List some of the progressives elected via Dean's 50-state strategy

[ProSense]

Where are they now?

[FLAprogressive]

1. Carol Shea-Porter, Eric Massa, Alan Grayson......

all people from formerly red districs.

[ProSense]

4. Do they support health reform? (I know Grayson does) n/t

[bfarq]

2. Well, Franken for one

Webb should count.

If your point is that they didn't stand up when it counted, what do you expect? The President sold them out.

[ProSense]

3. "The President sold them out."

Really?

How are they progressives who can't stand up for themselves? Webb has cast some less than progressive votes.

[Bitwit1234]

16. Webb was a republican...

It is hard to say but he can be looked over for some of his votes, maybe he hasn't got all that republican out of his system. He isn't like the Blue Dogs tho...they are strickly, absolutely republican. Rahm's guys.

[bfarq]

18. Self preservation

The thing most important to every one of them, regardless of how progressive they are, is getting reelected. Congress in general, and the Senate in particular, is a very exclusive club. One quickly learns to get along by going along.

I agree with your sentiment. It isn't the way it is supposed to work. Maybe it is time for term limits. If a person knows he won't be in the club forever, maybe he will get around to actually speaking for his constituents once in awhile.

[ProSense]

5. So the 50-state strategy failed to help elect progressives? n/t

[Better Today]

7. Al Franken and Alan Grayson. It isn't that none were acquired. Do you have the

answer to your question?

[HipChick]

6. Interesting...

[madfloridian]

9. Why?

Rahm pushed the progressives out and ran who he wanted.

[madfloridian]

8. Dean did not allow DNC to interfere in primaries. Rahm and Schumer handpicked.

I think honesty is the best policy.

When Dean was DNC chairman he did NOT get involved in primaries, and neither did anyone at the DNC.

Rahm and Schumer did get plenty involved.

Rahm often picked Republican millionaires to run as Democrats. Just so they could finance their own campaign.

You are determined to make Dean look bad.

Why is that?

[JCMach1]

11. Rahm and Schumer were quick to jump on the first corporate candidate they could find...

Millionaires were first in line...
Kowtowing politicos second...
Everyone else, could take a back seat...

Not only that, the overwhelming support in general elections from DCCC and DSCC went to millionaires and candidates who probably could have ponied-up some of their own money.

[ProSense]

13. Why are you assuming this is a thread to blame Dean?

In fact, as the OP states and a couple of post above, people believed they were electing progressives in Webb, Tester and others.

You want to blame Rahm, fine, but people have to accept responsibility for their votes.

[madfloridian]

14. Be honest about it.

I just pointed out that the conservative Dems were handpicked.

The behavior of those elected is their own responsibility.

[ProSense]

15. The question was where are all the progressives?

"The behavior of those elected is their own responsibility. "


Right, so why are you taking this as blaming Dean?

[madfloridian]

10. How Rahm ran the primaries.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1487

How the DSCC is attacking the Ohio Sec. of State...saying she is not qualified for the Senate.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5418

I have pages more.

Please do not blame Dean for congressional and administrative failures.

[dkf]

12. So now Howard Dean and the progressives are the enemy?

And you are in bed with the corporatists? Good luck with that. Bet you invest in the stock market. Do you own goldman sachs?

[quaker bill]

17. It is a trick question

the 50-state strategy was never about electing progressives. It was about running and electing Democratic Party candidates where ever possible. This was done by running democrats who had the sort of experience and positions on the issues that would reasonably represent the views of the majority in the district electing the representative.

Folks should not claim Grayson as a success for the 50-state strategy. Grayson was not the recruited candidate, he largely self-financed and beat the establishment recruited candidate (Charlie Stewart) in the primary. Most folks did not hold out much hope for Grayson winning, but he ran a tight campaign, and benefitted from weak opposition, changes in demographics, and a massive wave of Obama turnout from huge rallies held during repeated visits by Barack, Bill, and Hillary Clinton to take the I-4 corridor and win FL.

I expect after all the recent coverage, Grayson will now be able to hold the seat as long as he cares to.