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Home Front: Politix
Democrats revive 'Party of No' attack
2009-12-28
Democrats are retooling and reprising their "Party of No" attack on Republicans in Congress after they unanimously rejected financial reform and health care bills in votes this month.

But already, analysts are questioning whether charges of GOP obstructionism will be enough to keep voters from taking out their angst over the economy on Democrats next fall.
Truly, since the Republicans are saying no to things the voters don't want.
Last week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee began making robocalls against Republicans in four districts in Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania for opposing a Democratic plan to tighten regulation of banks and financial services firms widely blamed for last year's economic meltdown.

"Remember? We said it can't happen again. But did you know Congressman [Mario] Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) voted to let Wall Street continue the same risky practices that crippled retirement accounts and cost taxpayers $700 billion, including unchecked bonuses and salaries for executives?" says the call, which was first reported by the Miami Herald. "Maybe the $81,204 he got from financial special interests mattered more than taxpayers."

The recorded messages come on the heels of 60-second radio ads the DCCC rolled out in five districts in California, Nebraska and Pennsylvania highlighting the same Dec. 11 vote in which no Republican backed the regulation package.

The salvos come as other Democrats say they plan to paint Republicans as obstructionist for their down-the-line opposition to Senate health care legislation Thursday.

"History will judge harshly those who have chosen the simple path of obstruction over the hard work of making change. It always does," said Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), an architect on the Senate financial reform bill.

"I think it's a good argument for the Democrats. I just don't think it will work," said Stu Rothenberg of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report. "It is a good message if the fundamentals change. ...The problem is, if the economy is not in good shape and people still don't feel [a recovery], it's going to be about Obama and about the Democrats. With Democrats controlling everything, and how active the administration has been on all these fronts, I just don't think the Democrats are going to make it about the Republicans."

Republican lawmakers insist they're not worried about being slapped with a do-nothing label.

"Nobody's been an obstructionist. All we wanted to do was participate in the process," Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said on CNN during a back-and-forth over the health care bill. "I think [Democrats] deserve some credit for getting it done, as bad as it is. But it's going to wreck our country, I have to tell you. And people out there know that."

A spokesman for the DCCC, Ryan Rudominer, said his committee's message is not so much about Republican inertia as about the GOP siding with the very banks and financial institutions that many Americans blame for tanking the economy last fall.
Posted by:Slerens Elmolugum9047

#6  A "Party of No" attack will play directly into Republican hands because people WANT a "Party of No" at this point. SOMEONE needs to say NO.

Posted by: crosspatch   2009-12-28 13:46  

#5  Better the party of No than voting for the Demonrats, the party of human sacrifices, criminals, traitors, racists, and anti-human bigots.

My question is, why do we bother negotiating with vermin?
Posted by: Silentbrick   2009-12-28 13:23  

#4  Not just No, but HELL NO!

2009 Fiscal Year Federal budget deficit: $1420 billion

2010 Projected Fiscal Year Federal budget deficit: $1170 billion. Which is now a fantasy since tax revenue will be much lower. Can you say projected 7% unemployment with a straight face?

2009 Federal debt increase: $2900 billion (bailouts and stealing money from Social Security and Medicare trust funds are "off budget")

2010 Projected Federal debt increase: $1400 billion. Again Marxist Math in action.
Posted by: ed   2009-12-28 11:51  

#3  Well I think this "party of 'no'" attack dog tactic is a great campaign add for the Republicans.

I know that even here in the left coast, everyone with any sanity is up in arms about the health care bill and this cap and trade nonsense. Having the reputation as trying to hold the line against the looney left will have more resonance with voters to the positive than the dems can imagine.

Let's hope the dems continue this rhetoric to remind voters who is fighting for them.
Posted by: Karl Rove   2009-12-28 11:11  

#2  Great! We need more people in Washington to say "no" to these adolescent Dumbocrats!

Palin/Bachman 2012!
Posted by: Parabellum   2009-12-28 10:24  

#1  I'll vote for a "No" party. Hell, I would vote for "Let's just meet for one month for one bill then party the rest of the year and leave the voters alone" party at this point.
Posted by: DarthVader   2009-12-28 09:31  

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