The Moderate Squeeze

This new radiio ad from the DCCC hits moderate Republican Heather Wilson hard, pegging her for missing votes to attend fundraisers with Bush.  Wilson is part of a band of moderate Republicans that are vulnerable this cycle because of the poor climate for Republicans.

Watch them change their voting patterns in response to the squeeze.  For instance, this corporate, excuse me, 'free' trade agreement with Oman, which passed the Senate with the help of 10 Democrats (Baucus, Cantwell, Clinton, Kerry, Landrieu, Lieberman, Nelson (FL), Nelson (NE), Obama and Salazar), is now going to the House.  It'll be interesting to see what kind of pressure the House moderates are under to vote against leadership on this.  Oman has horrifying labor standards, and has been tagged with real human trafficking (ie. slavery) charges.

Can moderates afford to vote for pacts like this anymore?  It's an interesting question.  

Update: There are some really cool New Mexico blogs, which imaprogressive pointed me to. New Mexico FBIHop, Demfemme, DFA New Mexico, and What Do I Know all dislike Wilson for a lot of reasons, and probably wouldn't characterize her as a moderate. For some reason, when I looked about nine months ago, I couldn't find any New Mexico blogs. There seem to be a lot now.



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Re: The Moderate Squeeze (3.00 / 3)

     In what possible sense of the word is Heather Wilson a "moderate" Republican? She supported Bush's position 89% of the time in 2001-2002, and voted along with the Republican majority 92% of the time in that period. Her ratings in that period were 14% from the AFL-CIO, 5% from Americans for Democratic Action, 95% from the US Chamber of Commerce, and 84% from the American Conservative Union.


by Ron Thompson on Fri Jun 30, 2006 at 04:46:12 PM EST

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (2.00 / 1)

I agree... cheers to Stoller for highlighting a pretty good ad... but, jeers to Stoller for buying into Wilson's "I'm a moderate" meme... yea, a 'moderate' that votes down the line with Bush


by imaPROgressive on Fri Jun 30, 2006 at 05:49:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (none / 0)

That ad is terrible.


by AaronE on Fri Jun 30, 2006 at 05:05:41 PM EST

Bad Cringe-worthy Ad (none / 0)

I agree. I am a progressive Dem from New Mexico, and I got to say that ad sucks. Don't cheerlead the DCCC for crappy work. New Rule: no kudos for lame DCCC ads, even if they're better than nothing.


by trixter on Sat Jul 01, 2006 at 07:29:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (none / 0)

let me elaborate. it sounds like those people are trying way too hard to sound like they're not trying hard. its very fake. its not clever and it takes 60 seconds to make one point, which isn't even that incriminating. simply say "congresswoman wilson decided to skip out on the iraq war debate so that she could raise money for her re-election with bush. bush was rewarding her with a lavish fundraiser for voting with him 90% of the time. Its clear: a vote for wilson is a vote for bush." thats all. geez.


by AaronE on Fri Jun 30, 2006 at 05:20:36 PM EST

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (none / 0)

voting for trade agreements is not inherantly bad.  The Clinton deal with China comes to mind: China gave up lots of stuff, and all we did was get rid of the yearly MFN debate, which never resulted in anything anyway.

Voting for trade agreements without consessions on labor and environmental standards (and with a county that has a terrible record on either), however is a terrible idea.  

Free trade can be good, as long as we level the playing field for workers and those breathing the air and drinking the water.  For example, African nations are blocked out of many markets due to protectionist farm policies, especially by the US and EU.

I do a gree with Matt on this one, unless their is some need to make a deal with them for fighting terrorism (which wouldn't be achieved otherways) I don't really see the point of this agreement.

Moderate GOPers have been squeezed mostly by the right, and only a little by the left, so I don't think it is the Northeast Strategy that is dooming moderate Republicans, but the VRWC.


by DaveB on Fri Jun 30, 2006 at 05:46:50 PM EST

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (none / 0)

Of course Obama voted for this egregious trade agreement.  I guess he has to trim his sails.


by illinois062006 on Fri Jun 30, 2006 at 05:48:44 PM EST

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (3.00 / 0)

He didn't just trim his sails, you know.  He also kepy his powder dry.


3.39/-3.27 * Save the Moderates
by ChetEdModerate on Sat Jul 01, 2006 at 01:34:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (none / 0)

Are all these Democrats members of the DLC and beholden to corporate money?  I know some are and they seem to have no qualms in being just as greedy as the Republicans.  Money talks, I guess.


by lobo charlie on Fri Jun 30, 2006 at 10:10:38 PM EST

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (3.00 / 3)

When I lived in New Mexico, Heather Wilson was my Congressional rep.  She ran on a campaign platform of putting juvenile non-violent offenders in boot camps run by Christian wingers.

In no way is she a moderate.


by BarmyFotheringayPhipps on Sat Jul 01, 2006 at 01:37:46 AM EST

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (3.00 / 1)

Wilson's Progressive Punch score is 12.61, meaning she votes for the progressive position only once in each eight votes.  She is the 37th most liberal Republican.  In contrast, Chris Shays' score is 31.  Sherwood Boehlert's is 29.  Rick Leach's is 28.  And I didn't check the Senate scores but, at last glance, Lincoln Chaffee was around 42.

Heather Wilson is  not so moderate.  


by David Kowalski on Sat Jul 01, 2006 at 03:02:33 AM EST

Re: The Moderate Squeeze (none / 0)

.....this corporate, excuse me, 'free' trade agreement with Oman, which passed the Senate with the help of 10 Democrats (Baucus, Cantwell, Clinton, Kerry, Landrieu, Lieberman, Nelson (FL), Nelson (NE), Obama and Salazar), is now going to the House.

On the one hand, I'd love to see the GOP lose this fall since they've got it coming to them. On the other hand , I just can't give a damn whether or not Democrats win while knowing that creeps like these will just keep forming majorities with Republicans that are against Democrats and ordinary people.

Indeed, Bush will probably get more bills he can sign with a Dem Congress of such creatures than the currert Repo one.


With Democrats Lieberman goes for the jugular. With Republicans he goes for the lips.
by Sitkah on Sat Jul 01, 2006 at 04:38:42 AM EST


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