Posted on 09/26/2002 8:42:10 PM PDT by PhiKapMom
DASCHLE’S FRUSTRATION BOILS OVER
September 26, 2002
Daschle Takes The Senate Floor With An Outburst. No Wonder, With A Do-Nothing Record Like His, You’d Be Frustrated Too!
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“Daschle is totally frustrated.”
(Morton Kondracke On FOX’s “Special Report With Brit Hume,” September 25, 2002)
“I think it is something that’s been building. And Daschle has been under a lot of pressure from those liberals in this party that are uncomfortable with the idea of any war with Iraq.”
(Jonathan Karl On CNN’s “NewsNight,” September 25, 2002)
“At first Mr. Daschle said he wanted an extended debate about a possible war. Then he panicked after it became clear that such a debate would put the most vulnerable Senate Democrats on the spot in the election.”
(Editorial, “The Healthy Politics Of Iraq,” The New York Times, September 26, 2002)
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DASCHLE HAS ONLY HIMSELF TO BLAME: HE HAS MADE LEGISLATIVE PROMISES . . .
In May, Senator Daschle (D-SD) Promised A Budget. “Well, we’re going to have a budget plan that constrains spending. That will happen . . . we are going to get to it. That is going to be something that will happen.”
(NBC’s “Meet The Press,” May 26, 2002)
Senator Daschle “Vowed” That The Senate Would Act On Pension Reform. Daschle “vowed to take up a potentially key election issue ― pension reform . . . as soon as a homeland security bill is completed.”
(“Daschle: Pension Reform Will Follow Homeland Debate,” National Journal’s CongressDaily, August 1, 2002)
Senator Daschle “Had Said Repeatedly That He Hoped To Bring Up The [Homeland Security] Legislation Before The [August] Recess . . . .”
(Bill Miller and Helen Dewar, “Senate To Delay Voting On Homeland Department,” The Washington Post, July 30, 2002)
In June, Senator Daschle Said He Was Committed To Passing Welfare Reform. “In June, when the Senate Finance Committee passed its welfare bill, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, South Dakota Democrat, said he was committed ‘to getting this bill -- including strong child care provisions -- enacted this year.’”
(Cheryl Wetzstein, “Welfare Reform Winds Up On Back Burner,” The Washington Times, August 22, 2002)
. . . HIS DEMOCRAT SENATE CANNOT KEEP.
The Homeland Security Debate Continues Because Senator Daschle Cannot “Rein In” Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV). Daschle and the Senate Democrats had planned to approve a Department of Homeland Security by mid-September, and then move on to other issues. “But the homeland security debate has dragged on and appears set to continue dragging on for at least another week or two, partly because of Daschle’s apparent inability to rein in Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), who has filibustered portions of the bill.”
(Paul Kane and Mark Preston, “War Of Words Snarls Senate,” Roll Call, September 26, 2002)
Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) Said Democrats Appear To Be “Undermining” President Bush On Homeland Security. “We are not doing our party any good by feeding the perception that Democrats are undermining the president of the United States on the war on terrorism . . . . I can think of no more unattractive picture our party could have projected six weeks out from an election than what’s taken place on the floor of the Senate the past three weeks. . . . And if somehow, some way, the Democratic leadership is successful in defeating or even weakening the president’s national security legislation, we will be slitting our own throats.”
(Senator Zell Miller, Press Release, September 19, 2002)
The New York Times Called Senator Daschle’s Performance On Key Legislative Issues “Shaky.” “Mr. Daschle’s performance in the spotlight has been shaky. He failed to round up the votes to pass a bill providing prescription drugs for the elderly. He could not win passage of an overall budget resolution . . . . The worst part, for him, was that these defeats came as much at the hands of Democrats as Republicans.”
(Editorial, “Congress’s Mixed Handiwork,” The New York Times, August 3, 2002)
THE RECORD OF DASCHLE’S FAILED LEADERSHIP
BUDGET: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Failed To Pass A Budget ― A Historic Failure (190 Days Since The House Passed Its Budget).
(Senator Don Nickles [R-OK], Press Conference, August 1, 2002; H. Con. Res. 353, Roll Call #79: Agreed To 221-209: R 219-2; D 1-206; I 1-1, March 20, 2002)
PENSION REFORM: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Failed To Pass Pension Reform (168 Days Since The House Passed Pension Reform).
