tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795483213843043301.post1891769402598459666..comments2023-04-28T07:38:34.667-07:00Comments on Teh Portly Dyke: Things I Don't Spend Much Time On AnymorePortlyDykehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08598941981828041835noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795483213843043301.post-36379023097294670552007-07-29T09:35:00.000-07:002007-07-29T09:35:00.000-07:00This is ironic. I was looking for your comment at...This is ironic. I was looking for your comment at Shakes so I could snag your blog for my roll and I noticed you weren't on the political posts so I went to the Pub where I knew I could easily find you!Friðvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08508816404445742901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795483213843043301.post-87295707364366709572007-07-24T16:59:00.000-07:002007-07-24T16:59:00.000-07:00Thanks for your comments, both "Mr. B's"Brian, I a...Thanks for your comments, both "Mr. B's"<BR/><BR/>Brian, I agree that the Dem leaders don't deserve ALL the blame. However, I think that they were handed a powerful mandate, and that they would be faring better right now if they had actually used it. At this point, my opinion is that they have established a precedent of "We'll back down", rather than "We'll step up".<BR/><BR/>Bradley -- Yes, I've read Singer's book, and related deeply to most of it.PortlyDykehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08598941981828041835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795483213843043301.post-15509912123934973562007-07-24T10:59:00.000-07:002007-07-24T10:59:00.000-07:00Long-time reader, first-time responder...I just wa...Long-time reader, first-time responder...<BR/><BR/>I just wanted to let you know that I thought this was a fantastic, insightful post. Communicating with individuals is a lot more pleasant than yelling and fighting and raging on, and-- I suspect-- a lot more effective too. <BR/><BR/>If you're looking for something to read, I'd suggest Natalia Rachel Singer's memoir <I>Scraping by in the Big Eighties</I>-- your first-hand exepriences witnessing poverty and misfortune during the Reagan era reminded me of parts of that book.Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18066512307378025972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795483213843043301.post-7407199955857300142007-07-24T01:00:00.000-07:002007-07-24T01:00:00.000-07:00I like this post a lot, and I only have one point ...I like this post a lot, and I only have one point to niggle with, and then only a little bit. The Democratic leadership in the 2006 Congress is, I think, getting the short end of the stick a bit because they haven't been able to come through with everything us activists wanted, but I don't think they deserve all the blame. In fact, I don't think they deserve much of the blame.<BR/><BR/>Pick any seventeen Republican Senators--it doesn't matter which ones. They're the culpable ones. Any seventeen Republican Senators could have brought an end to the war in Iraq, put through universal health care, brought an end to DADT, funded stem cell research, or impeached this executive branch--any of the bills which have come to the Senate (or hopefully will) have been stymied by 17 men and women who have put party before country against the will of the American voters, and it's hard to blame Pelosi and Reid for that failing.<BR/><BR/>They're not blameless--when Bush vetoed the first defense spending bill, I think they should have said, "you sign it, or you sign nothing." They deserve some criticism for backing down. But all in all, I think they've done some good stuff that has been derailed by 17 Republican Senators. <BR/><BR/>We'll get to see if the House is ready to fight when it comes to these contempt hearings. I hope they have it in them.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06192537713607428731noreply@blogger.com