Menendez's statement on the Massachusetts debacle

Menendez Is Delusional If He Doesn't See That... (4.00 / 2)

...this loss is symptomatic of a deep systemic failure in the whole direction of the democratic party "leadership".

You can't win elections with a despirited and dejected and abused base.   The base of our party is progressive.  That is the heart and soul and MEANING of what it is to be a Democrat.

 

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 05:42:44 AM UTC

Yup (4.00 / 2)

The more rightward they pull us... oh forgive me "to the center" - the worse we do.

Are they really so clueless as to not see that those that got elected to some of the biggest margins, including Obama himself, performed at their best when their message was more progressive?

I don't see why they are so blind - a strong, progressive platform resonates with most people. Even people who do not think of themselves as progressive, if you were to ask them where they stand on key issues they would more likely be rated as a progressive.

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by: Jon Niola @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 14:27:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

While a progressive agenda may please the people .... (0.00 / 0)

it is not in the interest of the corporate funders who are the only voices that really matter in the current version of "democracy" in America.  Look how Senator Menendez acted swiftly to kill the measure that would have allowed drug importation from Canada that would have cut into the profits of his Jersey pharma corporate masters.  As a result, Byron Dorgan threw in the towel since drug importation was one of the few things he could sell to the North Dakota electorate and will in all likelihood be replaced by a Republican.  Good job Bob, you served your corporate masters by killing drug importation, and in the process, set back the passage of a decent healthcare bill by decades.  

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by: FormerBureaucrat @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 18:41:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

yep it's was a good speech (1.00 / 2)

Bob is blind to to tsunami coming The only thing better than putting a stake in this misdirected  health care scheme will be waiting to see if the Dems use the rope to really hang themselves .If Pelosi trys ramming the Senate version through the House. Could Republicans actually be that lucky? If that happens, she may well hand over control of the House in November  Democrats just lost a seat in the bluest of states for the first time in 49 years . Menendez 'Solution? Stand up and press the accelerator even harder to the floor. Priceless.

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by: speedkillsu @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:52:00 AM UTC

Tired of " do nothing" Democrats (0.00 / 0)

The National Democrats have no one to blame but themselves regardingthe health issue. They owned this issue for a whole year.

Too many chiefs, too many of them just looking to get headlines.

Obama got stuck with a bunch of jackasses. Shame.

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by: firstamend07 @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 11:12:20 AM UTC

Everything changes once the lying starts (4.00 / 1)

Maybe the Senate Health Care stinker that hands taxpayers' money to the Insurance industry should fail.
The Senate Democrats deserve a big middle finger for perverting health care reform and making it a handout to the lobbyists who lined the campaign coffers of certain Senators who are immoral and corrupt.
That the Democratic leadership gave us a 2000 + page monster speaks volumes as to where their loyalties lie. It is the reason health care/insurance reform failed and why the Democrats will soon return to minority status.
Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything.
In reaching across the aisle Obama pulled back a bloody stump. We now have a one armed president who compromised the values of those who elected him because he failed to understand the nature of his enemy.

Restore democracy and the Constitution for which it stands.

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by: The Wizard @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 13:42:00 PM UTC

It's Not Over Yet....... (0.00 / 0)

I share your disgust with the status quo......but not your defeatism.

It's not written in stone that

"Democrats will soon return to minority status. "

There's much we all can do to preclude that fate.

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 16:01:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

the candidate... (4.00 / 3)

the candidate who ran a better campaign won.  IT's that simple.

This isn't a debacle, this isn't an existential crisis.  It's a loss.  Pick yourself up and dust yourself off move on.  The earth is still turning and the fight goes on.

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 14:22:06 PM UTC

Indeed (4.00 / 2)

Brown ran a better campaign, truck and all.

I've read all kinds of criticisms of Coakley.  She has a tin ear for concerns of the people.  She did nothing after winning the primary.  Everyone thought she was a shoo in for "Ted's seat."  She made verbal gaffes (e.g. Curt Shilling).

