Lamh Foistenach Abu!
Posted on 11/01/2010 5:13:31 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The man who is odds-on to be the leader of House Democrats before the week is out is trying to walk a fine line.
Within Washington, it is widely expected that 71-year-old Steny Hoyer, currently the second-ranking House Democrat, will succeed Nancy Pelosi as the party’s leader if Democrats lose control of the chamber on Tuesday (although there is talk that he may face a challenge, perhaps from Connecticut’s John Larson). But during an interview with Salon on Sunday, Hoyer was adamant that Democrats would hold on to the House, and he affably refused to answer questions on his possible ascension.
"I don’t wish to get into the hypothetical," Hoyer, now the majority leader, said. "I think the Democratic leadership will continue as it is."
Even so, a certain degree of positioning on the Maryland congressman’s part could be detected between the lines.
In the event of a Pelosi abdication, one of the challenges that will confront Hoyer will be how to win the approval of a Democratic caucus that will almost certainly have been shorn of many centrist members who would otherwise be his natural supporters. Hoyer is clearly not running from his moderate image.
Discussing the importance of bringing a greater level of civility to politics, he said, "I like to think that is the way I conduct myself. I think if you talk to Republicans in the House of Representatives, many of them would agree that’s an accurate characterization. I think it sets a tone for working together. But it takes two to tango."
It is equally obvious, however, that Hoyer doesn’t want to be seen as a pushover by his more liberal colleagues. His offer of bipartisan cooperation came hand-in-hand with a gloomy assessment of the sincerity of similar remarks emanating from Republicans.
"I hold out hope for bipartisan agreement and the ability to work together in a bipartisan fashion," he said. "But experience tells me over the past two years -- and frankly for years before that -- that there is little inclination on the part of the Republican Party to do that. And we have some really specific examples of where the Republican Party has rejected its candidates that have done that."
Into this category, Hoyer placed Bob Bennett, the senator from Utah who was defeated at a party convention earlier this year, and Delaware’s Mike Castle, who famously lost his party’s Senate nomination in the face of a Tea Party-inspired challenge from Christine O’Donnell.
Hoyer was scarcely any kinder about John Boehner, who is virtually certain to become House Speaker if Republicas win the chamber this week.
Asserting that Boehner "refers many times" to his work on the No Child Left Behind education law as an example of good-faith bipartisanship, Hoyer noted that the Ohio Republican reached across the aisle on that occasion only "when there was a Republican president asking him to do so."
He continued: "You are hard-pressed, I think, to point to an example of John Boehner cooperating with a Democratic president, whether it was Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. There has not been a lot of bipartisan cooperation coming from Mr. Boehner. He says he is prepared to do that. I don’t know if he means it."
Hoyer’s stoic insistence that the Democratic House majority would be preserved inevitably rendered many questions about how his party would act in the event of a GOP takeover out-of-bounds.
Asked about the widely reported tensions between the camps of Boehner and Eric Cantor, the GOP’s No. 2 House leader, Hoyer noted merely that "to the extent that there is not a united front among the Republican leadership, that will additionally complicate [Boehner’s] objective – if, in fact, his objective is to try to mold together some bipartisan cooperation." But he immediately added that, "Again, I don’t think he is going to be in the majority."
Hoyer stuck close to his party’s talking points, both in terms of the election and its possible aftermath. He bemoaned the "unbelievably large amounts of money being spent by anonymous groups" against his party’s candidates. And he asserted that "We’ve got to keep our focus on job creation. That is clearly the number one concern in the country. Whatever happens in the election, I think that needs to be Congress’s focus, and that’s what I think we will pursue."
Earlier this summer, Hoyer excoriated comic Stephen Colbert for his testimony, delivered in his Comedy Central character, before a House subcommittee on immigration, terming it “an embarrassment.”
But asked about Saturday’s Washington rally headlined by Colbert and Jon Stewart, Hoyer was full of praise. While he noted that he had only heard second-hand reports, he said he viewed the rally as "a very positive effort by both Colbert and Stewart to bring people together."
He added: "I think that’s what we should be doing -- talking in civil terms of the real challenges confronting our country, and not in terms of confrontation and division."
Whether Hoyer’s message of comity will resonate with liberals on Capitol Hill and beyond in the coming weeks is very much an open question.
I’m not laughing. Not until Wednesday morning.
I refuse to count chickens in advance of hatchings.
