Rep. Shuler - Where do you stand?
Submitted by Robert P. on Tue, 01/23/2007 - 10:26am
Today in Raw Story (tips to Steven D. at Booman), we find out that the Blue Dog Democrats have decided, en masse it appears, NOT to challenge the Bush/McCain escalation strategy. Instead, they will support further military action and focus their attention on fiscal responsibility. Heath Shuler is listed as a member of the Blue Dog Democrats, elected in 2006 with our money and our support.
First, Heath Shuler votes against stem cell research based on his "pro-life" agenda, and through that act, he votes against science. Now, the rumor mill suggests he will follow the Blue Dog caucus in acquiescing to the Bush/McCain escalation, which will lead to more unnecessary deaths of real live people, not cells on their way to the incinerator.
While most of us have been lenient, having wanted the majority more badly than we wanted a “pure” Democratic caucus, the time has come to ask the tough questions, to clear up this rumor.
“Where do you stand on the Bush plan for escalation Rep. Shuler?”
"Will you vote to block funding for the escalation, or will you vote to allow it?"
From the Raw Story site:
A group of forty-four "fiscally conservative" Democrats will not call for an end to America's military involvement in Iraq, RAW STORY has learned. Instead, the Blue Dog Coalition of House Democrats will introduce legislation this week focusing on accountability for money the White House wants to spend on the nearly four year long Iraq War.
...
In a press conference last Friday, Rep. Jane Harman, the California Democrat who was formerly the ranking minority member of the House Intelligence Committee, announced a bill she would sponsor this week on behalf of the Blue Dog Democrats: "Providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom Cost Accountability." The provisions of the bill focus on Congressional oversight of the funds used to pay for operations in Iraq.
...
Last Friday, before the Blue Dogs went public with their bill, RAW STORY reported that the Blue Dogs' proposal might signal a split within the House Democratic conference on whether or not the party should seek redeployment or withdrawal of US troops in Iraq, which more than 100 Democratic Members of Congress have already called for in two different bills sponsored by Reps. Jack Murtha and Lynn Woolsey. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has shared Murtha's call for "redeployment" of US troops from Iraq.
...
President Bush invited Blue Dog representatives to the White House just before he formally addressed the nation about his "surge" plan, and portions of the Blue Dogs' bill echo the policy put forth in President George W. Bush's January 10th national address.The last section of the bill, which was sent to RAW STORY by Blue Dog staffers, states, "In furtherance of the partnership that is critical to success in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Administration should firmly condition further American financial, military, and political resources upon steady improvement in Iraqi assumption of principal responsibility for internally policing Iraq."
Perhaps the mainstream media had it right, perhaps this election signals the resurgence of the conservative wing of the Democratic Party. They can be sure that were the tables turned, the Republican party would purge those social liberals amongst their ranks. It is wrong, wrong, wrong, to side with Bush on Iraq.
Wrong.
The Blue Dogs, and Rep. Heath Shuler, risk alienating themselves to the 66% of Americans that so not support the Bush/McCain escalation.
Go to his blog
and post this . . . along with links. Asheville Citizen Times.
(Sorry, I'm running out the door.)
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
My post on the Shuler blog
Where are the candidates?
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Hmmmmmm
Rock and a hard place?
He's either knuckling under to Nancy Pelosi - a woman from California, or he's knuckling under to Ellen Tauscher - a woman from California. Hmmmmmm. We'll see what Patty McLapDog has to say about this.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
***************************
Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
I dont see how you can be for more troops and for less funding
The Blue Dogs look like they are trying to have their cake and eat it too. In no sense of the word responsible can you be for sending in more troops and then turn around and say "we need more accountability in Iraq spending". The war is out of control. How would you even begin to try to reign in the rogue Pentagon in the middle of a billion dollar war?
I am all for accountablility and fiscal conservation when it comes to many things. Here though we have a conflict. If you want to send more troops, send them. And give them everything they need. We had no accountability in the beginning, and we wont have any in the end. Atleast any that truly matters.
If you want fiscal accountablility in Iraq, then stop sending troops over and re-think our Middle East policy BEFORE we spend MORE money.
