Glenn Greenwald: Time To Kick The Blue Dog Dems Out

In American politics, exceedingly few positions generate overwhelming agreement across the ideological spectrum. Even propositions that ought to be uncontroversial -- such as whether there is scientific evidence for evolution or whether Saddam Hussein personally planned the 9/11 attacks -- produce sizable portions of the citizenry lined up on each side. One notable exception to this rule is the issue of whether the current U.S. Congress is doing a poor job. That question produces a remarkable consensus that is close to unanimous.

...

If simply voting for more Democrats will achieve nothing in the way of meaningful change, what, if anything, will? At minimum, two steps are required to begin to influence Democratic leaders to change course: 1) Impose a real political price that they must pay when they capitulate to -- or actively embrace -- the right's agenda and ignore the political values of their base, and 2) decrease the power and influence of the conservative "Blue Dog" contingent within the Democratic caucus, who have proved excessively willing to accommodate the excesses of the Bush administration, by selecting their members for defeat and removing them from office. And that means running progressive challengers against them in primaries, or targeting them with critical ads, even if doing so, in isolated cases, risks the loss of a Democratic seat in Congress.

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Comments

[RobinSeattle]

Hold on just a second folks: Let's not cut off our hands to spite our faces.

The truth is that Democrat politicians who are so-called "blue dogs" are probably the only type of Democrat that can get elected in many states, especially in the south. Yeah, they aren't nearly liberal enough for me and tend to play too much ball with corporate interests, but if the Democrats want to get anything done then they have to accommodate more conservative leaning members,. I would also argue that the blue dogs prevent our party from flying off into ideological fruit loop land and keep us more connected to the interests of a certain segment of the American populace than we otherwise would.

The political process isn't about one faction of American having it all. When that does happen, then you have a Bush Administration, a Soviet Russia and a Mexico.

Part of the reason that Nixon and Reagan got elected was that Democrats spent too much time talking down to southerners and working class whites rather than massaging those segments with some balance and empathy. The best thing that the Democrats can do is tell Alabama and Mississippi , etc that we like them and actually hear them Right now, the Republicans are the only party doing that and that has to change.

[repearwo]

You must factor in that people like Glen and Jane, don't really understand how democracy works. They read the Cosntitution just like the NeoCons read it, "I have rights", when the Constitution say "We have rights".

The Constitution gives one the right to make their case in the public arena, not to have their case prevail.

[cunuck]

By world standards, America has moved so far to the right in the last 3 decades that center is on the horizon.

I don't envision too much of a change if Obama gets elected. He is arguably further right than Nixon was.

What I don't understand is that the "American Dream" requires a far more liberal government than people are willing to vote for.

[fourex]

Amen. Don't forget Rahm and Chuck who helped the Bush Lites in the primaries.

[Drjimmy72296]

You could probably count the number of genuine Democrats and Republicans in congress on two hands. The rest are just fascists sucking at the corporate teat. Pigs at the trough.

[PumaAnn]

I think there are some true public servants, and they often are skewered just as badly as the others. I agree with you that the sheer incompetence suggests many aren't even thinking about the public at all. Their motives are obviously different.

[lthuedk 1]

Blue Dogs and the militant corporatist crowd can be indistinguishable.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/Freedom_of_Choice.html

Blue Dogs just drifted away from the Democratic ideal and an individual-centric Constitution. Instead, they began running with the greedy globalists that had super rights and ultra privilege and simply left the people behind to pay for Corporate's wars.

[Titonwan]

Thanks for another inspiring and smart article, Glenn! Good going. Many people are now flooding your website to get the REAL truth and logic(?) of the characters in play. It's fun to read here, all the goofy things people say, like they even have a clue, what a Democrat is. I guess it's because we really haven't had a real Democrat in office since the 40's. These Centrist Sillies and middle of the road morons are basically the half dead fish, and the leaders of both sides just kind of scoop them out of the barrel, willy-nilly. Into the bag you go! stupid fish! Ooooh! There goes a wishy-washy! Get em!

