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Democrats

Who Needs a Phony Little Man with a Big Mouth when We can Have Real Women with Big Ideas?
02-Sep-04
Democrats

Moveon.org points out that Zell 'Gollum' Miller isn't worth wasting any tears on, when there are better people out there just needing a little support to make a difference. Like these four Democratic candidate women: Nancy Farmer, Betty Castor, Denise Majette and Patty Murray. "Congresswoman Denise Majette has already made history by becoming the first African-American woman in Georgia to capture her party's nomination for U.S. Senate, a feat accomplished with the help of one of Georgia's most powerful grassroots networks and without a single TV ad." Unlike Zig Zag Zell-out, Majette spoke out AGAINST the immoral, illegal Iraq war. We need more like Majette and a WHOLE LOT fewer like Zell!

The Vast Difference Between The Democratic Party and The Republican Theocracy
23-Jun-04
Democrats

If you believe there is no difference between the Texas Democrats and the Texas Republicans then compare their platforms of democratic principles and fear-based theocracy.

Democrats Working with Unprecendented Unity and Focus to Shape Platform
20-Jun-04
Democrats

NY Times: "More than two dozen witnesses, from former cabinet secretaries to unemployed textile workers, spent hours on Friday attacking Bush's domestic policies and no time squabbling among themselves in the last of three public hearings to help the Democratic Party write its 2004 national platform. There were no flare-ups, rude banners or angry disagreements. Not even a whisper of discontent. It was a far cry from the days when Democrats regularly savaged one another over issues like the Vietnam War, civil rights and abortion. "That's due to such an overwhelming flood of feeling in the party at the moment that we've got to trim our differences and do whatever is necessary to beat Bush," said Don Fowler, former national Democratic Party chairman who was among those listening in the audience. "It's not as much fun this way, but I've never seen the party so united."

Has Chris Dodd Gone to the Dark Side?
27-Apr-04
Democrats

What's up with Christopher Dodd (D-CT)? This month, he yielded to (largely) Freeper pressure and apologized for a tribute to fellow Dem Sen. Robert. Byrd. Now he's doing a 180 on a far bigger issue. In 2001, Dodd led the effort to block the appoinment of John Negronponte as UN ambassador because of Negroponte's well-documented involvement in human rights crimes in Honduras and their systematic cover-up. Yet now, when Bush wants to make Negroponte ambassador to Iraq - a move guaranteed to throw gas on the fire - Dodd sounds like he's the head of the Negroponte fan club. At the start of the hearings on 4/27, Dodd blathered about what a "fine foreign affairs statesman" the Kissinger disciple was! And in an earlier press statement he gushed: "Whatever other differences I've had years ago with John Negroponte, I happen to feel he's a very fine Foreign Service officer and has done a tremendous job in many places." Hey you Connecticut Dems - call Dodd and demand an explanation!

How Would Jesus Vote? For Democrats!
02-Mar-04
Democrats

The Non-Partisan Christian Voters' Guide applies the Gospels to Social Welfare, Corporate Ethics, Taxes, War, Capital Punishment, Environment, Racism/Sexism, Minimum Wage, and Apathy. Guess which party Jesus would vote for?

Finally! Senate Dems Getting Aggressive
16-Feb-04
Democrats

Time: "Bush's slipping poll numbers, combined with large turnouts, seem to have emboldened and united Senate Dems. In a private meeting with Senators on Jan. 20, Daschle warned it was time to 'put the past behind us. If we don't hang together, we'll hang separately.' He hired Phil Schiliro, an aggressive and seasoned House Democratic operative, to craft a more combative legislative strategy. Instead of going along with bipartisan compromises, the plan is to introduce more 'message' legislation to rally the Dem's base and force Republicans into unpopular votes. Sen. Ted Kennedy plans to introduce a bill next week to raise the minimum wage to $7 an hour, and he plans to attach it to the next measure the Republicans want to push through the Senate. Democrats last week pounced on N. Gregory Mankiw; bills were quickly introduced to repudiate [his comments about outsourcing] and require firms to give employees three months' notice before they are laid off because of jobs being moved abroad."

Remember Where We've Come From, Dems - There's Still Much Work to Do!
02-Feb-04
Democrats

From the Daily Kos: "How quickly we forget. Exactly one year ago in the LA Weekly: 'The Democrats in the chamber -- including the presidential candidates Lieberman, Edwards and Kerry, as well as Hillary Clinton -- all stood with the GOPers to applaud Bush's most bellicose declarations. Senator Joe Biden, asked on Fox if the Democrats would support Bush if the country goes to war, chirped, 'I will -- and I certainly hope so.' The congressional Democrats, of course, had just been reading this month's memo from the infernal trio of James Carville, Bob Shrum and Stan Greenberg, in which the overpaid consultants once again advised the Dems to shut up on foreign-policy criticism of Bush to win the next election.' Here is the link: http://www.laweekly.com/ink/03/11/news-ireland.php"

John Breaux Quits the Senate After Promoting the Bush Agenda
15-Dec-03
Democrats

Sen. John Breaux (D-LA) will not run for re-election in November to "pursue a second career he declined to identify" - probably working directly for the Republicans. Breaux "helped broker a number of bipartisan bills [read: sellouts to Republicans] during three decades on Capitol Hill, including the Medicare prescription drug bill approved by Congress in November. Most Democrats on Capitol Hill opposed the measure, complaining it was inadequate and would undermine the health insurance program... Breaux's priorities for the remainder of his term are passing the long-stalled [horrendous] energy bill pushed by President Bush... Breaux sided with Bush on a number of key issues during the president's first year in office, including [disastrous] tax cuts, confirming former senator John Ashcroft as [un-American] attorney general and a failed bid to open the Arctic National Wildlife refuge to [destructive] oil drilling." Let's elect a PROGRESSIVE Democrat to replace Breaux!

