Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Markey for Majority Leader?

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Having severed the Commonwealth for 30 years as a Congressman, Markey continues to stand out as a champion of progressive politics and is able to communicate what we liberals believe in and why. He is a strong proponent of net neutrality (something that should be very dear to every bloggerÂ’s heart), is against media consolidation, has a strong record on consumer rights and the environment while at the same time being very effective on homeland security and non-proliferation issues. I believe he could be the Congressman best able to bring our ideas and ideals to the nation; he would be a great fit for this partisan position.

So what do you all think? If you agree with me contact his office and ask him to run against Murtha and Hoyer for House Majority Leader. If not who would you like to see as the House Majority Leader and why?

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  1. Now that there are actual PERKS included in the job, the boys will have her out of there by the end of January.

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    Many of the new Steve-Lynch type ‘Democrats’ who were elected in the mid-West campaigned on NOT voting for Pelosi as Speaker.

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    Given the breathless arrogance of the Mass. delegation – why shouldn’t he go all the way, and advise Nancy not to let the doorknob hit her on the way out?

    • I’ve been following the national US House races for many months (from MA) and I hadn’t heard a single mention of your claim that [m]any of the new Steve-Lynch type ‘Democrats’ who were elected in the mid-West campaigned on NOT voting for Pelosi as Speaker.

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      So, got a source?  Which elected House Dems made claims like that?

      • http://transcripts.c…

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        Here’s some excerpts –

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        CROWLEY (on camera): Are you an anti-Pelosi Democrat?

        SHULER: You know, I — I don’t like to classify.

        BRUCE REED, PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP COUNCIL: Our biggest problem is that, of late, we have been losing elections.

        CROWLEY: What is wrong with these people? From Virginia, to Montana, to Georgia, crack open a Democrat, and they will tell you: It’s the wussy factor.

        MAX CLELAND (D), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: You have got to lance that bubble. I mean, you know, it has been a narrative for the Republicans for decades now, kind of an underlying — underlying narrative against the Democrats, that they’re soft on communism, and not — soft on terrorism.

        CROWLEY: It’s the culture.

        DAVID “MUDCAT” SAUNDERS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: And the culture is the reason the Democrats have been losing elections. It has nothing to do with policy. It has to do with culture.

        CROWLEY: It’s the guns.

        GOV. BRIAN SCHWEITZER (D), MONTANA: People ask me how many guns I have. I tell them, none of your damn business, and I tell them not as many as I’d like.

        CROWLEY (on camera): Guns.

        SHULER: I’m a very strong Second Amendment guy.

        CROWLEY: God.

        SHULER: If there is one thing that I try to — to — with integrity and — and honor, is — is my faith.

        CROWLEY: What about gay, and gay marriage?

        SHULER: You know, the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman.

        CROWLEY: Abortion?

        SHULER: The way I look at it is, I’m pro-life.

        CROWLEY: So, you sound like a Republican, yes?

        SHULER: No. No. I mean, you know, when we look at the — what the party has done for so many people, I mean, I go back to the — the values that my grandmother taught me. Help those who cannot help themselves. And that one sentence tells me that that’s the Democratic Party.

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        Jane Harman.  Joe Roberts.  Charles Stewart.  Gene Taylor, who said in the Washington Post, “I still wish Jack Murtha would run for speaker. He’s pro-gun, pro-life, a real conservative.”

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        These are just the ones on record now during the honeymoon.

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        And, of course, ambitious liberal men – think there are many of THEM in congress?

        • The conservatives are trying to spin this election as “Democrats go conservative.”  In fact, all but a few of those who were elected (the Indiana delegation, Boyda in KS, Shuler in NC) were progressive and/or left leaning(or full on liberal).  Does Shea-Porter seem like a Blue Dog or even a ‘New Democrat’?

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          In the campaign, the GOP thought tying candidate to “San Francisco liberalism” would win them races.  Maybe in some cases it did but for the most part it didn’t. 

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          I thought maybe Murtha would challenge if there was a real Wave in the Midwest.  Only one (or two) seats changed in OH and the PA/NY winners are all to the left of Murtha on most issues.  Even if every Blue Dog supported someone else, Pelosi would still win. 