[repearwo]

You know there might be a reason that there as been no "Real Democrat" in 40 years. Of course you show no evidence of knowing yourself what a Democrat is either, just derision of mythical people you believe exist.

For a person to be President, they need to get 50+% fo the vote, or as Bill Clinton did, close to that. That means you have to attract some of those centerist sillies.

Glenn just seems to have lost his way, probably too close to Jane Hamsher.

[cunuck]

You can fool some of the people all of the time
and you can fool all of the people some of the time....

and this is enough to get you elected.

[cdub1991]

Not so sure about your sense of history of the democratic party. It has never been a party purely of the far left and blue dog democrats have always been part of its make up (at least as long as I can remember). It's a question of where the locus of control in the party has lain in the party. It lies toward the progressive side, but people belong to the party for many reasons--not all of them necessarily good. Sometimes its family tradition. Sometimes its because the local political. It's never been just about having a particular ideological position.

Besides, most Americans have no sense of what's really leftist. Free healthcare, free education for all, nationalization of natural resources and the companies that manage them, aggressive income redistribution, a comprehensive and unapologetic welfare infrastruc­ture--that­'s far leftist. It''s not "being green" (that's just good science) or having certain certain positions on social issues. (Catholics are anti-abortion but are also anti-death penalty and what about latin american liberation theoology--are they liberals or conservatives?)

Americans are, for better or for worse, centrist in the aggregate. What would you do--"impose" the truth upon them against their will? I sometimes feel that some on the left would prefer to call people names rather than do the hard, long term work of real societal transformation.

[Daniboy]

In the last election, Nancy and Company went out and recruited conservative Dems and now you want to kick them out. Dems just hate people that think for themselves. Walk in lockstep or get out. Moderate and conservative people are just dumb.

[nippersdad]

Would you not at least agree that it was "moderate and conservative people" who gave us the status quo? I think that the situation speaks for itself.

[PumaAnn]

Exactly. The left isn't keen on the 50-state strategy, except for votes. Actually working with people?

Nah*

[JackNasty]

On the bright side, we named our company's new line of folding lawn chairs after Nancy Pelosi.

[PeterM]

:)
Don't forget the the DLC fabric upholstery. No matter how filthy it is, it always appears clean.

[111]

Glenn,

You make the point that this Democratic Congress gave Bush & Co. more than the Republican controlled Congress did. They capitulate when capitulation is not necessary and tell sloppy, in our face lies about why they have caved. The Democratic leadership hates progressiv­es/liberal­s/leftists and you can tell by some of the comments here that many Democrats share their feelings.

I don't buy the, "we can't let the Republicans win" argument because we put the Democrats in power and they have done nothing. I'm sure that in 2009 we will have a Democratic President and Democratically controlled congress. I wonder what their excuses will be for continuing and expanding Bush's agenda then?

I appreciate your efforts, I think you are brilliant, but I'm done with Democrats. I became and will remain an Independent. I donate to the ACLU and to the Green Party because they more closely reflect my views. I want to vote my conscience, not for the lesser of two evils because that is the best I can hope for. To borrow a phrase, I have the audacity to hope that progressives will leave the Democrats and come together as a real force for change in a political party that loves the principles and ideals that are in our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Keep up the fight and don't let them see you sweat.

[Titonwan]

Right behind ya, 111..., I too, feel that Glenn's one of the clear thinkers remaining. And yeah, I guess people have forgotten that the Democratic Party is the party of the LEFT. You couldn't tell from the leadership though. Nancy and Harry gave the rethugs what the rethugs couldn't deliver- FISA!!! Wow, you'd have to be an idiot to not see she's a DINO.

[Georgiapundit]

The blue dogs are the voices of reason within this give-a-way party. Pelosi says the budget will be repaired and Obama promises that we will all ride atop unicorns in peace and harmony. All I see coming down the pipe is an increase in welfare rolls and increased taxes to pay for it.

