Are there Really 70 'Socialist' members of Congress?
Michael Bachmann
bloggers-claim-peter-defazio-and-earl-blumenauer-a/>
Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio has been called a lot of things over his 12
terms in Congress -- hot head, visionary, renegade, principled, effective
and determined.
Now, if a burst of activity on websites and blogs in recent weeks is to
be believed, DeFazio is something else -- a socialist.
And he’s not alone. The posts, all of which piggyback from a single
offering that has been replicated on dozens of websites in recent weeks,
says there are 70 card-carrying Socialists in the House of
Representatives, including Rep. Earl Blumenauer, another Democrat from
Oregon. (The number actually varies. Some posts say 70 while others
insist it’s either 73 or 76. One post used both 76 and 75 in the same
entry.)
An Aug. 12 post on the website for a group called Sovereign Citizens
United mentions DeFazio and Blumenauer by name. It also says this: "I’m
sure if you asked random people on the street if we had open socialists
in the US Congress, they would say – well only Bernie Sanders (Senate).
But the right answer is much, much worse."
"This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one," says an Aug. 16
post on ConservativeByte.com. "The radical Marxist-progressives
(communists) took control of the Democrat party some time ago. They’ve
only become more emboldened with the election of Barack Obama, who was
raised as a communist from birth."
In case you miss the point, the post comes equipped with a large and very
bright hammer and sickle emblem.
While most of the names politicians are called are opinions, calling a
congressman a Socialist sounds both emphatic and exact, which always gets
our attention here at PolitiFact Oregon.
Another thing that gets our attention is when a claim gets spread far and
wide. This one meets that test, too.
Here’s a blog post on Aug. 17 by Texas radio host Dan Cofall, whose show
airs out of Fort Worth:
"The magic number ‘70’ is the number of members of the 111th Congress who
are members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). These are not
just politicians who vote left of center; these are card-carrying members
of ‘The Democratic Socialists of America’."
Cofall did not respond to an email asking for comment. And we couldn’t
reach anyone from ConservativeByte.
Before we get to our ruling, let’s begin with some basics. Congress
resets itself every two years, which means the current edition is the
112th Congress, not the 111th. Why does that matter? Because the new
Congress that begins in January every two years always follows an
election and some of the people on the list are no longer in office.
Cofall acknowledges this but then continues to list names from the 111th
Congress anyway. Those listed as "card carrying" socialists who are no
longer serving include: Robert Wexler (Florida), Phil Hare (Illinois),
John Hall (New York), Alan Grayson (Florida), and Neil Abercrombie
(Hawaii).
Then there’s this: Real card-carrying Socialists say those members,
including DeFazio and Blumenauer, aren’t Socialists.
The list that Cofall and dozens more rely upon "is completely
fraudulent," said Frank Llewellyn, who served as national director of the
Democratic Socialists of America for 10 years until stepping down July 5.
There is not one member of Congress who is a formal member of the DSA,
Llewellyn said. In order to join, a person must fill out a form and pay
dues. Even Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic
socialist, is not a formal member of the DSA, Llewellyn said.
The last member of Congress who was an actual card-carrying member, he
said, was California Democratic Rep. Ron Dellums, who served 28 years in
the House until leaving in 1998.
Llewellyn and DSA’s new national director, Maria Svart are chagrined for
two reasons. First, they have to spend time knocking down reports that
never seem to go away.
Second, Llewellyn said, "if we had formal political relationships with 70-
odd members, we would be making a lot more money’’ from dues.
For the record, both DeFazio and Blumenauer say they’ve never been
associated with the Democratic Socialists of America.
"This is another made-up Internet rumor that has no merit," DeFazio said.
"I am a proud Democrat who has taken many independent stands over the
years. I am anti-so called free trade, pro-American jobs, pro-
infrastructure investment, pro-fair taxation, anti-amnesty, pro-balanced
budget amendment, pro-Wall Street re-regulation, and pro-audit the
Pentagon and Federal Reserve. I am an Oregonian and an independent
thinker."
Blumenauer was equally annoyed.
"No matter which side of the political aisle it comes from, this kind of
name calling and rhetoric represents exactly what is wrong with our
democracy today," he said. "Rather than bringing people together to solve
our nation's problems, it spreads false and divisive allegations
throughout the media and the public. It is a major distraction from the
real work that needs to get done."
Bad information gets spread all the time. But where did the number, or
numbers, come from?
The list purported to have originated with the DSA says this on page two:
Q: How many members of the U.S. Congress are also members of the DSA?
