In villifying Blue Dogs, please remember 2010....

[moriah]

I want health care reform too.

I wish Senator Kennedy had been able to see it happen while he was alive.

But I know he would not want to see 2010 turn into another 1994. I'm all for Democrats challenging the Blue Dogs in states where there is a viable Democratic candidate to take their seat in the primaries. I'd actually be happy if someone could come up with a challenger to my own Blanche Lincoln, for example -- but not if it means that a Republican will take her seat. Right now according to some polls she is vulnerable to J. Random Republican.

I honestly don't think a primary battle will damage many Democrats, it might even enliven our base to actually get them to come out in a midterm election, but we need to put as much work into 2010 as we did in 2006 and 2008. And remember that as much as the more conservative Dems may drive us crazy, they are not obstructionists on general principles as the Republicans have proven themselves to be on this matter. When the legislation gets to the floor, Blanche will vote yes on it, and she will vote to overcome a filibuster.

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/08/senate-rankings-august-2009-edition.html

Let's all make a pledge to work to get more progressive Democratic candidates in the primaries, but to also work our ASSES off to increase our majorities both in the House and the Senate. (Pun intended!) Even a Blue Dog is better than a Republican when it comes down to the wire.

[MrModerate]

1. I'd like to 1) inject a little collagen into their backbones . . .

and 2) scare them enough so that they realize that they represent not only the conservatives in their districts but also the progressives.

[moriah]

2. Now that, that I can agree with....

Arkansas has elected a lot of Democrats -- five of the six people we've sent to DC are blue. However, two of our Reps, Marion Berry and Mike Ross, are Blue Dog Coalition members, and Blanche certainly is a fiscally conservative Senator. Vic Snyder and Mike Beebe are always very responsive to my letters on political issues, and so is Blanche, but unfortunately the only Republican we've sent up there is my Rep, and he ran unopposed in 2008 -- a Green Party candidate ran against him, so that's who I voted for.

I want them to hang onto their seats, but I do wish I could slap a bit of sense into them.

[Echo In Light]

12. It's a matter of big $ and institutional collusion, not 'cowardice,' per se

[MrModerate]

15. Moral cowardice, perhaps . . . on the other hand . . .

Maybe I'm ascribing more progressive (by which I mean "Democratic") values to them then they actually espouse.

[Greyhound]

3. Nope, sorry. Won't support them no matter which team they work for.

If the Democratic party and political leadership is so inept or complicit that they cannot overcome an immoral philosophy that has been proven to be flat out wrong and is held by about 30% of the incurably stupid, then they deserve to lose.

The 110th Congress came into office with a very clear mandate (and I don't care about the endless hair splitting and equivocating, save it for someone that does) and they failed. In fact, they didn't even try.

So, we gave the 111th Congress the executive and larger majorities in both houses and ~8 months in they are still nibbling around the edges and tossing crumbs to the proles while they take care of their own interests.

They have about 6 months left to deliver before the mid-terms start to heat up. Obama has blown much of his capital in pointless pandering and Pelosi and Reid have continued to sustain the Republik Party in spite of it's best efforts at suicide.

[moriah]

5. I'm not saying another word on the subject after this.

<rant>... but this attitude is what is going to make 2010 another 1994, and I don't want to see it.

So I, at least, will work to do both -- get more progressive candidates in office, do my damndest to get some Democrat to run against Boozman like no one has apparently had the guts to do in my district, hopefully a progressive, and hope that others in Republican-controlled districts will do the same. But after we, as a party, choose our candidates in the primary process, I am going to support the Democrats we choose.

And I'm going to do my damndest to get as many Democrats out to vote in the midterms as is possible.

I don't want to think of the alternative, because we dealt with it so many times in the past.</rant>

[Greyhound]

6. Their performance is what might make 2010 another 1994, just as Clinton's did.

Ignore what they say, watch what they do.

[laughingliberal]

4. If the Blue Dogs Get Their Way

We will be passing a bill that will mandate everyone buy health insurance from the private health insurance companies. With no strong public option it will be a huge bonanza for the industry and a back breaking burden for most working class Americans who don't have employer sponsored health insurance. 2010 will be a blood bath for us if that passes. It is to the benefit of all Democrats to resist this.

[Bandit]

14. Not only have to buy Insurance but have to pay 35% of all expenses

on top of the premiums. That is almost double what most have to pay now..

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. How about if they remember the Bush years?

[ixion]

8. Yeah, because the blue dogs are always considerate of the progressives

:eyes:

[WVRICK13]

9. Hard To Tell

a Republican pile of shit from a Democrat pile of shit. They both stink. Not sure how a label makes one better than the other.

[ShortnFiery]

10. The Blue Dogs need to follow "The Pack Leader" or be neutered.

I don't claim them. Progressives FAR outnumber these right wing democrats. Time for them to either get in line or GET OUT! :grr:

[depakid]

11. The blue dogs have made their bed...

and as the ones with the narrowest swings- they'll be the ones to lie in it. Good riddance, IMO.

[stray cat]

13. Some DUers would rather replace the moderate dems with conservative republicans

They may not say it- but that often the choice in conservative states. I don't see how that helps pass legislation. However, it seems to some that in 2000 more republican seats beats and equivalent number of moderate dems.