It's Time to Find the Will to Win, Democrats
11-Dec-03
Democrats

Bob Herbert writes, "The problem is the party itself. God and the Republicans have blessed the Democrats with the high ground on one important issue after another, from the war in Iraq to national economic policy to health care to education to the environment. But like the Union general George McClellan, the Democrats have been too timid to take full advantage. It's a party for the faint of heart. The Republicans are hijacking elections and redistricting the country and looting the Treasury and ignoring the Constitution and embittering our allies, while the Democrats are - let's see, fumbling their way through an incoherent primary season and freaking out over Al Gore's endorsement of Howard Dean... To regain control of the White House, the Democrats need to give voters new reasons to hope. That can only be done by a thoughtful, united, energized and creative party. A party with a plan and a ferocious will to win. A party that I don't see at the moment." It's up to us to make it!

Jimmy Carter: Zell Miller's Senate Appointment was 'Mistake'
11-Dec-03
Democrats

AP reports: "Former President Jimmy Carter says the appointment of Georgia's Zell Miller to the Senate was a mistake because his fellow ex-governor 'betrayed all the basic principles that I thought he and I and others shared.' The comments, which Carter made Wednesday on the radio program FOX News Live with Alan Colmes, are the latest in a string of attacks prominent Democrats have made lately concerning the maverick senator who has endorsed President Bush's re-election and penned a new book arguing his party is out of touch with the South." You go Jimmy!

Sen. Paul Simon: A Legacy of Honesty and Dignity
11-Dec-03
Democrats

Ray Long writes: "In an era that finds politicians increasingly mired in fingerpointing and positions shaped more by polls than ideals, Paul Martin Simon stood apart. The former two-term Democratic U.S. senator from Illinois, who died Tuesday at the age of 75, was an unabashed but thoughtful liberal who spoke his mind and kept his word even when it wasn't politically expedient. Rather than hinder his career in public service, his earnestness won the respect of voters and colleagues across the political spectrum."

Progressive Majority Recruits Next Generation of 'Wellstones'
08-Dec-03
Democrats

Katrina vanden Heuvel writes," As the late Senator Paul Wellstone used to say, if our whole is going to equal the sum of our parts, we need to build a powerful progressive force that recruits and supports the next generation of leaders... Progressive Majority, and its program, PROPAC, are just what Wellstone had in mind. Led by veteran organizer Gloria Totten, PM was launched in 2001 with the sole purpose of electing progressive champions. In their first cycle, they built a nationwide network of tens of thousands of small donors for targeted races. Now, with PROPAC, they are adding a sophisticated plan to recruit, train and support the next generation of Wellstones. 'The time is right for all of the new organizing that is happening on the Left,' Totten argues. 'George W Bush and his wrong-headed policies have galvanized us.' But, more importantly, she continues, 'there is an emerging leadership on the Left that is not willing to continue to be right on the issues and lose elections.'"

Democrats Line Up Their Own Billionaire Firepower
01-Dec-03
Democrats

"George Soros... is giving $10 million to America Coming Together, a group working to get out progressive votes in 17 pivotal states. With Peter B. Lewis, a Cleveland-based insurance billionaire, Soros has pledged $5 million to MoveOn.org, an Internet antiwar group. Joel Hyatt, founder of the Hyatt Legal Services chain of storefront legal clinics, is backing Al Gore's bid to start a new youth-oriented cable network to counter the influence of Fox News. Mark Walsh, a former AOL executive who served as chief technology advisor to the DNC, has purchased a radio network from two Chicago venture capitalists with hopes of launching an alternative to conservative talk radio. John Podesta, the former chief of staff in Clinton's White House, has raised $13 million for a new left-wing think tank, the Center for American Progress. And Norman Lear, the pioneer of liberal television shows like 'All in the Family,' is corralling Hollywood into a $27-million effort to get out the youth vote."

Grassroots Dems Are Furious About the Republican Assault on Democracy
02-Sep-03
Democrats

SF Chronicle reports, "The anger that began over former President Bill Clinton's impeachment -- and intensified after the contested 2000 presidential election -- has solidified into an unshakeable belief among the party's faithful that the other side has abandoned rules of fair play. The charge, which is gaining favor among some scholars and nonpartisan observers, has become a staple of Democratic speeches, opinion pieces and conversations. Strategists expect, no matter what the recall outcome, it will become a potent rallying cry heading into the 2004 presidential campaign. 'People are furious over what is going on,' said Molly Beth Malcolm, chairwoman of the Texas Democratic Party. 'Republicans don't want a two-party system. This truly is an attitude of 'masters of the universe. We're in control and nobody can stop us. We'll do whatever we want, and we don't care what happens in the aftermath.''" Defeat ALL Republicans!

Mad as Hell -- At Squishy Soft Democrats
23-Jun-03
Democrats

"Have you heard about the newest political party?.. They are called The Invertebrates. Their symbol is the jellyfish. Dozens of Democrats, especially the leadership, have defected to the Invertebrate Party. Their 'I sorta kinda disagree with W' squishiness has made possible the triumph of the fanatical. Their opposition to the aggressive rightwing is so spineless, so timid, and so lacking in confidence, it can only be described as cowardly... The Democratic Party may have had all the 'moderate' it can stand. There's nothing 'moderate' about George W. Bush and the Republican Party. As a matter of fact, a larger agenda of fundamentally changing the role of government is taking place in Washington, and no one is doing anything to stop it. The problem isn't that Democrats are on the wrong side of the issues. They are afraid to make an issue of being on the right side - not to mention directly in the middle of mainstream America."

