Toeing the party line

[Noogie]

It's been raised a few times in various threads, especially iduring the healthcare debate, that Democrats are not following the party line and voting against party policy. Don't they have anything to fear from their higher ups? Do they not have to worry about someone else getting dumped in their place come next election for being a whiney b***h?

Don't get me wrong, I haven't actually heard any anti-healthcare arguements from Democrat politicians, perhaps that's because I'm Australian, but to face opposition from within the party and not seeing any poo-flinging, it's just wrong, you guys.

[Brenivin]

They're stickin' it to the man.

[Noogie]

Brenivin

They're stickin' it to the man.

Then why doesn't the man stick it to them? scream

No ice cream after dinner or something? xp

[Jayken Serintal]

Majority parties usually don't have have a tight hold on their leash for fear of losing the majority. Therefore, there are usually some who will dissent against their own party on certain issues. This doesn't mean they agree with the Minority party 100%, however.

[Lord Cameron]

More like they're sticking it in the man

[BlueCollarJoe]

Noogie

It's been raised a few times in various threads, especially iduring the healthcare debate, that Democrats are not following the party line and voting against party policy. Don't they have anything to fear from their higher ups? Do they not have to worry about someone else getting dumped in their place come next election for being a whiney b***h?

Don't get me wrong, I haven't actually heard any anti-healthcare arguements from Democrat politicians, perhaps that's because I'm Australian, but to face opposition from within the party and not seeing any poo-flinging, it's just wrong, you guys.

They tried that with Leiberman, and he ran as an indy and still retained his seat. The moderate democrats understand that they don't work for the democratic leadership. They work for their constituents.

[The Red Herring]

The republicans have been much more effective at purging dissent from their ranks, as seen in NY-23rd when the republicans went so far as to heavily campaign against their own candidate for not being conservative enough. While they may be varied, they can generally all get behind a platform of low taxes, homeland defense, and guns. The democrats have been less concerned with who gets elected, but rather how many, which leads to mediocre coalitions of conservative democrats, party line toters, and more liberal members who want to go further then the party leadership.

[Kazuma]

Noogie

It's been raised a few times in various threads, especially iduring the healthcare debate, that Democrats are not following the party line and voting against party policy. Don't they have anything to fear from their higher ups? Do they not have to worry about someone else getting dumped in their place come next election for being a whiney b***h?

Party discipline in the US political system is notoriously weaker than in parliamentary systems. There are few levers of persuasion that a party can use to get their members to vote the party line. In a parliamentary system, the party in power can add a confidence motion to legislation which compels party members to vote with the party (one has to vote in support or the loss of confidence causes the party to possibly loose power) and party leadership can use the possibility of cabinet positions and leadership positions to serve as either a threat or inducement to tow the party line which isn't possible in the United States where someone can not hold both an Executive and Legislative position at the same time. In the United States, the only real power that the party has is over committee assignments. Congressional representatives in the United States essentially have more to fear from their constituents than they do from their party in terms of keeping their job.

[Bat Lash_x]

Lord Cameron

More like they're sticking it in the man

Hope they used lubricant then.

[Noogie]

I was about to ask if there was any intended way for the majority of the party to crush the dissenters, but short of Red Herring's description, I suppose that wasn't really meant to happen in the US system.

OMFG LOSER DEMS GB2 BACK BENCH!!! NO PORTFOLIO 4 U!!1
1

Well, how would you persuade your more antsy comrades? Fire?

[Wrath of Ezekiel]

Kazuma

Noogie

It's been raised a few times in various threads, especially iduring the healthcare debate, that Democrats are not following the party line and voting against party policy. Don't they have anything to fear from their higher ups? Do they not have to worry about someone else getting dumped in their place come next election for being a whiney b***h?

Party discipline in the US political system is notoriously weaker than in parliamentary systems.

If it's terrible in the USA, it's horrible in Canada. All those Conservatives up here back in 2006 that voted against bringing up the same-sex marriage issue again weren't really punished at all.

The only recent example up here I can think of is when Diane Ablonczy, Canadian Minister of State when it comes to tourism, came money to Toronto's Pride Week, about $400 000, and removed her power to give money to festivals.

[agrab0ekim]

Noogie

It's been raised a few times in various threads, especially iduring the healthcare debate, that Democrats are not following the party line and voting against party policy. Don't they have anything to fear from their higher ups? Do they not have to worry about someone else getting dumped in their place come next election for being a whiney b***h?

Don't get me wrong, I haven't actually heard any anti-healthcare arguements from Democrat politicians, perhaps that's because I'm Australian, but to face opposition from within the party and not seeing any poo-flinging, it's just wrong, you guys.

we elect people to represent us, not represent whatever ******** party they are from

[Cory Shallow]

True Colours of Destiny

If it's terrible in the USA, it's horrible in Canada.
All those Conservatives up here back in 2006 that voted against bringing up the same-sex marriage issue again weren't really punished at all.

Uh....why would they be?

[N3bu]

agrab0ekim

Noogie

It's been raised a few times in various threads, especially iduring the healthcare debate, that Democrats are not following the party line and voting against party policy. Don't they have anything to fear from their higher ups? Do they not have to worry about someone else getting dumped in their place come next election for being a whiney b***h?

Don't get me wrong, I haven't actually heard any anti-healthcare arguements from Democrat politicians, perhaps that's because I'm Australian, but to face opposition from within the party and not seeing any poo-flinging, it's just wrong, you guys.

we elect people to represent us, not represent whatever ******** party they are from

And one wonder if it's actually working. I'd hazard a guess at no.

[agrab0ekim]

White Wolf of Nebu

agrab0ekim

Noogie

It's been raised a few times in various threads, especially iduring the healthcare debate, that Democrats are not following the party line and voting against party policy. Don't they have anything to fear from their higher ups? Do they not have to worry about someone else getting dumped in their place come next election for being a whiney b***h?

Don't get me wrong, I haven't actually heard any anti-healthcare arguements from Democrat politicians, perhaps that's because I'm Australian, but to face opposition from within the party and not seeing any poo-flinging, it's just wrong, you guys.

we elect people to represent us, not represent whatever ******** party they are from

And one wonder if it's actually working. I'd hazard a guess at no.

why would you say it doesn't work? For the most part, it does