Guess who wrote this paragraph:The ascension of the so-called Lou Dobbs Democrats in the November election gave hope to many that our representatives and senators were awakening to the need to represent the largest single group of voters in the country, 150 million working men and women and their families. The reality is, however, corporate America and special interests still dominate our legislative and electoral process.I'll give you a hint. If you thought that a major press figure wouldn't have an ego big enough to tout a political movement named after himself, you'd be wrong!
Anyway, while it's a bit funny that Lou Dobbs is openly advertising his own political group, I'm a bit more bothered by some omissions in this article about how some Democratic organizations claim that "[his] brand of independent populism is a threat."
First off, Dobbs rightly notes that the House Democrats are working hard to help the middle class, but then whiffs hard:
So in Congress' self-proclaimed first 100 hours, speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered on her promise to have the House pass bills raising the federal minimum wage, cutting interest rates on student loans and helping bring down the cost of prescription drugs. But none of that legislation has passed the Senate.Well, aside from the fact that the Senate did pass a minimum wage bill (the House and Senate are working to compromise on unrelated tax cuts for business), the big omission here is the cause of the Senate intransigence. Nowhere in the article does Dobbs explain that it's the Senate Republicans that are holding up the House's 100 hours agenda. Kind of relevant in an article about how Democrats may not be doing enough for the Lou Dobbs political movement, no?
Also, it's interesting that Dobbs cherry picks some moderate think tanks for their anti-Dobbs comments to come up with this startling conclusion:
Why are the partisans of both political parties so committed to denying the economic and social reality we face? In the case of the Democratic Party, there seems to be a rising fear that more Lou Dobbs Democrats are on the way and are going to demand truth over slogans and an improving reality for working men and women rather than ideological posturing that will salve the corporate masters of both parties.Wouldn't it be more relevant to talk about the comments made by some more influential Democratic Party thinkers - you know, like Senator Jim Webb - that show a commitment to not denying the economic and social realities we face?
The most important--and unfortunately the least debated--issue in politics today is our society's steady drift toward a class-based system, the likes of which we have not seen since the 19th century. America's top tier has grown infinitely richer and more removed over the past 25 years. It is not unfair to say that they are literally living in a different country.And this is just one of many examples from Webb and others. Ironically, in an article about Democrats being "so committed to denying the economic and social reality we face," Dobbs appears committed to denying the obvious Democratic commitment to addressing the economic and social realities we face.
See, but including such critical points would destroy Dobbs' ability to rake the new majority over the coals, now wouldn't it?
Dobbs: Will the Democrats save their souls?
Why are the partisans of both political parties so committed to denying the economic and social reality we face? In the case of the Democratic Party, there seems to be a rising fear that more Lou Dobbs Democrats are on the way and are going to demand truth over slogans and an improving reality for working men and women rather than ideological posturing that will salve the corporate masters of both parties.
At least the Democrats still have a chance to save their souls.
Gee. Idunno. I don't mind keeping a a little heat on the boys and girls down on Capitol Hill. Is this a straw man post ?
I dunno, I think what Dobbs is trying to say here is a group of Dems who have these positions:
"fair" or reform current trade policy
reduced budget deficits
corporate accountability
and
no amnesty/no guestworker/enforce border and most of all,
absolutely no "comprehensive" or McCain/Kennedy/Specter
immigration bill.
I like Lou Dobbs, he often is our only voice, the only TV reporter who covers NIVs at all (guest worker Visas), offshore outsourcing, trade.
If he gets a little grandiose, I'll live.
Heck, his omission about the Senate GOP itself shows what he's trying to do here.
I also think it was a major newspaper that coined the term "Lou Dobbs Democrats" not Dobbs. Mankiw, the most corrupt economist I've seen in a while, used the phrase (remember him, outsourcing is good for America, let's categorize hamburger flipper jobs as manufacturing to pump up the employment numbers? Bush Economic Policy adviser).
Then, we have, unfortunately Reid, Lofgren, yes Kennedy pushing the ITAA agenda and the Corporate cheap labor lobby agenda all the while using the "race card" to hide what's up.
So, I think he is blasting the DLC Democrats here, plus a huge portion of his audience are paleo-conservative Republicans...
who are blasting him also for going "soft" on Democrats...
