Wednesday, November 29th, 2006...6:20 pm
What the Heck, I’ll Start It…Jim Webb for President!
I’m sure all of you have already read about the “testy exchange” between Senator-Elect Jim Webb and President Bush. Darnit…I love that.
I have already heard talk that Webb will somehow be an out of control maverick who will be just as likely to vote against the Democratic caucus as with it. I don’t buy it for a couple of reasons. First, the only example that most commentators point to is that Webb’s position on gun control is far to the right of most democrats (he is against any, not most, any, restictions on gun ownership). Unless this next session of congress will only be a protracted discussion on the Second Ammendment, I don’t think this will come up often enough to be a problem. Besides, there are already splits among the Democrats on gun issues, so this will not exactly be a new thing.
Second, the guy is very much an economic populist. Check out this eviceration of globalization, class divisions and the corporate power structure that Webb wrote in the Wall Street Journal. Conservative Democrat? This guy sounds like Tom Harkin more than he sounds like any DLC position paper.
The cojones this guy has! Heck, first the guy goes after CEO pay right there on the pages of the Wall Street Journal, then he tells the President to get stuffed in his own house. This guy ain’t afraid of nothin’. Always send a marine when you need the job done.
8 Comments
November 29th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
I completely agree, Ted.
The only bona fide moderate/conservative elected was Shuler in NC (but look at where he is on trade). But that hasn’t stopped the MSM from repeating the meme of the new elected Democrats being conservatives ad nauseum.
I even had a troll on another site slam Democrats and liberals and then go on to say that he was a “Blue Dog.” And that we need to take more ideas from Republicans and that Webb and tester were rightwing.
Now, Webb and Tester on for choice, they are against the GOP’s anti-gay agenda, they are for rolling back Bush’s tax cuts for the top 1%, they are against these trade deals that sell-out the American workers in the name of corporatism, they are for environmental protections and doing something about climate change. Hmmm, where’s the conservatism come it?
Oh, yes, a lot of them are pro-gun. As am I, as a matter of fact. I am socialist on ALL issues except for guns. And the only way for people like Tester, Webb, McCaskill, et. al. to win in rural America is to not be anti-gun.
So they use ONE issue and go with that. They also mention Heath Shuler ad infinitum but ignore Yarmuth in Kentucky, McNerney in California, Loebsack in Iowa, Shea-Porter in New Hampshire; the list goes on and on.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:10 pm
WHAT,
Net rot you have to be kidding me. If any of these readers want to look over what was said tell them where to look. My c Pontificate all you want
http://www.espressopundit.com/
Look under Sunday Square off comments 11/24/06it is the post above Fife
I am against the Greens who crawled in to the Democratic Party after Nader lost.
Socialist like you is destroying the Democratic Party.
Never forget that MLK tossed the reds (what you call socialist) Chavez tossed the Marxist out of the movement and Labor got rid of the Socialist.
A Lie of omission is still a lie.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:35 pm
Someone can can surely be an economic populist and also be anti-communist/anti-socialist/anti-Marxist.
People love to throw not very useful labels around. Heck, Bush probably mistakenly labels himself a conservative.
November 29th, 2006 at 11:08 pm
Net root don’t forget Casey in PA Lieberman in CT, Moore in KS. Harry is even talking to the Blue Dogs. If you really believe Heath Shuler was the only Mod/Cons Dem elected you are fooling yourself. Look over http://www.bluedogdems.com/ , http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bluedogmoderatedemocrats/ and http://www.westerndemocrat.com/2004/11/let_us_look_wes.html.
This sums up the centrist views held by most rank and file Dem. I NEVER slammed Democrats or even Liberals. Just Socialist, the same type who actively supported Green candidates.
November 29th, 2006 at 11:40 pm
Well, AZ Blue Dog,
you stated FIVE issues that we lose on. and those are very near and dear to about ninety percent of Dems.
IIRC, those include choice, gay rights, embryonic stem cell research, etc…
I am no socialist, but the fact that we have no national health insurance in this country is disgraceful and embarrassing.
Also you bring up Nader. I loathe the Naderites. For it was they who by their vote gave us Alito and Roberts because Gore wasn’t there to make a choice.
Furthermore, I am not stupid, I know it takes the dogs to win in a lot of southern and conservative districts. but our entire agenda should NOT be dictated by them just as it should not be dictated by Barbara Lee of Oakland.
And please refrain from the “net rot” stuff. That just makes you looks sophmoric and undermines your credibility.
One question for you, Blue Dog: would, if you lived in his district have voted for Raul Grijalva? The answer to this would reveal a lot about who you are, because Raul is one of my faves and a progressive champion.
November 30th, 2006 at 12:29 am
Net Root,
You are right about the name calling.
From RRR: your words
“I am socialist on ALL issues except for guns.”
Now you are not a socialist.
“I loathe the Naderites. For it was they who by their vote gave us Alito and Roberts because Gore wasn’t there to make a choice.”
From Espresso Pundit: your words
“I know Ms. Sinema and I am a huge supporter of hers”
She ran as a Green, not just voted for Nader, but also actively supported the Greens with her campaign manager Chad (LD 14). In 2000
From RRR: your words
“You stated FIVE issues that we lose on. and those are very near and dear to about ninety percent of Dems. “
My words from EP:
“Democrats never win elections with out the Roman Catholic vote. Never have and never will. The FDR coalition was built on Roman Catholic, Union, Jewish, Southern Democratic, and working Democratic voters. That is the alliance that has won it for us this time.
Furthermore “The people who are reading this blog are EXACTLY the people Democrats need to be reaching out too. With the exception of the 5 Issues of Conscious (3rd trimester abortion, fetal stem cell research, the capitol punishment, Gay marriage and euthanasia) Democrats win.”
As a Democrat and A Roman Catholic I know we don’t win with out this vote.
Raul Grijalva?, I would not only vote for him if I lived in S AZ, I walked for him in 04.
The def of a Blue dog is Taken from the South’s long time description of a party loyalist as one who would vote for a yellow dog if it were on the ballot as a Democrat, the “Blue Dog” moniker was taken because their moderate-to-conservative-views had been “choked blue” by their party.
Sorry if I got worked up but you came on jsut as strong
Sign me the AZ Blue Dog troll
November 30th, 2006 at 12:58 am
I was in bed and realized my years aer off, man it is late. I need a new hobby
November 30th, 2006 at 6:17 am
I like the French Socalist, you should check out Seoglene Royal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segolene_Royal
Shs is a Third Way Socalist, plus a total hottie. She has really good ideas. I have minimum communist leanings, but I consider myself a Democratic Socalist. I am far from ‘Red’.
As for Jim Webb, he is a great person. The State of Virgina has one of the biggest gaps between rich in poor. Most of what he was saying was just merely observations. Yes Webb at times may be on the conserative side when it comes to firearms, but so is most of the Commonwealth of Virgina.
He is refelcting the views of his area.
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