A: Seventy
It then lists them by name. What it does not say is that the names are
simply lifted en masse from the membership of the Congressional
Progressive Caucus, a collection of liberal-leaning lawmakers that
includes DeFazio and Blumenauer but officially, not a single socialist.
According to its website, the Progressive Caucus is one of the largest in
Congress and works for such causes as economic justice, civil rights and
civil liberties as well as global peace and security. Llewellyn said that
DSA supports some of the policy positions of the caucus.
Voicing support for positions embraced by a group of lawmakers is a
routine part of business on Capitol Hill and is employed by organizations
as disparate as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Rifle
Association and NORML, a group devoted to legalizing the use of
marijuana. But agreeing with some positions doesn’t make a member of
Congress a card-carrying Socialist.
Llewellyn says similar accusations of Socialism (with a capital S) have
surfaced every election year since 1991 when the Progressive Caucus was
created.
"There’s nothing we can do to stop it, Llewellyn said. "I can’t tell you
the number of times we’ve tried to stop it."
Misinformation and smear campaigns also are part of political life. But
these persistent claims about socialists are riddled with errors and
outright lies. Any one of the problems would be sufficient to discredit
the report, but taken together, the effort is flagrantly false. For that
reason, we rate this claim: Pants on Fire.
• R. L. Measures.
<michael.ba...@gmail.com> wrote:
• "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" -- Puck.
--From A Midsummer Night's Dream (Act 3, scene 2 i, 115) by Wm. Shakespeare
--
Richard L. Measures. AG6K, 805-386-3734, www.somis.org
dave
How do you get from Social Democrat to Communist? Absurd. Are all your
friends this stupid? There's apparently one Communist left, and he's
afraid of airplanes.
RHF
> Michael Bachmann wrote:
- crap....
Alas... Mike [M II] Your Expertise Comes To The Fore !
.
- Only geniuses cross post, right Bachmann?
Mike [M II] -since-you-replied-and-cross-posted-
-to-the-same-newsgroups- alt.fan.rush-limbaugh,
alt.politics.obama, alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic,
or.politics, and rec.radio.shortwave . . .
Mike [M II] : what do,,, That Say... ABOUT YOU ! ! !
-especially-when- You Change The Subject-Line
-to-read- "Stop the crap cross postings, Genius."
mike [m ii] one wonders... ~ RHF
.
.
-follow-ups-set-to- alt.idiots -and- alt.stupid.idiots
.
.
>
> signature.asc
> < 1KViewDownload
� R. L. Measures.
<da...@dave.dave> wrote:
� Chortle. As I understand it the Dear Leader is into Hollywood flicks.
and blonde hookers.
RHF
> • R. L. Measures. wrote:
>
> > <michael.bachmann1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >>"This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one," says an Aug. 16
> >>post on ConservativeByte.com. "The radical Marxist-progressives
> >>only become more emboldened with the election of Barack Obama, who was
> >>raised as a communist from birth."
>
> > • "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" -- Puck.
> > --From A Midsummer Night's Dream (Act 3, scene 2 i, 115) by Wm. Shakespeare
>
- How do you get from Social Democrat to Communist?
-answer- By Being Elected -a/o- Taking/Seizing Power
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat
-and- Enforcing* Your form of 'Social Democracy' On All
-by- The Might of Your Regime and the Force of
Your Political Police and Use of Military Power
as written in history many times over ~ RHF
.
-define- "Communist" a 'Social Democrat' with a Gun
with the Power to Use It; and Driven by Political Elitism :
-wrt- Greater Russia [USSR*], Poland, Latvia, Estonia,
Lithuania, Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Albania,
Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia, etc...
* Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova,
Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc...
-also- China, Tibet, North Korea, Vietnam, etc...
-plus- Cuba, etc...
.
.
- Absurd. Are all your friends this stupid?
- There's apparently one Communist left,
- and he's afraid of airplanes.
-
- http://en.rian.ru/world/20110825/166161576.html
dave
> - How do you get from Social Democrat to Communist?
>
> -answer- By Being Elected -a/o- Taking/Seizing Power
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat
> -and- Enforcing* Your form of 'Social Democracy' On All
> -by- The Might of Your Regime and the Force of
> Your Political Police and Use of Military Power
>
> as written in history many times over ~ RHF
> .
> -define- "Communist" a 'Social Democrat' with a Gun
> with the Power to Use It; and Driven by Political Elitism :
> -wrt- Greater Russia [USSR*], Poland, Latvia, Estonia,
> Lithuania, Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Albania,
> Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia, etc...
> * Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova,
> Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan,
> Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc...
> -also- China, Tibet, North Korea, Vietnam, etc...
> -plus- Cuba, etc...
They are the most popular party in the civilized world.
"Social democratic parties are among the largest parties in most
countries in Europe, as well as in the majority of European-influenced
parts of the world (with the notable exception of the United States).
Social democrats are seen as centre left in orientation."
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=social+democrat&ei=UTF-8&fr=moz35
arthr...@webtv.net
>
> - Show quoted text -
Like NSDAP . Their flag was also red ...
RHF
>
> > - Show quoted text -
- Like NSDAP . Their flag was also red ...
SOCIALISTS - Be they Nationalistic Fascists*
-or- Internationalist Communists* :
All Function via the Deadly Stain of the Red Blood
of the Peoples that they Oppress in the Name of
the Liberal {Progressive} Socialist {Democrat} Cause
* Both are Elitist Overlords Oppressing The Masses
.
.
Christopher Helms
> • R. L. Measures. wrote:
>
>
> >>"This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one," says an Aug. 16
> >>post on ConservativeByte.com. "The radical Marxist-progressives
> >>only become more emboldened with the election of Barack Obama, who was
> >>raised as a communist from birth."
>
> > • "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" -- Puck.
> > --From A Midsummer Night's Dream (Act 3, scene 2 i, 115) by Wm. Shakespeare
>
> How do you get from Social Democrat to Communist? Absurd. Are all your
> friends this stupid? There's apparently one Communist left, and he's
> afraid of airplanes.
>
> http://en.rian.ru/world/20110825/166161576.html
The modern moonbat right considers pretty much anyone to the left of
Himmler to be some kind of commie lib pinko. They make the charge
quite frequently, and usually based on little or no evidence. It
doesn't really mean anything anymore. Todays Republicans would
consider a candidate with Reagan's agenda a borderline communist.
Keep moving, people. Nothing to see here.
� R. L. Measures.
<3f3eece2-a1e8-4406...@p10g2000yqi.googlegroups.com>,
Christopher Helms <chris...@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Aug 31, 7:35=A0am, dave <d...@dave.dave> wrote:
>> =95 R. L. Measures. wrote:
>>
>> > In article <j3j3hk02...@news7.newsguy.com>, Michael Bachmann
>> > <michael.bachmann1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> >>"This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one," =A0says an Aug. =
>16
>> >>post on ConservativeByte.com. "The radical Marxist-progressives
>> >>(communists) took control of the Democrat party some time ago. They=E2=
>=80=99ve
>> >>only become more emboldened with the election of Barack Obama, who was
>> >>raised as a communist from birth." =A0
>>
>> > =95 =A0 "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" -- Puck.
>> > --From A Midsummer Night's Dream (Act 3, scene 2 i, 115) by Wm. Shakesp=
>eare
>>
>> How do you get from Social Democrat to Communist? Absurd. Are all your
>> friends this stupid? There's apparently one Communist left, and he's
>> afraid of airplanes.
>>
>> http://en.rian.ru/world/20110825/166161576.html
>
>
>The modern moonbat right considers pretty much anyone to the left of
>Himmler to be some kind of commie lib pinko. They make the charge
>quite frequently, and usually based on little or no evidence. It
>doesn't really mean anything anymore. Todays Republicans would
>consider a candidate with Reagan's agenda a borderline communist.
>
** chortle. good one Chris H.
JohnN
> • R. L. Measures. wrote:
>
>
> >>"This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one," says an Aug. 16
> >>post on ConservativeByte.com. "The radical Marxist-progressives
> >>only become more emboldened with the election of Barack Obama, who was
> >>raised as a communist from birth."
>
> > • "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" -- Puck.
> > --From A Midsummer Night's Dream (Act 3, scene 2 i, 115) by Wm. Shakespeare
>
> How do you get from Social Democrat to Communist? Absurd. Are all your
> friends this stupid? There's apparently one Communist left, and he's
> afraid of airplanes.
>
> http://en.rian.ru/world/20110825/166161576.html
Its all about fund raising for the Republican Tea Party and keeping
the base's rage overheated.
JohnN
J R
do is sit here on doggy's couch and watch tee vee.
cuhulin
arthr...@webtv.net
>
> - Show quoted text -
Do you have in mind the Neo-cons ?
