Politics

Democrats Distance Themselves From Their Own Agenda

During Friday’s presidential press conference, ABC’s Jake Tapper asked the president to comment on why “the only Democrats I’ve seen talking about health care legislation are running TV ads saying that they voted against it.” Obama shrugged it off as politics as usual: “You know, that’s — that’s how political races work.”

If that’s true, Democrats are working hard to perfect the political game.

As a new New York Times article points out, Democrats are jumping ship on their party’s agenda. “Two years after arriving in Washington on a message of hope and change,” it points out, “Democratic candidates are not extolling their party’s accomplishments, but rather distancing themselves from their party’s agenda.”

Nowhere is that seen better than in Democratic campaign ads, which show “all the ways [Democrats] are trying to personalize their contests and avoid being defined as ideological partners of President Obama’s or as part of the Washington establishment.”

According to the article, the Times reviewed hundreds of campaign ads broadcast over the last six weeks. Among its findings are Republicans were more than twice as likely as Demcrats to talk about jobs; Republicans also mentioned health care far more than Democrats did; and when Democrats do bring up the health care issue, 38 percent of the commercials are critical of the new law.

“I’ve said no to more government spending, no to President Obama’s big health care plan, and no to Wall Street bailouts,” says Representative Walt Minnick (D-ID) in one ad. He’s considered a “blue dog” democrat by some.

YouTube – Broadcast Yourself.

Iowa Democratic governor Chet Culver asks voters for a second chance after “honest mistakes”:

And Congressman Glenn Nye of Virginia touts the fact that he “stood up” to his party’s leaders:

All the far-as-the-east-is-from-the-west distancing comes from the frustration of the American people. Almost any poll one looks at shows that voters are upset with President Obama and think the country and economy are on the wrong track. Even more upsetting to voters may be the president’s comments that such a distancing could be just for political reasons, instead of a gravitation toward recognizing genuine concerns.

Suzanne Kosmas, a Congressional candidate in Florida, tries to echo the country’s, and her constituents’, frustration:

But lacking in all the talk of dumping the Democratic agenda is why it is so surprising that current and potential leaders would adopt the sentiments of their constituents, instead of adhere to party lines with fervor. Politicians, after all, are elected to enact the will of the people.

The fact that such a concept is so foreign could mean a shake up in November.

UPDATE:

Another popular Democrat distancing himself from Obama and his party is Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold. A quick visit to his website highlights the trend. The two most prominent headlines are “Feingold is more loyal to Wisconsin than to presidents” and “Feingold will be in Senate when Obama is in Madison.” Both brag that Feingold stayed in Washington while Obama touted his economic agenda in Wisconsin.

In fact, the first article goes as far as to call Feingold a “maverick,” the title popularized by Republican John McCain during the 2008 presidential campaign.

True to form, he touts his vote against the controversial bank bailouts:

Comments (31)

  • Al
    Posted on September 19, 2010 at 3:49pm

    The chance of a lifetime – veto proof votes in both houses and in the White House – and the dems took full advantage of that. It’s bad enough that they pursued Marxist ideas, rejecting the values and traditions of our great country to run roughshod over the people with bail outs, out of control spending and Obamacare. They wanted to fundamentally change our country, not for the good, but to a european socialist model that is antithetical to our Judeo-Christian principles. They did it with backroom deals, 2000+page bills that no one read and disingenuous triatribe in the press to try to con the people. NOw they want to blame the republicans and tell us they will vote according to the people’s will? Don’t believe it for a moment. It’s time to completely replace the makeup of the present congress and put in patriots. God and Country first, not party. The democrat party has chosen to represent a secular progressive platform that rejects God, America and common sense. Every candidate that is running under the dem banner needs to be voted out.

    Report Post »  
  • jb1972
    Posted on September 17, 2010 at 3:43pm

    I think all of us should absentee vote. That way when they do all their exit polling our numbers wont be counted and everyone will say its a low turn out. Then when the votes are actually counted there will be mayhem!

