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Not At My Table - Political Discussions => National & International Politics => Topic started by: Conan71 on October 06, 2006, 03:14:17 PM

Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Conan71 on October 06, 2006, 03:14:17 PM
Does she really have the b[:O]lls to pull everything off in the first 100 hours?  

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061006/ap_on_el_ge/pelosi_time_1

I'll give her credit, at least *someone* is talking about action in Washington.  But where have we heard congress was going to cut out the lobbying system/money influence before?  I wonder if she's consulted Soros on this?
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: sgrizzle on October 06, 2006, 03:39:54 PM
It's good to dream..
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Chicken Little on October 06, 2006, 04:30:23 PM
quote:
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is thinking 100 hours, time enough, she says, to begin to "drain the swamp" after more than a decade of Republican rule.
Nice metaphor.  I'll give her some credit, too.  Its incredibly refreshing to see a lead Democrat who isn't yammering that  DLC (//%22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Leadership_Council%22),'Republican Lite', gobbledy-gook.    

Instead of bringing left and right to the center as advertised, the DLC has pushed politics so far to the right that most "real" issues are now ignored.  The DLC provided the petri dish that allowed Rush Limbaugh and the "culture wars" to grow.  

At the same time, the DLC buried the Democrat's own traditional populist, pocketbook issues in a blatantly greedy attempt to appeal to their corporate sponsors.  Look how that's worked out for the average American.

In the end, standing in the middle means nothing if the other side is willing to go to the freaky fringe.  It doesn't win elections, and it doesn't win corporate sponsors either,...not when the Republicans are willing to give away more.  

You may not agree with the things for which she stands, but at least she's standing for something.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: sgrizzle on October 06, 2006, 08:11:47 PM
I admire her stand, just don't give her much of a shot at achieving it in that timeframe.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Hometown on October 09, 2006, 11:37:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Chicken Little

quote:
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is thinking 100 hours, time enough, she says, to begin to "drain the swamp" after more than a decade of Republican rule.
Nice metaphor.  I'll give her some credit, too.  Its incredibly refreshing to see a lead Democrat who isn't yammering that  DLC (//%22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Leadership_Council%22),'Republican Lite', gobbledy-gook.    

Instead of bringing left and right to the center as advertised, the DLC has pushed politics so far to the right that most "real" issues are now ignored.  The DLC provided the petri dish that allowed Rush Limbaugh and the "culture wars" to grow.  

At the same time, the DLC buried the Democrat's own traditional populist, pocketbook issues in a blatantly greedy attempt to appeal to their corporate sponsors.  Look how that's worked out for the average American.

In the end, standing in the middle means nothing if the other side is willing to go to the freaky fringe.  It doesn't win elections, and it doesn't win corporate sponsors either,...not when the Republicans are willing to give away more.  

You may not agree with the things for which she stands, but at least she's standing for something.



"It doesn't win elections."

It won two terms to the White House.

The economic prosperity that people experienced under Clinton was a whole lot of something.

We have yet to see if a move to the left would fly.  I'm not sure that the critical mass that it would take to move us beyond the Reagan era has happened and the Democrats' next leader may be another Democrat operating in a Republican defined era.  As Bill Clinton used to say, a little of what you want is better than none of what you want.  

You got to sell it to the hicks.  Right Cubs?

Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Chicken Little on October 10, 2006, 01:08:49 AM
I have to disagree with you.  Clinton's personality won him those elections, not the DLC.

DLC's track record:
Welfare Reform = win
Earned Income Tax Credit = win
NAFTA, CAFTA = loss
Turning their back on labor = loss
Invading Iraq = loss
Kerry = loss
Driving the right into Dobson land = loss

The DLC's successes were early and shortlived.  They took the 'big money' and rolled over on the American worker.  Then the Republicans one-upped 'em and created the corporate kleptocracy we have today.  The DLC was a clever, post-Reagan tactic that never should have evolved into a long-term strategy.
quote:
We have yet to see if a move to the left would fly.
What other choice does the American worker have?    Wait for the US to close the wage gap with El Salvador?  Go off and fight some neocon's war?  Stand by idly and watch the Republicans and the DLC steal our jobs, our health care, and our social security?  Not me, man; soup lines are not my style.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Hometown on October 10, 2006, 09:32:43 AM
Clinton's trifurcating (spelling?  word?) helped us capture the center.  Bush won his first term by imitating Clinton.  Remember compassionate conservatism and his first convention with Bob and Elizabeth Dole on the stage holding hands with every Black the Republicans could drum up (them looking like "what are we doing here")?  Of course, we had been lied to.

Despite your criticism, there is no question in my mind that the American worker would be better off under DLC leadership than Republican.

