Hot Breakfast and Trade Spats

I just got this from a source.  Apparently Sirota's right that there's immense strife in the caucus around this trade deal.  The other side tends to tell me that they got the Republicans to cave on big demands, and that labor shouldn't be complaining that much.  The problem is that labor got pushed out of the room when the deal was negotiated, as did Fair Trade Democrats, and the New Dem Democrats don't have such a great record on trade.

It's becoming pretty clear that the politics here are too screwed up to move forward.  There's also the lobbying reform issue to tackle, and the budget.  Lots and lots of sticky stuff.

And a hot breakfast. They really want people at this meeting.

Update [2007-5-16 18:20:42 by Matt Stoller]: Rep Brad Miller calls me out in the comments.

There's a joint caucus and whip organization meeting every Thursday morning at 9:00 in HC-5, and a hot breakfast is always served. There may be ultimately be strife in the caucus about the trade deal, but that's kinda thin evidence of intra-caucus warfare.

I'll take Miller's word on this. Note to self: don't blog while hungry and thinking about breakfast. It's my favorite meal of the day by far.



Display:


Uh, (3.00 / 3)

there's a joint caucus and whip organization meeting every Thursday morning at 9:00 in HC-5, and a hot breakfast is always served. There may be ultimately be strife in the caucus about the trade deal, but that's kinda thin evidence of intra-caucus warfare.


by Rep Brad Miller on Wed May 16, 2007 at 05:53:55 PM EST

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

Haha.  I love it.  Straight from a man who should know about these things.


by juls on Wed May 16, 2007 at 06:02:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

I agree that the meeting itself is not a sign, but the flim-flamming around of the meeting I think is. The fact that Dems requested a caucus meeting, were "rebuffed" as the Hill reported, then it was scheduled, then it was taken off the schedule, and now its scheduled again is pretty shady.


by David Sirota on Wed May 16, 2007 at 06:05:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

The people demand a pie fight.


"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman
by Steve M on Wed May 16, 2007 at 06:34:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

This is why I love law-makers posting.


by Bob Brigham on Wed May 16, 2007 at 06:42:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

What they get desert too?

Tim Ryan is going to be drooling.  I wonder if he will bring his own cottage cheese.


by juls on Wed May 16, 2007 at 06:47:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

That thing's kinda sketchy.


by Lucas O'Connor on Thu May 17, 2007 at 12:21:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

Nice snide remark from a resident D.C clown who makes far more than $9.00/hr.

If there is not a some intra-caucus warfare I would submit it's because you all sold out to K-Street a long, long, long time ago.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

This race to the bottom is fun...ain't it!


by Pericles on Thu May 17, 2007 at 12:25:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

Where you see a snide remark, I see information. Where you see a clown, I see an elected representative who's willing to explain something.

Where you see warfare, I see the politics of inclusion.

Have a nice day.


Karl in Drexel Hill, PA
by KB on Thu May 17, 2007 at 08:52:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

I thought he was joking, hence his final line.


BlueNC - Progressive NC Politics
by Robert P on Thu May 17, 2007 at 02:16:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

Knock it off.  Miller's got a good record on trade.


by Matt Stoller on Thu May 17, 2007 at 10:45:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

What I said above, I think he was joking, making fun of YOU actually.


BlueNC - Progressive NC Politics
by Robert P on Thu May 17, 2007 at 02:16:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Uh, (none / 0)

I find that surprising....

Will have to do some research on this. Frankly, I'm finding a lot of the discussion on 'who's with the progressive movement and who isn't looking, to me, like hair splitting. One day I'm and 'idiot liberal....' the next I need to 'cut it out...' I am of the growing suspicion that it's all about who you know....

You know?


by Pericles on Thu May 17, 2007 at 08:20:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hot Breakfast and Trade Spats (none / 0)

When Max Baucus signed on I knew it sucked, every economic policy that Bush has enacted wouldn't have happened without Max Baucus screwing the people.


by Bob Brigham on Wed May 16, 2007 at 05:56:15 PM EST

So the secret (3.00 / 3)

to a Representatives heart is scrambled eggs and ham?

Jokes aside, I think that it's going to be many of the same people who peppered Robert Rubin with questions on trade during his meeting with the House Caucus last December.

One of my favorite qoutes from that meeting:

Indiana freshman Rep. Joe Donnelly (D) told Rubin he has former Delphi employees in his district who feel that our government sold them out to foreign governments, that they were making $21/hour and are now making $9/hour, meanwhile they're outsourcing, dumped their pension obligations on the government. He demanded of Rubin: "What do you say to that?"

Maybe if the House leadership can't understand that 2006 was about economic insecurity, the labor  Dems need to go on strike and deny the speaker a quorum.


by ManfromMiddletown on Wed May 16, 2007 at 06:18:13 PM EST

Re: So the secret (none / 0)

I guess the 'New Dems' figure that 'folks' should be happy with $9.00/hr.

Say...can you buy a house or even a new refrigerator on those wages?

Just askin'.....


by Pericles on Thu May 17, 2007 at 12:22:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hot Breakfast and Trade Spats (none / 0)

Mmmm pork. Err...bacon.


by Lucas O'Connor on Wed May 16, 2007 at 10:14:29 PM EST

Re: Hot Breakfast and Trade Spats (none / 0)

I think all differences can probably be reconciled over a warm bacon sandwich.  MMMM.


I'm British, but our politics bores me.
by Illustrious on Thu May 17, 2007 at 06:28:37 AM EST


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