Black Caucus Wins Pledge from DNC Chair to Meet Monthly
18-Jun-03
Democrats

The frustration black Democrats feel at the Party's failure to include them at its higher levels of decisionmaking is coming to a head. "Somebody said the DNC wants black folks for their output and not their input," said black Dem Lanier Avant. Lawmakers in the black caucus approached [DNC head Terry] McAuliffe at the beginning of 2001 concerned that minority consultants were not getting contracts and minority staffers were not being hired for top slots. Last Wednesday, the lawmakers extracted a pledge from McAuliffe to meet with the group monthly to discuss DNC operations. He also offered to invite a representative from a black caucus to regular strategy meetings of the DNC's inner circle. McAuliffe also named Ben Johnson, a prominent African American Democrat and donor, as the committee's deputy chairman." It's about time! Hooray for the Black Caucus!

Report on the Conference to Take Back America
09-Jun-03
Democrats

Rob Kall writes for Op-EdNews.com: "The Conference to Take Back America was an incredible event. You could feel the energy bristling in the crowd. Over 1000 passionate progressive, liberals showed up, all of them ready to go out and fight to win back the country from the lying, corrupt, Bush regime that has 'put a for sale sign on our government,' as John Kerry described. This was not a local Washington DC event. Many people had come from Texas, California, Colorado -- the four corners of the nation. This showing of 1000 reportedly makes it the biggest gathering of progressives in at least 20 years."

Los Angeles Marks 35th Anniversary of RFK Assassination
06-Jun-03
Democrats

"The city of Los Angeles marked the 35th anniversary of the assassination of US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy with a sombre ceremony at the hospital where he died. Kennedy was gunned down in the kitchen of the city's Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968 just after winning the California Democratic primary election and becoming the frontrunner for his party's presidential nomination... Kennedy's press secretary from 1961 to 1966, Edwin Guthman, told those attending the memorial... 'Had he won the presidency, the Vietnam War would have ended in January 1969,' Guthman said. 'And there would have been no Watergate'... Guthman said Kennedy, who was attorney general under the presidency of his brother who was himself assassinated by a sniper in November 1963, was a man of honour who 'meant what he said.' 'Bob would always say, 'one person could make a difference, and every person should try',' Guthman said, adding that Kennedy was never influenced by political consultants or polls."

Democratic Think Tank Taking Shape
04-Jun-03
Democrats

"The Democrats are ramping up efforts to launch a liberal think tank in September that they say will give their party the unified message it lacked in 2002 and counter the well-funded network of conservative policy shops. John Podesta, who served as White House chief of staff during the Clinton administration, is spearheading the project and consulting with Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill. The think tank, known for now as the American Majority Institute, will have an annual operating budget of at least $10 million, a sum that would immediately make it the largest Democratic think tank in town... Key Democrats attribute Republican control of the White House and both branches of Congress in part to their party's lack of an effective mechanism for disseminating liberal ideas to the public and the media. They say such wealthy conservative groups as the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) have helped Republicans gain the upper hand in the battle over ideas."

Gramma and the Chickens
29-Apr-03
Democrats

W. David Jenkins III writes: "I occasionally run across an article or see a news report that will get under my skin to a degree that I'm tempted to enroll in Anger Management classes. I'm sure you know the kind. You see or hear something that makes you so angry that you find yourself asking, 'What's the point?' But contrary to what you may think, it's not Bush or any of his hoodlums that drive me to this feeling of being a volcano in blue jeans. No, dear friends, the source of my most ultimate anger continues to be the Democrats!"

From Hillary on Down, New York's Pro-War Democrats Expect to Pay No Price
26-Mar-03
Democrats

"Eliot Spitzer, the AG whose everyday agenda is framed by gubernatorial ambition, went out of his way on the eve of the war to endorse it, joining the ranks of New York's Bush League Democrats...The Post presented Spitzer's statement - as well as even stronger words from Comptroller Alan Hevesi - as a rejection of the official position of the state Democratic Party, which adopted a resolution opposing a 'pre-emptive war' last September, reaffirmed in a press release on March 13 by party chair Denny Farrell...Spitzer and Hevesi, both of whom managed to run last year without ever making a comment on the war, echo the position of the other two statewide elected Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, who voted for the Senate resolution authorizing war last October. While all six of the city's black and Latino representatives in the House voted against that resolution, Jerry Nadler, whose district includes ground zero, was the only white member of the delegation to oppose it."

'Patriotic Progressives' Can Crush 'Compassionate Conservatives'
28-Feb-03
Democrats

E.J. Dionne writes, "Compassionate conservatism was a brilliant slogan that did three things at once. It acknowledged that conservatives had a problem. It insisted that conservatives really did care about the poor. And it tried to change the debate about poverty by claiming that advocates of programs outside government, especially church-based programs, had better ideas about how to help the poor. By the same logic, it is time to proclaim loudly and without apology that there is such a thing as 'patriotic liberalism.'... The link between liberalism and patriotism is not as automatic in the public mind now as it was in FDR's day. In the wake of 9/11, that's a genuine problem for liberals. The solution is not defensiveness, but an aggressive attempt to define patriotic liberalism." You're right, E.J.! Democrats.com will henceforth call ourselves the "Patriotic Progressives"!

The Evolving Democratic Minority
23-Nov-02
Democrats

"Before the election, many Democrats predicted that the results would foreshadow the 'emerging Democratic majority,' a political theory [that demographics will create] a new Democratic majority by 2010. [Instead of an] emerging Democratic majority, the elections suggest that the Democrats may be sliding toward years in the minority. The Nov. 5 outcome also demonstrated the danger of mechanical political theories, which can create false confidence of inevitable success...The real choice for Democrats and their supporters is whether to undertake the hard work of building a media infrastructure that can compete with what the Republicans now have on the right - or to face a future in which the Republicans keep winning elections even though a majority of Americans may disagree with GOP policies. If the Democrats are to bounce back - and restore some balance to the American political system - they will have to recognize that the road ahead is not paved with demographic magic."