We are never going back to old style Liberalism.  The next shift to the left will not look like the last Liberal era.  But I'm not convinced we are ready -- as much as I want it to happen.  I don't sense any watershed events in the making.  We may still have some poison in the system to work out with another awful chapter of the Reagan era.

But your thinking is refreshing and contains some original perspectives.

Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: iplaw on October 10, 2006, 02:55:37 PM
triangulating...

quote:
Remember compassionate conservatism and his first convention with Bob and Elizabeth Dole on the stage holding hands with every Black the Republicans could drum up (them looking like "what are we doing here")? Of course, we had been lied to.


Bush has had more minorities in his cabinet than any other president in history...but I guess they are all uncle tom's to you.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Hometown on October 10, 2006, 04:19:00 PM
quote:
Originally posted by iplaw

triangulating...

quote:
Remember compassionate conservatism and his first convention with Bob and Elizabeth Dole on the stage holding hands with every Black the Republicans could drum up (them looking like "what are we doing here")? Of course, we had been lied to.


Bush has had more minorities in his cabinet than any other president in history...but I guess they are all uncle tom's to you.



Triangulating.  Thank you.  He would identify the left position and the right position and take a stand in the middle -- triangulating.

The Republicans and Blacks.  I remember the Willie Horton days iplaw.  Now, I think your party has taken a look at the demographics and sees a future in being more inclusive.  But you are still at the window dressing stage.  You guys only really care about one color -- green.  Go and tell that to your churchgoing friends.




Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Conan71 on October 10, 2006, 04:31:59 PM
I still remember the George Wallaces of the Democratic party, so what's your point?  

Willie Horton was actually brought up in the Democratic primaries by Al Gore in 1988 before Bush I seized the opportunity.  Willie Horton was a metaphor that was critical of the Mass. criminal furlough program that Dukakis was a proponent of.

Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: iplaw on October 10, 2006, 04:33:20 PM
Why do you keep assuming I go to church?  

It's too bad you can't see that both parties have no interest in you other than your vote.  No one gives two sh!ts about your special interests or proclivities past whether you are pulling the lever for them or the other guy.  

You just object to the fact that the Rep party doesn't feign an interest in you, as that is all the Dem party does.  Too bad you can't see that you are being patronized for your vote...
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Hometown on October 11, 2006, 10:12:54 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71

I still remember the George Wallaces of the Democratic party, so what's your point?  

Willie Horton was actually brought up in the Democratic primaries by Al Gore in 1988 before Bush I seized the opportunity.  Willie Horton was a metaphor that was critical of the Mass. criminal furlough program that Dukakis was a proponent of.





Willie Horton was a political ad that played the race card.  It was put together by your then current chief mud slinger.  It was just a few years ago that your party apologized to Blacks for your history of racism.  Sometimes, it helps to have a memory.


Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: iplaw on October 11, 2006, 10:18:03 AM
quote:

It was just a few years ago that your party apologized to Blacks for your history of racism.


I must have missed this press conference.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Hometown on October 11, 2006, 10:19:55 AM
quote:
Originally posted by iplaw

Why do you keep assuming I go to church?  

It's too bad you can't see that both parties have no interest in you other than your vote.  No one gives two sh!ts about your special interests or proclivities past whether you are pulling the lever for them or the other guy.  

You just object to the fact that the Rep party doesn't feign an interest in you, as that is all the Dem party does.  Too bad you can't see that you are being patronized for your vote...



Both parties serve their constituents.  

The Republicans work for the Upper Class, Corporate America, Doctors and more recently the Religious Right.

The Democrats' constituents include Attorneys, Labor Unions, Jewish Community and the Middle and Working Classes.

Serve me, individually?  Of course not.  But my party serves my demographic.





Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Hometown on October 11, 2006, 10:24:51 AM
quote:
Originally posted by iplaw

quote:

It was just a few years ago that your party apologized to Blacks for your history of racism.


I must have missed this press conference.



I'd spend some time doing research to answer your question but then I'd know that I really don't have a life and I'd have to say goodbye to TulsaNow.

Take my word for it iplaw.  I was born and raised in Tulsa, when Tulsa was about as straight and narrow as you can get, and I have always practiced the ethics important to Tulsans.

Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Conan71 on October 11, 2006, 10:46:07 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Hometown

quote:
Originally posted by Conan71

I still remember the George Wallaces of the Democratic party, so what's your point?  

Willie Horton was actually brought up in the Democratic primaries by Al Gore in 1988 before Bush I seized the opportunity.  Willie Horton was a metaphor that was critical of the Mass. criminal furlough program that Dukakis was a proponent of.





