Maddow: Democrats may revoke leadership of anyone who filibusters healthcare

[kpete]

Source: Raw Story

Maddow: Democrats may revoke leadership of anyone who filibusters healthcare

By David Edwards and Diana Sweet
Thursday, October 8th, 2009 -- 7:39 am
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On MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show Wednesday night, Maddow broke an exclusive story on the battle for health care reform, and declared, "This is cracking heads time in the Democratic Party."

"We can report exclusively tonight, that two major power brokers on the left have told MSNBC that they are encouraging a Senate strategy now, in which the leadership would revoke chairmanships and other leadership positions from any Democrat who sides with a Republican filibuster to block a vote on health reform," Maddow said.

Not revealing the names of her sources, she continued, "Regardless of how individual senators would vote ultimately on the bill, committee chairmen or subcommittee chairmen who allowed Republicans to force a 60-vote requirement for passing health care...under this type of strategy would be in danger of losing their chairmanships."

How big a deal is being tossed off a chairmanship spot? Well, as Maddow puts it, "That would be the Senate equivalent of busting a Lieutenant Colonel down to Private."

Read more: http://rawstory.com/2009/10/rachel-maddow-exclusive-cracking-heads-time-in-the-democratic-party/

---

PETITION TO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID:

"Any Democratic senators who support a Republican attempt to block a vote on health care reform should be stripped of their leadership titles. Americans deserve a clean up-or-down vote on health care."

http://boldprogressives.org/majorityvote/p-politico

[no limit]

1. I'll believe it when I see it. But I'll still give this a big K&R

[backtomn]

33. I agree

"No Limit" ......I have to agree that I will believe it when I see it. However, could our party finally get some stones and deal with this?? Do we want to do this or don't we?? Eventually, we need to make a stand.

[bobbolink]

63. Welcome to DU, backtomn!

:hi: :toast: :party: :bounce: :hi::hi: :toast: :party: :bounce: :hi::hi: :toast: :party: :bounce: :hi::hi: :toast: :party: :bounce: :hi:

[truebrit71]

35. Me too...Reid is just an empty suit making threats...

..unless they're republican threats, in which case he folds like a tent..

[Demeter]

37. They Will Have to Start With Reid and Pelosi, then

who are letting this issue even see the light of day.

[harun]

40. Me too.

[Truth2Tell]

59. Don't get too excited.

This is not Harry Reid saying this. The story says that two "power brokers" on "the left" are "encouraging" this as a Senate strategy. That's a far cry from anything happening.

I also can't imagine Reid showing that kind of spine without direct sign-off from the White House. We will see.

[napi21]

2. I heard that lst night. Hope they actually DO IT! I do believe

now is the time to start cracking heads in the Dem Party.

[Vincardog]

50. +1 now is the time to start cracking heads in the Dem Party. DO IT

[No Elephants]

3. Several reactions.

1/ About damned time!

2/ This is great news......unless the bill is a POS. If it's a POS, slow walk and fillibuster it into oblivion.

[Union Yes]

4. Warning: This much spine can hinder knuckledragging..

by causing said Dems to walk upright.

Sen Reid, a spine feels good, doesn't it!

:patriot:

[bertman]

31. Harry wouldn't know if it feels good or not. He hasn't DONE anything yet. This was

raised as a "possible" penalty.

My guess is that there will be "sternly-worded letters" but no significant sanctions. But this is based only on past performance.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Great! Sen. Lincoln has been bragging about her position on the Agriculture Committee. I also saw my

first pro-Lincoln, 'don't vote for turning health care over to the government' commercial this morning. Paid for by the US Chamber of Commerce, of course.

[Tippy]

9. US Chamber of Commerce,...UN AMERICAN n/t

[damntexdem]

22. Do you mean the U.S. Chamber of Horrors?

How appropriate near Halloween. ;-)

[avaistheone1]

38. US Chamber of CONS

They are bunch of con artists and neocons on the national level.

[harmonicon]

6. Man, I hope that's true.

I don't see spineless Harry doing anything like that though. At best he might just apologize to them for not having a bill that they loved regardless of how an actual majority felt.

[Tippy]

7. K&R...

We want health care...We want health care...We want health care...We want health care...We want health care...FOR EVERYONE...Medicare for all Medicare for all Medicare for all Medicare for all Medicare for all Today not tomarrow Today not tomarrow Today not tomarrow!

