Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

Primary Ellen Tauscher Now

by BooMan
Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 04:19:38 PM EST

Given that Rep. Ellen Tauscher is intent on breaking the hearts of any progressives that put their faith in Barack Obama, I can't think of any single politician more deserving of Accountability Now. In other words, the number one priority of Accountability Now should be to identify a progressive who is willing to run against Tauscher in a primary and to fund that challenger to the hilt. Then we can see whose heart gets broken.

Tauscher, a former Wall Street investment banker, said she hasn't met with a banking lobbyist in months. But she makes no apologies for her relationships with the business sector, which she notes employs her constituents. New Democrats' ability to work with industry to find a middle ground on major issues is important now, she argued, given the wave of crises that has shaken the public's confidence.
"Those that are advocating for purity in ideology or as a test for who's a good Democrat are going to have their heart broken. They're also not going to get anything done," Tauscher said.

Ellen Tauscher is not a good Democrat. She also doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut.

Primary Ellen Tauscher Now | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (4.00 / 2)

Tauscher, a former Wall Street investment banker, said she hasn't met with a banking lobbyist in months. But she makes no apologies for her relationships with the business sector, which she notes employs her constituents.

She doesn't need to. She has a former lobbyist as a CoS. The business sector employs everyone, Tauscher. It's not an excuse to let them get away with all sorts of illegal and unethical behavior. And someone needs to call up Birch Bayh and ask him to please lean on his son.

by Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 08:39:23 PM EST

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (none / 1)

If Obama fails, the story isn't going to be about how the Republicans sidetracked his agenda. The real story will be about how he got sabotaged by the corporate Democrats.

by eagleye on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 05:29:20 PM EST

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (4.00 / 2)

and eagleeye wins the blue ribbon for accurate predication.

tauscher's needed her leash tugged in the past. I think this time the worthless blue dog needs a rolled up newspaper across the nose.

I agree 100%: she needs a primary. this time not just a threat but a real PRIMARY that sends the useless cur home.

John Mccain Called his wife WHAT??

by brendan on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 05:55:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (none / 0)

No offense BooMan, but why the hell are we worrying about Ellen Tauscher?

Getting rid of Ellen Tauscher is pointless if bad Democrats in the Senate like Evan Bayh and Ben Nelson can force a filibuster or procedural vote and can still kill a bill despite getting 58 or 59 votes to let it pass...or worse, water down a bill so much in exchange for 60 votes that it's meaningless legislation.

It's not Tauscher that's the problem. It's Bayh's Backbenchers that need to be primaried. If we can't do that, then we're wasting our time.

It doesn't matter how much of a majority in the House we have if Bayh is Senate vote number 59 and the bill gets filibustered. We could have 435 solid progressives in the House. Evan Bayh would still kill any bill they would write.

I know getting rid of Bayh right now is next to impossible. Things may be better after 2010. I don't know. I know Reid has no real power, and it's like herding cats, and every Senator is their own person, and yadda yadda.

Fact remains unless somebody's willing to go around the filibuster and make 50 votes plus Joe Biden equal passing legislation, then realistic health care reform, EFCA, and the budget are all going to be neutered to the point of status quo ante.

Dumping Tauscher is secondary to getting rid of the Sensible Centrist Bad Democrats in the Senate.

More at Zandar vs. The Stupid.

by Zandar1 on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 05:38:46 PM EST

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (4.00 / 2)

we can walk and chew gum at the same time - Primary Ellen Tauscher and work on Bayh. Posing it as an either/or simply paralyzes.

Viva Obama

by Errol on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 06:53:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (none / 0)

It's not an either/or situation. You're right that we need to get rid of a lot of dead weight in both chambers.

But it makes a lot more sense to concentrate on the Senate right now, does it not?

More at Zandar vs. The Stupid.

by Zandar1 on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 07:05:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (4.00 / 2)

it makes sense to work on whoever needs work. It makes sense to clean house entirely.

if I see a cockroach in my kitchen, I don't just crush the on bug: I get one of those foggers and get rid of the entire colony. One need not deal with each individual cockroach in congress: we need to go after as many as possible, as efficiently as possible.

tauscher needs to be neutralized; so does bayh; so do MANY "representatives" who aren't doing that much representing. but one at a time won't do the trick...

John Mccain Called his wife WHAT??

by brendan on Mon Mar 16th, 2009 at 07:54:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (none / 0)

I'm game - at least conceptually - but what would be our practical DCon? How do we remove a sitting Democratic senator?

The Underground Railroad

by Oscar In Louisville on Mon Mar 16th, 2009 at 01:18:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I think it depends on what one wants to work on (none / 0)

and where one is located. most of us aren't in either of their districts/ states. depends where we're near, how much time and money one has. I just don't like the arguments to close off activities or options especially as early as March 2009.

Viva Obama

by Errol on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 07:48:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I think it depends on what one wants to (none / 0)

We've known about these bad Democrats long before March 2009.

