Emanuel and the DCCC are breeding Blue Dogs

[Truth2Tell]

This has been out there a few days, but I haven't seen it discussed here on DU. Maybe I missed it?

From Truthout:

Democratic House Officials Recruited Wealthy Conservatives
By Matt Renner

...Appointed as head of the DCCC by then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Emanuel spearheaded the Democratic Party effort to regain control of the House of Representatives during the 2006 election cycle. Emanuel claimed credit for the Democratic takeover and was promoted to chairman of the Democratic Caucus, the fourth-highest ranking position in the House. But his election tactics have been criticized by progressive activists and former Congressional candidates.

According to his critics, Emanuel played kingmaker by financially supporting his favored candidates during primary contests with other Democrats. His critics say that this interference was in direct contradiction of a DCCC policy to "remain neutral" in party primaries.

-snip- How Emanuel came to his decisions about which candidates to support against Democratic opponents is known only to Emanuel and his staff. Emanuel declined direct comment on this story. But an examination of individual races reveals a pattern of financial and political support for wealthy conservative candidates and an assault on their grassroots-supported opponents who were running on platforms that included a full withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

-snip- Thirteen of the Democratic members of the House elected in 2006 joined The Blue Dog Coalition; a group that, according to its spokesperson, has no official stance on withdrawal from Iraq or the president's warrantless wiretapping program. However, 30 out of 47 of the Blue Dog members broke with the majority of Democrats and cast votes in favor of the recent Protect America Act, a bill that greatly expanded the power of the executive branch to spy on Americans. The caucus also broke with the majority of Democrats when 40 of the Blue Dog members voted to continue funding the occupation of Iraq without a timetable for withdrawal.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/090607J.shtml

Bold text added

Now we're starting to see the same thing, despite the denials, in advance of 2008. In Washington, Darcy Burner has drawn a primary challenge from former Republican and DLC favorite Rodney Tom in the fight to unseat vulnerable House Republican Dave Reichert. This is in spite of Burner's near victory last election cycle and her overwhelming popularity with party activists and progressives nationwide. I've been told by many many state political insiders that Tom is favored by The DCCC - even that they recruited him to run. And all the usual DLC front groups have piled on the Tom bandwagon.

Progressive democrats need to be aware that this is taking place. And we need to begin to fight for what we believe - well before general election time!

[LittleClarkie]

1. He claimed credit

depends on whether you believe him or not.

He seemed at the time to be grabbing some of the credit that belonged to the 50 state strategy.

[Truth2Tell]

2. Well, regardless of who deserves the credit

for the overall 06 victory - and I think many do - the point here is that Emanuel is using the Party campaign financing structure as a tool to push the makeup of the House in a more corporatist, pro-war direction.

[defendandprotect]

16. Will Pelosi let Bush's new $200 billion spending bill come to the floor????

If she does, it will pass ---
She doesn't have the votes to stop it ---

[Truth2Tell]

18. Does the pope shit in the woods? n/t

[Missy Vixen]

3. Mr. Reiner may want to do a search at the Seattle Times

I'm not sure when the article was written, but Rodney Tom's challenge to Darcy Burner's candidacy was withdrawn last week.

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=tom06m&date=20070906&query=Rodney+Tom

Julie

[Truth2Tell]

5. Julie, my fault, that was my text at the bottom.

My Bad. Don't blame Reiner. (And great news by the way). Thanks for the correction. :)

[leftchick]

4. he has done it before

and will continue...

<snip>

Yet, as they contemplate political ruin in next year's election, these Republicans can take solace in the fact that, if defeated, their replacements may not differ in any meaningful way on important issues of the day. That at least is the hope and dream of Democratic apparatchik Rahm Emmanuel and the corporate toadies he represents. Ominously, Emmanuel, a relict of the Clinton White House, heads the Democratic National Campaign Committee.

As such, he decides which candidates for the House should get money and other support from the national party. At a time when any fool can see that the public hates the war more this month than last, and will hate it even more next month and the month after that, Emmanuel is doing his best to recruit candidates, preferably rich ones, guaranteed to eschew vocal opposition to the war.

http://www.counterpunch.org/andrew12092005.html

[Mitt Chovick]

6. The new bosses, same as the old bosses

Bush dogs as far as the eye can see.

And of course Shrubby's sister at Penn Avenue.

[GeorgeGist]

7. It's all about POWER ...

and MONEY. The means are irrelevant.

[xchrom]

8. that is a good assessment.

[Cha]

9. By serving up his

Blue Koolaid. Ya chickenlivers..cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck...cluck cluck cluck cluck. If they're even in the middle of the road..that's where the dead skunks are.

[MisterP]

10. silence! sit down, kiss our rings, eat your gruel, and hold your nose!

a second Republican party is our goal, but if you say that, you'll be drummed out as a Purist!
:sarcasm:

[Hippo_Tron]

11. A majority of the freshmen Dems voted against the FISA bill

With every new crop we're going to have progressives and DLCers. A progressive majority will come with an increase in total numbers.

[Truth2Tell]

13. Total numbers? Like more House members total?

Cuz that makes about as much sense as what I think you meant.

[Selatius]

14. You'd have to increase the ratio of progressive Dems vs. "centrist" Dems to really affect change.

If you have a majority of Democrats in both houses but that the majority of those Democrats are center-right Democrats who are reluctant to support major reform policies, then they turn out to be little better than voting in Republicans because they would vote with the Republicans to kill progressive legislation.

[bemildred]

12. They will never embrace populism.

Get used to it, it's going to be dog-eat-dog all the way.

[Truth2Tell]

17. I guess that means we need to change who "they" are. n/t

[Vidar]

15. Pitbulls for the shrub, collaborators to the core.

[Beelzebud]

19. They think being Republican Lite will allow them to hold their feeble power.