Tim Roemer Should Not Become DNC Chair
by Chris Bowers, Wed Dec 22, 2004 at 08:40:13 AM EST
He has the strong backing of Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, senior party sources told CNN Tuesday.(...)
With the support of Reid and Pelosi, Roemer immediately has an advantage over the declared candidates, former presidential candidate Howard Dean and former Clinton aide Harold Ickes.
Reid is strongly encouraging a Roemer bid, according to the sources.
Roemer's experience on the 9/11 commission, together with the fact that he comes from a "red state" -- one that voted for President Bush -- were decisive factors in Reid's decision to back him, the sources said.
That is really cute that he is from a red state. Good for him. However, there is a snag in Roemer's recent past that makes him an unacceptable choice to lead the DNC during 2005-2008. As Josh Marhsall writes (boldface mine):I want you to meet some friends of ours. We call them the Fainthearted-Faction. They are the thirteen Democrats who look most likely to go wobbly when President Bush comes a'courting, asking for votes to phase out Social Security. But first: a bit of history.I was recently reminded that back in 2001 there was something called the Filner Amendment. Without getting too bogged down in the details, this was a proxy vote on social Security `privatization.' Specifically, it aimed to "prohibit funds for the purpose of implementing the final report" of the President's Social Security Commission (i.e., privatization).
It turned out pretty much as a party line vote. But not entirely. Twenty Democrats voted against it.
The good news, -- if, of, shall we say, a rather painful sort and the kind that one can only survive so much of - is that six of those representatives aren't in the 109th Congress... I might add that one of those Dmeocrats o longer in Congress is Tim Roemer, member of the 9/11 commission, and now an aspirant to head the DNC.
The upcoming battle to save Social Security from destruction by lying, rampaging conservatives is the single biggest domestic issue we have faced in the country in a decade. During this fight, we do not need the chair of the DNC to be in favor of said destruction. Unless Roemer publicly, loudly and completely repudiates his recent position on Social Security, he is utterly unacceptable as DNC chair. Mark my words: if Roemer becomes chair without doing this, I will actively encourage all progressive activists to donate and volunteer to third-party groups instead of and at the expense of the DNC. The Fainthearted Faction has no place in the Democratic leadership. This must be made clear to all involved (PDF).
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