More at Zandar vs. The Stupid.

by Zandar1 on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 07:59:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

what I mean is some people might want to work on (none / 0)

a campaign within weekend transportation range in order to leaflet, go door to door, etc. I do the telephoning and contributing $ - what I can afford - but I like a chance to do the door to door. For that reason i'm not in favor of setting up either or this early. Yes, we've known about them, but last year top priority was electing Obama.

Viva Obama

by Errol on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 08:31:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

and there's always the chance Obama will (none / 0)

tap them for an admin post.

Viva Obama

by Errol on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 08:33:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

more: imo most important is whatever (none / 0)

will help Barack's agenda. Any success ASAP is going to translate into votes next year.

Viva Obama

by Errol on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 07:50:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Primary Ellen Tauscher Now (none / 1)

I think one part of the equation is missing, Booman. Primarying Tauscher, or any of the Senate moran "centrists" is moot unless the people Accountability Now (or anyone else who becomes a favorite of the netroots) select actually can put a ground game into action to take the relevant seat away from the incumbent. Being a netroots favorite and harnessing their donor power is fine, but these people need to win elections.

I think that's the biggest stumbling block so far. I've seen many candidates come and go through Left Blogistan, but very, very few of them turn the netroots power into results.

Recommended by Hideo Kojima

by robertdsc on Sun Mar 15th, 2009 at 06:51:21 PM EST

Primary Ellen Tauscher Now | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Go to: [ Booman Tribune Homepage : Top of page : Top of comments ]

. Home
. About
. Contact
. Advertise
. FAQ
. Search

Username:
Password:

. Make a new account
. Reset password

Gift Cards * New Arrivals

NOTE: Overstock bests Amazon's prices and is "blue."

THE BOOKS WITH "BUZZ":
______________

Senator Edward M. Kennedy tells his extraordinary personal story:

True Compass: A Memoir
by Edward M. Kennedy.

Read Barack Obama's vision for America:

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
by Barack Obama

Boran2 and maryb2004 recommend:

The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime
by Jasper Fforde

Must-have information for all presidents-and citizens-of the twenty-first century?

Physics for Future Presidents: The Science behind the Headlines
Richard A. Muller

rae recommends:

Dark Ages America: The Final Phase of Empire
by Morris Berman.

On BooMan’s shelf:

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

This looks interesting:

Adventure Divas
by Holly Morris

Here’s a good one from
Elizabeth Gilbert:

Eat Pray Love
by Elizabeth Gilbert

"Crash" * Best Motion Picture, Academy Awards * Only $11.79 at Overstock * 2006 SAG Winner, Best Ensemble

Check out
Powell's new section:
NEW FAVORITES
Selected new arrivals at 30% off

Recommended by Indianadem and ejmw:
The Conscience of a Liberal
by Paul Wellstone

From northcountry’s bookshelf:

The New Golden Age:
The Coming Revolution Against
Political Corruption and Economic Chaos by Ravi Batra

A novel about contractors in Iraq from the woman that runs The Spy That Billed Me:

Outsourced: A Novel
from RJ Hillhouse.

Great Deals
----- * ^ * -----

Find mystery novels by Nancy Pickard ("Kansas")

Challenging Empire: How People, Governments, and the UN Defy US Power by Phyllis Bennis (interviewed on DN!)

Featured by Keith Olbermann, New (Powell's Sale): Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower by William Blum (whose other books merit serious consideration)

"Explosive" State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration
by James Risen

The book the CIA doesn't want you to read: Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander
Larry Johnson's review

BT's all-time best seller:

PERMACULTURE:
A Designers' Manual
$79.95 * Sale: $59.95

Unequal Sisters: A Multicultural Reader in U.S. Women's History (Third Edition)

The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor And Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
by Timothy Egan

Green Press Initiative
----- * ^ * -----

Journalistas: 100 Years of the Best Writing and Reporting by Women Journalists by Eleanor Mills * NYT review

Bury Me Standing: the Gypsies & Their Journey

1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus

Brokeback Mountain
by Annie Proulx
----- * ^ * -----
Check out Powell's
"At The Movies"

Imperial Ambitions: Conversations on the Post-9/11 World by Noam Chomsky (Power & Terror: Post 9-11 Talks)

The Price of Privilege:

How Parental Pressure and
Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of
Disconnected and Unhappy Kids
by Madeline Levine

Save 35-70% on
name brand clothing,
footwear, and outdoor gear
at SierraTradingPost.com
:

We listened to PEN American Center's "State of Emergency" and found 1940s books by Curzio Malaparte only at Alibris. (Selection (MP3) excerpted from "The Skin.")

Banned Books * Are you a fan of Film Noir, Art House, Documentaries or Hong Kong Action? * Searching for a long-lost children's book or a first printing of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue on vinyl? Find it at Alibris!

:
:

Booman Tribune Homepage
admin@boomantribune.com
powered by Scoop

More blogs about Blogs at Technorati.

Technorati Profile