Five Progressives In Swing Districts Are Bucking The Tide

[laughingliberal]

The 1980 election that brought Ronald Reagan to power also swept out a bloc of liberal champions -- George McGovern, Birch Bayh, Frank Church, Warren Magnuson, Gaylord Nelson, Jacob Javits -- who had spent a generation or more advancing progressive causes. The washout swept the ground from under the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, planting the seed that would grow into the idea that Democrats' path to power lies through the center. A generation of New Democratic centrism would follow, personified by Birch's son, Evan, who took the lesson to heart and ran far from his father's liberal legacy when he entered politics.

In 2010, a handful of House Democrats have an opportunity to prove that maxim wrong and to demonstrate that even in a tough year, by standing up for core progressive values, a Democrat can win a tough race.

Tom Perriello in Virginia, Carol Shea-Porter in New Hampshire, Alan Grayson in Florida, Mary Jo Kilroy in Ohio and John Hall in New York all represent swing districts and have cast votes that Washington consultants label "tough." Those tough votes, though, are paying off in unexpected ways: By bucking the conventional wisdom, the progressive Democrats have locked down support among their base and are winning over independents, while Blue Dogs face a dispirited electorate unsure what they stand for.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=389


:patriot:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

1. K & R

[fascisthunter]

2. Awesome!!!!!

[hlthe2b]

3. ?? I thought Alan Grayson (and some of the others) were in trouble

in their races. Wasn't that the whole scope of the Nate Silver election "Fearcast" last week?

I certainly hope that this is more accurate. We need real progressives.

[breadandwine]

21. Grayson and ALL them Democrats is in trouble. Just ask George Bush ----

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCOYJ7weFEw&feature=player_embedded

[Hawkowl]

4. You win by standing FOR something

You can't win if you're always complimenting republicans like Obama does. Just for one speech I'd like Obama not to say how he has gotten republican support for most all of his legislation policies. STUPID! The constant blurring of the lines between parties encourages people to stay home and not vote.

[laughingliberal]

6. I think that's it.

Hightower told us years ago the only things you find in the middle of the road are yellow lines and dead armadillos.

Principles rule!

[bobbolink]

15. I'm definitely not voting for the yellow armadillo!

:rofl:

[laughingliberal]

17. OMG! Coffee all over the monitor!

That was great!

:rofl:

[BrklynLiberal]

16. Yes....sitting on the fence gets you nothing but a real pain in the ass...

[gratuitous]

5. A tide now, is it?

Not arguing with the original post, but isn't it curious with the election nearly two months away, we're already being subjected to post-mortem analysis about how badly the Democrats have already lost?

College football fans might remember this past weekend's game between Tennessee and Oregon. Tennessee got off to a very early 6-0 lead before a big storm passed over, causing a game delay for 30 minutes or so. The beast must be fed, so ESPN had to fill that time somehow, and with very little to chew on from the fledgling game, a number of statements were made about the strength of Tennessee's conference the SEC and the weakness of Oregon's conference the Pac 10. The heavily favored and 7th-ranked Ducks had not looked very good in the opening few minutes at Tennessee's stadium, so all kinds of speculation seemed warranted.

Fans know, however, that college football games are rarely decided in the first few minutes. The Ducks spent the rest of the first half climbing back into a 13-13 tie, and when the second half started, they looked like the No. 7 team, blowing Tennessee out 48-13.

Just a reminder: The Republicans haven't won diddly-squat yet, and will not have won anything until November. In fact, during the off-year and special elections, Democrats have held their own in the past 18 months, and they have just as much money to spend during this campaign as the Republicans. The GOP doesn't do well unless they have a 3-1 edge (and preferably a 4-1 edge) in campaign spending.

[xchrom]

7. Recommend

[jwirr]

8. And how I would like to see some real progressives replace those

wonderful libs of yesterday. I have always thought that their defeat was the beginning of the "destroy the dems anyway you can" era of the repug party. They have had no end to the dirty politics they would go to destroy a democrat or a liberal leader.

[madokie]

9. I'll have to give this a rec

I only know of Alan Grayson who I want to see run for the Whitehouse someday, senate for sure and John Hall

[Ozymanithrax]

10. How they fare compared to the Teabagger brigade will be a big indicator...

of the state of politics. I've made a note in my personal blog and will be watching these candidates.

[flyarm]

11. gladly rec and kick!! eom

[druidity33]

12. your link?

sends me to the GD Post prompt...

:shrug:

k

[laughingliberal]

20. ******Oopsie! Correct link*********************

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/13/breaking-the-wave-five-pr_n_715026.html

[philly_bob]

13. Seeking confirmation/link that named folks really ARE progressives...

Grayson is the only one I know of -- and I have no doubts about him.

1. Tom Perriello, VA
2. Carol Shea-Porter, NH
3. Alan Grayson, FL
4. Mary Jo Kilroy, OH
5. John Hall, NY

[activa8tr]

14. OH PLEAUZZZZE!!! In these states these people are REALLY

radical. YOU are not voting in five states, you vote in YOUR OWN state. It's YOU against a million or maybe half a million in these OTHER states, who, unfortunately do not vote for candidates like you do.

They support Obama, most of the time, and sometimes would go further... would you rather they not be elected because they don't pass YOUR "really progressive" litmus test.

If you want to know more, you are free to use "the Google"
on eacn and every one of them.... I am so sick of lazy progressives that want all the details handed to them and the work done FOR them.



In New Hampshire Carol Shea Porter, (despite being a Catholic) is pretty damn progressive for the state.

[philly_bob]

24. Churlish tone in response to request for documentation.

Request was only necessary because OP's link doesn't work.

[activa8tr]

30. Have you ever heard of the Google? If so, just try it sometime. Like this:

plug in the TITLE that the OP posted, usually you'll get the article listed on the first page of Google results.

That's how the Google thing works.

Then Google "churlish" and "insulting"

I am free to express my opinion of other people's mental laziness and progressive elitism.

[philly_bob]

34. I'm not going to trade insults with you.

I'm think most people would agree your two replies to my request for a link WERE churlish (boorish, mean, rude). Also condescending, for explaining how Google works to me.

As to whether I am mentally lazy and a progressive elitist, you're entitled to your own opinion.

Let's just ignore each other, activ8ter.

[laughingliberal]

18. I'm assuming you are as capable of searching their voting records as I.

Let me know what you find.

[philly_bob]

23. LL, you provided an OP with a link that doesn't work.

I'm asking you to provide a link to whatever it is that makes you think those five are progressive. The link you provided send me to an unhelpful DU post page.

How did you choose those five names?

[laughingliberal]

28. Here is the link to the article about this. I also provided it in post #20.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/13/breaking-the-wave-five-pr_n_715026.html

The article describes them as progressive on the basis of having cast the 'tough votes.' That generally means votes for more liberal legislation for those in swing districts unlike the Blue Dogs who are in swing districts who fight against liberal legislation.

[philly_bob]

33. Thanks.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

19. John Hall is my Congressman and he is no longer progressive.

btw.... he had an awful lot of funding the last time around probably due to Rahm.

[donheld]

22. Please explain

What did he do that was "not progressive?"

[Overseas]

25. K&R! //nt

[EFerrari]

26. K&R

:applause:

[leftstreet]

27. K&R

[southmost]

29. and this would be the best news

coming out of this election cycle

[LynneSin]

31. John Hall is "Still the One" in my book

ok I had to go there! If you don't get it then you don't really know about the history of John Hall

[Melissa G]

32. People who stand for something, rather than pandering to the middle

garner my respect. I bet a lot of people feel this way.

[sabrina 1]

35. K&R