Voter fraud could very well carry the day.
I bet Steny likes the Rangers in 5 for the WS.
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
I’m with you. Take nothing for granted and act like we are ten points behind in every race. We need to make this a Crusade (implication intended).
Cong. Hoyer must be munching on some of those magic ‘shrooms that grow in his district. Either that or he needs to get to a doc stat — no other way to account for such wild hallucinations.
Never mind folks, the propaganda and voter fraud pumps are working and the ship isn’t going to sink....;-)
aint that the truth, fraud and liberal judges haven’t had their final say so yet.
we may win the votes, but lose the elections.
Is he delusional or does he know something we do not know. The dead in every voting district have already voted. The fix is in and the Dumbocrats win
While the senate is in question, for Dims to hold the house would truly take an act of GOD, and we know God does not like Marxist.
needs to be removed from gene pool.
It's time for old Steny to retire. He must be delusional.
I live in W PA and sent Lollar a donation, don't know how he's doing, but the fact that hoyer has competition is a good thing.
If the Democrats manage that much voter fraud we’ll be hanging them from lamp posts by November 4th.
We will hold house, gain 20 seats in senate, people love our glorious President and House speaker....you have to vote for our candidates to see what our candidates will do for you!!!
From http://soquelbythecreek.blogspot.com/2010/08/socialists-in-united-states-congress.html
The following members of Congress are Marxists and terrorist coddlers who have rebranded themselves as “Progressives” in an attempt to hide their agenda
Nancy Pelosi was one of the original members of the “Congressional Progressive Caucus” and only left when she was named Minority Leader.
She is now Speaker of the House and 2 heartbeats away from President of the United States.
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) was established in 1991 by five members of the United States House of Representatives: Representatives Ron Dellums (D-CA), Lane Evans (D-IL), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Maxine Waters (D-CA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Then-Representative Bernie Sanders was the convener and first. The founding members were concerned about the economic hardship imposed by the deepening recession, the growing inequality brought about by the timidity of the Democratic Party response at the time.
Additional House representatives joined soon, including Major Owens (D-NY), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), David Bonior (D-MI), Bob Filner (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Patsy Mink (D-HI), George Miller (D-CA), Pete Stark (D-CA), John Olver (D-MA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
All members are members of the Democratic Party or caucus with the Democratic Party. There are currently 82 total declared Progressives including 79 voting Representatives, 2 non-voting Delegates, and 1 Senator.
Using information from the Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets.org), I separated the members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus into four groups, based on a subjective review of his or her major contributors. Where appropriate, there is a link to an associated video highlight of the Congressman’s/women’s sheer brilliance.
[YES] = Most top campaign contributors are public-employee or labor unions
[MOSTLY] = Many top campaign contributors are public-employee or labor unions
[MIXED] = Some top campaign contributors are public-employee or labor unions, but some are not
[NO] = Few top campaign contributors are public-employee or labor unions
Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (as of 2-JUN-2010)
Co-Chairs
Hon. Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07) [YES]
Hon. Lynn Woolsey (CA-06) [YES]
Vice Chairs
Hon. Diane Watson (CA-33) [YES]
Hon. Keith Ellison (MN-05) [YES]
Hon. Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18) [YES]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “Was it the Korean War or the Vietnam War? I get confused”)
Hon. Mazie Hirono (HI-02) [MIXED]
Hon. Dennis Kucinich (OH-10) [YES]
Hon. Donna F. Edwards (MD-04) [MIXED]
Hon. Alan Grayson (FL-08) [YES]
Senate Members
Hon. Roland Burris (IL) [NO]
Hon. Bernie Sanders (VT) [YES]
Hon. Tom Udall (NM) [YES]
House Members
Hon. Tammy Baldwin (WI-02) [MOSTLY]
Hon. Xavier Becerra (CA-31) [YES]
Hon. Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) [YES]
Hon. Robert Brady (PA-01) [YES]
Hon. Corrine Brown (FL-03) [MOSTLY]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: “Rank has its privledges”)
Hon. Michael Capuano (MA-08) [MIXED]
Hon. André Carson (IN-07) [MOSTLY]
Hon. Donna Christensen (VI-AL) [NO]
Hon. Judy Chu (CA-32) [MOSTLY]
Hon. Yvette Clarke (NY-11) [YES]
Hon. William “Lacy” Clay (MO-01) [YES]
Hon. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) [MIXED]
Hon. Steve Cohen (TN-09) [MIXED]
Hon. John Conyers (MI-14) [YES]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “Read the bill”)
Hon. Elijah Cummings (MD-07) [YES]
Hon. Danny Davis (IL-07) [YES]
Hon. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) [YES]
Hon. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) [MOSTLY]
Hon. Sam Farr (CA-17) [YES]
Hon. Chaka Fattah (PA-02) [YES]
Hon. Bob Filner (CA-51) [YES]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “I’m a Congressman. I demand special treatment.”)