    Report Post » jb1972  
  • HangingChad
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:29pm

    Run Forrest, I mean Democrats, RUNNNNNNNNNN

    Report Post »  
  • AndrewOH
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 7:02pm

    They all stood in unison and clapped for our lying president at the state of the union speech. That means they agree with his agenda and his talking points. We will not be fooled, God help us.
    Campaign one way, vote another–same crap all the time. Go home.

    Report Post »  
  • stedge
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 4:36pm

    The Truth is revealing its ugly head, is it not?? The dirt bags who voted all this oppression on the naive voters(Democrats mostly), now want to say they did not see it coming. I don’t think so!!! You’re outta here. Republicans too!! They forgot and have forgotten for the last 100 years about their constitutional responsibilies. Of course, we , the voting public are to blame. Many of us have gotten fat and lazy with the federal handouts over the decades(Social Security, Welfare, Medicare, Medicaid)

    Now we are faced with the hard choices. Now we have to decide to continue on the road to financial disaster, because we need our “fix:!! Shame on us america, If this nation falls, we deserve it!! We allowed it!! So now it’s Payback time, and the big boys are calling in the loans.

    The Dems are a lost cause!! The Reps have caved into the special interests, which means they are now better then the DEMS. We have elected the “Boy wonder”, thinking he is the Chosen One. Like the saying goes, ” Fool me once shame on you!, Fool me twice, shame on Me! . We’ve been fooled since Teddy Roosevelt formed the Bull Moose Party.

    Wake Up America,,,it’s time to restore constitutional sanity in Washington. And we must do it!!

    Stedge

    Report Post »  
  • makom
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 4:26pm

    Get your facts right! Author: CaptElaine.
The day the Democrats took over was not January 22nd 2009 — it was actually January 3rd 2007.
The Democratic Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995.
“For those of you who are listening to the liberals propagating the fallacy that everything is ”Bush’s Fault,” think about this: 
January 3rd, 2007 was the day the Democrats took over the Senate and the Congress: 
At the time: 
The DOW Jones closed at 12,621.77 
The GDP for the previous quarter was 3.5% The Unemployment rate was 4.6%
George Bush’s Economic policies SET A RECORD of 52 STRAIGHT MONTHS of JOB CREATION!
Remember the day.
January 3rd, 2007 was the day that Barney Frank took over the House Financial Services Committee and Chris Dodd took over the Senate Banking Committee.  
The economic meltdown that happened 15 months later was in what part of the economy? 
BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES! 

THANK YOU DEMOCRATS for taking us from 13,000 DOW, 3.5 GDP and 4.6% Unemployment to this CRISIS by dumping 5-6 TRILLION Dollars of toxic loans on the economy from YOUR Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac FIASCOS! 
 
(BTW: Bush asked Congress 17 TIMES to stop Fannie & Freddie - starting in 2001 because it was financially risky for the  US  economy).


    Report Post »  
  • AmericanBlaze
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 2:41pm

    Actually it has been going on longer than the “last” 2 years. Try since January 3rd, 2007. When the Democrats took over the Senate and Congress.
    For a more complete picture:

    http://brucehough.blogspot.com/2009/04/setting-record-straight-on-george-w.html

    While this article does not makes George W. Bush out to be a hero, it shows at least that the “transformation” of the United States was started back then, to prepare the way for Obama.
    President Bush was not blind to what was needed. But rather was hobbled by the Senate and Congress quite effectively.
    But please, you read and judge for yourself. At least at this time. we ARE a Free Republic still.

    Report Post » AmericanBlaze  
  • chattycathy
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 12:28pm

    You can run but you can’t hide. If you have a ‘D’ behind your name, you need to go. Each House and Senate Dem stood arms locked against the will of the American people for the last two years and we will not forget it. In my opinion, they proved that they want to turn us into a Socialist country and have no respect for the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

    Report Post »  
  • taxedenuf
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 11:43am

    Since I am old enough to remember, it seems to me that every time we have have the same party occupy the house, senate , and wh the spending has gone out of whack. This is a problem most easily seen in the last 2 years, but it shows up in the middle Bush 2 years. Either run true budget hawks, or keep divided government with fiscal hawks Always in the House majority.