Democratic Leadership Honing Liberal Think Tanks
18-Nov-02
Democrats

TheHill.com reports: "In the wake of historic Republican victories on Election Day that many Democrats blame on their party's lack of a clear message, Democratic lawmakers and consultants are calling for stronger liberal think tanks....Even before Election Day, party officials, including former aides to President Clinton, such as John Podesta and Harold Ickes, discussed creating a network of political advocacy organizations that would drive the Democratic message on various issues. Party allies even entertained the possibility of a liberal television network to offset Fox News, which they view as an adjunct of the Republican Party...liberals and moderate Democrats have much less support from left-leaning policy organizations. Compounding the problem for Democrats, the Center for National Policy, one of the few progressive think tanks in the country, is in dire financial straits and may close by the end of the year if it does not find a fresh infusion of cash."

Want to Move to a More Progressive Country? Try California
10-Nov-02
Democrats

Harold Meyerson writes, "Contemplate the new California. The state that's home to the world's sixth-largest economy is much more diverse and tolerant than the nation as a whole. It shuns the politics of the gun-and-Bible belt. With an increasingly assertive immigrant working class and a powerful labor movement, it is rigging new safety nets even as the national government seems bent on shredding the old ones. In short, even as a White House filled with xenophobic provincials casts a cold eye on a more statist and liberal Europe, a more statist and liberal California is taking shape right on the Pacific coast -- with 55 electoral votes, no less. It's another country out here, and a better one." We're packing our bags!

Come Join Us in the Jones Zone
10-Nov-02
Democrats

John L. McCreery, Chairman of Democrats Abroad Japan, writes: "There is a phrase from American history that I want every Democrat in the world to hear. The Bonhomme Richard was sinking. The captain of the British frigate Serapis demanded its surrender. John Paul Jones replied, 'I have not yet begun to fight.' We will be fighting among ourselves. Already newspapers carry reports of Democrats looking for scapegoats for the Republican's winning both houses of Congress in the mid-term elections. Soon we will see who among our leaders will take responsibility and who will duck-and-bob. As we look ahead, we are looking for courage. We will be fighting a Republican juggernaut. We know that our opponents have a legislative agenda and a string of right-wing judges to appoint to the Federal judiciary. Those who stand up and oppose their program may find themselves like that famous Chinese student who stood up alone in front the tanks entering Tienanmen Square. But if we pull together..."

We Need a 21st Century Democratic Revolution!
07-Nov-02
Democrats

Bob Fertik writes, " Is it any wonder that Democratic voters stayed home three weeks later on Election Day? Their passionate views had been ignored - and they felt fundamentally betrayed. If the Democratic Party is going to win future elections, the relationship between Democratic voters and their Democratic elected representatives must be completely transformed. We must abandon the one-way technologies of the 18th Century, and embrace the two-way technologies of the present. We need a 21st Century Democratic Revolution - within the Democratic Party. The key elements of the 21st Century Democratic Revolution are Internet votes, Internet discussions, and Internet campaigns... As the Democratic Party selects a new leader in the House - and soon a Presidential candidate - we should ask all of the contenders to embrace this plan for a 21st Century Democratic Revolution. If we transform the party now, Democrats will have the energy and enthusiasm we need to beat the Republicans in 2004."

Democrats as 'Republican Lites'
30-Oct-02
Democrats

Kevin McCauley writes: "The heartfelt outpouring of sympathy among Senators for the unabashed liberal Wellstone is a telling point. The former Senator was a man of conviction, and as noted in much of the coverage of his death--a Senator who often found himself on the losing side of a 99-1 vote, or 98-2 tally with fellow liberal Russ Feingold of Wisconsin. Perhaps the mourning Senators envied Wellstone for standing on principles. The Democrats will do a lot better if they show some of the spunk typified by Wellstone, rather than just positioning themselves as the Republican-lite party. A revitalized Democratic party could restore people's faith in Government, and inspire people in other lands about the vitality of the American system - more than any State Dept. propaganda program."

Congressional Democrats and Fundraisers Wonder: Why Doesn't the Leadership Get Tough on Bush?
14-Oct-02
Democrats

"Democrats in the House and Senate, (and) some of the party's biggest donors, say Democratic leaders are letting their chances for victory at the polls...slip away because they aren't aggressive enough in criticizing...Bush for the sinking economy. Last week, the Dow Jones industrial average sunk to its lowest level in nearly five years, a 25 percent decline from its high point this year. The S&P's 500-stock index has declined nearly 30 percent in value, and the Nasdaq has fallen 42 percent this year. Also this year, the unemployment rate has swelled to 5.7 percent, the highest level since the early '90s, and the median household income has fallen by 2.2 percent...'People wonder why Democrats aren't getting tougher on Bush," said David Jones, prominent Democratic fundraiser. "The donors I've talked to think that Bush bringing up Iraq at the beginning of September is nothing short of a diversion from the economy. Secondly, they're wondering why Democrats aren't going after him more.'"

In Memoriam: Patsy Mink (D-HI)
29-Sep-02
Democrats

NOW writes, "The world lost one of its greatest citizens on September 29 with the death of Hawaii Congresswoman Patsy Mink... Among many accomplishments, she was a leader in shepherding the passage of Title IX in 1972 to promote educational equity. One of only two women ever to receive this honor, Patsy Mink was named a NOW Woman of Vision in June, 2002... In the last decade of her political leadership, Patsy Mink was a vigorous advocate on behalf of poor families. Faced with the bi-partisan tidal wave that pounded poor women, insisting that they 'get to work,' Mink worked tirelessly to promote policies that truly addressed the realities of poverty and last year garnered substantial support in the House of Representatives for her legislation to provide additional education and skills that would support true self-sufficiency. Patsy Mink will always be remembered with love and respect and gratitude. She was our champion -- a tireless advocate and a hero to women and girls everywhere."

