Rahm (4.00 / 1)

Where did Rahm find these people? Did the DCCC buy vdare's donor list?

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by: jr1 @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:02:40 AM CST

Julia Carson (0.00 / 0)

Another Indiana Democrat, Julia Carson, announced her retirement effective at the end of this term yesterday.  Carson had been in ill health of late and had run a bit behind Kerry 2004 levels while being re-elected in 2006.  So who will be her replacement?  Will he/she agree with these other Indiana Democrats or take a position closer to the national mainstream.  I'd look for more of a national Democrat here.

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by: David Kowalski @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 05:32:17 AM CST

oops (0.00 / 0)

I just posted this comment in the other thread about bashing immigrants that I think I may have meant to post here:

http://www.openleft....

End this war. Stop John McCain. Cindy McCain is filthy rich.

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by: wiretapp @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 06:44:04 AM CST

The issue is falling wage levels in the trades (0.00 / 0)

I agree there is hypocrisy in allowing industrial jobs to be gutted while claiming to be in favor of protecting the jobs and wages of those in the trades.

That hypocrisy aside, there is a real issue with people in the trades seeing their livelihoods undermined by hack outfits using unbonded (think: roofer) illegal immigrant labor.  The right thing to do is to go after the employers. 

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by: Taylor @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 07:23:06 AM CST

Which is why (4.00 / 2)

a path to citizenship, stronger enforcement against employers, increased foreign aid and strong labor protections in Fair Trade agreements all together would make a humane and reasonable immigration reform.

I support John McCain because children are too healthy anyway.

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by: Sam L @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 08:44:25 AM CST

[ Parent ]

well (0.00 / 0)

It may be that they are contributing to bad things here, but certainly my life experiences tell me that employees are already supposed to verify immigration status, and the border is already supposed to be guarded.  So when Ellsworth says "I think they're more frustrated when you have a law on the books and aren't enforcing them, That's what's really frustrating to folks" it is probably true. 

I would like to see more party loyalty here. 

 

New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.

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by: Hopeful in NJ @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 08:51:11 AM CST

oops (4.00 / 1)

Here means by the Rove Dogs, not openleft.  Probably not clear.

New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.

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by: Hopeful in NJ @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 08:51:47 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Ellsworth isn't just Rahm's failure (4.00 / 2)

Google "Brad Ellsworth" and "Daily Kos" and you'll find a number of diaries lionizing him as a tough law-and-order guy who could beat Hosttetler. Example: http://www.dailykos....

When you elect conservative Democrats just for the sake of electing Democrats, you shouldn't be surprised when they turn around and adopt conservative policies. This's how we end up having to fight both sides at once.

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by: MBoz @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 09:19:50 AM CST

Congrats, Matt (4.00 / 1)

Just read the article in In These Times that covers the great work you and Chris and others have been doing.And rather than adding some trenchant or snarky comment here, I just wanted to say 'Thanks' for the work, the positive changes and inspiration that you guys provide.

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by: Kevin Hayden @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 09:55:46 AM CST

Heavily unionized Indiana? (0.00 / 0)

Outside of Indianapolis and NW Indiana, which are represented by liberal Democrats Julia Carson and Pete Visklosky respectively, and the industrial hub of Kokomo, which is represented by Donnelly, labor doesn't have an extensive presence in these districts.

Both Hill and Ellsworth, and to some extent Donnelly represent farm districts.

Frankly I don't understand the outrage.  Voters and the Party knew what they were getting with Hill, who had a congressional record, and Ellsworth, who made no claims to be a liberal of any sort when running.

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by: Vox Populi @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 10:17:42 AM CST

Unions and immigration.... (0.00 / 0)

I think you are wrong about unions and immigration in Indiana. Although some progressive unionists see that immigrants are not the problem, many union folks succumb to the us and them mentality. Donnelly would never support this Bill unless he got the go-ahead from unions here in Northern Indiana. He is to be commended for voting against the Peru trade agreement, but on immigration he has been as bad as the Bush Republican he replaced. And he NEVER would vote against a clear union position. He must have been given the all-clear on this one.

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by: IndySteve @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 13:13:43 PM CST

ya know (0.00 / 0)

This little witch hunt on Schuler's bill is ridiculous.  Most of these Dems were "netroots endorsed" candidates and you could read their position statements on this issue loud and clear.  They ran on enforcement only, enforcement first hard in '06 and they plain won on it.  Anybody could have read those positions and that's very common to see that in the '06 Freshman.  The time to complain was then and frankly there is some real validity to that very position.  If they had run on this open border agenda being shoved down the throats of Dems via the blogs recently odds are you would have a Republican House and Senate. 

It's just incredible how this small sect of blogging elites
just plain don't get how unacceptable this situation is to most Americans and they will vote on it.  I mean promoting an open border agenda and even "comprehensive" immigration reform when that bill shut down the FAX and phone lines in the Senate and polled at 23% in favor of....well, it's just beyond me.  Is anyone bothering with the real facts of the situation here or even the polling or results?

There are very legitimate issues on this front, it's not just a bunch of "scary racists".  Yet every damn day I see another open border, no immigration policy at all being promoted and everyone who is for enforcement first or only being labeled a racist xenophobe.

Now on his trade agreement vote, that's another issue for Ellsworth ran on fair trade.  Even recently:

He said he looks forward to a trade policy "that if they call it free trade, let's make it fair trade … I'll do my best to make sure that any trade agreement is fair trade, fair to us, fair to America, fair to American workers." His comment drew applause

And that Peru trade deal they are peddling around as a "special case" is bogus.  If they wanted to do a true fair trade bill they never should have modeled it on the NAFTA framework.  That vote is a true betrayal to his constituents and what he promised to do if elected.

NoSlaves.com  


The Economic Populist

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by: Robert Oak @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 14:02:56 PM CST

Good post (0.00 / 0)

I've gotten so frustrated with otherwise seemingly reasonable people over this immigration issue. It's good to see Stoller & Bowers, Sirota & addressing the issue head on. Common sense and logical analysis are a welcome change from the scape-goating rhethoric of the anti-immigrant crowd.
thanks

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by: Metrix @ Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 14:30:33 PM CST