Liberal lawmakers face new challenges

[babylonsister]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061223/ap_on_go_co/congress_progressives

Liberal lawmakers face new challenges

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer Sat Dec 23, 2:28 AM ET

WASHINGTON - There's one certainty for the Capitol's most liberal lawmakers now that Democrats will control Congress: They won't have to meet in the basement anymore.

"One time they put us in the most obscure, smallest meeting room in the farthest corner," Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio (news, bio, voting record) said of life for progressive Democrats under GOP control. Now, "we should be able to score a regular and accessible meeting place."

That may be the easy part.

Accustomed to pleading in obscurity for causes like universal health care, come January these progressives from Northern California, Massachusetts and elsewhere will be part of the congressional majority and in a position to actually do something about them.

Yet they risk getting pinched between liberals itching for impeachment hearings and a quick end to the Iraq war, and more centrist Democrats looking to make common cause with Republicans on fiscal issues.

And that's assuming progressives can settle on their own goals from a long list of priorities, including universal health care, action on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, voting reform and fixing the trade imbalance.

"Most of us had one drink on election night and then got really sober," said Rep. Jim McDermott (news, bio, voting record), D-Wash. "We're sort of in the dog-who-caught-the-bus situation. Now that we have it, what do we do with it?"

more...