Tuesday on Donahue: Phil Examines the Phenomenon of the Disappearing Democrats
24-Sep-02
Democrats

"Tuesday on Phil Donahue, live on MSNBC.com, at 8pm and 11pm ET, hear Phil examine the phenomenon of 'Disappearing Democrats' in Washington. Why have Democratic leaders gone quiet on issues from Iraq to the tax cut to military spending? Is there an opposition party in Washington today? Jesse Jackson Jr., Bernie Sanders and Democratic Party spokespersons weigh in. Plus, in Parliament today British Prime Minister Tony Blair presented a dossier claiming to prove that Saddam Hussein is an imminent threat. It was denounced as 'pulp fiction' by our guest, George Galloway, a member of Parliament, who joins Phil with a reaction from London."

Democratic Report Card
06-Sep-02
Democrats

Since Senator Jim Jeffords jumped and removed Trent Lott as Senate Majority Leader, Senate Democrats have earned an A+ report card. They've kept busy, and supported the Administration in the fight against terrorism. They've also stood up to Mr. Bush when necessary. They passed into law campaign finance reform and accounting reform over Bush's strong objections. This will help clean up our elections and our economy. They bottled up Bush's unqualified judicial nominees, including Judge Pickering who actually intervened in a criminal case trying to protect cross burning domestic terrorists in gross violation of judicial ethics, morality and human decency. Pickering - who opposes enforcement of civil rights laws and other laws to protect citizens - should be under investigation for his attempts to subvert justice in the cross burning case, not nominates to sit in judgment of others.


There is a Damned Big Difference between Democrats and Republicans!
29-Aug-02
Democrats

Ralph Nader and the Green Party claim there is no difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. They are wrong. There is a difference! Between Tom Daschle and Trent Lott. Between Dick Gephardt and Dennis Hastert. Between a Democratic presidency and George W. Bush's right-wing pandering. Between the judicial nominees supported by Democrats and those pushed by Republicans. Don't be fooled into thinking that Democrats and Republicans are the same. There is A Damned Big Difference!

Carville Says Democrats are too Mealymouthed
28-Aug-02
Democrats

BENTONVILLE -- Democratic campaign strategist, commentator and firebrand James Carville came to Bentonville on Saturday, where he criticized his own party a little less than the Republicans. Democrats lose elections when they are timid in reacting to Republican criticism, Carville told a paying audience of about 200 at the Bentonville Clarion Inn. Forget about "eye for an eye. Take a face for an eye" in reacting to false allegations, Carville said. Carville was speaking at a fund-raiser for Benton County Democratic candidates.

DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe Slams Bush
12-Aug-02
Democrats

Speaking to Democratic Party leaders in Las Vegas, DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe delivered a powerful message for the coming election. "Two years ago, George W. Bush accepted his Party's presidential nomination by saying: 'If you give me your trust, I will honor it. Grant me a mandate, and I will use it. Give me the opportunity to lead this nation, and I will lead'... Americans trusted George Bush to change the tone...but less than two months after embracing Tom Daschle on the House floor, he directed Republicans to attack the Majority Leader directly and personally. And those attacks continue today, with some Republicans even comparing Senator Daschle to Saddam Hussein and John Walker Lindh. Americans trusted him when he promised to protect Medicare and Social Security...but in his first eight months he squandered the surplus it took us eight years to build, drawing down the Medicare and Social Security Trust Funds to pay for his misguided tax cut..." Read the full speech!

Democrats Need to Embrace Politics and Become Proud Partisans Again - or Lose
05-Aug-02
Democrats

Michael Tomasky writes, "The spokes starting coming off the wheels for George W Bush [when Paul Krugman reported] the now-infamous Harken Energy stock sale. Many elected Democrats had never even heard of it until the Krugman piece, but that didn't stop them from moving quickly to seize the moment... Ever since, a lot of the same people who spent eight years trying to pin everything up to homicide on the Clintons have been bawling about the unfairness of it all... While it's satisfying to see Democrats playing some offense now, it's a fact that, over the past nine months, the party has been afraid of its own shadow. Let's put it as bluntly as possible: Never in modern American history has a party so failed its core constituents as the Democratic Party has during this period."

Refuting the Big Lie that There is No Difference Between Democrats and Republicans
05-Aug-02
Democrats

"Yes, there is a huge, mountainous, unmistakable difference between the parties in the way they vote on the issues. 107 different ratings have been listed on Vote-Smart.org, providing 107 different cuts across the legislative record according to various special interest slants. Of those, fully 93 found the parties on opposite sides of their particular issues-- 93 of those 107 had the parties stratified on either side of the fifty percent mark, one voting with the group while the other voted against. Furthermore, not only did an overwhelming majority of groups find the parties to be on opposite sides of their issues, but the magnitude of difference between their positions is considerable. The average spread between the ratings that any group assigned to the parties was 55 percentage points. The parties do not simply differ on the issues-- they are widely disparate in how they vote." So write Benjamin Iglar-Mobley and Valerie Iglar-Mobley.

The Core Principles of the Democratic Party
29-Jul-02
Democrats

"While there are several principles that Democrats and Republicans share, like the need for a strong defense and fiscal responsibility, there remain some huge differences between the parties in their political, economic and social viewpoints. The following set of fifteen (15) political principles, adopted in 1995 by the [Democratic National Committee], are shared by most Democrats and provide guidance that can be applied to the specific issues of the day. They are: We are all created equal; a woman's right to choose; separation of church and state; protection of the environment; a caring society; strong defense; affordable health care; quality public education; fair competition and protection of consumer rights; fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget; reasonable gun control; protection from crime; strong international participation; sensible and progressive tax system; and immigrants should not be disadvantaged."

