Uncertainty For Blue Dog Democrats

[babylonsister]

For Blue Dogs, Up May Be Down
Financial Crisis Puts Democrats' Fiscal Conservatives To The Test

by John Mercurio

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008


To appreciate how much the economic crisis is scrambling the political battle lines on Capitol Hill, consider the plight of the Blue Dog Democrats.

The influential coalition of fiscally conservative House Democrats saw their ranks swell on Election Day, and they stand to gain even greater clout with a White House alliance they spent months cultivating. Just days after his victory, President-elect Barack Obama reportedly assigned economic adviser Jason Furman to consult regularly with the Blue Dogs on economic issues. Speaker Nancy Pelosi acknowledged the centrists' new power when she said, a few days after her party gained 20-plus House seats, "The country must be governed from the middle."

But if Washington inched towards the Blue Dogs after the election, the Blue Dogs inched toward Washington when they elected to support Rep. John Dingell of Michigan in his battle to keep the House Energy and Commerce Committee chairmanship over Rep. Henry Waxman of California.

Dingell's support for the multibillion-dollar auto industry bailout plan has made him a punching bag for both environmentalists and fiscal conservatives. In different times, such an issue might have been a nonstarter for the Blue Dogs. But today, there's more to consider, not least a likely recession in which many of the country's top job-producing industries are collapsing.

more...

http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/ps_20081118_3429.php

[FLAprogressive]

1. A good portion of the Blue Dogs are vile sacks of crap....

....specifically reactionary homophobes like Dan Boren, Heath Shuler, John Barrow, and Jim Marshall. If we were to lose any seats next cycle, pray that they're all Blue Dogs.

[tsuki]

2. Add Allen Boyd to the list. nt

[Phred42]

9. add Melissa Bean too

She voted for the Bankruptcy bill

[Double T]

3. It is nice to see Democrats continuing to attack and stab each other in the back.

I'm certain hope and change will cure that. Hypocrites!

[FLAprogressive]

6. I'm sorry but if you would look past the "D" after some of these people's names

And actually look at their RECORDS, you'll find that some of them are some of the worst in Congress. The Blue Dogs are filled with some of the biggest homophobes and anti-labor corporate shills in Congress...

http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4364

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1073

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/search/label/reactionary%20Democrats

With "Democrats" like these, who needs Republicans?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

8. You got that.

I promise you right now, some of those Blue Dogs will be the first ones to fuck over Obama when he needs a filibuster-proof 60 the most. :mad:

[Phred42]

11. Agree - Blue Dogs need to go in 2010

[donco]

15. Not only will we not be gone,

we will be the majority.

[Phred42]

19. Why not be honest and just call yourself a Centrist republican?

[babylonsister]

7. Baloney. Read up on them before you open your mouth.

They have voted against our collective interests more times than I can count, especially with regards to this illegal occupation. I have no use for a lot of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dog_Democrats

snip//

2007 DCCC boycott

In 2007, 15 Blue Dog Coalition Members in safe seats refused to contribute party dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. An additional 16 Blue Dogs have not paid any money to the DCCC but were exempt from party-mandated contributions because they are top GOP targets for defeat in 2008. The stated reason for the party dues boycott are remarks made by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) encouraging leaders of anti-war groups to field primary challenges to any Democrat who does not vote to end the Iraq War. Woolsey later stated that she was misunderstood, but the Blue Dogs have continued with the boycott. Donations to party Congressional Committees are an important source of funding for the party committees, permitting millions of dollars to be funneled back into close races.<9>

[roguevalley]

10. When people are wrong, I don't care what letter follows their name.

George Wallace was a dem too.

[FLAprogressive]

13. That's a good attitude to have....

...I'm sick of the Blue Dog defenders who apologize for the crap within our own party.

[paulk]

17. if we lose seats, it will be to Republicans

I suppose you think that's better?

[Phred42]

20. Blue Dogs ARE republicans - they just aren't honest about it

[paulk]

21. Blue Dogs aren't Republicans

but you know that

We have the Speaker and the Commitee chairs because of our majority, a majority that includes conservative Democrats.

[Phred42]

22. Ok got me - They're Republican-lite.

and they need to be replaced in 2010.

[burythehatchet]

4. A pack of dogs I would gladly put down, politiclly speaking.

[cascadiance]

5. Here's another good article from "The Hill" on "shift to the left"...

... especially with Waxman's committee chairmanship over Dingell that has a lot of Blue Dog's PO'd...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/waxmans-takeover-signals-a-shift-to-the-left-2008-11-20.html

I absolutely LOVE to see these people sweating now that the people are getting more power over their agenda!

[FLAprogressive]

12. lol....oh Charlie Melan-(neo)-con

“Give the man the opportunity to demonstrate that we’re not going ‘hard left,’ or ‘off the cliff’,”

boo hoo

[OhioChick]

14. K&R

:kick:

[sellitman]

16. I'll take a Blue Dog any day over a LIEberman.

If we can't rid our house of some real smelly trash how can you bitch about a few crumbs?

[sazemisery]

18. Here, take Dan Boren, I'll let you have him

the SOS wouldn't endorse Obama even after he was the nominee. His office would not help progressive Democrats running for state house and senate seats. He is closely aligned with Inhofe and Coburn.