(H.R. 3762, Roll Call #92: Approved 255-163: R 208-2; D 46-160; I 1-1, April 11, 2002)
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Failed To Pass Prescription Drug Coverage For Seniors (90 Days Since The House Passed Prescription Drug Coverage).
(H.R. 4954, Roll Call #282: Passed 221-208: R 212-8; D 8-199, June 28, 2002)
HOMELAND SECURITY: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Failed To Allow A Vote On Homeland Security
(62 Days Since The House Passed Homeland Security). (H.R. 5005, Roll Call #367: Approved 295-132: R 207-10; D 88-120; I 0-2, July 26, 2002)
TERRORISM INSURANCE: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Not Sent The President Terrorism Insurance Legislation Necessary To Create Jobs And Expand The Economy (301 Days Since The House Passed Terrorism Insurance).
(President Bush As Quoted In Andrew Taylor, “Senate Gets Some GOP Support In Passage Of Terrorism Insurance Bill,” Congressional Quarterly, June 22, 2002; Morton Kondracke, “Trial Lawyers As A Political Issue,” The San Diego Union-Tribune, July 28, 2002)
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Stalled President Bush’s Judicial Nominations. Many of President Bush’s judicial nominations have been stalled in the Senate for over a year. Number of Bush nominations: 127. Number of Bush confirmations: 79. Number of nominees waiting to be confirmed: 46.
(“Status Of Article III Judicial Nominations,” Senate Judiciary Committee, September 25, 2002)
FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Failed To Pass The President’s Faith-Based Initiatives
(69 Days Since The House Passed Faith-Based Initiatives). (H.R. 7, Roll Call #254: Passed 233-198: R 217-4; D 15-193; I 1-1, July 19, 2001)
WELFARE REFORM: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Failed To Pass Welfare Reform Legislation (133 Days Since The House Reauthorized Welfare Reform).
(H.R. 4737, Roll Call #170: Approved 229-197: R 214-4; D 14-192; I 1-1, May 16, 2002)
TAX CUTS: Daschle And The Democrat Senate Have Failed To Make The President’s Tax Cut Permanent And Permanently Eliminate The Marriage Penalty (161 Days Since The House Voted To Make The President’s Tax Cuts Permanent; 105 Days Since The House Voted To Abolish The Marriage Penalty).
(H.R. 586, Roll Call #103: Passed 229-198: R 219-1; D 9-196; I 1-1, April 18, 2002; H.R. 4019, Roll Call #229: Passed 271-142: R 210-0; D 60-141; I 1-1, June 13, 2002)
A Publication from the RNC Research & Strategic Planning Department
It won't wash. It doesn't compute. Voters in November are going to punish Democrats who slander and malign "their" president.
Talking heads have attributed all sorts of motives to Daschle's outburst. Even Mathews tonight, called it a hissy fit. Daschle's temper tantrum was contrived, phoney, and staged, nothing genuine about it. I think people sense that already.
Hey. I'd like to meet her. I love those long pink ears. I'll send a couple troopers, er, secret service guys over to bring her to my room. Just as soon as I order ice, find my antibiotics and canker cream.
--- Bill.
Daschle is such a frickin' liar and partisan it is sickening. The RNC should show ads of Daschle supporting Clinton's Iraq policy and then show him equivocating when it comes to Bush's.
And why did the Dems support stupid military adventures like Haiti and Kosovo? I mean, really, was our national security threatened in those cases? Give me a break tommy.
It's going to be a long 5 1/2 weeks.
Daschle looks like such a dip. Instead of debating about Homeland Security and the War on Terrorism, he's debating about the DEBATE! What a moron. And to think, our tax dollars go to support this! Outrageous.
DEM 2: Yea, the little short guy is cute. I didn't realize that the San Francisco telephone books were so big now. Makes him look taller though.
DEM 3: But that Gore! Oh he is so hot! But the lisp is a bit much. Even here. I didn't know they still made that spray on hair stuff. Don't stare. But it's not working! I can see that bald spot. And that sock in his pants? Oh dear!
DEM 1: Gore hot? Oh yea. He sweats like, like, uh a darn pig. Or Anna Nicole. Hey who is everyone voting for president this next time?