When It Comes to Fighting for our Core Values, Democratic Voters Give Democratic Leaders in Congress a 'D'
26-May-02
Democrats

"Fewer rank-and-file Democrats are satisfied with their congressional leaders than Republicans are with their leaders, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. The study found that 64% of Democrats approved of their congressional leaders' performance, while 80% of Republicans said they were satisfied with their leaders. Among Democrats: Barely more than half -- 51% -- said the party is doing an excellent or good job representing its core values and issues, identified by the survey as protecting 'working people,' minorities and the poor. And one-third of the Democrats queried said their leaders are 'speaking out too little' on President [sic] Bush's policies... [Overall,] for the first time since Sept. 11, the proportion of respondents who said they were satisfied 'with the way things are going in this country today' has fallen below 50%."

In Congress, the Black, Hispanic, and Asian-Pacific Caucuses Unite
13-May-02
Democrats

The Hill reports, "The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) and Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) - a total of 76 House members and five senators - are working together to craft a policy agenda that will focus on education, immigration, economic development and healthcare. These are the issues caucus leaders say are the most important to their constituencies. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), CBC chairwoman, said the three groups could act in the future as a voting block, but she emphasized that they did not convene for that purpose. 'We vote together now on issues that are very common to all of us,' Johnson said. 'With increased dialogue, we might be together on other issues.' Two members from each caucus will act as lead drafters to forge the policy proposals. Johnson's proposal was the moving force behind the formation of the tri-caucus." We hope the White Caucus will join them, since these issues should be important to EVERYONE!

Democrats FINALLY Respond to the White House Campaign to Demonize Daschle
14-Apr-02
Democrats

As Roll Call reports, Dick Cheney began the White House campaign to demonize Tom Daschle back in December. It has taken five months, but Senate Democrats have finally decided to fight back. "We've grown pretty weary of these charges. We've grown kind of weary of this stuff, and we're going to respond," said Byron Dorgan (D-ND). According to an unidentified Democratic lobbyist, "it became clear that this really was a called play from the White House, the [Republican National Committee] and these conservative groups that all follow their lead. If they are on the air with a constant negative message, it's political malpractice not to respond." Memo to Senate Democrats: as all football fans know, the best defense is a good offense. Let's start attacking Bush, Lott, and Tom DeLay for running the most power-hungry, corrupt, and anti-American government in history!

Young Blood! Martin O'Malley May Run for MD Governorship if Democrats Don't Start Acting like Democrats
21-Mar-02
Democrats

The charismatic young mayor of Baltimore, Martin O'Malley, who bears a startling resemblance to the star of the "Guardian," says he may throw his hat into a wider ring as a way to help steer the Democratic Party back to where it needs to be. "If it continues to look like the Democratic Party is undergoing a transformation to become Republicans, then I'll run," O'Malley said, complaining that Democratic leaders would prefer to cut taxes than fund education, public health programs and fighting crime. "Is that a party I want to support? I don't think so. So people better wake up, they better step up, they better stop acting like Republicans and start acting like the leaders that the people of this state expect us to be. Here's Martin: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/10/13/baltimore/story.jpg and here's "Nick Fallin" http://nickfallin.com/ Both represent something America needs now!

Senator Jon Corzine Is Trying to Restore Integrity to the Capitalist System that Reagan and Bush Destroyed
12-Mar-02
Democrats

In an interview with William Greider of The Nation, Senator Jon Corzine discussed his efforts to restore meaningful financial regulation. "The recurring financial crises and breakdowns during the past two decades--from junk bonds and the savings and loan collapse and major bank bailouts of the 1980s to the failure of Long Term Capital Management in 1998 and the current explosion--demonstrate the long-neglected need to rehabilitate government supervision and regulation, Corzine believes. Among other things, he wants to regulate hedge funds, reform pension protections, reconfigure the SEC with stronger enforcement powers over auditors and impose tougher limits on corporate SPEs--'special-purpose entities,' like Enron's off-the- books partnerships... 'Probably the most egregious was the savings and loan crisis--they used a lot of the same techniques you see in the Enron case. The fact is, it is too easy to cook the books if there is no regulatory structure to check it,' he said."

Ted Kennedy is The Senate's Fighting Liberal
12-Mar-02
Democrats

2002 marks the 40th anniversary of Ted Kennedy's election to the Senate, winning the seat vacated by his brother, JFK. According to Jack Newfield in The Nation, "Ted Kennedy looks like the best and most effective senator of the past hundred years. He has followed the counsel of his first Senate tutor, Phil Hart of Michigan, who told him you can accomplish anything in Washington if you give others the credit. Kennedy has drafted and shaped more landmark legislation than liberal giants like Robert Wagner, Hubert Humphrey, Estes Kefauver and Herbert Lehmann. He has survived tragedy and scandal, endured presidential defeat, right-wing demonization, ridicule by TV comics. Now, at 70, he has evolved into a joyous Job."

Julie Hiatt Steele Needs Our Help
28-Feb-02
Democrats

Bartcop writes, "When Bill Clinton, America, and our Constitution needed saving, Julie stood up at great personal peril and saved the Clinton presidency AND she saved this country from being a hellhole where the opposition party could just impeach remove a President for no reason other than he kicked their butt in the last two elections. Julie Hiatt Steele saved the Clinton Presidency. She did it all by her own self with no allies but her son Adam. Don't let Ken Starr (R-Bastard) win this battle. When we needed her, she was there. Will you be there for her?" Help plan a Washington DC fundraiser for this extraordinary woman on April 27.