    Report Post »  
  • Docrow
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 11:27am

    November can not get here quick enough but it will not be the finial answer.

    Report Post » Docrow  
  • sccm52
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 11:19am

    November will be the month of END OF DAYS for the Dems’! Thats what happeneds when you act like sheep!!!

    Report Post »  
  • AmericanBlaze
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 10:29am

    Its, rather odd don’t you think? Many who are running for office will not even label their ad as Democrat or Republican. Seems they are ashamed of their party affiliation. But, if you reflect on the last several years. None of them have much to be proud of. Time for term limits. Time to make an AMERICAN change that reflects the will of the American Citizens. Time for, We The People, to become invested in what our Government is doing, as it may well crush our children and grandchildren. Restoring Honor is a part of that. Then living up to that Restoration and following through with the Constitution, and Laws that are already on the books can actually work. Seems our Government has no sense at all of what the word “Honor” means anymore.
    Let us all pray that we are not too late.

    Report Post » AmericanBlaze  
    • Beckofile
      Posted on September 13, 2010 at 12:44pm

      I don’t think term limits are the most important. I think every Senator and House member should only be able to make what the median income in their state or district is. This goes for all their staffers. Also while they serve they can contribute to their social security like all of us. End all the retirement perks we are not able to enjoy. Third they can be inrolled in Medicaid or Medicare as their healthcare plan but only during the time they serve. If we do as Washington warned we would have never let these jobs be coveted. We created the career politician. We need to dismantle the buracreacies and restore states rights and hold the Fed’s to the enumerated powers in the Constitution.

      Report Post » Beckofile  
  • MikeinIdaho
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:58am

    The problem with re-electing these so-called “Blue Dogs” is that they are STILL Democrats and as such, they are still ultimately supporting Pelosi and Reid as the leaders of the House and Senate if enough of them are re-elected. We can’t take the chance that these two marxists are returned to leadership positions in either the House or the Senate. As a citizen of Idaho, let me just say that Minnick must go, period. REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER

    Report Post » MikeinIdaho  
  • Zombee
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:35am

    The GOP and the Tea Party needs to hang the OBAMA-CARE monkey on the backs of every Democrat that voted for it. They can run but they can’t hide.

    Report Post » Zombee  
    • Flannery
      Posted on September 13, 2010 at 10:03am

      And those monkeys should be portrayed as the flying monkeys that did the Wicked Witch of the West’s dirty work. BTW – Nancy Piglosi can revive the Margret Hamiliton role,

      Report Post »  
  • Buck Bagaw
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:25am

    These “public servants” are trying to convince their voters that they are in remission.

    Report Post »  
  • printdesignchicago.com
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:18am

    HAHAHAHAA! the DEMOCRAPS are becoming afraid to be THEMSELVES. i love it!

    DISBAND THE PARTIES! THEY DON’T WORK FOR US!

    Boehner? THIS guy is a LEADER? HARDLY!
    Obama? THIS guy is a LEADER? ROTFL!!!!!!

    Both parties have the same agenda of self-serving garbage.

    ~QUOTE:
    Liberal bigots are the ones who trouble me most. I distrust the
    extremes. Scratch a conservative and you find someone who prefers the past over
    any future. Scratch a liberal and find a closet aristocrat. It’s true! Liberal
    governments always develop into aristocracies The bureaucracies betray the true
    intent of people who form such governments. Right from the first, the little
    people who formed the governments which promised to equalize the social burdens
    found themselves suddenly in the hands of bureaucratic aristocracies.
    Of course, all bureaucracies follow this pattern. but what a hypocrisy to find this even
    under a communized banner. Ahhh, well, if patterns teach me anything it’s that
    patterns are repeated. ~ Frank Herbert

    Report Post » printdesignchicago.com  
  • The Count
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:57am

    A Democratic-wide shift towards “blue dogs,” would be an important first step. They should be supported in their efforts, but also pushed further towards Constitutional adherence. This applies to both parties. The goal should be to have Democrats act like Grover Cleveland and the Republicans act like Harding/Coolidge; if not more like the Founding Fathers for both parties.

