Strains in Party Threaten Democrats' Plans

[Dover]

Source: WSJ

Lawmakers Feel Pressure to Respond to Voters' Economic Pain as White House, Allies Focus Efforts on Passing Health Overhaul.

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic Party's broad ruling coalition is starting to fracture as lawmakers come under increasing pressure from the left to respond to voter anger over joblessness and Wall Street bailouts.

Tensions boiled over this week, with an angry party caucus meeting Monday in the House, and black lawmakers Thursday threatening to block legislation in protest of President Barack Obama's economic policies. Along the way, members of both parties grilled Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner over his ties to Wall Street, and some called on him to resign.

The squabbling is turning up pressure on the White House and Democratic leaders in Congress to respond, a challenge when their focus is on passing a health-care overhaul. That appears less important to voters than finding solutions to economic woes, suggesting the weak labor market could overwhelm Mr. Obama's domestic agenda. The dilemma facing party leaders: trying to keep core supporters excited without undermining more conservative members from right-leaning districts.

cont'd

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125876581091558417.html

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Corruption Is Non-partisan.

[Go2Peace]

1. The split is beginning to come to the surface, overall a good thing

Because I believe, once it becomes obvious, most Democrats fall on the left line of that spectrum. The corporatists and apologists will have to change their ways. Sure, we will potentially lose the help of some representatives, but I personally think we will be much more powerful with a slightly smaller, but more unified, body of democrats, who have been forced to actually represent those who elected them.

[EFerrari]

2. How sad is that the response to people going homeless and jobless is

squabbling under pressure.

On the other hand, this is the WSJ.

[jpak]

4. !

:thumbsup:

[earcandle]

3. TAX ME GOD DAMMIT! We need resources to build our bridges, educate our children, and feed our poor!

[Vincardog]

5. Why is it that whenever anyone stands up on our side it is "squabbling" and threatens the coalition

and what exactly is President Obama's domestic agenda if not jobs and economic security?

[EFerrari]

6. They have to be demeaning, they can't just write about disagreement.

@ssholes.

[amandabeech]

7. President Obama's domestic agenda is this:

1. Keep Wall Street afloat and change some of their rules.

2. Get something that says Health Care Reform on it.

3. Get something that says Cap and Trade on it.

4. Amnesty for undocumented immigrants.


Unless he truly believes that those amount to jobs and economic security, those two items aren't on his agenda because they weren't on his primary agenda. He's stuck to what he was saying in 2008 instead of really focusing on what is important today. He did the stimulus bill, which has had mixed results as far as I can tell, and he wants to use what remains of the TARP to pay some interest on the debt. Those are the two deviations from his primary agenda.