Why Can't the Democrats Get Tough?
28-Feb-02
Democrats

"The Bush team can attack Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), lose $4 trillion of the surplus, and meet with campaign contributors whose company stock they own, and Democrats just watch. Sure, it's tough to fight a president wrapped in the glory of a so-far-successful war. But the Democrats' passivity long predates September 11. And then there's Enron. Is there any doubt that if the situation were reversed, Republicans would be exploiting the scandal more aggressively? Would they have hesitated, as Democrats have, to frame Enron as a political scandal, or to bombard the White House with subpoenas? Democrats can't afford to go all wobbly, especially now. Elections which could determine control of Congress are seven months away. Yet when it comes to playing political hardball, Republicans are hitting to all fields. Democrats are trembling at the plate." So writes Paul Glastris, editor in chief of The Washington Monthly.

DNC Seeks to Catch Up with Republicans on the Internet
02-Feb-02
Democrats

Responding to the Republican edge on the Internet, the Democratic National Committee is investing serious money to catch up. USA Today reports, "When [Chairman Terry] McAuliffe took over the Democratic Party a year ago, Republicans had an e-mail list of more than 1 million activists and the ability to e-mail all of them at once. Democrats had just 70,000 names and lacked the technology to send mass e-mails. Today, the GOP is up to 1.7 million names and Democrats have 300,000. McAuliffe vows to match the Republicans by year's end." Good luck, Terry! Democrats.com has repeatedly offered to help the DNC, but we're still waiting for a reply. Visit the DNC's new site, and urge them to meet with Democrats.com.

No Charges Filed Against Torricelli
04-Jan-02
Democrats

"The federal investigation of [Democratic] New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli's finances has ended without charges filed, prosecutors said Thursday. U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White, who is stepping down next week, said she reached the decision after 'an exhaustive investigation' by her office, the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service and the Customs Service. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan 'has referred information developed in the course of the investigation to the Ethics Committee of the United States Senate,' she said in a one-page statement. In Washington, Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson said he was satisfied with White's decision."

Henry Waxman Waxes Poetic on the Sorry State of Enron Affairs
27-Dec-01
Democrats

Henry Waxman, DEMOCRAT of (29th District) California, exudes confidence as he plows through Bu$h Administration lies and doublespeak. In an exclusive interview with BuzzFlash.com, Congressman Waxman reveals the hypocrisy of the Bu$h junta, vis a vis the Enron debacle: "Well, there is no question about the hypocrisy of the Republicans. You only have to look at this from the perspective of what would the response be of the Republicans if this were the Clinton Administration? If the Clinton Administration had such close and intimate ties with a corporation, or put it another way, a labor union, in which executives walked away with hundreds of millions of dollars while the union's pensions were dissipated. They would be not only calling for an investigation before they got the facts; they would be calling for impeachment."

Democrat Lee Brown Is Re-elected for a Third Term As Houston's Mayor
03-Dec-01
Democrats

"Mayor Lee Brown held off City Councilman Orlando Sanchez in a tight race Saturday to win re-election to a third term and derail Sanchez's bid to become Houston's first Hispanic mayor."

Mike Mansfield, Longest-Serving Senate Majority Leader, Dies at 98
05-Oct-01
Democrats

"After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Vice President Johnson became President, Mr. Mansfield was instrumental in the enactment of a spate of civil rights, health, education and antipoverty legislation that changed the course of the country. His leadership was essential in the passage of the Civil Right Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination in all public accommodations, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which made possible the widespread participation of Southern blacks in state and Federal elections. Ross K. Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University who specializes in Congress, calls this period 'one of the golden ages of the U.S. Senate.' Senator Mansfield's legacy, Professor Baker said, is that he sapped the influence of the inner club of a few powerful senators and 'allowed the modern Senate of equals to emerge.'" So writes the NY Times.

While Bush Hides on Ranch, Senate Democrats Get Down to Work for American People
07-Aug-01
Democrats

When it comes time to write an essay on "How I Spent My Summer Vacation," Bush's scrawled page may read something like this: "I posed for many photo ops dressed in my cool cowboy jeans and shirt." But the essays of Senate Dems would be very different: Ted Kennedy: "I mapped out a strategy for raising the minimum wage for the working poor." Harry Reid: "I tried to hammer out a way to overturn the global gag rule." John Kerry: "I planned hearings focused on raising fuel efficiency standards." Independent Jim Jeffords: "I am working with Ted Kennedy to get full funding for a program for disabled students." BTW, when Jeffords was asked how he felt about working against the GOP agenda, he replied: "That was the whole reason for the change..." The Republican Party "was too far to the right."

Dick Gephardt's Speech at Carnegie Endowment for International Affairs Makes Us Proud to Be Democrats
04-Aug-01
Democrats

The speech delivered last week (8/2/01) by House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt sounded the way a real leader should sound - something we had almost forgotten after 6 months of Bush sound bytes, platitudes and sour nothings. Gephardt's comments ranged in scope from NATO and Europe to global warming, Russian-American relations, and national defense issues. The speech had an impressive degree of complexity and command of facts, while remaining straightforward and direct, with none of the evasions we have come to expect from Bush. We are proud to share this speech with our readers and know the rest of the world will be relieved to see that leadership quality is still alive and well in Washington. It just can't be found on the right side of the fence.

Court of International Opinion: Democrats are Winning Respect and Emerging as America's True Leaders
03-Aug-01
Democrats

All Bush has to do is open his mouth to elicit smirks and jeers from both allies and enemies abroad. The Guardian dryly observed that the only person who gave Bush high marks for his last overseas jaunt was Bush. But now, when Clinton, Dick Gephardt, Barbara Boxer, Tom Daschle, Joe Lieberman, et al. speak, the world listens with interest - and respect. This week, international papers gave great attention to statements by Joe Biden (D), chairman of the senate foreign relations committee, who reassured the world that the Senate would not allow one man to push through a hawkish plan that destabilizes the world. From a glance through various overseas news outlets, we conclude that the rest of the world wholeheartedly supports the increasingly stronger stand being taken by the Democratic leadership. And, if non-corporate media polls are any gauge, at least 60% of Americans supports them too.

