Anxiety High in the House, Blue Dogs Have 'Heartburn' Over This Deal

by: Matt Stoller

Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 11:29


Steny Hoyer Press Conference Part One

I just got back from a few events with various progressive groups, and a presser with Steny Hoyer.  I don't get the sense that the Democratic Party members understand just how much rage is out there against these fuckers on Wall Street.  I keep telling members about BuyMyShitPile.com, and they love it.  Hoyer looked shocked when I mentioned it, but the woman with him came up to me after the event and told me he thought it was great.  "What just happened" is apparently what he said in the elevator leaving the event.

Hoyer was clear that Congress is going to cut a deal, though it may delay going home to campaign for as long as it takes.  He set a soft deadline of Friday.  There are still lots of caucus meetings, nothing firm.  I'm getting the sense that Democrats don't realize just how much leverage they have in this; they are scared of armageddon, without understanding that the other side is in an incredibly weak political position.  They need to be on TV with pitchforks.

One sort of hilarious rumor is that Blue Dogs John Tanner and Alan Boyd are 'having heartburn' at this deal but that they recognize the politics and will let it go through.  Blue Dogs are perpetually upset at things they are voting for and they think that fiscal responsibility is a slogan rather than something that means making hard choices.  To them, wars and bailouts are free and the deficits are the fault of liberals.  A Blue Dog is someone who eats a lot of ice cream every day, insists he is on a diet, and blames a conspiracy for his weight gain.  

Listening to them is like dating a guilt ridden sociopath who blames everyone else for their own actions.  "Why are you making me so angry at you, honey?"

Fuck them.  Anyone know where you can get a pitchfork in DC?

Matt Stoller :: Anxiety High in the House, Blue Dogs Have 'Heartburn' Over This Deal

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I love it (4.00 / 4)
I love the new Matt Stoller, now with more outrage!

I wish others were as pissed as you (and I) are over this.

When growing up, one of the things my parents taught me was "if you break something, you fix it" - these people break shit and expect US to fix it.

I don't know about you, but I do not live in a 6,000 square foot home with zero mortgage bought with bonuses I got for defrauding the public.

I want to get bumper stickers made - "You Can't Have Your Cake and Eat Mine Too!"


Start fresh (4.00 / 3)
Democrats should be starting with Bernie Sanders proposals, not Paulson's. Make the wealthy pay for the program, focus most on fixing the bankruptcy laws, the subprime mortgage rules, etc, then on helping homeowners refinance so they stay in their houses, and then worry about the banks. If there is a shortage of money for loans, then the federal government can set up loan programs -- we don't have to bail out banks to do that.

Q: Anyone know where you can get a pitchfork in DC? (4.00 / 2)
A: Home Depot. (Buy two.*)

* At least.  

Probably a community garden (4.00 / 1)
Re: Ptichforks.

I'd check out the community garden near Adams Morgan, in DC. Or, maybe a hardware store near there.

You can find it here:

http://www.communitywalk.com/map/1707



Hey now! (0.00 / 0)
No fair to suggest snagging pitchforks from community gardens. Also, they will need those pitchforks when everything goes to hell and they have to feed us.

[ Parent ]
AWESOME! (4.00 / 1)
I love that the site is built in Drupal, BTW.  As for the pitchfork, I recommend one of these:

Home Depot?, 901 Rhode Island Ave, Washington, DC - (202) 526-8760?

True Value Hardware on 17th?, 1623 17th St NW, Washington, DC - (202) 462-3146

Frager's Hardware?, 1115 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC - (202) 543-6157?

That last one is conveniently only a mile from the capitol. ;-)


Does the Dem Reps. ... (4.00 / 1)
ever hold any town hall type meetings? .. it sure doesn't sound that way .. no wonder this country is so messed up .. the Reps. care even less than a lot of the people .. do these clowns even talk to their office people? .. and in that pic .. Steny has all the warmth of a used car salesman

all the dems leadership (4.00 / 2)
are milk toast insiders who are more interested in keeping their positions rather then protecting the public, i want to hear from sanders, kucinich, boxer, kennedy and a few others before i even think about turning over the treasury to the incompetent criminals that have ruined this country over the last eight years, kings and queens used to live outside our borders now they reside at ws and in wash dc.

milquetoast (4.00 / 2)
Not to be a snotty spell-checker, but just because it's a cool looking word.

