The Puppet Master
From the LA Times
’Lobbyists for the American Civil Liberties Union, for example, are all but counting on Democrats to repeal the most controversial provisions of the Patriot Act, the anti-terrorist law pushed by the White House that some critics call unconstitutional.
They also want to end President Bush’s domestic wiretapping program.
“We are not going to let them off the hook,” said Caroline Fredrickson, the ACLU’s legislative director, of the newly empowered Democratic leaders in Congress.
“We will hold their feet to the fire and use all the tools we can to mobilize our members.”
Eli Pariser, executive director of the political action committee associated with the liberal activist group MoveOn.org, warned that Democratic leaders would be ill-advised to ignore the party’s base.
“A huge number of people were involved in putting them over the top,” Pariser said. “There’s a huge group of people engaged and energized and ready to support Pelosi and company when they boldly lead — and to hold them to account if they stray.”
Other interest groups are pointing to Tuesday’s results as vindication of their particular causes, and as proof that Democrats should embrace their issues rather than shun them as too liberal. ‘
Liberal Groups Expect Postelection Results
By Peter Wallsten and Janet Hook
Sunday, November 12th, 2006
Activists who helped Democrats secure Congress make clear they intend to get their reward.
After toppling the long-dominant Republicans in a hard-fought election, the Democratic Party’s incoming congressional leaders have immediately found themselves in another difficult struggle — with their own supporters.
Some of the very activists who helped propel the Democrats to a majority in the House and Senate last week are claiming credit for the victories and demanding what they consider their due: a set of ambitious — and politically provocative — actions on gun control, abortion, national security and other issues that party leaders fear could alienate moderate voters and leave Democrats vulnerable to GOP attacks as big spenders or soft on terrorism.
The conflict underscores the challenge facing the Democrats in line to lead Congress — Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco in the House and Harry Reid of Nevada in the Senate. Each has pledged in recent days to “govern from the center,” after a campaign in which anger over the Iraq war and GOP scandals helped their party attract some unusually conservative candidates and a large share of independent voters.
Turning off those new voters could undermine Democrats’ hopes of solidifying their new majorities and taking the White House in 2008. But to the leaders of interest groups who are core supporters of the Democratic Party, and who had been barred under Republican rule from the inner sanctums of power, the new Congress means a time for action, not compromise.
’Lobbyists for the American Civil Liberties Union, for example, are all but counting on Democrats to repeal the most controversial provisions of the Patriot Act, the anti-terrorist law pushed by the White House that some critics call unconstitutional. They also want to end President Bush’s domestic wiretapping program.
“We are not going to let them off the hook,” said Caroline Fredrickson, the ACLU’s legislative director, of the newly empowered Democratic leaders in Congress.
“We will hold their feet to the fire and use all the tools we can to mobilize our members.”
Eli Pariser, executive director of the political action committee associated with the liberal activist group MoveOn.org, warned that Democratic leaders would be ill-advised to ignore the party’s base.
“A huge number of people were involved in putting them over the top,” Pariser said. “There’s a huge group of people engaged and energized and ready to support Pelosi and company when they boldly lead — and to hold them to account if they stray.”
Other interest groups are pointing to Tuesday’s results as vindication of their particular causes, and as proof that Democrats should embrace their issues rather than shun them as too liberal. ‘