SC House and Gov. Hodges Prove that Co-Dependent, Deal-cutting Democrats Lose Both Respect and Votes
26-Jul-01
Democrats

Gov. Jim Hodges is increasingly seen as a one-term governor. His zeal to pass the lottery led him and some party leaders to cut deals with Republicans at the expense of electing Democrats. The lottery passed but the Democrats took a licking in the House and ultimately lost control of the Senate for the first time since Reconstruction. After winning with the support of the traditional Democratic base - workers, women, environmentalists and minorities - Hodges has failed to champion any of their causes and instead has pandered to the Chamber of Commerce. Democrats need to make sure he appoints a REAL Democrat when Strom Thurmond's seat becomes vacant.

Condit Was Much More Popular With Republicans than Democrats - Until Now
22-Jul-01
Democrats

Gary Condit (D-CA) has worked closely with the Republican right to advance their anti-Democratic agenda. Condit was the Republican Party's favorite Democrat - courted and praised by Newt Gingrich, Trent Lott, and George W. Bush, who considered him for Secretary of Agriculture. So why are the Democrats getting blamed for his activities? This is just more evidence that the corporate media is entirely controlled by Republicans.

Democrat Politics Increasingly Decided by What Democratic Voters DON'T Do
16-Jul-01
Democrats

Even though the number of Democrats in NYC far outnumbers Republicans and Indies (in fact, the GOP rolls have declined by nearly a million in the past four decades), voter turnout for Democrats has been declining. Ultimately, this apathy translated into a solid win for Mayor Giuliani. Added now to apathy is party fragmentation, with different ethnic groups opting for different candidates. This has made it easy for the GOP to instigate even deeper divisions and thereby "divide and conquer." Meanwhile, pollsters and the media compound the problem with inaccurate conclusions (most Democrats are now moderates, for example) that contributes to party division.

Democrats Need New Candidates
06-Jun-01
Democrats

Alan Ehrenhalt has a novel theory for why Democrats lost Congress in 1994. "The Democratic Party's superiority in talent, energy and commitment finally gave out. The liberal baby boom cohort was no longer entering politics, and the generation taking its place lacked any of the critical enthusiasm or motivation... This theory, if right, suggests what the Democratic Party needs to do as it gets another, albeit limited, opportunity: persuade bright young people that there are issues worthy of the sacrifices a political career entails." We agree - if you were ever interested in running for office, now is the time!

Arizona Democratic Party Protests Katherine Harris Visit on May 19
16-May-01
Democrats

This may be a first - the Arizona Democratic Party is sponsoring a protest against Katherine Harris, who is visiting AZ to raise money for right-wing for Rep. J.D. Hayworth. Our hats off to the Arizona Democrats for showing party leaders how to stand up to the criminals who stole the 2000 election!

Mike Matthews To Be Political Director For DCCC
06-May-01
Democrats

"The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has brought in Mike Matthews, a top political strategist for former presidential candidate Al Gore, to run the DCCC's political operation, ending a drawn-out process that had raised concerns about whether the committee would be ready for battle in 2002." DCCC Executive Director Howard "Wolfson and other top party strategists brushed aside speculation about the process and concerns about timing. They said only two things are important at this stage in the cycle: the ongoing redistricting process and fundraising - and in the latter category the DCCC has already had a record-breaking first quarter." Hopefully, the DCCC will get it together despite this slow start, and new Political Director Matthews will run a tougher campaign than Gore's. Memo to Mike – you will find loads of high quality opposition research at Democrats.com!

Gutless Moderates
04-May-01
Democrats

"To get a sense of which party is willing to fight hardest, compare what Republicans did to Bill Clinton during his first year in office with what Democrats are doing to Bush now. The Republicans voted as a bloc against Clinton's first budget in 1993. It fell to Democrats to squeeze out every last vote from their own ranks, and the Clinton economic plan, with its tax increases, passed by a single vote in each House. Democrats have shown no such solidarity against Bush." So writes E.J. Dionne in the Washington Post.

Florida Democrats Expose Bush's Fuzzy Math
13-Mar-01
Democrats

When Shrub traveled to Florida on Monday, he was greeted by TV ads sponsored by the Florida Democratic Party. See the ad for yourself.

John Edwards, A Man to Watch for in 2004
05-Mar-01
Democrats

Yes, the Democratic hopefuls for 2004 are already starting to make the trek out to Iowa. John Edwards, the Junior Senator from North Carolina (Jesse Helms is the Senior Senator), is a man to watch. A charismatic trial lawyer from a southern state, he has the right profile and litigator canines to put the GOP junkyard dogs in their place. But we've still got four very long years ahead of us -- and plenty of Democratic candidates who will be testing the waters in Iowa.

Is There Trouble Ahead for the GOP?
22-Feb-01
Democrats

Yes, don't abandon hope just yet. Due to a convergence of political circumstances, the GOP juggernaut may have peaked with the Supreme Court theft. Will the Democrats make a come back? Looks likely.

Another JFK for the Dems?
30-Jul-00
Democrats

Many pundits are urging Gore to run with another JFK, John F. Kerry that is. Ironically, Kerry is the junior senator from Massachusetts, yielding rank to Ted Kennedy. Kerry, a Vietnam war hero turned cautious war protestor, is being very low key about all the Veep talk. His motto for the moment is "relax" and take it easy. Kerry reveals to the Boston Globe that he is content with himself and his accomplishments, not that he would refuse an offer from Gore.

 


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