This is the group that has split and is hated by the Bush administration.
What is most interesting, on many positions, such as trade, budget deficits, the paleo-conservatives and the populist or "Jim Webb" Dems are in agreement...
for example, did you know Ralph Nadar and Pat Buchanan basically agree on trade renegotiations?
Anyway, Lou covered offshore outsourcing and covers NIVs...
he's one of our best allies, the only voice who is covering many of these topics, so I'll never put him down.
He has tried to help working people extensively and also has the EPI on the show, a lot...I don't see any TV journalists giving air time to labor centric think tank researchers.
We all know the Republican Party's real game plan is creating an authoritarian, hierarchical society much like that of feudal Europe, which I've called corporate feudalism. And we also understand that the DLC and its little club are pretty much Republican Lite, dedicated to the care and feeding of mega corporations. The populist-leaning Democrats like Webb are a breath of fresh air that darned near scares both these groups spitless. If Mr. Dobbs wants to pretend they are his invention, or his type of politician, okay. But he needs to cut out this victimhood and whining as it does not help the new Democrats achieve their objectives.
You can safely say of Mr. Dobbs, there's one in every crowd.
Personally I am looking forward to the immigration discussion I think Webb may surprise some people. .
As far as economic populisim is concerned I think its too new of an idea for the majority of people "outside us politicos" to have opinions about it
They have some powerful corporate interests and poltical donors they're going to try and protect. The interests of middle class America and these interests aren't always going to intersect.
I was kind of shocked, but this split from the official DLC/free trade/corporate rhetoric.
Don't forget Reid with Las Vegas using hundreds of thousands of illegal workers....so the corporate cheap labor lobby is alive and well in Las Vegas.
Lou Dobbs primary job is to report the news as unbiased as possible. He is then free to add his own special comments just as Keith Olbermann does.
However, when you watch carefully "Lou Dobbs Tonight", it is very striking how he and his associates report the news in a very selective and often distorted way.
Even their reports on some of the so-called "populist" issues, like the "war on the middle class", immigration or outsourcing, lack the required and underlining economic analysis.
Moreover, when he invites some guest on his show, he often lacks the interview skills of a competent journalist which include asking probing and fact-based questions that would allow the audience (at least those with some level of awareness) to gain more knowledge of the issues discussed. Instead, he often engages in unnecessary arguments that further prevent the audience to understand the view of his guest.
The same cannot be said about Sen Webb for example. I have read Mr. Webb essay published earlier in the Wall Street Journal and have watched many of his interviews. What really set him apart from the so-called "economic populists" is the way he lays out his thoughts and presents the supporting arguments (Obama, by the way, beyond his rhetorics, has a similar thought process).
Any partisanship discounted, Webb's statements on issues, like the growing economic divide or the war, make a lot of sense from socio-economic and political perspectives.
Remember, this guy is selling GEICO insurance, cars, exercise equipment ... whatever the advertisers are selling. He's competing with some pretty shrill voices on Fox and MSNBC, he's got to ramp up the volume.
Regardless, Dobbs raises some interesting issues. I'm not sure the elite on either side feel comfortable with the questions. The answers are not easy.
What about outsourcing?
What about immigration?
What about declining middle class incomes relative to the upper class?
He is currently railing on Democrats because they are not trying to help get those two border agents a pardon.
I've got to agree with that one, it's a pretty outrageous case and injustice shouldn't be partisan.
If anything he does stop people who try to come on the show and misrepresent the facts and then sometimes I think he
goes on too long.
But, if you notice, while Dobbs does have an economics degree from Harvard, he is a slow speaker and has trouble squeezing things into those 2 minute segments, or plain shortening his questions. If anything I'd like to see longer interviews and less of that pundit/segment with "leading speakers" since he has trouble with those 2 minute sound byte sorts of formats.
I don't know if you noticed but the interviewees have trouble summarizing their research into a 30 second sound byte too.
Lou Dobbs didn't coin us "Lou Dobbs Democrats", an editorial in a major newspaper did (I think the NY Times - don't recall which) and it stuck.
So Democrats are free to bash this wing of the party but it will be their loss because we are rather moderate on issues and many "Lou Dobbs Democrats" could quite readily become "Lou Dobbs Republicans" if we don't feel welcome.