[ Parent ]
you're correct (0.00 / 0)
and i'm not a milk drinker either, i stand corrected.

[ Parent ]
buyout, not bailout (4.00 / 1)
Is there any way that Democrats could be convinced to quit talking about a "financial bailout" and instead talk about a "financial buyout"?

A bailout is a giveaway, no matter what else in included. If taxpayer money is to be used to prop up the financial industry, we need to get something in return - that's a buyout.


I agree that Dems are in a strong position (0.00 / 0)
And if I may self-promote, I wrote a diary kind of making that point: http://www.openleft.com/showDi...

The questions legislators ask themselves (4.00 / 3)
When legislators ask themselves, "How can we save regular folks from Wall Street's big shitpile?" you get a Wall Street bailout.

When legislators ask themselves, "How can we save Wall Street from regular folks' big pitchforks?" you get a New Deal.


hoyer looks drunk (0.00 / 0)
jesus.

that nose puts WC Fields to shame. drink much, dude?

..adding that the Blue Dogs getting "heartburn" over the bankruptcy laws is a joke, considering THEY CHANGED THE RULES TO BEGIN WITH BACK IN 2005.

Not surprising the democrats are too stupid to realize their leverage.  


Also - always 'Follow The Money' oh & note where most of it comes from! (0.00 / 0)
Hillary Clinton (D)
Top Contributors
http://www.opensecrets.org/pre...
=============
Barack Obama (D)
Top Contributors
http://www.opensecrets.org/pre...
=============
Hillary Clinton (D)
Industries -- Top Industries
http://www.opensecrets.org/pre...
=============
Barack Obama (D)
Industries -- Top Industries
http://www.opensecrets.org/pre...

Plus, would not be surprised where Schumer and Hoyer get their $$$ stream.  We should call them out ... ask them what their financial campaign contributors have asked them to do vs their constituents?...

Let the fake hand-wringing begin.


Pitchforks in Texas (4.00 / 1)
Speaking of pitchforks, there's a good diary from a congressional candidate in rural Texas on this crisis that you all should check out.  Here's the first part:

Melancon (D for TX 4) Never Surrender to Financial Terrorism (+)
by: Glenn Melancon
Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 14:29

The wizards of Wall Street are threatening the survival of our republic and the free market.  They want Congress to surrender budgetary authority to the President just like it surrendered War Powers during the debate over Iraq.  It was wrong then, and it's wrong now.  We must have accountability and transparency.

Our Founding Fathers wisely limited each branch of government and assigned each part specific responsibilities.  The Constitution is clear-Congress, not the President nor the Federal Reserve, is the "decider."  Congress decides how much to spend and what to spend it on.  George Bush's request for a blank check to bail out Wall Street strikes at the very heart of our Constitution.  If our Representatives write the check without protections for the taxpayers, then the American experiment of limited government will be over.

George Bush's irresponsible plan to save Wall Street also throws back the curtain on corporate hypocrisy and control.  Every time average Americans demand a fair chance to compete in the global market place, large corporations spend billions of dollars to fight us.  Health Care for all Americans-No way.  Affordable energy-Impossible.  A clean environment-You've got to be kidding.  Small Class sizes-We can't pay for that.  Fair Trade-You'll crash the Global Market.

Wall Street doesn't want a free market.  It wants a market rigged to transfer tax dollars to their bank accounts.  Neither George Bush nor Wall Street should be calling the shots in this hour of crisis.  Congress is in charge.  Congress should demand the following changes in exchange for a check.

Sounds like he's been hanging out with Jim Hightower.  Actually, Jim is coming to the district for a fundraiser for Glenn next month.  And in full disclosure I am also helping Glenn try to take back this Congressional seat that was once held by Speaker Rayburn.

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