    Report Post » The Count  
  • PA PATRIOT
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:53am

    Have they no Honor at all? “Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness. ”
    George Washington

    Report Post » PA PATRIOT  
  • wendio
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:52am

    “Often, The Gay… the Jew… the Black… seek out the very party that holds them as slaves to their own cause…”

    Something to chew on!

    Report Post »  
    • The Count
      Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:59am

      You a absolutely correct in your assertion. I believe that the Jews and AfricanAmericans (Americans, dang it) are having their eyes opened. With hope, the other groups shall follow (incl. homosexuals, Hispanic, handicapped, et al.).

      Report Post » The Count  
    • Flannery
      Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:58am

      @ The Count – “With hope, the other groups shall follow . . .”

      While I understand and agree with your underlying premise, I HOPE that the ‘groups” end as political manipulants and instead individuals decide to follow a different course.

      Report Post »  
  • TomBurpee
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:48am

    This is just beautiful. I love it. We’ll see all of our Media Matters/HuffPo friends popping in here:
    “THE FACTS THE FACTS! THEY DIDN’T VOTE FOR IT! IT‘S A FACT IT’S A FACT!”
    Yeah, but that still doesn’t change the fact that the President is toxic to any Progressive campaign right now, and it’s solid gold for any Conservative/Tea Party campaign. Oh, and I know it couldn’t drive those George Soros lackeys any wilder.

    I think as Tea Partiers/Conservatives we have a duty to keep this momentum rolling right through 2012, with any luck by then most of America will have woken up and we won’t have to worry about this cataclysmic mess again.

    Maybe..

    Report Post » TomBurpee  
  • hempstead1944
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:42am

    What would make a Democrat constituent believe that their elected official would actually reflect their ideas or positions? They say what their constituents want to hear only to be elected, returned to Washington, and then vote their own self interest. Hey! sounds like the definition of a politician…..

    Report Post »  
  • bmpaz
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:41am

    Maybe they should have thought about this BEFORE voting for the chains of socialism instead of trying to cover up for it after the fact. Should be an insult to everyone how stupid they think we are.

    Report Post »  
  • RojBlake
    Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:39am

    Typical of the New York Times, “two years after arriving etc.”; that may be true for Obama, but the Democrats have had control of congress since 2007…& congress controls the pursestrings.

    Funny how so many skip over that little fact…that the money was controled by the Dems when the “car went off the road & into the ditch”.

    Funny, too, that everyone has forgotten Schumers letter about Lehman bros. questioning thier stability just before the went under…

    Report Post » RojBlake  
    • Freelancer
      Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:54am

      Also funny how they always manage to avoid that Bush asked for a audit of Fannie and Freddie and that they found SERIOUS problems. The democrats attacked the regulator claiming that the two institutions were sound and just fine examples of government working at it’s best calling the findings a “republican political hatchet job.” Shortly after that, those two wonderful institutions started the financial collapse and panic that has led us to where we are today. No, that would not be worth reporting on now would it?

      Report Post » Freelancer  
    • RojBlake
      Posted on September 13, 2010 at 8:59am

      True, actually as I recall didn’t Bush ask for Fannie & Freddie reform something like 5 times?

      So did McCain as a recall.

      Of course that also illustrates the point that the Republicans need a shake up as well, is it any wonder that the Tea Party is gaining so much traction?

      Report Post » RojBlake  
    • Beckofile
      Posted on September 13, 2010 at 9:40am

      And don’t forget that Obama was a Senator the whole time since 2007. Not to mention the most liberal voting record which translated means tons of spending. Bush may have put the car in the ditch but the Congress was a great back seat driver and controlling the power of the purse the whole time. Now that Obama got the keys he has stomped the gas pedal and it’ off a cliff.

      Here is the framework to start the change from the state level.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H-Hv_cps-Y&feature=related

      Report Post » Beckofile  

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