Issues of fair trade, offshoring, sane immigration policy (not interpreted as immigration bashing), and labor issues resonate with us.
Finally, Lou Dobbs is widely known for going after those in the Repubican party who side with big business over the American working class. He doesn't just pick on Democrats. And I agree with him that there are wings of the Democratic party that are blind supporters of free trade and beholden to special interests. They seem to ignore issues of economic fairness and we won't stand for it.
I thank God for people like Jim Webb and the other Democrats recently elected who have expressed stronger support for the working class. We have been ignored for far too long and it is high time we get some representation. I also thank God that Lou Dobbs is on the air. He tackles issues that most corporate owned networks would just assume ignore.
Thank you for the other two who rated me a 4.
I don't think we can (or should) deport everyone here illegally (or undocumented if you prefer). But, I think that going forward we must stop the mass migration. Immigration should not be a labor subsidy - that creates a large group of second class citizens who are easily exploitable. And it displaces American workers - because it is cheaper to exploit people.
It's a complex issue and one must give Lou Dobbs credit for addressing it head one. Like you I don't agree with Dobbs all the time, but I do thank him for at least bringing these important issues to the national debate.
In the WTO, GATS mode 4 there are provisions to trade people...this is the big plan to force migration globally of people per corporation interests...
what that does is gives corporations completely control over domestic labor markets.
But, that said, I'd say the majority of people even in the most liberal blogs disagree with this yet this little "group"
runs around calling every one and I mean everyone a "racist xenophobe" and it's ridiculous for many of them actually have some pro "amnesty" positions on a case by case and so on...
but this is the tactic and honestly this is a major variable in domestic labor markets...the Corpocrats get their way and have immigration be part of "trade" and not national policy and working people, on a global scale are really in trouble.
Lou Dobbs is lashing out at the democrats because the democratic party views on Immigration contradicts what he believes in.
Lou Dobbs believes in an 'enforcement-only'immigraton reform policy with no guest worker program nor a way for the 12 million current illegal immigrants to become legal.
Lou Dobbs believe in squeezing out those 12 million illegal immigrant by sweeping them out of their current jobs and make it so hard for them in the U.S that they will self deport back to Mexico.
The Democratic party believe in enforcement + guest worker program + path to citizenship for the 12 million illegal immigrant that currently live in the shadow.
I must say that i agree with the democratic party on this immigration issue because those 12 million illegal immigrants are already here and working, therefore, they are contributing to our economy and paying taxes...Trying to remove 12 million people off the workforce
Right now, the market says a lettuce/tomatoes picker is paid at least $7 per hour...Once you remove those immigrants, it will be very hard to find native americans to fill and replace those immigrants that used to do those kind of jobs.
Therefore, those AGJobs will have to triple their wages to attract workers...nO agJobs would be able to survive with wages of $15 per hour for picking lettuce or tomatoes....Those jobs will end up by moving to mexico.
So, my policy on immigration is ,whyle enforcing current immigration law, i do not believe it is smart to just remove 12 millions workers off the work force even if they are here illegaly, specially when its doubfull that we will be able to easily replace 12 million workers at jobs that native born have never been willing to do unless you overpay.
I think we should put those 12 million illegal immigrant throught an FBI background checks, then deport anyone that has criminal record and keep the one that has clean criminal history, then take it from there and make them pay fines etc etc etc.
Anyway, i think Dobbs is very upset that Pelosi is moving toward comprhensive immigrantion reform instead of his'enforcement-only' immigration policy.
Besides he interviewed Webb twice already which means he's probably going to be a media avenue to assist Webb in presenting his views!
Troll rated because you went through and just troll rated people's opinions you don't like!
BTW: We're Democrats and NO we don't believe in comprehensive immigration or guest worker Visas! Guess what! Most of the Freshman Dems don't either!
When you give employers the control over people's very right to be in this country, you give them the legal ability to abuse them. Is that a Democratic value? I should think not!
Harry Reid does not need the support of Webb,or any conservative democrat senators in the senate since he will get bi-partisan supports from Republicans such as McCain,Snowe and others...There's at least 19 pro-business GOP members that ill join Kennedy and McCain to make sure it passes, therefore, the 60 votes are already in place to get it throught.
