Democrats – News Stories About Democrats - Page 21

Poll: GOP Steamrolling Toward Midterm Vote

May 12, 2010 7:02 PM CDT

Poll: GOP Steamrolling Toward Midterm Vote

They're picking up crucial blocs such as independents, seniors

(Newser) - A new poll has old news for Democrats: The midterm elections are going to be ugly. The Wall Street Journal/NBC survey says Republicans have won back crucial blocs that strayed in recent elections, including independents, seniors, suburban women, and rural voters. Also, about a third of respondents say they don't...

Obey's Retirement More
Bad News for Dems

quick takes

May 5, 2010 5:10 PM CDT

Obey's Retirement More Bad News for Dems

When the House Appropriations chief bails, it can't be good

(Newser) - The decision by powerful congressman David Obey to retire rather than seek re-election—the 71-year-old says he's "bone tired," reports AP —has pundits predicting more bad news for Democrats:

Ed Morrissey, Hot Air : This "may be the biggest sign of Democratic despair in this midterm cycle,

...

Democrat Congressman Obey (WI) To "Retire" Instead of Face Defeat

Democrat Obey to Retire

May 5, 2010 12:13 PM CDT

Democrat Obey to Retire

House Appropriations chief faced tough re-election

(Newser) - Democratic sources say House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey will not seek re-election, reports AP . The Wisconsin Democrat, first elected to his seat in 1969, easily won his 20th full term in 2008 with 61% of the vote, but he faced a potentially difficult re-election bid this fall. Obey's decision...

Obama Hesitates, Dooms Immigration Reform

Dana Milbank

May 1, 2010 12:15 PM CDT

Obama Hesitates, Dooms Immigration Reform

He 'clotheslined' Senate Democrats with his retreat

(Newser) - Immigration reform isn't going anywhere, and those pointing fingers should aim at President Obama, writes Dana Milbank. Obama vacillated, much as he did with the public option, and with the same result. He neither pushed for it not told supporters to wait. "Instead, he left a vaccum," and...

Dems spark alarm with call for national ID card - TheHill.com

Democrats' ID Card Plan:
Get Your Fingerprints

Apr 30, 2010 1:15 PM CDT

Democrats' ID Card Plan: Get Your Fingerprints

'Biometrics' a big part of immigration reform proposal

(Newser) - Now it's the Democrats' turn to be accused of trying to violate civil liberties in the name of immigration reform. A crucial part of their plan calls for what amounts to a high-tech national ID card. It would have a "biometrics" component—namely fingerprints—and every worker would need...

Op-Ed Columnist - The Government War - NYTimes.com

Thanks to Dems, Centrist America Suffers Again

david brooks

Apr 23, 2010 11:30 AM CDT

Thanks to Dems, Centrist America Suffers Again

We're rehashing the stale debate of big vs. small government

(Newser) - David Brooks sees himself as an advocate of "progressive conservatism," which he says puts him at the center ("or a step to the right") of American politics. And he's not happy with the plight of the "broad middle" these days. He had hopes that Barack...

Obama Finally
Goes On
Offensive

opinion

Apr 22, 2010 1:37 PM CDT

Obama Finally Goes On Offensive

Democrats have clear advantage on financial reform

(Newser) - EJ Dionne sees a newly aggressive Barack Obama recognizing that he can put Republicans on their heels with financial reform. Republicans for the first time "are uncertain as to whether resolute opposition to a Democratic idea is in their political interest," he writes in the Washington Post . "...

Democrats, Be Careful
What You Wish for

karl rove

Apr 22, 2010 1:00 PM CDT

Democrats, Be Careful What You Wish for

Get financial reform wrong, and it will backfire badly

(Newser) - Democrats are in rough shape heading into the midterm elections, which is why they're so giddy about the financial reform bill. They think it can "put some distance between them and the Obama administration's reckless spending policies over the past year," writes Karl Rove. "They believe that...

Rep. Grayson Raises $800K
in First Quarter

Apr 15, 2010 5:26 PM CDT

Rep. Grayson Raises $800K in First Quarter

People like 'congressmen with guts,' he explains

(Newser) - Florida congressman Alan Grayson's outspoken assault on Republicans is paying off: He raised a whopping $800,000 in the first quarter of 2010. Grayson, however, bristles at the notion that he's simply a lefty version of, say, Michele Bachmann, writes Greg Sargent at his Plum Line blog . "It’s...

Massa's
Male Staffers Complained
for a Year

investigation

Apr 13, 2010 2:26 PM CDT

Massa's Male Staffers Complained for a Year

Ex-rep's aides cite lewd comments, touching

(Newser) - This was apparently no isolated tickle fest , no matter what Eric Massa says. A Washington Post investigation finds that the former congressman's male staffers began complaining about lewd overtures from him in March 2009, just 3 months after he took office. Massa's senior aides tried to handle it internally—for...