        • counterclaims your claim.  Heath Schuler did not call himself an anti-Pelosi in that transcript.  He didn’t call himself a pro-Pelosi either, but that’s neither here nor there.  If the best you can do is find one transcript where one candidate neither confirms nor denies his support for Pelosi, you’ve got a long way to show your claim.

    • for Speaker except her. If there is a race we can talk about it. I want Markey to continue to be very liberal and paritsan. A Speaker SHOULD NOT be doing that, but should be trying to make sure the entire House and there by the nation is heard. Pelosi so far is at least making the right noises about doing so especially with her ethics bill (gee imagine actually telling the opposing members of your committee where and when the meetings are). That is something recent Speakers have not understood or done. A Majority leader should represent the partisan core activists from the party and I think Markey can do that.

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      As I said above, offer a suggestion on who you would like to see as a Majority Leader. I think Murtha is a lightning rod, and Hoyer will try to undermine Pelosi devolving the Democratic House to infighting, something we do not have time to do with the state of our nation. If we are taking impeachment of the table (which Pelosi has already promissed) we should not spend time back stabbing our own either. So who would you suggest for us Dems?

  2. Just so I can watch Republicans’ heads explode.

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    Well, besides, that… he’s personable, scarily bright, devastatingly funny, the best ad hoc debater in the House, and an unabashed partisan who came up through the ranks and who is well liked by almost everyone there.

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    It’ll never happen, but you did ask.

  3. Just so I can watch Republicans’ heads explode.

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    Well, besides that… he’s personable, scarily bright, devastatingly funny, the best ad hoc debater in the House, and an unabashed partisan who came up through the ranks and who is well liked by almost everyone there.

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    It’ll never happen, but you did ask.

  4. Bernie for President Pro Tem of the Senate.  Then we can see their headless bodies quiver and collapse.

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  5. Why not Barney Frank?  I think he would be just what the party needs: a no holds barred, but fair leader, who would keep members in line – not like DeLay, but more like Tip O’Neil.

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    I think Massachusetts democrats and the nation would be well served by a Majority Leader Barney Frank.

    • I think Massachusetts Democrats and the nation would be well served by a senator Barney Frank.

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      đŸ˜‰

      • All right, I guess Frank ’08 would be too much of a regional candidacy.  Unless we could amend the U.S. Constitution to make W eligible to run for re-election…

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        • There’s widespread speculation that Kerry will not be running for re-election in ’08. If that happens, the field is wide-open and the grassroots love Barney. When he was the first rep to step up to the plate and give a third of his cash to the DCCC last month, he impressed a lot of people. It was very, um, senatorial. Yes, that’s the word.

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          Just sayin’.

  6. I’d love to see John Tierney take a role in the leadership, perhaps as part of Nancy Pelosi’s whip system?

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    Tierney is aggressive, a tireless advocate for progressive politics, a terrific public speaker and always present in the district even when he’s not facing serious opposition.

  7. I’m not so sure about that.  He is my Congressman, and yes, he is progressive and he votes right.  Because of that, I always vote for him.

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    But he is such an elitist (he makes John Kerry look like a regular guy)…he’s only around when the television cameras are.  And he takes virtually no interest in his district.

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    He’s one of those politicians that has maybe been in office a little too long.  He’s not bad, but he just takes it all for granted.

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    I’d much rather see Barney Frank, too, as Majority Leader. 

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    And by the way, I think Nancy Pelosi will be an excellent Speaker.

    • Markey voted for the war resolution probably with his run for Senate in mind. I’d rather have a principled conservative John Murtha than a finger-to-the-wind Markey. The position of Majority Leader requires someone who isn’t so ambitious and who won’t sell his party out for his own personal gain. That’s not Markey.

  8. Markey’s not my favorite Congressman by any stretch, even though he’s a great speaker and I tend to agree with him on the issues.  But I guess some of the things that don’t endear him to me – such as that he likes to go along with the party leadership too much – are good qualifications for majority leader.  And putting someone who can give good speech up in a promiment position would help bring more progressive messages to the general public.

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    I doubt he’s even gonna run.  But I can see why he might be a good choice.

    • It’s part of the same bill, and gets forgotten.  Naturally, Verizon, Comcast, et al, want to do away with it.

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      We already don’t have equal time on broadcast – we HAVE to keep community cable!

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