DEFCON 88
>
> The modern moonbat right considers pretty much anyone to the left of
> Himmler to be some kind of commie lib pinko. They make the charge
> quite frequently, and usually based on little or no evidence. It
> doesn't really mean anything anymore. Todays Republicans would
> consider a candidate with Reagan's agenda a borderline communist.
>
Since you made that charge based on absolutely no evidence, I assume
it doesn't really mean anything other than typical loony left BS.
dave
http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1632/reagans-tax-increases
Tax Increases
Billions of Dollars
Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982
+57.3
Highway Revenue Act of 1982
+4.9
Social Security Amendments of 1983
+24.6
Railroad Retirement Revenue Act of 1983
+1.2
Deficit Reduction Act of 1984
+25.4
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
+2.9
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
+2.4
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986
+0.6
Continuing Resolution for 1987
+2.8
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987
+8.6
Continuing Resolution for 1988
+2.0
Total cumulative tax increases
+132.7
J R
cuhulin
J R
watchin a little bit of Change of Habit movie on the EDRA tee vee
channel.Elvis the Pelvis (playing the part of a Doctor in the movie)
told that 17 year old gal who was 'coming on to him', that she has
Seventeenitus.
cuhulin
RHF
> DEFCON 88 wrote:
> > On Sep 2, 1:07 pm, Christopher Helms <chrishel...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> The modern moonbat right considers pretty much anyone to the left of
> >> Himmler to be some kind of commie lib pinko. They make the charge
> >> quite frequently, and usually based on little or no evidence. It
> >> doesn't really mean anything anymore. Todays Republicans would
> >> consider a candidate with Reagan's agenda a borderline communist.
>
- - no evidence, I assume it doesn't really mean anything
- - other than typical loony left BS.
Ah... M4* Mania Dave -the-expert-on- Loony Left BS !
* Mucho Medical-Marijuana Madness [M4]
.
- http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1632/reagans-tax-...
M4 Mania Dave provides a Link/URL but only tells
haft the story written there . . .
Reagan's Tax Increases
{Off-Set by Greater Tax Decreases}
http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1632/reagans-tax-increases
.
- Tax Increases
-
- Billions of Dollars
- Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982
- +57.3
-
- Highway Revenue Act of 1982
- +4.9
-
- Social Security Amendments of 1983
- +24.6
-
- Railroad Retirement Revenue Act of 1983
- +1.2
-
- Deficit Reduction Act of 1984
- +25.4
-
- Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
- +2.9
-
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
- +2.4
-
- Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986
- +0.6
-
- Continuing Resolution for 1987
- +2.8
-
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987
- +8.6
-
- Continuing Resolution for 1988
- +2.0
-
- Total cumulative tax increases
- +132.7
.
.
WOW ! - Another attempt by M4 Mania Dave*
to tell yet one more Liberal {Democrat} Half-Truth
* Shilling for the Obama-Regime {Liberal-Democrats}
OOPS ! - Just What Did M4 Mania Dave* Leave-Out
-aka- The Other Half of the Truth -wrt- The Whole Truth
-fair-&-balanced- -fair-&-balanced- -fair-&-balanced-
-truth-be-told- The Reagan Era TAX CUTS :
http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1632/reagans-tax-increases
=Billions=of=Dollars=
Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981
- $264.4B
Interest and Dividends Tax Compliance Act of 1983
- $1.8B
Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986
- $0.2B
Tax Reform Act of 1986
- $8.9B
Total Cumulative Tax Cuts = - $275.3B
-and-
Cuts - $275.3B
Increases + $132.7B
= = = = = = = = = =
- 142.6B Cuts in Taxes
.
Nice Try PBS/NPR Dave -but- You Are Caught Again
Promoting the Liberal {Democrat} Half-Truths and
Shilling for the Obama-Regime {Liberal-Democrats}
-parroting-the-pbs/npr-liberal-media-line-
.
just being fair-&-balance with the whole truth
and all the facts ~RHF
.
.
dave
apostles get on board is the gate of the transference of wealth. Now,
I’ll bet everyone in this room just about has heard prophecies that God
is about to release huge amounts of wealth, to transfer the wealth from
the Gentiles to His people. You’ve heard those prophecies, and I’ll
bet you apostles, you’ve probably given that prophecy more than once.