Now, on the house, you are right that some conservative democrats wont vote for it, but you need to remember that Bush will get a few republicans to cross party line and join Pelosi to vote in favor of comprehensive immigration policy.
For every democrats that dont vote for it, you will have a pro-business republican voting for it, which means it will offset any lost of support from democratic side.
Im hearing that there's at least 187 lock votes for comprehensive immigration reform, supported by the entire progressive caucus and lots of centrist..
On the GOP side, Bush will be able to press about 20-30 republicans to cross over to offset any conservative democrats deffection.
Jeff Flake and the 3 cuban american republicans from south florida are locks.
Webb's views on immigration does not parallel Dobbs views.
Webb does support some kind of path to citizenship for the 12 million illegal immigrants...Webb agrees with Dobbs on the other populist stuff like free trade and closing the gap between workers and CEO'S
From what ive heard from the Ted kennedy's camp about their new immigration bill that they are writting, their guest worker provision will be heavily regulated and those workers will be able to switch jobs and there are some talks to even open a path to legal status for guest workers so that they wont completly be at the mercy of the employer.
However, any type of program that does not include strict enforcement will make the problem worse. I believe the most productive enforcement will target employers - if you start sending CEOs to prison for breaking the law I fully expect that most will stop breaking it. Currently, you stand a greater legal risk running a red light than hiring illegal workers.
We need to make knowingly employing illegal aliens a felony, and create identification cards that cannot be easily or cheaply forged. Once we have those provisions in place only then should we be discussing a legalization process. You need to gain control of the situation first.
CIS can't even process the applications currently in the system, so how can you expect them to process 12 million more? Let's get real - this is also a beuracracy issue. Who is going to police employers and make sure they are obeying the law? Who?
I hear rhetoric from the far left, but I don't see any ideas in how to solve complex ideas. The same goes for the far right - I stop short of mass deportations because I believe that we - by ignoring the problem - essentially gave these people the OK to break our laws. Because of that I would focus deportation efforts on violent criminals who are here illegally, and most of the other enforcement efforts would be concentrated on employers.
Then and only then should we start talking about legalization. How are you going to solve anything if you can't control the situation?
I seriouly would warn the democratic party not just do one part and leaving the other part because the opposition will never agree to any type of legalization anyway, so even if half of those 11 million people left after 3 years of enfforcement, Lou Dobbs and Tom Tancredo would still not agree on the legalization part of it.
You would never please Lou Dobbs or Tom Tancredo, therefore, the dems shouldnt try to compromise with them...The votes are already there to fix the entire problem so why do half and leaving the 12 million illegal immigrant in the cold.
In 86, my guess is they did not enforce the law because it wasnt such a hot issue and they didnt think another millions would come in.
Today, i doubt they would again, not enforce the law, specially when everyone is watching.
I prefer doing the entire thing instead of doing enforcement and kleaving out the other half.
Here's a website that promotes Lou Dobbs's immigration policy which is built huge walls and starve off the 12 million illegal immigrant already inside the U.S
If you go to the fairus website, you will see a lot of those freshmen supports comprehensive immigration policy, path to citizenship/guest worker..And to make it worse, most of them beat Republicans that share Lou Dobbs's immigration views.
Those freshmen are clearly not interested in doing one half of the jobs whyle leaving the toughest part out.
Good luck in lobbying them to support enforcement-only immigration policy..
1.Harry Mitchell AZ-05..Border security+guest worker
2.Gabrielle Gifford AZ-08.."Comprehensive reform"
3.Jerry McNerney CA-11.."Path to citizenship"
4.Ed Perlmutter CO-07.."Path to Citizenship"
5.Chistopher S Murphy CT-05.."Path to Citizenship"
6.Tim Mahoney FL-16.."Path to Citizenship"
7.Dave Loebsack AI-02.."Path to Citizenship"
8.Tim Walz MN-01..."Path to Citizenship"
9.Carol Shea Porter NH-01..."Comprehensive reform"
10.Paul W Hodes NH-02..."Comprehensive reform"
11.John Hall NY-19..."Path to citizenship"
12.Joe Sestak PA-07..."Guest worker program"
13.Christ Carney PA-10.."Earned citizenship"
14.Ciro Rodriguez TX-23..."Comprehensive reform"