House narrowly approves CAFTA.

[Emsworth]

Yeah...but could those just be excuses to save face...

That's certainly possible. OTOH, I have seen and heard reports that the Clerk's records show that Charles Taylor inserted his voting card but failed to register a vote.

[TX_1824]

I'm going to side with the Democrats on this one. This is a bad move by the Republicans. Don't they remember how unpoppular NAFTA was? It's like they are trying to lose in 2006. Bad, bad vote. I may have to change my avatar soon.

[bullmoose88]

Yeah...but could those just be excuses to save face...

That's certainly possible. OTOH, I have seen and heard reports that the Clerk's records show that Charles Taylor inserted his voting card but failed to register a vote.

still 217-216...(and what about that traffic story...if you knew there was a vote on Cafta, wouldn't you be like the other 434 reps and be there? Convienent excuse)

Either way...my faith in the GOP has been boosted.

Join us Emsworth, Spade!

Please?

[Brandon H]

You would think Davis would have given herself plenty of time to get there.

Ron Paul and the Liberty Caucus / Liberty Committee opposed CAFTA because it is not real free trade.

The Liberty Committee was tracking the votes.
http://www.thelibertycommittee.org/update07.26.05.htm

More on why Ron Paul opposed it:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul254.html
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul261.html
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul250.html

"I oppose CAFTA for a very simple reason: it is unconstitutional. The Constitution clearly grants Congress alone the authority to regulate international trade. The plain text of Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 is incontrovertible. Neither Congress nor the President can give this authority away by treaty, any more than they can repeal the First Amendment by treaty."

"You don’t need a treaty to have free trade."

Of the 33 people who switched party lines to vote, 3 were from Louisiana. The Times Picayune had an article about it.
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-17/1122573219123590.xml&storylist=louisiana
Melancon (D) (from the Sugar League), Jindal (R), and Boustany (R) voted against it because it would hurt the Sugar Industry. Jefferson (D) voted for it because it would help New Orleans shipping industry.

[Emsworth]

what about that traffic story...if you knew there was a vote on Cafta, wouldn't you be like the other 434 reps and be there? Convienent excuse

Congresswoman Davis was allegedly attending a Boy Scout Jamboree in Bowling Green Virginia. However, rather oddly, the Jamboree had actually been cancelled due to poor weather. Hmm...

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I can't speak for Sam Spade, but I wouldn't join the GOP as long is it is within the thrall of the religious right. 

[??????????]

what about that traffic story...if you knew there was a vote on Cafta, wouldn't you be like the other 434 reps and be there? Convienent excuse

Congresswoman Davis was allegedly attending a Boy Scout Jamboree in Bowling Green Virginia. However, rather oddly, the Jamboree had actually been cancelled due to poor weather. Hmm...

I hadn't heard it had been cancelled. I know 4 scout leaders were killed there in an electrical accident.

[True Democrat]

Join us Emsworth, Spade!

Please?

I can't speak for Sam Spade, but I wouldn't join the GOP as long is it is within the thrall of the religious right. 

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I'm basically in the same position.  IF (and this is a big if) the Republicans weren't controlled by the religious right, then I might very well be registering Republican in three years.  However, the DLC helps me in retaining hope for the Democrats.

[True Democrat]

I googled "cafta" and this was the third response:

http://www.cafta.org/

Haha

[A18]

I'm going to side with the Democrats on this one. This is a bad move by the Republicans. Don't they remember how unpoppular NAFTA was? It's like they are trying to lose in 2006. Bad, bad vote. I may have to change my avatar soon.

I don't. I've seen Gallup polls showing anywhere from 45-60% support for it.

[bullmoose88]

Join us Emsworth, Spade!

Please?

I can't speak for Sam Spade, but I wouldn't join the GOP as long is it is within the thrall of the religious right. 

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm basically in the same position.  IF (and this is a big if) the Republicans weren't controlled by the religious right, then I might very well be registering Republican in three years.  However, the DLC helps me in retaining hope for the Democrats.

The more people we get like you...the less control the fundie right has...

[MODU]

I googled "cafta" and this was the third response:

http://www.cafta.org/

Haha

You mean we're helping the Canadians?  Awww, that sucks.  *dies laughin*

[??????????]

Join us Emsworth, Spade!

Please?

I can't speak for Sam Spade, but I wouldn't join the GOP as long is it is within the thrall of the religious right. 

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm basically in the same position.  IF (and this is a big if) the Republicans weren't controlled by the religious right, then I might very well be registering Republican in three years.  However, the DLC helps me in retaining hope for the Democrats.

The more people we get like you...the less control the fundie right has...

Quit imagining such nonsense as the "fundie right" controlling the GOP.

[Smash255]

Join us Emsworth, Spade!

Please?

I can't speak for Sam Spade, but I wouldn't join the GOP as long is it is within the thrall of the religious right. 

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm basically in the same position.  IF (and this is a big if) the Republicans weren't controlled by the religious right, then I might very well be registering Republican in three years.  However, the DLC helps me in retaining hope for the Democrats.

The more people we get like you...the less control the fundie right has...

Quit imagining such nonsense as the "fundie right" controlling the GOP.

Your right afterall why waste your time imagining something that is already real?

[??????????]

Join us Emsworth, Spade!

Please?

I can't speak for Sam Spade, but I wouldn't join the GOP as long is it is within the thrall of the religious right. 

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm basically in the same position.  IF (and this is a big if) the Republicans weren't controlled by the religious right, then I might very well be registering Republican in three years.  However, the DLC helps me in retaining hope for the Democrats.

