the issues and have determined that Sanders' views are most closely aligned to mine. As such, I have determined that this issue is not a deal breaker. You know, don't let perfect be the enemy blahblahblah. Hasn't that been the battle cry of The Very Sensible People for over 6 years now?

[DanTex]

37. So you just chimed in here to insult me then? That was your whole purpose here?

And I agree with you that this issue is not a deal breaker. That was exactly my point. Nobody is 100% perfect on all issues. Neither Sanders, nor Clinton, nor anyone else. But all the Dems running are 1000X better than the Republicans.

[frylock]

38. I chimed in because I've grown weary of these same recycled talking points..

and, yes, I agree that any Dem is better than a Republican. But I'm done settling when we can clearly do so much more than electing someone who is simply "better than the Republicans."

[DanTex]

39. Interesting. That's the same reason I chimed in. The OP's use of recycled talking points to bash

Democrats is really getting old. That's why I pointed out that even if someone, for example, opposes gun control or supports some obscure swaps amendment to Dodd-Frank, it's important to look at the big picture.

And somehow I managed to do it without telling anyone to fuck a chicken. Imagine that!

[frylock]

40. Hey! Good for you!

See you for the next installment of Bernie Sanders is a Teabagging Gun Nut.

[DanTex]

42. Yup. It's the Goldman-Sachs-owned corporatist versus the teabagging gun nut.

Rinse and repeat.

[frylock]

43. How much money has Sanders taken from gun manufacturers again?

And how much money has Clinton accepted from Goldman-Sachs?

[DanTex]

44. I have no idea. You see, I like both Bernie and Hillary,

despite not agreeing with them on everything. Apparently you have an axe to grind though.

My guess, though, is that the answer is 0 in both cases, since corporations aren't allowed to donate to political campaigns. Bernie isn't supporting gun nuttery for the money, he supports it because that's actually what he believes. Which is unfortunate, but forgiveable, given the larger picture.

[cali]

21. lol. you're desperation has an odor

[DanTex]

29. Interesting. Well at least you're done pretending that you care about issues.

Although, I do understand why you wouldn't want to try defending Bernie's stances on gun violence.

[treestar]

5. a great danger

http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/i-m-right-and-everybody-else-is-wrong-clear-about-that-20140618

Would be Bernie trying to woo back the Reagan Democrats, who could well be racist or homophobic or misogynistic. Don't think he will succeed though.

[cali]

7. lol. you mean like hillary's racist appeals in 2008. sorry, he doesn't have that history

And his activism for equality in the AA community is far better than hers.

[treestar]

9. Hillary isn't trying to get those voters

She knows they are Republicans.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. I think of such people as Libertarian Lite

They're all for behavioral freedom, but they'll also tell you that capitalism is the only road to a free and just society, that unions are no longer needed, that government services should be privatized for "greater efficiency..."

[dmosh42]

14. Great post! The voting records always exposes corporate ass-lickers....

[CharlotteVale]

15. K&R

[onehandle]

16. I keep thinking about the dangers posed by Corporate GOPers who are socially conservative

[mountain grammy]

19. Yeah, there's that! Good perspective.

[cali]

23. yes, but that is obvious. this is insidious and threatens our own party.

Do you agree that people like Himes are a threat because of their corporatism, or do you see it as a monor problem or no problem?

[heaven05]

27. big problem

conservative, corporatist democrats. Big problem that, because the are part and parcel of this party, will always be the knife in the back for true progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders.

[jwirr]

18. The emphasis on debt angers me because this type is forever blaming our debt on social programs.

They never ever think about the unfunded wars of the bush years that are in actuality still going on. And they never think about who made the profit off of these wars. Nor do they remember how we paid for wars years ago - see Eisenhower's 90% tax rate. And we not only chose to have unpaid for wars but we gave the profiteers a tax cut.

And this guy is from Goldman Sacs - does he ever think about how the banksters caused the crash of 2008? I doubt it - that would mean taking some responsibility for it.

[m-lekktor]

20. Lieberman comes to mind! *gag*.nt

[Nye Bevan]

22. Himes is my rep and I happen to like him.

Anyone who feels he is a threat or is not doing enough for the poor is of course free to mount a primary challenge against him.

[cali]

24. of course you do. your lack pf concern for minorities is frequently noted here.

You may well be the most conservative poster here. But hey, it's a big tent. He'll almost certainly have a challenger. i'll donate. I don't live there but I have longstanding ties to the area. I grew up in New Canaan. My parents lived there for 50 years and most of my family still reside there.

[Nye Bevan]

35. "The most conservative poster here"? Really?

I am unequivocally pro-choice, anti-death penalty, pro-drugs legalization, and am probably one of the most pro-gun control DUers there is (I support UK-style gun control legislation). I also strongly support a UK-style single payer health care system. Just because (unlike Bernie Sanders) I think 90% would be obviously too high a tax rate does not make me a "conservative".

And pardon me for supporting my Democratic representative in Congress.

[raouldukelives]

31. Not just a threat to our democracy, but to all democracies. nt

[meow2u3]

36. So-called Democrats like Himes need primary challengers who are fiscal progressives

I say we should be single-issue voters on economic issues. If the candidate ain't a fiscal progressive, primary'em, no matter how they stand on social issues.

I don't know about any of you guys, but my litmus test is being liberal on economic issues: protecting labor, even if it costs businesses a bit more; taxing the living shit out of the superrich; return to protection of good-paying American jobs without fear of being outsourced to third-world countries that use slave labor; expanding Social Security; tax Wall Street and break up big banks and jailing the banksters who caused the Great Recession; break up oligopilies, a.k.a., megacorporations; etc.

[mmonk]

41. Corporate Democrats don't see the connections between economic

powers to be and social injustice issues (big money will chase the billionaires no matter injustices in matters of other social injustices).