Liberal legislative caucus envisions post-Bush era

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 7/5/5 | Edward Epstein

[SmithL]

Washington -- If the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which is probably the closest thing Bay Area liberal Democrats have to a government in waiting, were to take over in Washington, these would become national policy:

Access to affordable, high-quality health care would be universal. Social Security benefits would be protected, along with private pensions. The minimum wage would be raised, and workers' rights to form unions would be protected. Expiring sections of the Patriot Act wouldn't be renewed, and Congress would fight media consolidation.

U.S. troops would be brought home from Iraq "as soon as possible,'' and the government would work to "restore international respect for American power and influence.''

All these points are part of the "Progressive Promise,'' an effort by the 59-member caucus of liberal House Democrats and one independent to reinvigorate the 15-year-old organization and make it more of a player in a capital city where conservative Republicans are solidly in charge. The effort also includes hiring the caucus' first full-time staff member, veteran congressional aide Bill Goold, and reaching out to a variety of groups for support.

[SmithL]

Drug-induced dreams.

[Luke21]

Just another advertisement masquerading as a news story pleading with people to vote Democrat, actually shhhhh, communist.

[Just A Nobody]

...actually shhhhh, communist.

Glad I'm not the only one thinking this.

[sinanju]

And do they snort the pollen of the Purple Lotus of Xuthal while they meet?

Take note of the fact that they are have to caucus in a basement stockroom and have to finance their effort with leftover money from other caucus activities. The dominant republicans in the house at least are not making nicey-nice.

[Trueblackman]

These fools use to be known as the Democratic Socialist of America, but when their ties to Socialist Groups,who called for the violent overthrow of the government were exposed they changed their name to the Progressive Caucus.

[longtermmemmory]

The progressive caucus is just a bunch of socialists. LITERALLY.

Serious, they are just the socialists who usurped a benign word.

Progressive USED to include industrial progress and capitalism, not this bs hidey word for liberals or commies.

[wolfpat]

...they are just the socialists who usurped a benign word.
That's what they do best. If you'll notice, they have usurped the term "activist judges" to describe judges who refuse to legislate from the bench.

[driftless]

Nothing new here. What these leftist loonies want is an immediate lurch to a full socialist system with the ultimate goal of ditching capitalism. In short they want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. What else can we expect from those morons?

[libs_kma]

"Access to affordable, high-quality health care would be universal. Social Security benefits would be protected, along with private pensions. The minimum wage would be raised, and workers' rights to form unions would be protected"

They lost me at affordable. With the new taxes we'd have to pay for everything, nothing would be affordable.

[thegreatbeast]

The progressive caucus is just a bunch of socialists. LITERALLY.

Bingo, give the man a cigar! But I usually take the shortcut and say "communist".

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The Democrats answer to "Contract With America."

***Behind the attempt to revitalize the organization is the feeling, also reflected in the election of the outspoken former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean as Democratic national chairman, that the party must provide a sharp alternative to President Bush and the Republican Congress.

"This is a reinvigoration. It shows our understanding of where the country is," said one of the caucus' two co-chairs, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D- Petaluma. "Democrats are hungry to hear their voice.''

Her co-chair, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, said the "Progressive Promise, " which consists of three main themes and about 20 specific pledges, is a serious document. "It is a blueprint for a progressive governing majority, and a vision for what a progressive America can and will accomplish," she said. .........***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

***.......The event was sponsored by a swarm of liberal groups eager to take on conservatives. They included MoveOn.org, the Nation magazine, the American Civil Liberties Union, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Americans for Democratic Action, the Human Rights Campaign, Peace Action and Hip Hop Caucus, and a host of others.

It was clear they are all hungry for action. "We like it when someone says no to George Bush,'' John Nichols, the Nation's Washington correspondent, told the throng. "Caucuses are beginnings. ... Caucuses can change the country, '' he said.

The Progressive Caucus began trying to change things when it was founded in 1990 by Rep. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont. It says it's the largest single caucus among House Democrats, who now number 202 in the 109th Congress, and is one of dozens of caucuses boosting all kinds of causes and concerns, from wine and hunting to the Balkans and African Americans.
..........***

[incredulous joe]

"The dominant republicans in the house at least are not making nicey-nice."

Then maybe they should padlock their stockroom and force them to meet in one of the stalls in the ladies powder room.

What a bunch of first-rate communist kook sissies!