Posted on 11/28/2006 7:49:20 AM PST by presidio9
Three Democratic congressmen who are about to take important leadership posts said on Sunday they plan to pass popular legislation blocked by Republicans but would refrain from pushing some of the most controversial elements on the liberal agenda.
The three, appearing on Fox News Sunday, are among the most liberal Democrats who will take over key committee chairmanships when Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives in January.
Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who will take over the U.S. House of Representatives committee that covers banking and other financial institutions, mentioned raising the minimum wage, providing cheaper drug coverage for the elderly and providing more affordable housing and help with college tuition as the focus of Democratic legislation.
"Our first efforts are going to be to do those things that I think the mainstream of America wants," Frank said. "Some things have become liberal because the right wingers who control the Republican party have abandoned them to us."
Asked about his opposition to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gay service men and women, Frank, one of the few openly gay members of the House, said he would fight discrimination but that issue was "not what we're going to begin with."
"Democrats like winning elections," said Rep. John Dingell of Michigan, the incoming chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the longest serving member of the House.
"We want to win elections and we're going to do our best to do so," he said. "This doesn't mean to get into any extreme positions on any matter. We'll do what makes good sense."
Rep. Charles Rangel of New York, who is about to become chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee which handles tax matters, said, "We don't want really a fight with the president. What we want to do is to prove we can govern for the next two years."
While he stood by his proposal to bring back the military draft to spread the burden of the Iraq war more evenly throughout U.S. society, Rangel said he would not push the issue and recognizes the obstacles to it ever passing.
He pointed out that Democrats' majority in House and especially in the Senate was thin and in the end President George W. Bush always had the power to veto what Congress passes.
What happened to free enterprise. This is nothing more than vote buying. Rope in the elderly, work on the youth going to college, and finish up with a minimum wage joke for the poor. Wow, what a winner. If the RATS can't get the votes, they will use government to buy them.
Don't forget the criminalization of Christianity and the two parent, mother and father family
I say we line them all up and hold them to their promise under penalty of death (or perhaps severe paper cuts) if they break their promisses http://sacredscoop.com
Right. I will hold my breath.
Like "common sense" gun control. National Health care, prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of "sexual orientation", and so forth. All just good sense.
And of course, "Cut and Run" that's real good sense, anti American liberal style.
I'd much prefer Larry, Moe and Curly over these three.
Precisely.
I hope all those people who said we'd get the Congress back in 2008 are happy.
Then why did they work so hard to get elected?
Their goal is to recapture the White House and gain a clear liberal majority in the legislature.
Then they will be able to push their agenda through with relative ease.
If they show their hands now, they are likely to lose their slim majority in the House and Senate and lose the White House again.
They'll complain about how hard it is to clean up the mess Republicans have made of things and continue with the blame game for two more years. It's worked well for them so far. Their complaining without presenting a real plan of their own has gained them much more than they've gained in the past by presenting their own plans. The public doesn't tend to like the socialist plans they come up with.
sure, of course the liberals believe all their ideas are not liberal.
Notice how they caled their plans "populist"
Too bad the left is not bound by truth in advertising laws.
Exactly - lyin' sacks each one of 'em - Ping!
"We, the democrat party, will eat only ONE Lay's Potato Chip!"
If this is true, then either the Democrat Party is prime for a serious rupture...or it's been neutered.
This is the Democrat-media complex plan:
- Redefine liberalism as "centrism"
- Anything not liberal is 'right-wing extremism' etc.
"Gutting the military, opening the borders, al Quada bill of rights, abortion (both government funded and on demand) are all considered "moderate" positions in the new Democrat Majority."
Correct.
"The dems ran on no agenda. They have nothing to govern with. They are "hate Bush" 24/7. Welp, now they have to govern."
Well, they wont do anything conservative. Which means a $1 trillion tax increase by 2009 because the tax cuts expire. Whatever they do liberal will be in stealth mode - funding the liberals and the left in many hidden ways, creating 'investigations' to push the administration around to do liberal things.
"If this is true ..."
How can you tell when a Democrat lies?
Their lips move.
You are a liar if you say this and don't make the Bush tax cuts permanent. If you don't do that you (a) have a fight with Bush and (b) are unable to govern.
Bush needs to introduce bills and make these frauds vote. Keep exposing them. This is the party that is fighting for terrorist rights.
Quote: "Well, they wont do anything conservative. Which means a $1 trillion tax increase by 2009 because the tax cuts expire."
Actually, it will be long before 2009 due to the AMT. They have to do something about it. Why? Because the people it affects the most are in blue states where the state taxes are so high as to constitute deductions that trigger the AMT, a truly burdensome monster. In addition, in the blue as blue states states (NY, NJ, CA, etc.), living is so expensive that making 100K or more isn't exactly existing high on the hog.
The kicker? There is NO way the dems will ever find a way to fix the AMT because that would amount to a tax cut. Cue the Clinton lip biting moment. Of course, the dems are banking on the fact that no matter what they do, the zombies in the blue states will keep voting for them. They are probably not all that wrong, but wrong enough to tip some elections.
The AMT illustrates how the dems have managed to hide from the reality of what they mean by "tax cuts for the rich." The so called "rich" in the dem definition of things is anyone making a living and it ignores regional differences in the cost of living. Now, they come into office saying they want to help the middle class. But to the dems, the middle class are below the poverty line.
The true middle class, who bought the dems "help the middle class" line, are going to discover something horrid, namely, that according to the dems they are really rich. Are congratulations in order. Hey, family of four making ends meet and saving for college, congratulations, you are now rich!!! Oh, you didn't win the lottery and aren't getting any extra money, but please pay up your "fair share" a dictated by the AMT!!!! Oh, and embrace your socialist masters on the way out the door.
Don't forget that banning semi auto weapons is considered a "Moderate" position within the Democratic party.
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