Lessons of the Blue Dog Blowout

[jefferson_dem]

Lessons of the Blue Dog Blowout
Ari Melber | November 3, 2010

It was a blowout. By winning over 60 seats in the House, with close races still trickling in Wednesday morning, the anti-Obama wave of 2010 has already secured a prominent place in American history. Even conservative estimates -- say low 60s -- will place the 2010 midterms well above some of the largest shifts in party power in the modern era. This is bigger than the Newt revolution, which netted 54 seats in 1995, and signifcantly higher than the 49 seats that Democrats took after Watergate. In fact, you have to go back to the dramatic backlash to FDR in 1938 to find a midterm wave larger than the angry tsunami that crested on Tuesday. (The GOP netted 81 seats that year.) So what does that mean?

Since so much of our political discourse lives in an imagined future, like some sort of really annoying version of T2, analysts were spining their explanations before most ballots were cast.

Today's New York Times has analysis from Evan Bayh, a retiring centrist/moderate/presidential aspirant, which was obviously penned before polls closed in order to make it to press. "We were too deferential to our most zealous supporters," he bemoans <1>, (huh?), and Democrats "over-interpreted our mandate." Bayh's solution is to focus more on GOP priorities like tax reform, government spending freezes and entitlement cuts. Third Way, a think tank that was literally founded to push Democrats to the center, has been pushing a similar line this week.

It is truly bizarre, because on Tuesday, voters rejected the very Blue Dog Democrats who have been following that exact approach.

The Blue Dog caucus was literally cut in half yesterday, from 54 to 26 members. Now people can argue <2> whether that is good <3> or bad <4> -- but no serious political observer can say the strategy worked.

Loudly breaking with Obama on health care was not a winner, either. "Of the 34 Democrats who voted against the health care bill in March - 24 of them were Blue Dogs - only 12 won reelection," notes <5> reporter Jon Ward.

With such a strong current for the GOP, of course, there are few signs of what does work for Democrats right now. Yet ruling out the Blue Dog dance is a fine start. As Dr. Paul will tell you, in politics, first, do no harm.

http://www.thenation.com/print/blog/155788/lessons-blue-dog-blowout

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. What I Infer From That Is That The Blue Dogs Should Have Never Been Elected In The First Place

Because those were the set of policies they needed to maintain to win their seats. The saying is if folks "can choose between a faux Republican and a real Republican, they will chose the real thing." I will concede that. Those seats are gone from us forever. They would have come in handy when organizing the House though. Huh, Mr. Melber?

If you're going to have a fifty state strategy you're not going to elect Barney Franks or Pete Starks to Gene Taylor's crimson red district.

[Tippy]

2. Getting rid of half the Blue Dogs was almost worth it....

Here in TN we now have 2 Dem's in the US House...one BDog and one Progressive. We had 5 two retired sooner than run and face defeat one was defeated last night.

[leveymg]

3. Nevertheless, the talking heads will tell us that all Dems must become Blue Dogs

and "cooperate", "move toward the center", if they are to survive.

I say, the GOP survived by hanging together in solid opposition these past two years. We must do the same, or surely, as John Adams remarked, they will hang us separately.

[TBF]

4. Dems are already center -

any further right and there will be only one party. Wait, ....

[leveymg]

5. That was my point.

We're on the same page.

[TBF]

7. Sorry,

on my first cup of coffee.

All I see are continued foreclosures and high unemployment - and I'm sure that's what moderates saw as well - and wondered why Obama did virtually nothing about it.

[leveymg]

9. Tis okay. I need another cup, myself, this dismal dawn.

Time for us to rustle up a new job description for Democratic Party leaders. Time to fight back. That must come first.

[ChiciB1]

12. FOR SURE... More Moving To the RIGHT & Obama Wanted To Compromise

even more! I can't tell you how "gleeful" (not) I am. I'm ready to do a FSU WAR DANCE!

[flpoljunkie]

6. Neither Obama or Dems brought the American people along with their watered down finreg, healthcare

reforms. The Republicans were relentless in their demonization of healthcare in particular and the media echo chamber fell in line. The president foreclosure efforts have been lackluster at best. People are angry that the banks were made whole and they remain under the threat of foreclosure and their mortgages are under water. The president must do something to change this. I hope Elizabeth Warren can help here.

[unblock]

8. by and large, people want effective government more than ideology.

blue dog strategy when there is split government is one thing, but when dems control both houses and the presidency, they should work to enact the party agenda, so that they can campaign with a backdrop of a government that's accomplishing something, or at least passing a bunch of laws to try.

then they can try to differentiate themselves by saying they worked to keep some of the "too liberal" provisions out or cast a strategic vote against the party here and there. THE KEY is working WITH the party leadership so that such posturing doesn't derail the party agenda. this arrangement works for ALL democrats. liberals get enough of the blue dogs' votes to get things done, and blue dogs get to position themselves well in tough districts/states.


instead, they chose to play spoiler, and as truman said, given the choice between a republican and a democrat who acts like one, the people will choose the actual republican.

[denimgirly]

10. "A retiring centrist/moderate" -- "focus more on GOP priorities"..Ok wait.....wtf?

So bring a Centrist/Moderate just means "Bow your Heads" and do everything GOP wants. So arent they saying then that a Centrist/Moderate is literally a Republican? That is soo wrong!

And yet, most of the democrats will see this as reason they should go more right.

[ChiciB1]

11. Evan Bayh Is Just As Bad As Having A Repuke! Never Liked Him

even when he was in the Senate! Daggers, but how he can say that Obama was to the left is so weird to me, just so weird!

When it was before them, Democrats SHOULD have at least stood strong for a PUBLIC OPTION! I feel betrayed, but that happened many months ago! I've pretty much HAD IT. Going to have to put on a "happy face" today because I'm going to babysit my almost 2 yr. old grandson, but it's going to be a real trial for me.

OTH, perhaps IT'S BEST... he will be what I need. From now on, I guard my family more than ever and will fight to keep them safe from the onslaught here in Florida! It's gotten worse every election, but I've lived in a Ruby Red county for too many years, I will do what I need to be "Mama Grissly" here. THE DLC state of Florida turns ever more RED, but I will fly under the current to match their corruption. As a law abiding citizen, I no longer care if I tow the line! Corrupting DOES win.

And for those of you who think Jebby isn't primed for a run of POTUS, or perhaps have RUBIO do it for him... WELL GOOD LUCK! Rubio = Bushies on steroids!

I'm done for now. Good luck calling everyone names here and placing blame on those of us who wanted a more even handed agenda.

JMHO!