Health Reform Bill Won't Stop Premium Hikes

Apr 13, 2010 12:09 PM CDT

Health Reform Bill Won't Stop Premium Hikes

Action on curbs didn't make final cut, leaving 'very big loophole'

(Newser) - Turns out the big health care reform bill doesn't actually rein in those out-of-control premium rate hikes. The Democrats used outrage over whopping increases to corral support for the overhaul, but the bill doesn't deliver, finds the Los Angeles Times , because it doesn't give the government the regulatory authority. "...

Democrats Could Lose 50-Plus House Seats

Nate Silver

Apr 9, 2010 1:57 PM CDT

Democrats Could Lose 50-Plus House Seats

Or worse, if things go really badly

(Newser) - The worst-case scenarios for the Democrats in the midterm elections are bad indeed, Nate Silver warns. He cites "one reasonably well-informed translation of the generic ballot polls" that forecasts a 51-seat loss in the House if the elections were held today. It's not too late to shift the momentum,...

Tea Partiers Are 'Average' Americans, Just 57% GOP

2 new polls

Apr 5, 2010 7:28 AM CDT

Tea Partiers Are 'Average' Americans, Just 57% GOP

Movement currently accounts for 17% of voters

(Newser) - A pair of new polls poke holes in the conventional image of the tea party as a fringe group of loud Republicans. In a Sunday poll of 1,000 registered voters, 17% identified themselves as “part of the Tea Party movement,” the LA Times reports. Of those, 28%...

5 Hopeful Signs for Democrats in Midterms

Analysis

Apr 2, 2010 2:40 PM CDT

5 Hopeful Signs for Democrats in Midterms

No need for Pelosi, Reid to panic—at least not yet

(Newser) - Democrats didn’t get the bump in the polls they were hoping for after health care reform passed. Are they doomed in November? Maybe. But they have reasons for optimism, writes Jay Newton-Small for Time , including:

Michael Steele: He’s “the gift that keeps on giving,” and his

...

GOP Hopefuls Embrace Pledge to 'Repeal It'

health care reform

Mar 29, 2010 5:04 PM CDT

GOP Hopefuls Embrace Pledge to 'Repeal It'

Health care reform law opposition becomes Republican litmus test

(Newser) - The push to repeal health care reform has become a rallying cry for GOP candidates pushing for big congressional victories this year and eager to show their willingness to take on the Democratic agenda. In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist and conservative upstart Marco Rubio agreed on little else in a...

Don't Fan the Flames—
We'll All Get Burned

PEGGY NOONAN

Mar 26, 2010 8:10 AM CDT

Don't Fan the Flames— We'll All Get Burned

Political rage is a national problem, not a partisan one

(Newser) - America's white-hot political rage is a national problem, not a partisan one—and if we're not careful, we'll all get burned. The Democrats are right to call attention to threats to lawmakers but they shouldn't treat this as a political opportunity, writes Peggy Noonan for the Wall Street Journal . "...

Don't Get Too Excited Over Just One Poll

NATE SILVER

Mar 24, 2010 1:43 PM CDT

Don't Get Too Excited Over Just One Poll

It's too early to tell if bump in support for reform will stick

(Newser) - Much ado has been made over yesterday's Gallup poll, which showed 49% in favor of the health care bill to 40% opposed, but Republicans shouldn't freak out just yet, writes Nate Silver. Yes, it shows a big increase in support for reform, but it's just one poll, "and even...

Public Flip-Flops, Now Likes Health Care Reform

That Was Fast

Mar 23, 2010 2:23 PM CDT

Public Flip-Flops, Now Likes Health Care Reform

Poll shows 49% in favor of new law, to 40% opposed

(Newser) - The ink is barely dry on the new health care reform law, but the public has already come around on it, says a new USA Today/Gallup poll . Among those surveyed, 48% called the law “a good first step,” saying more should be done to reform the system. Roughly...

Racial Slurs,
Image of Noose
Faxed to Clyburn

Mar 23, 2010 6:40 AM CDT

Racial Slurs, Image of Noose Faxed to Clyburn

Democratic lawmakers attacked over health bill

(Newser) - House Majority Whip James Clyburn was sent racist messages after Sunday's health reform vote. Clyburn, a veteran of the civil rights movement, told Keith Olbermann, "If you look at some of the faxes that I got today, racial slurs, nooses on gallows, and I'm telling you, some very vicious...

CBO Numbers 'Thoroughly Gamed' and Useless

opinion

Mar 18, 2010 5:21 PM CDT

CBO Numbers 'Thoroughly Gamed' and Useless

The health bill is a fiscal time bomb, writes Megan McArdle

(Newser) - Under reconciliation rules, Democrats had to improve the budget numbers in the health care bill by $1 billion. Surprise, surprise: Today's CBO analysis shows "they improved it by exactly $1 billion," writes Megan McArdle. She sees it as further proof that "the CBO process has now been...