Ok, what I’m saying is, everybody, these prophecies are not just by a
bunch of flakes. These prophecies are the word of the Lord! See? And
Chuck Pierce and I have worked, did some work on this, we can trace
these prophecies to our best guess, to about 1992, ok? The authentic
word of the Lord is that huge amounts of wealth are going to be
released. And yet from 1992 to now, that’s been twelve years, and
they haven’t been released. So again, my role, one of my roles is, not
the only one, but one of my roles is to try to get the answers as to
why, and I believe there are two answers to that. ‘Cause God’s not
going to release this wealth down a black hole. He’s going to release
this wealth when it’s properly cared for, see? And I believe one of
the reasons he wouldn’t release it, even though He has promised to do
it, is because the government of the church wasn’t in place, which it
now is as of 2001, ok? So, we now have the apostles and prophets as
foundation of the church, and that’s in place. Then ok, if that’s the
reason, then why didn’t we get it? Because we’re still three years
more, why didn’t it come by now? The second one is we need the
workplace, the apostles in the workplace, in place. Now, the reason we
do is because there are four links in the chain of the transfer of
Kingdom wealth. The links are: providers, managers, distributors, and
field marshals. And the objective of the whole thing is to get the
wealth in the hands of the field marshals who are out there winning
souls, planting churches, feeding the poor and transforming society.
The field marshals are there. The providers are there. That’s the
link number one. God wouldn’t even announce that there was wealth if
the wealth wasn’t there. The providers are there. The field marshals
are there. The distributors are there, I don’t have time to explain
them but the distributors are in place. They’re not activated. They
will only be fully activated when the money’s there, because the money
hasn’t come yet either, ok? But the second link in the chain, the
managers, that is where workplace apostles come in. There are people
in the kingdom of God, in the body of Christ, who have the skills to
manage large amounts of money. Now I’m not talking about tens of
millions, few millions, I’m talking about hundreds of millions and
billions of dollars because this is the scope on which these prophecies
are based. And there are people who manage those, the managers exist,
we have people in the body of Christ who know how to handle those
funds; however, they’re not connected with the other three links. And
that is what needs to happen and will happen so that the prophecies
about the transfer of wealth will be… that gate of transference of
wealth, will be opened. Look what it says in Isaiah 60:11. Don’t
bother looking in your Bibles, but I just want you to write down Isaiah
60:11. “Therefore your gates shall be opened continually. They shall
not be shut day or night that men might bring to you the wealth of the
Gentiles.” This gate will be opened when we understand about the
church in the workplace, that the church has a government, that it
takes a government to overthrow a government, and when we understand
this, if we renew our minds, if we embrace this paradigm shift, if we
see, if we hear what the spirit is saying to the churches, if we
recognize ministry in the extended church and government in the
extended church, the revival we’ve been praying for is just around the
corner. We will see it.
RHF
Ah... another M4* Mania Dave Rage/Rant !
* Mucho Medical-Marijuana Madness [M4]
.
.
arthr...@webtv.net
>
> - Show quoted text -
By chance,did Dave overdose himself today?
RHF
- - * Mucho Medical-Marijuana Madness [M4]
- By chance,did Dave overdose himself today?
For M4 Mania Dave It Was Truly A Labor DAZE !
.
J R
http://www.drudgereport.com
See how I fixed the title of that article.
42 killed in New York City.
7 killed in Chicago.(Drudge Report)
Store clerk shot in head last night in Jackson,Missy Sippy, argument
over gas price.
cuhulin
arthr...@webtv.net
> Union Bastards Commiting Suicidehttp://www.drudgereport.com
> See how I fixed the title of that article.
>
> 42 killed in New York City.
> 7 killed in Chicago.(Drudge Report)
>
> Store clerk shot in head last night in Jackson,Missy Sippy, argument
> over gas price.
> cuhulin
Chicago is a very safe place to live, afaik . Brooklyn is the new
proving ground for small arms . And that's the way it is .
dave
arthr...@webtv.net
dave
is classic urban low level warfare in Chicago, same as any other big
city in the land of the cheap.
J R
Chicago is a very safe place to live?
Doggy, you wants to move to Chicago?
///HELL NO! Have you gone crazy? WOOF!///
Don't choo worry doggy.We are staying right here in very dangerous
backwater hick Jackson,Missy Sippy.
///You got that Right! WOOF!///
How about very safe New York City? or Los Angeles?
///HELL NO! WOOF!///
You have more Sense than I have, doggy.
cuhulin, Backwater Hicks R US
arthr...@webtv.net
It is all relative... If not mistaken,St.Louis has the worst crime
amongst the large cities.
J R
Times Square.
backwater hick Jackson,Missy Sippy doesn't have any Checkpoints, ergo
the 10th anniversary of Commie fed govt Attack on America.
cuhulin