ALL - BUSH!
Why of course I do.
If Kalifornicators don't voluntarily board mass-transit, I think that Gray Davis should call out the National Guard, barricade the highways, and force commuters onto those trolleys using bayonets and cattle prods. </sarcasm>
Over 14 million Americans use mass-transit on a daily basis. In uban areas, it is often faster, less expensive and more convenient than fighting congested traffic and limited parking.
Furthermore, new technologies such as high-speed rail (190 mph) and Maglev (300 mph) promise to occupy a competitive alternative to automobiles or short-hop air travel for intercity regional trips between 100 miles and 450 miles in distance. Faster than car, more convenient and less expensive than air, high-speed rail and Maglev are the transportation of the future!
1) They will bring up immigration issues.
2) They will bring up "Big Government" issues.
3) They will bring up CFR.
4) They will bring up Tariffs.
5) And they will try and paint the economy in it's worst possible light, even though we are not in a recession.
The media will do all they can to help the RATS as they dodge the fact that Tom Daschle has presided over the least productive and most partisan Senate in American history. The 107th Congress will go down as a disaster for the Democrats. History has a way of focusing on things like the Jeffords flip. History will show that Tom Daschle bribed his way into the Senate Majority Seat and he was so weak he couldn't accomplish nothing, just partisan politics and underhanded attacks on a President in a time of war.
The facts that are recorded in history can be spun by pundits and miss-represented by the media, But scholars and reasonable minds will remember the Senate in the 107th Congress as the least productive and the most obstructive. The Democratic leadership will be remembered for things like "What did he know... And when did he know it" These things don't sit well in history. And when we consider the fact that the Clinton Administration was the most corrupt and disgraceful administration in our history. The Democrats have done much harm to themselves and the nation in the past 10 years.
Many of us have wanted to see justice served to the Clinton/Gore Administration when George W. Bush, and many have demanded he go after them as soon as he was sworn in. But I believe the Bush promise of a "New Tone" in Washington D.C. is what has caused the Democrats to self-destruct. They wanted to see a mud-slinging contest to bolster their assertions that the Republican's are just plain mean. But after GWB has been served several un-warranted attacks without a single return volley. The Democrats have been shown to be the mean spirited ones and as the mid-term elections draw near, we can only expect more of the same and most likely worse.
The facts are that George W. Bush has managed to out-smart the democrats on every issue and the desperation is showing BIG TIME
Out of Control
It begins to creep into your thoughts that you could lose the slim majority in the Senate. You create a strategy and methods of applying tactics to gain some breathing room over the other party. You think you've got them cornered on corporate corruption. But then it all falls apart and you're right back where you started.
Several strategy sessions and tactical maneuvers later you begin to sense that your party may actually be losing ground. It's two months before the mid-term elections and your worries escalate.
The September 11, memorial anniversary has the people reflecting on the past year's progress on the war on terrorism. That week, nearly a dozen suspected terrorists and one sleeper cell are rounded up.
Then it happens. The opposing party, lead by the President, publicly goes on the offensive -- putting the people ahead of politics. Now you're really worried about the very real possibility of losing control of the Senate.
Disregarding your party colleagues' advice, you attack the President -- proclaiming he's playing politics. It backfires. Yet it's his initiative that has again warmed with the people that has griped your thoughts and fear. By now you've confirmed to the people why they're so relieved to have the President on their side.
For six months nearly every strategy and tactic has failed to gain any breathing room and your latest gaff has set you back, losing ground. There's but five weeks until the mid-term elections. Faced with the people's President you're swimming upstream against a head win.
You must push on or drown. What to do? You need a blockbuster strategy to regain the ground you lost. Time is running out. You're desperate.
Should you cut your losses and bite the bullet? You decide damage control is out of the question. You push ahead to devise a blockbuster strategy. All the while knowing that if you fail all hopes of maintaining a Senate majority are lost. Even worse, if the last big strategy backfires you could sink the whole ship -- mates and all.
President Bush is In Control
Come November 6, 2002, so will the Republican House and Senate.
LOL - funny but sooooooo sad and true.
Open Invitation to Join Daschle Dem Watch Ping List. If anyone wants to join, please post it here on the thread. My freepmail is swamped. Thanks, floriduh voter.
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