Comments on: Centrist Dems seek alliance with Republicans “of like minds”

By: Ontario Pledges $3 Billion to Mass Transit « the transport politic

Ontario Pledges $3 Billion to Mass Transit « the transport politic — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:58:35 +0000

[...] constrained in its ability to expand its spending because of concerns about budget deficits on the part of Democratic moderates in the Senate, perhaps it is time for the more progressive states to consider expanding their revenue sources for [...]

By: Ogre Mage

Ogre Mage — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:17:45 +0000

Whoops, I meant to say Bush’s tax cuts, not Bush’s tax increases.

By: Ogre Mage

Ogre Mage — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:11:45 +0000

Obama should stick to his guns on letting the Bush’s tax increases expire and the vast majority of the Senate Dem caucus will back him up, including most of this centrist group. What’s going on looks more like jockeying for influence. We have reached staggering levels of income inequality in the U.S., much of it due to the policies of the last 8 years which have caused the richest among us to have a much easier time than others.

Raising taxes has never been easy, remember how much trouble President Clinton had in 1993. He lost some Dem votes as well when he did that. And now I see that this year’s spending bill is one vote short of breaking a filibuster. Ugh. We could use Al Franken about now.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/05/AR2009030503703.html

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:01:07 +0000

Jaxx - the GOP in Bush’s day never had the majorities Dems have now. That means the Dems have a broader range of views (liberal through to conservative). I am hopefully however on healthcare because it is such a core Democratic issue. Even if one or two dems vote against (unlikely but possible) you still have several Republican senators from blue states who will be in a tight position.

2010 will bring more Democratic senators.

By: Jaxx Raxor

Jaxx Raxor — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:44:52 +0000

This is not unexpected. The Democratic party (epsecially in recent years) has been pretty fragmented in terms of ideleogly. While moderates and liberals in the GOP (especially at the federal level) are fairly scant, moderates an coservatives in Democratic party are large and very influentional, epseically with alot (if not an outright majority) of Democratic gains in Congress has consisted of moderates or conservatives. It remains to be seen how strong a moderate Dem block would be, seing as how in the Senate the members act in much more individualized way compared to the House. Yet, if this Senate Blue Dog cacus can work, it would be very powerful, because the leadership in both parties are much weaker in terms of control of the legislation compared to the leadership in the House. In terms of how far they would go in trying to oppose Obama’s agenda is unknown. Obama is still very popular among the public at large and full blown obstructionism by moderate Senate Dems is extremely unlikely. Although it could be that if Obama’s ratins weaken (more around the 50% approval rating mark) then it will be become very diffucult for Obama to get anything done, compared to Bush in how he was able to get almost anything out of the GOP controlled Congress (with Immigration reform and Social Security Reform being two key exceptions) even when he wasn’t very popular at large. GOP displine is just much stronger I guess.

By: fritz

fritz — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:40:46 +0000

This group of moderate Democrat Senators; likely to be joined by a few moderate Republicans; will have some influence on the budget and future bills but not as much as you prescribe.
First the much more liberal House will write a version of the bill that is likely to have more spending and taxes than the White House or Senate versions. Like the Stimulus bill the House and Senate bills will be joined in conference and a bill much like the one the White House wants will emerge.
Second the White House has made it’s version of the bill somewhat more liberal than it expects the final product to be knowing full well it will have to deal with moderate Democratic Senators.
As to the Health care bill that is coming soon the new public plan that is proposed and that the Republicans oppose already exists and is functioning well. It is the same plan that covers Congressmen, Senators, and public employees. It only has to be offered, as an option, to the general public. I’m not sure how the Senators can oppose a plan that they are covered by without appearing hypocritical.

By: Guy

Guy — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:59:22 +0000

Taniel - that is what I find fascinating about Hagan. She is from a purple/red state and yet she votes more progressively than other senators from safer blue states like MN, CO, PA and NH. I am glad she is my senator and I look forward to North Carolina sending another progressive Democrat in 2010 to replace Burr.

Not to make this NC centred but we are one of the few states that has not had a gay marriage banning amendment passed. I mention this because 1000 evangelicals came to Raleigh to campaign for it but the Democratic leadership in the house and senate stood firm against them. I wish other Dems would show the same level of backbone as we have down here.

By: Taniel

Taniel — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:49:38 +0000

Guy,

Indeed, Hagan’s positioning is once again very interesting. She was not been part of this centrist caucus during the stimulus, and then now again. The only time she has crossed liberals for now is on the vote on DC gun rights last week, and even Reid voted with Republicans on that one.

By: Guy

Guy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:20:48 +0000

Interesting to see that Kay Hagan is not part of the “centrist” group and she is from North Carolina. So why on earth would the Senator from Minnesota need to be a centrist if one from NC isn`t?

I am sure they will vote with the President on all issues - look at the Stimulus package or the fair pay legislation. Both received majority Dem support (or total in the case of the stimulus)