Centrist Dems Start Rebelling on Obama's Spending Plans

[Mass]

Who needs the GOP when we have Bluedog Democrats and Senate centrists? (Ok, rebel may be strong, but definitively skirmish and ready to make sure spending is limited).

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/centrist-dems-start-rebelling-on-obamas-spending-plans.php?ref=fp2

...

Before the budget even comes to a vote, however, the 2009 spending bill must be taken care of -- and one of those centrist Dems, Evan Bayh (IN), is urging Obama to veto the $410 billion measure in a Wall Street Journal op-ed today. From Bayh's piece (emphasis mine):

The omnibus debate is not merely a battle over last year's unfinished business, but the first indication of how we will shape our fiscal future. Spending should be held in check before taxes are raised, even on the wealthy. Most people are willing to do their duty by paying taxes, but they want to know that their money is going toward important priorities and won't be wasted.

Does that fiscal-discipline argument against the spending bill sound familiar? Ah, right, House Republicans made it last week. Also, could someone remind Bayh that he voted against the Bush tax cuts that he's now unwilling to see expire?

Late Update: You could've seen this coming, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was so pleased with Bayh's op-ed that he formally inserted it into the Congressional Record this morning. From McConnell's speech:

As the junior senator from Indiana put it this morning in an insightful Op-Ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, this bill was drafted last year, and 'Since then, economic and fiscal circumstances have changed dramatically which is why' -- as he put it -- 'the Senate should go back to the drawing board.'

Hopefully, Bayh is proud to give McConnell ammunitions. And, while he is the only one quoted in this piece, he is of course not the only one who is skirmish. According to this Politico piece, the usual suspects are in the plot.



+ Claire .McCaskill, Marc Begich, Mark Warner of Virginia, Bill Nelson of Florida, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Robert P. Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania, and Blanche L. Lincoln of Arkansas, as well as Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.).

[Kalyke]

1. Uh... haven't these people realized that most Americans

support Obama's plans?

Heck, Indiana voted for Obama, Evan!

[Baltoman991]

2. I can

pretty much figure out Bayh and the bluedogs being against this, but if CSPAN is right, they're reporting on a scroll that Russ Feingold is going to vote against the bill as well. I don't believe he's a bluedog or a centrist so I'm not sure why he'd be against this bill.

[Mass]

7. I think Feingold's opposition is about the Omnibus Bill, not the budget.

It has earmarks in it and I think this is why he opposes it.

[Baltoman991]

8. Thank you.

I was just reading about it and you're right, he opposes the bill for that reason. Thanks for the reply.

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. The Democratic party needs health care reform even more than America itself

Or more specifically, we need to eradicate the CANCER known as the DLC. :puke:

[Thrill]

4. The same pieces of shit that kissed Bush's ass

[seafan]

5. Rein in the Blue Dogs. They are impediments to progressive changes.

List of Blue Dogs (US House)


Digby: Until we neuter the Blue Dogs, it will be nearly impossible to enact liberal legislation.

[avaistheone1]

15. Let's neuter the Blue Dogs by replacing them with progressive Democrats.

[RepublicanElephant]

6. isn't this where rahm "the enforcer" emanuel comes in? nt

[Dr Fate]

9. Same guys who trashed "the crazy left" for opposing Bush and th war.

So the people who were proven 100% wrong when it came to "incorporating" conservative ideas into the party are still wrong.

What is new?

[SpartanDem]

10. what's with this stuff about rebelling and revolting?

I guess the media after more than a decade of the lockstep GOP mentality is not used to seeing people with in the same party disagree that suddenly equals is revolt.

[OHdem10]

11. Look at these three pictures--then when they are speaking on the

the floor of the Senate, tell me whose pocket they are in?????

the word "Business" rolls off their tongue with such ease you
would think "Oh, this is a Republican."

When in a crunch DLCers will often choose to vote for Business
Interests over American People everytime.

[ObamaKerryDem]

12. I'm a bit taken aback that Claire McCaskill is against it..

and, as I hear, voted for McCain's thing yesterday? Though I'm hearing she's a Blue Dog Dem, so I guess I shouldn't be. Somewhat dissapointing, though. I guess I'm just surprised, because she's been one of Pres. Obama's biggest surrogates and allies and aside from this, has been a great one. Oh well, can't have it all, I guess...

[Aloha Spirit]

13. As long as there is a legislative tug of war between the president and his party,

The Republicans will be marginalized.

[FrenchieCat]

14. This opposition is in reference to the Bush Budget, not Obama's budget.

This could be positioning. They could go against this particular budget,
and make some adjustments that Barack Obama wanted anyways....

and then these same players, because of having opposed this particular budget,
will be able to vote in the affirmative on the Obama budget without much notice,
as they will have been given cover of not just appearing to be rubber stamps in the Senate.

I'm just guessing on this,
but too many of the players listed,
are either squarely in the Obama camp,
and/or come from states where Dem pols need cover,
or "owe" Barack, but don't want to look as though he is their messiah?