Tag: Democratic Party
Liberal Dems Have Reached a ‘Turning Point’
We reached a turning point, and we have to speak for our base that isn’t being heard any more. There isn’t unanimity anymore; you can’t deliver a bloc…. Blind loyalty — I don’t think that’s an option anymore. People are going assert what they think is best for their base, their district, and more importantly, how the Democrats are going to look going into 2014.
— Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), quoted by National Journal, on liberal Democrats starting to take on President Obama.
Reports of the Demise of the Democratic Party are (Allegedly) Premature
The Democratic Party, it’s not dead like some people think it is.
— Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), quoted by Politico.
Maybe There Is a Democratic Backlash Against Dems Who Voted Against Gun Control
So I’ll have some advice for my friends in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles: Just say no to the Democrats who said no on background checks.
— Former Obama White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley (D), writing in the Washington Post, about how Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) “betrayed me on gun control.”
Pollster: Democrats Play to Win
In my party, we play to win. We play for life and death. Your party has no problem playing the Washington Generals to the Harlem Globetrotters.
— Democratic pollster Pat Caddell, quoted by NBC News, to Republicans at CPAC.
CA State Controller Threatens to Dock Legislators’ Pay If They Miss Budget Deadline
California lawmakers will start losing their pay in two weeks if they don’t make further progress in balancing the budget, says state Controller John Chiang.
Chiang, the state’s chief accountant, is citing a ballot measure voters approved in November in justifying his plan to dock legislators of their pay absent a balanced budget. His interpretation of the measure differs from that of legislative lawyers, who had previously opined that a budget bill lawmakers passed in March — which still left the state with a multibillion-dollar shortfall — met the conditions set by voters needed to keep salaries flowing once the Legislature’s June 15 deadline for passing the budget arrives…
“In passing Proposition 25 last November, voters clearly stated they expect their representatives to make the difficult decisions needed to resolve any budget shortfalls by the mandatory deadline, or be penalized,” Chiang said in a statement. “I will enforce the voters’ demand.”
Chang has the support of Gov. Jerry Brown, who is also a Democrat:
Best Day of New Jacksonville Mayor’s Campaign Was the Day Gov. Scott Showed Up to Campaign for His Opponent
Jacksonville is a Republican stronghold, but even with that relatively conservative electorate polls show Barack Obama more popular than Rick Scott. That election in Florida’s largest city was not about Obama or Scott, but there’s no question that Scott’s talk about draconian cuts to school budgets and other services helped elect a Democrat arguing that cuts need to be targeted and strategic. One of the best days for Democrat Alvin Brown came when Rick Scott came to Jacksonville to campaign for the Republican mayoral nominee at a Tea Party rally.
– Adam Smith, political editor for the St. Petersburg Times
California Democrats Float Plan to Target Budget Cuts on Republican Districts
Even news last week that the state collected $2 billion more in revenue than had been projected — a windfall that was at least part due to the tax and fee hikes — did not convince the Republican minority in Sacramento to reconsider its position.
If the raised rates are allowed to stand, they could contribute as much as $12 billion toward closing the deficit. They are set to expire on July 1.
Gov. Jerry Brown and the Democratic majority in the Legislature have cut $11 billion from the budget, much of it from safety net programs that provide health-care and other services to children, the elderly and low-income residents.
If the extensions expire — as the GOP minority in Sacramento insists — billions more in cuts will be required to resolve the shortfall.
A poll released in March found that 58 percent of California voters supported extended the tax hikes. A more recent poll found just 33 percent of California voters support the GOP plan to resolve the deficit with an additional $14 billion in program cuts. (Interestingly, about the same ratio of California voters — about 30 percent — are registered Republicans.)
This prompts a question: If it is only California Republicans who want budget cuts alone to resolve the deficit, why then should the majority of Californians who oppose the cuts be forced to share the sacrifice?
Are Democrats Finally Getting Mad? Sen. Feinstein Unofficially Kicks off Reelection Bid with Attack on GOP-Tea Party
California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein unofficially launched her third reelection bid at the state Democratic Party Convention in Sacramento on April 30 with a fiery (for her) speech attacking congressional Republicans. Here’s a transcript of an excerpt from the video, starting at about minute 02:20:
