Now we've got at least two: Alan Grayson (D-FL) and Anthony Weiner (D-NY). 533 to go.

Imagine how much better this state could be if we had one leader like that here.

Interesting -- if my eyes don't deceive me, that was an Oregonian presiding (Kurt Schrader). I hope he was taking notes.

Wow, I really dislike both Weiner and Grayson, Mike. No, my favorite is Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey.

halla effen lewya.... passion on display... go boy go

No one is saying that a little Christie thrown into the mix would be a bad thing either.

I'm not in line with many of Weiner's policies, but what I respect about him (and the previously mentioned Christie and Grayson) is, unlike most of the hacks in all forms of elected government, they clearly and forcefully stand for and defend their positions. Reasonable minds can disagree, but I think we can all stand united behind the idea that the favor trading and posturing, rather than doing what makes sense, is killing us on a local and national level.

Bravo, Mr. Weiner. Mr. Christie is not NEARLY in the same league with Mr. Weiner, who is passionate about doing right for the people he serves. Christie is a bully who toots his own horn, gets out of traffic tickets by throwing his weight around, denies funding for schools and women's health, and denigrates the public employees of New Jersey (many of whom were stupid enough to vote for him).
No comparison. Bravo, Mr. Weiner.

I thought the Democrats had an absolute majority. Why is he blaming the Republicans? Are there perhaps some Democrat defectors he does not want to talk about??

Hot dog!

Yeah, it's amazing the blind eye some people will take on an issue based on their party affiliation. The Democrats could pass this bill - or any bill they wanted - without a single Republican vote. How is it the Republican's fault that the Democrats won't even agree with this bill?

Because Democrats refuse to engage in a herd mentality and vote conscience instead, it is difficult to achieve Dem unanimity on any bill. The R's on the other hand will vote en masse on the most pressing legislation based simply on the fact it was sponsored by a Dem. Meanwhile nothing gets accomplished. This is the result R's desire so they can point to lack of progress during the Dem majority. They play us all for fools and smugly claim superiority.

John Fairplay, tw proffered a cogent explanation here:
http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2010/07/30/kurt-schrader-anthony-weiner-and-a-classic-blow-up/

Rep Weiner discussed his passionate performance on Matthews (MSNBC) today, although not with Matthews, who is most likely vacationing at his $4m Nantucket abode, where summers are too brief; Rep Weiner did not mention Rep Schrader. Jon Stewart (TDS), who likes his politics passionate, will probably offer commentary — if not long-time friend Rep Weiner himself — next week.

Ahhh...genop-

The Dems did the same thing when the Reps ran the House and Senate in the early oos.

A pox on all their houses.

This is the crap that happens when the "true believers" and hard ideologues, left or right, control the Dem and Rep, party primaries, respectively.

Weiner rocks.

It was explained in way that, for the first time, I understood why Dems are inherently un-unified. (from the blog of Ted Rall, popular political cartoonist ... in case Jack Ohman seeks a model, which he should)

SYNDICATED COLUMN: Protofascism Comes to America, Posted by Ted Rall, Wednesday, July 21, 2010

...

On the left, communists are specific to a fault. (This is why the Left is factionalized.) Programmes, five-year plans and one tract after another are the (increasingly boring) order of the day under socialism. Moving right, bourgeois organizations such as the two major U.S. political parties have platform planks and principles, but tend to be mushy and flexible. As we move to the far right, as under Hitler, ideas become grand, sweeping, meaningless slogans (take the nation back! death to the traitors!). What should be done is nominally whatever needs doing (i.e., whatever the Leader orders).

Umberto Eco’s 1995 essay “Eternal Fascism” describes the cult of action for its own sake under fascist regimes and movements: “Action being beautiful in itself, it must be taken before, or without, reflection. Thinking is a form of emasculation.”

My own thought, today as it so happened, is comparing the crop of Congress to the crowd of any group which would-be presenting credibility and integrity. (Think: PDX police (union?).) The guideline is: If one in them goes wacko illegal, the others must distance themselves from the one 'bad apple,' to prove both that they recognize badness and in the main they are not like that -- disassociate from the criminal(s) or else the one(s) represent the whole.

Dems in Congress must disown the Reps. However, on and on, they don't. So all of them are the same, as bad as the worst of them we see.

(It doesn't work the other way around. A good one's goodness is not conferred across the group. It's 'guilt' by association, NOT 'esteem' by association.)

.

genop,
I have observed somewhat of a herd mentality amongst too many Democrats as well. Many will not say a negative thing about their own party even when the party has betrayed them.
This is wrong too. Not that I have anything to do with the R's here but we need to recognize that, as it seems now both are cut out some kind of same cloth that is not for the public interest. The R's may just be worse in that regard, but these D's we have now are not the same D's we used to have. Note the Blue Dogs role in all of this as well. As far as I am concerned the game has changed. With the exception of a very small fraction, we now have the worst Congress money can buy.

Because Democrats refuse to engage in a herd mentality and vote conscience instead

Maybe for the regular Joe. But once they get elected its all a herd mentality. Politics at their level has NOTHING to do with conscience.
Its money, power, and control. Probably in that order.

Puts my in mind of Michael Keaton's exclamation, "That Barney Rubble, what an actor!"

I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat.

Will Rogers

I would change your analysis a bit Jon to power, control then money. I think for beginning legislatures it might be about money at first but later on in their career it becomes about power.

Anyway, what I heard was they added another bill to this one and wanted 60% to pass it instead of a simple majority. That 60% means that some republicans would have to vote for it too. Now they'll probably reintroduce it and just require a simple majority and it can pass. Otherwise, this was more political game to make the other side look bad.

Anyway, what I heard was they added another bill to this one and wanted 60% to pass it instead of a simple majority.

The GOP wanted to introduce a bunch of culture warrior amendments to appeal to the mouth breathers who currently make up about 90% of their constituency. The Dems cried foul and shut down the amendments, but in order to pass a bill with no amendments, you have to have 2/3. Of course the GOP is too cowardly to actually vote for something that does not placate the Glenn Beck side of things, so they voted it down. Pathetic.

Bravo, Mr. Weiner. Mr. Christie is not NEARLY in the same league with Mr. Weiner, who is passionate about doing right for the people he serves. Christie is a bully who toots his own horn, gets out of traffic tickets by throwing his weight around, denies funding for schools and women's health, and denigrates the public employees of New Jersey (many of whom were stupid enough to vote for him).
No comparison. Bravo, Mr. Weiner.

Christie put a state on track to pull itself back from the brink of bankruptcy from years of democratic control. I'm a libertarian, so I don't really have a dog in this two party fight, but lets call a spade a spade and set the partisan politics aside. You're right, they're not in the same class, but I think you have it backward. People with fiscal policies like Christie's are this countries only hope.

Thanks for posting this, Jack. I'm not sure I would have seen it if I didn't come upon it here.

Well Bernadette,
Lucky for you, you have available some easy treatment for your delirium about Christy.

You can vote for Kitzhaber with confidence that if he is victorious he will not make any of the Christy changes here in Oregon

Quite the contrary a new Governor Kitzhaber is certain to be preserving all things status quo covering every board, commission, agency and policy that is stifling our state. And he'll make you feel good about it.

So there you go.

Save the entrenched establishment, Vote for Kitz. You'll be in good company with Mayor Creepy and every other defective Oregon "leader".

Darren and Dave J., twelve GOPers did vote for the bill, including Peter King (R-NY), the voice heard in the clip badgering Rep Weiner to yield. Rep Weiner explained that his passionate outburst against Rep King was because King was covering for Republicans who lacked the courage to vote for a bill that benefitted the 9/11 emergency responders whose health has been impaired by damage suffered at the site.

Again, it would be unlike Jon Stewart not to offer either commentary or Rep Weiner himself next week.

Ben - I got news for ya. Dudley will be every bit as bad. I contacted his campaign with some specific questions to get a read on certain things. I did not get ONE SINGLE ANSWER. Just a bunch of worthless platitudes about how great Dudley will be for the state. I'd like to know Dudley had some cojones and a real agenda but alas, I think he just wants the job title and doesn't have the brains, guts, or balls to do the job.

LucsAdvo,

If you think Dudley is no different and in the same mold as Kitzhaber, Kulongoski, Adams, Castillo et al and all of their entrenched appointees you're having a brain freeze.

There is no resemblance.
I understand that the Dudley campaign has been unsatifactory to many people in answering questions and explaining his ideas. BUT in no way does that equate to being the same or as bad as Kitzhaber or the current governor.

come on oregon we know that if taxhauber is in office again what to expect. lets get a new game in salem. the dems have had their way toooo long. remember when a new game was in portland city hall (bud clark) how good things happened. by this i mean edith green and frank ivancie got out of city hall.

Ben -

At least I know what Kitz will do.

Dudley either has no plan or lacks the cojones to lay it out. One way or the other, no one should be so stupid as to roll the dice on an unknown quantity.

Besides Ben, both parties are screwing the average taxpayer daily so what's the difference? I find the Repugnincants a far greater risk to my civil liberties. I cannot risk an idiot who is bringing some religious right agenda to the governor's office. You may not care about that but a lot of Oregonians do.