Willie Horton was a political ad that played the race card.  It was put together by your then current chief mud slinger.  It was just a few years ago that your party apologized to Blacks for your history of racism.  Sometimes, it helps to have a memory.






Nice bob-and-weave, Hometown.

Okay, I'll bite, when did the Democrats apologize for their racist behavior?  Or do you not remember that it was many southern Democrats who railed the loudest against integration?

Willie Horton was a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, who was out on a weekend furlough from prison when he raped a woman after severely beating and stabbing her boyfriend.

The ads were run with the intent to show Dukakis was soft on crime with a controversial "rehabilitative" furlough program that he refused to veto as governor of Mass.  He responded in kind with an ad that featured the facts and photo of a hispanic who escaped from a halfway house in Arizona, yet I don't recall anyone saying that Dukakis was racist or a xenophobe.

At the very worst, the Bush I campaign was guilty of fear-mongering, implying that Dukakis, if elected, would let criminals run loose all over the country.

The Willie Horton ads were never a racial issue until the biggest liberal race-baiter of all, Jesse Jackson said they were.  

The real issue before Jackson entered the picture was that the ads were being run by some sort of "watch-dog" group with suspected ties to Bush I and it was considered "soft" campaigning.

If there was any discrimination at all, it was against convicted felons, which it wouldn't have surprised me if nut-job lefties had stepped up even if Horton was white to say they were discriminating against a convict who was a victim of his past.

For a good historical, balanced, perspective on this, scroll down to the March 17th, 2004 Roger Simon commentary.

http://www.rogersimon.com/archive/2004_03.html
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: iplaw on October 11, 2006, 10:48:29 AM
quote:

Take my word for it iplaw.


No thanks.  I prefer that people back their claims up with substantive evidence rather than personal opinion.

quote:

The Democrats' constituents include Attorneys


Forgive me if I chortle at this...

quote:

The Democrats' constituents include Attorneys, Labor Unions, Jewish Community and the Middle and Working Classes.

Serve me, individually? Of course not. But my party serves my demographic.


Boy you like to use sweeping generalizations don't you?  If you were correct in asserting that the ENTIRE middle and working class was Dem then why is the country virtually split down the middle in terms of party affiliation?

Your party tells you what you want to hear to get your vote.  You are a vote to them, nothing more.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Hometown on October 11, 2006, 12:56:54 PM
Okay I admit it.  I don't have a life.

It was back in 2005 that your Party apologized to Blacks.

"Thursday, July 14, 2005; Page A04

It was called "the southern strategy," started under Richard M. Nixon in 1968, and described Republican efforts to use race as a wedge issue -- on matters such as desegregation and busing -- to appeal to white southern voters.

Ken Mehlman, the Republican National Committee chairman, this morning will tell the NAACP national convention in Milwaukee that it was 'wrong.'"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/13/AR2005071302342.html

Anyway, remember to be nice iplaw.  I'm the guy that's going to pull you out of the quicksand even though you are a Republican.

Conan71, Sweetheart you are absolutely right.  If you go far enough back the Democrats were the "White Man's Party."  But that was a very long time ago and we have done much to right our past wrongs.  And my party has taken a lot of hits for having the guts to the do the right thing.  I'm glad you guys are starting to follow our lead, but you've got a ways to go and you will have to eventually craft policies that actually benefit Blacks.

You're right iplaw.  Best not to rely on my word.  At least until you get to know me a little better.  Maybe after I pull you out of the quicksand things will be different.  

Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Conan71 on October 11, 2006, 01:47:02 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Hometown

Okay I admit it.  I don't have a life.

It was back in 2005 that your Party apologized to Blacks.

"Thursday, July 14, 2005; Page A04

It was called "the southern strategy," started under Richard M. Nixon in 1968, and described Republican efforts to use race as a wedge issue -- on matters such as desegregation and busing -- to appeal to white southern voters.

Ken Mehlman, the Republican National Committee chairman, this morning will tell the NAACP national convention in Milwaukee that it was 'wrong.'"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/13/AR2005071302342.html

Anyway, remember to be nice iplaw.  I'm the guy that's going to pull you out of the quicksand even though you are a Republican.

Conan71, Sweetheart you are absolutely right.  If you go far enough back the Democrats were the "White Man's Party."  But that was a very long time ago and we have done much to right our past wrongs.  And my party has taken a lot of hits for having the guts to the do the right thing.  I'm glad you guys are starting to follow our lead, but you've got a ways to go and you will have to eventually craft policies that actually benefit Blacks.

You're right iplaw.  Best not to rely on my word.  At least until you get to know me a little better.  Maybe after I pull you out of the quicksand things will be different.  





I hate to pull out my trump card, but, alas, you have forced my hand.  MLK was a Republican and you are re-writing history to say that Republicans followed the Democrats lead.  You seem to forget that the Republican party was founded as an anti-slave party:

http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.DYK-Why%20MLK%20was%20a%20Republican&tp_preview=true

A very un-refutable source.  Why is it many successful and well-educated African-Americans are registered Republicans?  Are they all Uncle Toms?

What favors have the Democrats done to coddle the votes of the A-A population?  A bunch of social programs and hand-outs that have continued to mire African-Americans at the lowest socio-economic level.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Conan71 on October 11, 2006, 02:31:00 PM
And here's what black Democrats have to say about the Democratic party, Hometown:

http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/sayitloud/kane921
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: USRufnex on October 15, 2006, 02:31:02 AM
http://www.facsnet.org/issues/faith/smith.php

http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/stateof/hutchinsonreport929
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: papaspot on October 15, 2006, 08:02:18 AM
quote:
Originally posted by iplaw

triangulating...

quote:
Remember compassionate conservatism and his first convention with Bob and Elizabeth Dole on the stage holding hands with every Black the Republicans could drum up (them looking like "what are we doing here")? Of course, we had been lied to.


Bush has had more minorities in his cabinet than any other president in history...but I guess they are all uncle tom's to you.



He's also got more positions to work with to go along with his much bigger government.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: papaspot on October 15, 2006, 08:08:15 AM
quote:
Originally posted by iplaw

If you were correct in asserting that the ENTIRE middle and working class was Dem then why is the country virtually split down the middle in terms of party affiliation?



I also prefer that people back their claims up with substantive evidence rather than personal opinion. So what's your source on that?
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: aoxamaxoa on October 15, 2006, 12:34:05 PM
Snap!

"Pelosi's Moment"  
by William Greider

"If Democrats take back control of the House of Representatives next month, they could become the dynamic wedge that starts to revitalize national politics. How? By legislating aggressively on ignored issues that people care about."

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061030/greider

"If Representative Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic minority leader, becomes Speaker of the House, that is a big deal in itself. She will have reached the highest position of power (third in the line of presidential succession) ever achieved by a woman. The right demonizes her and the media occasionally make light of her skills, but Pelosi is stronger and tougher than her reputation. "Anybody who's ever dealt with me knows not to mess with me," Pelosi told Time magazine. She has consolidated her power where it counts, within the Democratic caucus. "

Duck and cover all you neo cons and republijerks!
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: Conan71 on October 16, 2006, 10:05:42 AM
So this article pretty much predicts what anyone with any sense already knows.  If the Democrats take the House majority, there will be a two year log-jam in legislation with a GOP president and if the Senate keeps a GOP majority.

I would also look for legislators to waste time on impeachment proceedings, just as Republicans did with Clinton, instead of working on substantive issues which matter most to the average American.

I believe the article is pretty naive when it predicts a major revolution in 2008 into a "reform" era.  All you will be able to expect in today's political landscape will be less and less compromise and more one-upmanship from both parties.

Looking in the rearview mirror at "The Contract For America" I hold very little optimism for "A New Direction for America".  Revolutions in Congress mean little these days for the average American.  

James Baker was on Hannity and Colmes a couple of weeks ago and made a great observation that the rift between conservatives and liberals is so sharp now that it's nearly impossible for compromise on Capital Hill.  He said in his opinion that politics became far more partisan after 1993.  The reason Reagan was able to push a lot of his agenda is there was far more room for compromise back in the '80's and before.

IOW, come 2008, America will have moved no further forward, and the finger pointing will be even worse as to which party is to blame.  The real truth is, no one in Washington seems to care anymore about finding compromises, they would rather stand around and point at the other party's failures.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: aoxamaxoa on October 16, 2006, 11:36:15 AM
Way to turn the article around. The reason Reagan was able to get legislation through was his leadership skills. Same with Clinton.

I say it's time to let the women run our country and see what happens. That limp lip in there now along with all his lackies in congress have done nothing good for us.

BTW, noticed over the weekend that %60 of school children in the USA lie, cheat and steal to get what they want. I do not think those figures were anywhere close to that 3 years ago.

Lying comes from the top down. Real family values indeed....this will further erode our American moral fiber. And now it's your turn to close your eyes and point your finger at the democrats, conman.
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: aoxamaxoa on October 18, 2006, 11:53:24 PM
Looking real good for Nancy. I bet within 2 years she raises the approval rating of congress well above today's %15....
Title: Is Pelosi Serious?
Post by: sgrizzle on November 08, 2006, 08:13:32 AM
Well she now has her 100 hours, plus she's going to "get us out of Iraq 10 yrs earlier"

Begin.