Midterms pull Blue Dogs from power, cutting ranks in half

[Swede]

Sixteen months ago, at the height of the health-care reform debate, Blue Dogs were at the seat of power in Congress. Day after day, four representatives of the gang of conservative Democrats sat around House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's polished conference table making their demands known. They were opposed to the public option. They wanted less government intrusion. Pelosi offered chocolates and ice cream. Rahm Emanuel, then the White House chief of staff, was in the room, too. President Obama called again and again to demonstrate his interest in their views, and his determination to get their critical votes.

Now, three of those four Blue Dog negotiators are political zombies, having lost their seats in the great shellacking of two weeks ago. The Blue Dog Coalition has been halved, from 54 members to 23. Their Republican opponents attacked them relentlessly for their ties to Pelosi, and many of the losers and the survivors opposed her successful bid to become minority leader in the new Congress

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/18/AR2010111802870.html?hpid=moreheadlines

[kentuck]

1. When first you practice to deceive....

you end up shit-canned.

[Tippy]

4. And I might add "when you pratice to deceive" the only one being decived is yourself....

[Kennah]

2. If you cut your rank in half ...

... then there's half as much for the TSA to fondle.

[Tippy]

3. K&R..."I'm not a Blue Dog. I'm a real donkey."

The Democratic party moved to the right for all the wrong reasons, Did the Blue Dogs learn their lesson only time and the next election will answer this question....What angers me is some Blue Dogs, were elected as Liberals but since Liberal bacame a dirty word thanks to the lying republicans they moved to the right....WRONG

[Recursion]

6. ROTFL. No blue dogs were elected as "liberals"

Did the Blue Dogs learn their lesson

What lesson? Surely you don't really think Gene Taylor or Ike Skelton would have won if they had been even less conservative, do you?

[connecticut yankee]

5. They were defeated by Repukes

so what good is it?

[Recursion]

7. But we're "pure" now, don't you see?

A lot of the board harbors absurd fantasies that we can run liberal candidates in those districts now, and have them win.

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. Yeah, nobody like Alan Grayson could possibly win in a red district. nt

[KittyWampus]

11. He didn't win. He lost the second time around. Too bad he spent so much time

playing to the fools on DU and DKos.

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. He didn't win because the people who were looking for change in electing him

didn't see that change coming out of congress, so they stayed home.

There were more than a few red-state liberals who DID get re-elected while their blue dog compatriots got their asses handed to them. Problem with Grayson is that he not only was a liberal, but he incurred the wrath of the conservadem machinery, and so got damn little help in his re-election. Put the lack of help together with liberal disappointment and it's no surprise he lost - neither the liberals nor the conservadems turned out for him

Chasing after the conservadem votes is what lost us the house.

[Recursion]

17. Complete malarky

There were more than a few red-state liberals who DID get re-elected

Name one liberal who represents a conservative district and was re-elected.

[RaleighNCDUer]

19. Do your own research. you might learn something. nt

[Recursion]

14. Not without Obama coattails, apparently (nt)

[fascisthunter]

18. another good bye

have fun sucking up to corporate America, and thanks for turning your backs on all of us.

[OHdem10]

9. I find it interesting there were Blue Dogs, who were not attacked

by Republicans, not attacked by COC or secret groups.

However, they voted against stimulus HCR abd trashed
the Party trashed Pelosi trashed Obama.

Guess what they lost.

Even Republicans thought these Blue Dogs would win.

[KittyWampus]

10. Because they were in Swing/Republican districts. What part of that don't DU'ers get?

[killbotfactory]

15. Swing/Republican leaning district + Shitty economy = ???

By opposing damn near everything, Republicans were banking on the horrible economic conditions they created not being fixable by the time of the elections and taking advantage of voters being jaded. If it weren't for the blue dogs, the republican obstructionism wouldn't have been so harmful. Bullshit social conservative issues carry less weight in an economic crisis, and doing everything in your power to get money back into the hands of working people should have been the priority. But, I guess, When you get to that level of power in the government you are pretty much a made man depending on who's interests you look after.

[killbotfactory]

12. If they hadn't stifled our best attempts to fix the economy and healthcare

Who knows, maybe this wouldn't have happened?

They'll probably get jobs lobbying for corporate interests which have fucked everyone over. I don't feel sorry for them.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. And, after the centrists got "shellacked" they want the party to move to the "center".

Cue Einstein's axiom about insanity.