But as the cliche goes, There is plenty of blame to go around.  I am particulary upset with the DNC and the DSCC, even the president.  She didn't get much help from her state delegation, either.

OK, maybe she didn't ask for help.  But didn't the rest of the big guys see this train wreck coming?  It's really lame to say this was just a special election - with unique circumstances.  We should be fighting for every election.  I didn't read or hear about anyone in DC doing anything for her (until the last week) - maybe even taking over the campaign - except for holding a stupid fundraiser for her in DC when she should have been in MA campaigning.

Yeah, we should move on.  It will be interesting to see where we are moving to.

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by: SmartyJones @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 15:54:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not quite that simple.... (4.00 / 1)

....yes, there were particular peculiarities to "blame".......but there's a PATTERN emerging that the party establishment ignores at its (OUR) peril.

Unless Obama and the party establishment GENUINELY embrace a far more GENUINELY progressive and AGGRESSIVELY progressive agenda....they/WE will continue to lose the support of the people.

Without soul/passion (and legislation with TEETH!!!) there can be no intensity......just mouthing the right words doesn't cut it.

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 16:06:23 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm with you (0.00 / 0)

Nearly every incumbent needs to hit the unemployment line.

I think real change means new blood.  Not leftovers.

More of an Old School Lefty if anything......

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by: Chubby @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 15:12:17 PM UTC

Let's hope we can manage that through..... (4.00 / 1)

....primary challenges and not general election losses.  Also, if/when progressives/reformers/honest decent human beings actually succeed in taking over the NJ Democratic apparatus from the ground up......they/we will actually have a say in who gets the party lines.

If the Republicans take over completely at the national level America will be going from the frying pan of hard times into the hell of an all out eventual collapse........and the PR manipulators of the Murdoch stripe will find all manner of ways to blame Obama et al for the negative consequences of their own actions......that's a self reinforcing downward spiraling that we do not want to feed into.  

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 16:12:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

A collapse ???? (0.00 / 0)

"If the Republicans take over completely at the national level America will be going from the frying pan of hard times into the hell of an all out eventual collapse" ....you make it sound like the country has a chance of escaping ....we have Debt of over 12 TRILLION dollars ,that's about 112,000 worth of debt per taxpayer .Japan is going to default on it's debt ,we have other countries pulling out of our bond market .As for states it's a toss up who runs out of money first Illinois ,Ca ,NY or us ...pensions ??well I'm sure you know that problem ....The music will stop playing in about  9 mos when people wake up fro the last drink at the punch bowl   . The only lifeboat is dehydrated and canned foods, a water purification system, arms, precious metals, and some other non US denominated assets

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by: speedkillsu @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 20:17:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Typical Negativity...... (0.00 / 0)

.....you fit right in with the Republican agenda/modus operandi.

Republicans have made common cause with those waiting/hoping for the end of the world and the utter failure and destructionb of government.

Sometimes I get the impression you want to live in a mad max world.

Keep on stocking up on guns, ammo, and canned goods.......if you get the world you want.....I assure you, you'll regret wishing for it.    You'll find that there are other assholes out there meaner and nastier than you who will take all that you've hoarded for your own "survival".

Much of the world already lives in that kind of feudal warlord set up and it sucks.   If America goes that route, given the hundreds of millions of firearms people own, it will be hell on earth.

Hey, maybe you can buy your own tank....and some nuclear bombs to implement mutually assured destruction with your next door neighbor.

Sorry, the Democratic politics of common human decency is where it's at.........you're fear based garbage only works on the ignorant and in an atmosphere of corruption.

Are the Dems perfect?  Far from it...but at least they have a progressive core ideology that gives us a chance to get on the right track.

If Jesus Christ were walking the Earth He would be sounding a LOT more like Dennis Kucinich than like Glenn Beck.

Shame on you for coming here and trying to shit on everything.......you aren't making any converts with your negativity; quite the contrary.  :-)

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 21:18:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]