[kleec]

8. If that

happens it would be great. Those republicans "lite" need to know that we are paying attention and we are not happy with their actions as they are not representing the people in this country. Business as usual in congress has to end and end now!

:kick:

[Alcibiades]

10. This i how leadership should function

When you're working on the most important domestic issue in America, it's time to secure party discipline.

"What about Democrats who simply don't care about losing a chairmanship post, and continue to refuse to back the party's chosen health care bill?"

They don't exist. Chairmanships and seats on committees are worth big bucks for Senators--look at Baucus. Losing a seat on a desirable committee is not something any senator would countenance.

[Ineeda]

30. don't you think

it would be the loss of clout rather than the money? After all, they've gotten a shit-load for delivering for the insurance and pharmaceutical companies, etc. (not that the greedy bastards wouldn't always want more.)

[swilton]

11. I'll believe when I see it but K&R anyway

I just help the bill that is voted on has as much teeth as those who proposed this Senate strategy....

[april]

12. sign the petition ..thanks

[sandspur]

34. done

and posted on facebook

[xchrom]

13. we'll see. nt

[Iggo]

14. Well let's get this fucking show on the road, then!

Let them filibuster. None of this shit works if you keep backing down because they MIGHT filibuster.

[Pab Sungenis]

15. Screw leadership titles. KICK THEM OUT OF THE CAUCUS

and, effectively, out of the party.

If they want to act like Republicans and pal around with Republicans, let them go BE Republicans.

[Overseas]

16. I hope so. //nt

[jwirr]

17. It is about time! Johnson and Rayburn did not get their power from

patting people on the back.

[colsohlibgal]

18. Past Time For Serious Hardball

This is literally life and death for so many Americans. Keith fired that great salvo last night, no time for niceties, I would hope they follow through with this. I'd be in favor of making the Blue Dogs wear badges that said "corporate toady".

[Larkspur]

19. They better extend that threat to Lieberman

He loves his chairmanships.

[Deep13]

20. Do it, Harry!!

How many more will die this week?

[closeupready]

21. Good.

n/t

[Vidar]

23. Here's hoping it's true.

[pattmarty]

24. SIGNED THE PETITION.

[IrateCitizen]

25. To play devil's advocate here....

What if the bill that eventually comes before the Senate is essentially the same as the Baucus POS bill -- mandating coverage through private insurers, levying fines against those who do not comply, and basically acting as a mechanism for siphoning public money to the private sector? Do we want Dem Senators to go along on that one, even if we all know that it is a disaster?

[lark]

52. Kill any co-op bill as the useless toilet paper that it is

otherwise, yes, PLEASE OH PLEASE KICK ANY REPUB LITES OFF THEIR COMMITTEE CHAIRS. THAT WOULD BE OH SO SWEET. I'D LOVE TO SEE BACUS 86'D.

[AllyCat]

26. Only if it is to get a real reform plan. If they do this to pass crappy legislation

I'm done with them.

[happygoluckytoyou]

27. IT ALREADY HAS MY VOTE.... these people will be listed and voted OUT as well !!!!

[Kermitt Gribble]

28. I rec'd this giving them the benefit of the doubt

that they're doing this with the peoples' best interests in mind. If they're doing it to force through a giveaway to the ins cos, the screw them.

[tritsofme]

29. It would take 60 votes to strip a member of their chair midsession.

IIRC a new organizing resolution would be needed, and it would face a cloture vote.

I doubt the chairman being stripped or Republicans for that matter would be very cooperative.

[grantcart]

66. The caucus can strip members of their committee assignments

[tritsofme]

70. Are you sure? I'm almost certain it would require a new organizing resolution.

That resolution would face a cloture vote.

These resolutions usually pass by unanimous consent, but obviously in such a situation there would be incentive for minority Republicans and the renegade Democrat(s) to defeat it.

This is something easy to do at the start of a new session, but rather complicated in the middle.

[paulkienitz]

32. this looks to be aimed squarely at Baucus

[harun]

41. Lieberman too I think.

[stevenleser]

48. How do you figure? That he would filibuster his own committee's bill?

He would be laughed out of the senate.