Hon. Barney Frank (MA-04) [MIXED] Lots of financial institutions
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “Statements on Fannie and Freddie just before the collapse”)
Hon. Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) [MIXED]
Hon. Luis Gutierrez (IL-04) [YES]
Hon. John Hall (NY-19) [MIXED]
Hon. Phil Hare (IL-17) [YES]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “I don’t care about the Constitution”)
Hon. Alcee Hastings (FL-23) [MOSTLY]
Hon. Maurice Hinchey (NY-22) [YES]
Hon. Michael Honda (CA-15) [YES]
Hon. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL-02) [MIXED]
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30) [MOSTLY]
Hon. Hank Johnson (GA-04) [YES]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “Guam might tip over and capsize”)
Hon. Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) [YES]
Hon. Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI-13) [MIXED]
Hon. Barbara Lee (CA-09) [YES]
Hon. John Lewis (GA-05) [YES]
Hon. David Loebsack (IA-02) [YES]
Hon. Ben R. Lujan (NM-3) [MIXED]
Hon. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14) [MIXED]
Hon. Ed Markey (MA-07) [NO]
Hon. Jim McDermott (WA-07) [MIXED]
Hon. James McGovern (MA-03) [YES]
Hon. George Miller (CA-07) [YES]
Hon. Gwen Moore (WI-04) [YES]
Hon. Jim Moran (VA-08) [NO]
Hon. Jerrold Nadler (NY-08) [MOSTLY]
Hon. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (DC-All) [YES]
Hon. John Olver (MA-01) [YES]
Hon. Frank Pallone (NJ-06) [YES]
Hon. Ed Pastor (AZ-04) [YES]
Hon. Donald Payne (NJ-10) [YES]
Hon. Chellie Pingree (ME-01) [MIXED]
Hon. Jared Polis (CO-02) [NO]
Hon. Charles Rangel (NY-15) [MIXED]
Hon. Laura Richardson (CA-37) [YES]
Hon. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) [YES]
Hon. Bobby Rush (IL-01) [YES]
Hon. Linda Sánchez (CA-39) [YES]
Hon. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) [YES]
Hon. José Serrano (NY-16) [YES]
Hon. Louise Slaughter (NY-28) [YES]
Hon. Pete Stark (CA-13) [MOSTLY]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “On the national debt, which is a sign of wealth(?)”)
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “Demonstrating his inate charm with a voter”)
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “On the limits of federal power - at 2:50”)
Hon. Bennie Thompson (MS-02) [YES]
Hon. John Tierney (MA-06) [YES]
Hon. Nydia Velazquez (NY-12) [YES]
Hon. Maxine Waters (CA-35) [YES]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: “Socializing, Nationalizing — so what’s the difference?”)
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: “On Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac”)
Hon. Mel Watt (NC-12) [MIXED]
Hon. Henry Waxman (CA-30) [MOSTLY]
* (VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: “Demonstrating his renowned understanding of the issues”
Hon. Peter Welch (VT-AL) [MIXED]
Posted by Soquel by the Creek at 4:54 PM
Labels: campaign financing, Congressional Progressive Caucus, CPC, Democratic Socialists of America, DSA
0 comments:
[edit] Former members
* Sherrod Brown (OH-13) - Elected to Senate
* Julia Carson (IN-07) - Died in December 2007
* Lane Evans (IL-17) - Retired from Congress
* Cynthia McKinney (GA-4) - Lost Congressional seat to current caucus member Hank Johnson
* Major Owens (NY-11) - Retired from Congress
* Nancy Pelosi (CA-8) - Left Caucus when Elected House Minority Leader
* Hilda Solis (CA-32) - Became Secretary of Labor in 2009
* Stephanie Tubbs Jones (OH-11) - Died in 2008
* Tom Udall (NM Senate)
* Paul Wellstone (MN Senate) - Died in plane crash in 2002
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.