I do not want to see more troops in Iraq. However if they are sent, we need to figure out our fiscal situation BEFORE they leave. Not DURING their tours. But it seems to me the Blue Dogs are just on wrong sides of both issues.
Our children need to know that some people fought back, when others collaborated.
Our children need to know that some people fought back, when others collaborated.
Accountability is a good idea, don't get me wrong.
Read up on the Truman Committee. It saves money, saves lives. BUT, it isn't ALL we should be doing.
Where are the candidates?
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Just Say No -
The Iraqi people are killing each other and it's not our place to stand in between them.
Bring the troops home. NOW.
Rep Shuler seems to have already forgotten
just who it was that pushed his campaign (remember us? The NETROOTS) and that 2/3 of the country disagrees with Bush's adventures in Iraq. Bucking the majority of the people and the Party makes him...just another Joe Loserman (I-Fantasy Island)...
Shuler's choices
Shuler's choice to call for accountability re: Iraq War spending is a feather in his cap. His choice to advocate for implementation of the Iraq Study Group's recommendations is a reasonable position.
Until after the SOTU, we won't see any Democratic Party efforts to alter the President's plan. Maybe then Shuler will act to stop or alter the escalation.
I'm no fan of Shuler's stem-cell vote, but I'm willing to give him more than a couple of weeks of learning the ropes before I throw up my hands and scream wildly about how wrong he's gone.
There's no quicker way to drive the freshman Congressman away from our causes than to excoriate him at the first possible opportunity without taking the time to thank him for his votes on raising the minimum wage, enacting the 9/11 commission recommendations, etc.
Calm down. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
Scrutiny Hooligans - http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us
Thanks where due, criticism where earned.
You may remember that I posted the thread on the minimum wage (I think), where I noted that his presence made a difference. I think him for his vote on the 9/11 commission as well. However, those are no-brainers.
When the rubber met the road, he is siding with the Republicans. All I ask is that he stay true to Democratic principles.
Where are the candidates?
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
I generally like how Heath is handling himself
I don't agree with all he's doing, but that's true for any elected official. It was true even with myself when I was an elected official.
But I like how he's handling himself. I like how he's blogging and working through the difficult job of explaining himself to We the People. I think he's off to a pretty good start.
And I also agree that beating up on him isn't useful. I've questioned some of his explanations on his own blog, but with a very level head.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
I like his approach.
I'm just unhappy with his stem cell vote and with this rumor about Iraq. It is the nature of the 100 hours strategy that all the chips are on the table early, that those votes that will illuminate their political philosophy are exposed from day 1 (or 7).
I don't consider it beating him up to question where he stands on the War in Iraq, and as a scientist, to tell him I feel betrayed by his vote on stem cells. As a Representative that wants WNC to become a "science" center for alternative energy, his vote against science does not sit well with me.
The explanation that he is pro-life and therefore cannot abide by the destruction of a blastocyst is called into question by the rumored lack of opposition to the Bush/McCain escalation - which will kill real live humans - for a war that has killed between 400K and 600K Iraqis and thousands of Americans.
I don't think Heath Shuler would expect anything less from the netroots than to call him out on those votes that are more at home in the Republican party, than in ours.
Where are the candidates?
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
I wasn't saying YOU were beating him up
I like your challenges . . . they're a lot like mine. No worries.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
I agree with your position
I agree with your position on this issue, but I think perhaps we should extend the Congressman a little bit more than two votes before we start calling for his head for not agreeing with you, don't you think?
Especially since, not two posts later, you're asking for the guy's help in stopping the road to nowhere.
"85% of Republicans are Democrats who don't know what's going on." -Robert Kennedy, Jr.
"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be." -Voltaire
Not sure what you mean...
but as I said, things like fiscal responsibility, minimum wage, and the 9/11 commission are no-brainers.
Then, you have ideological votes, which show where you will fall when the chips are down.
Now, precisely where do you see me "calling for his head" for not agreeing with me? I think i'm calling on him to tell us, the North Carolina Democrats, where he stands on Iraq.
Will he support the Bush escalation, or will he stand with his party against it???
If he has to back down from that question, then perhaps he needs to reconsider his stance.
Where are the candidates?
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me