[paulkienitz]

77. no, I figure his bill is not going to be the one in the final vote

[caraher]

36. Put the blue dogs on notice!

I turned down a senate fundraiser last week saying I'll contribute *AFTER* they pass a robust public option. My Dem senator is Evan Bayh and he needs to earn his "D"

[Blaze Diem]

43. Same for Kent Conrad D-ND. but...the State loves him & they love their BlueCross/BlueShield

...That is most of the State. There are certainly many Repubs who'd like to see both COnrad & Dorgan & Rep Pomeroy replaced by one of there own corporatists.

I doubt the state of ND will dismiss Conrad over this HC decision.
He's their 2nd favorite son, Byron Dorgan being forever #1.

[Krashkopf]

39. Rec # 75! Now THAT would be CHANGE I can believe in!

Let's HOPE its true!

[JDPriestly]

42. If they try to push through the Baucus bill which shifts the burden of paying

the cost of health care reform on ordinary people, I would support the filibuster. If it is a real reform bill then I hope that they do demote Democratic Senate leaders who filibuster.

[AllyCat]

44. Agreed.

[harry_pothead]

45. The Democratic Party is coming up with some huevos?

[depakid]

46. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Moondog]

47. Talk's cheap. n/t

[BootinUp]

49. so true. nt

[natrat]

51. figuresit will be some whore bill and principled dems wont be able to vote against it

[droidamus2]

53. Depends on the bill

If the filibuster is against the bill because it has a 'strong public option' then I totally agree that those Democrats complicit in allowing the Republicans to sustain a filibuster should be busted as low as they can be. A trickier scenario is if the 'strong public option' doesn't make it into the bill and that's why the Democrats are supporting the filibuster. In that case the Republicans and their Democratic 'helpers' would be filibustering for two opposing reasons and I don't know that I would want those Democrats 'demoted'.

[cyclezealot]

54. Bravo..

I suggest Harry Reid need read LBJ's memoirs about how one goes about running the U S Senate.. He got business done..

[Left Coast2020]

55. I hope they start with Max Back-ass

Promote him to bathroom cleaning.

[dotymed]

56. We need a H.C. bill with at least

a VERY strong P.O.. I thought (months ago) that they were
going to ask the CBO to report to Congress, the money savings
that a Single Payer system would generate. IF they did that,
then all Americans should demand Single Payer. All that vote
nay.....to the gallows... We HAVE to get the CBO to report SP
figures to Congress. It would save us a bundle, cover everyone
and screw the For-profit industry. They know that. That is why
the CBO has not reported those figures.

[elocs]

57. Before we get too hard on Harry, remember that DU is where Pelosi previously was trashed

but is now applauded since she say that there will be a public option.

[Fearless]

58. DON'T THREATEN IT! DO IT!!

[rpannier]

69. It hasn't come to the floor yet

The best they can do now is put people on notice

[Incitatus]

60. It looks like they finally found their balls.

It's about time they dropped.

[Dr Fate]

61. "may"- not "will." n/t

n/t

[ShadowLiberal]

62. What about freshmen senators with no leadership positions?

That'll work great on some potential problems I'm sure, but what about senators too new to the senate to have a leadership position? How many 'iffy' or 'no' votes fall into that category?

[John Kerry VonErich]

64. Maybe it's time for the nuclear option.

nt

[rhett o rick]

65. It is well past time for the nuclear option. nt

[defendandprotect]

67. Great news !! Go Harry!!

[rpannier]

68. Interesting...Joe LIEberman would get thrown off if he supports a filibuster

That'd be SOOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it

[MisterK]

71. Excellent

Its about time we started playing hardball.

[Fading Captain]

72. Wait? On the Baucus bill?

eom

[LiberalAndProud]

73. Yes! Sometimes you have to herd cats.

[southern_belle]

74. k & r

[BigD_95]

75. Please sign the petition... ..thanks

[Spoonman]

76. stripped of their leadership titles?

For standing up for their beliefs and ideologies?

Look, I may not agree with their political philosophy, but it is their RIGHT and DUTY to stand up for what their constituents want.

ANYONE who opposes this by ant means is subject to the same treatment, and you better think about that, the Dem's WILL NOT be a majority forever. That is a simple fact of life that eludes most people.
When the tides turn, and it eventually will, the hypocrite's will be bitching when the repuks pull the same thing on us!

Sorry, but I have to un-rec and vote against this.

[classysassy]

78. Not holding my breath

until Reid grow a spine with a couple of large balls attached.