The more people we get like you...the less control the fundie right has...

Quit imagining such nonsense as the "fundie right" controlling the GOP.

Your right afterall why waste your time imagining something that is already real?

So does the socialist left control the Democratic party?

[Storebought]

I know this is provincial, but I find the split in LA's delegation *interesting*

For: McCrery (R-Bossier City), Alexander (R-Quitman), Baker (R-Baton Rouge), Jefferson (D-New Orleans)

Against: Boustany (R-Lake Charles), Jindal (R-Covington), Melancon (D-Houma)*

The north LA delegation was expected to vote for this; just as predictably, Boustany, representing Big Sugar in cajun country, was equally expected to vote against it. Jefferson, a black Democrat, usually votes GOP on free trade and anti-abortion issues.

But Jindal is a surprise: suburban New Orleans would benefit just as strongly from trade with Central America as the inner city would. And Jindal always struck me as a free marketeer.

*I forgot one extra member, but he really isn't important

[The Duke]

Emsworth and True Independent, we'll never be out of the total grip of the religious right unless people like me and bullmoose have some help.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Even if I had such economic views and were to call myself a Republican, I would not vote Republican as long as the religious right owned it. I would never vote for Bush for example under any circumstances.

[True Democrat]

Emsworth and True Independent, we'll never be out of the total grip of the religious right unless people like me and bullmoose have some help.

I think it's a lost cause.  With the way the trends are moving, the Republicans will move to the left on economic issues anyway, making them the new populist party.  The Democrats then will fill the void of the old Republicans in moving to the right on economic issues (DLC is the future of the party, whether DailyKos likes it or not).

[Storebought]

Even if I had such economic views and were to call myself a Republican, I would not vote Republican as long as the religious right owned it. I would never vote for Bush for example under any circumstances.

Well, that would be a ridiculous and petty position: vote against the party that held your economic interests at heart.

[Keystone Phil]

Emsworth and True Independent, we'll never be out of the total grip of the religious right unless people like me and bullmoose have some help.

I'm no fan of the Fawells and Robertsons but I am a social conservative and I feel that when socially moderate Republicans, such as bullmoose, look at the religious right, they aren't just mad at extreme conservatives but all conservatives. There are two extremes on this issue: The Fallwell/Robertsons who want to keep it extreme right and the bullmooses who want to move it left.

[Storebought]

Emsworth and True Independent, we'll never be out of the total grip of the religious right unless people like me and bullmoose have some help.

I'm no fan of the Fawells and Robertsons but I am a social conservative and I feel that when socially moderate Republicans, such as bullmoose, look at the religious right, they aren't just mad at extreme conservatives but all conservatives. There are two extremes on this issue: The Fallwell/Robertsons who want to keep it extreme right and the bullmooses who want to move it left.

I think that comparison is faulty: while the Dobsons' of the GOP pressure and hector and harass congressional members to vote their line, they don't actively campaign for the defeat of current GOP politicians a la bullmoose

Chris Shays, Lincoln Chafee, even old Connie Morella back in the day, never faced serious primary opposition when it looked that each would seriously be in danger from the Democrat.

[Keystone Phil]

I think that comparison is faulty: while the Dobsons' of the GOP pressure and hector and harass congressional members to vote their line, they don't actively campaign for the defeat of current GOP politicians a la bullmoose

To be fair, bullmoose votes Republican pretty often.

[Erc]

I know this is provincial, but I find the split in LA's delegation *interesting*

For: McCrery (R-Bossier City), Alexander (R-Quitman), Baker (R-Baton Rouge), Jefferson (D-New Orleans)

Against: Boustany (R-Lake Charles), Jindal (R-Covington)

The north LA delegation was expected to vote for this; just as predictably, Boustany, representing Big Sugar in cajun country, was equally expected to vote against it. Jefferson, a black Democrat, usually votes GOP on free trade and anti-abortion issues.

But Jindal is a surprise: suburban New Orleans would benefit just as strongly from trade with Central America as the inner city would. And Jindal always struck me as a free marketeer.

Jindal voted against?  Well, my opinion of him goes down a couple notches...

[bullmoose88]

Emsworth and True Independent, we'll never be out of the total grip of the religious right unless people like me and bullmoose have some help.

I'm no fan of the Fawells and Robertsons but I am a social conservative and I feel that when socially moderate Republicans, such as bullmoose, look at the religious right, they aren't just mad at extreme conservatives but all conservatives. There are two extremes on this issue: The Fallwell/Robertsons who want to keep it extreme right and the bullmooses who want to move it left.

I think that comparison is faulty: while the Dobsons' of the GOP pressure and hector and harass congressional members to vote their line, they don't actively campaign for the defeat of current GOP politicians a la bullmoose

Chris Shays, Lincoln Chafee, even old Connie Morella back in the day, never faced serious primary opposition when it looked that each would seriously be in danger from the Democrat.

Actively campaign?

I didn't know voicing my disdain for a few ultra conservatives amounted to an active campaign against them. I wonder what you think of those who mount signs in their yard, work at phone banks, and on the actual campaigns of the opposition.

Other than bitch and moan here...its not like I'm out making sure Conservative X, Y, and Z go down to defeat.

Yikes.

[??????????]

Emsworth and True Independent, we'll never be out of the total grip of the religious right unless people like me and bullmoose have some help.

Nonsense. I can't believe you people buy into that leftie conspiracy that somehow all the Republicans are controlled by some mysterious "Religious Right".