Without conservative democrats, this party would not be in power in the house and senate. It was not the blogging liberal that brought the democrats back into power, contrary to kos propaganda, but conservatives who picked up venerable republican seats just as they will do this year. The probable wins that might give democrats a super majority will no doubt be in conservative districts of which liberals seem to cant do without if they want to ever win. All of the things promised to Glenn Greenwald – type fell off the democratic agenda as, again, it was conservatives who gave this power to Pelosi and Reed as they are wise not to forget. Even Obama is moving closer to us and our ideology which is what he must do if he is to be president of the United States.

Kick the blue dogs out? We’re just joining the party.

[NoSandwiches]

Blue Dogs are Republicans who live in Democratic enclaves and take on the false mantel of Democrats in order to try to get elected. Our Democratic club invited candidates to fill out questionaires and some speak for the group in order to decide on endorsements. We had a self-declared Blue Dog Democrat who on paper looked like a fairly reasonable person, even if a couple of his issues seemed more in line with conservatives. When he got up to speak, however, he wasted his entire allotted time telling us what a terrible governor our sitting Democratic governor was (he was running for the US House of Representatives) and ended by letting us know that he would not be voting for her. Odd. But his true colors showed through. For those who weren't there, they may read his posititions and decide that they like his more conservative take on Democratic values. I was shocked and dismayed. I agree. Kick the Blue Dogs out.

[Jess27]

you are so wrong. My rep was a blue dog (but is no longer) and I live on long island (pretty f***ing liberal). You should not talk about what you do not know.

[Titonwan]

I'm sorry, we're full of with DINOs :) You might try the next thing, though, republiconazi's. You're just the ticket for their little dog and pony show. Now take your selfish and probably racist theme park down the road. Blue Dogs are covert Repugnicons. Turncoats and Traitors. The true Enemy.

[MsLiz]

Your insults are offensive. You reveal your immaturity and ignorance.

In the South, it takes courage to be a white Democrat. White Democrats are not racists; if we were, we'd be Republicans, and be easily elected. White Democrats are scorned by white Republicans because they are in the party that has blacks.

Fiscal responsibility in government is a virtue. This is one of the bones of contention between the Blue Dogs and the other Democrats. I don't agree with GeorgiaPundit that Democrats will increase taxes and pay more welfare benefits, unless one includes student aid in welfare.

I am thrilled to have a Democrat running against my Republican Congressman for the first time in years. A Blue Dog is better than no dog at all.

[nippersdad]

You already HAD a Party. At this point, I guess there is no real secret as to why you would need to infiltrate another one. Most dogs know not to foul their own nest. Republican Blue Dogs? Not so much. You might need to start infiltrating the Greens; get ahead of the curve.

[texanna]

The most depressing thing about your article was the assessment that Reid and Pelosi and Emmanuel and Hoyer will be in control of Congress for years to come. These people have a bigger problem than their conservatism, they simply do not know how to use the powers of their offices! They are possibly the most ineffectual heads of Congress that I can ever remember. Hastert and Frist weren't ineffectual -- they knew how to use the powers at their disposal to completely and utterly control their respective houses of Congress. Maybe if we starve the DSCC and DLCC we can get different leadership. Personally, I will never give those folks another dime or a minute of my time.

[KBAR]

Screw this BIG TENT myth! Comrades arise! Time to show this bourgeois society what to expect when we have total power!

[Liberal2]

One people, one nation, one leader

KButt fondly prefers the rhythm of the original: Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer (Put your arm down, KButt)

[Titonwan]

If you mean to vote the Blue Dogs out, I'm down with that. Lighten up on the russian rhetoric a tad, though. That's a blue dung's worst nightmare, equality and a chance for people from all economic and racial backgrounds to get ahead. It's like "preserve the white race!" desperation is setting in.

[WorkingClass]

After the election the Democrats wont have the Republicans to hide behind any more. Nor will they have the Republicans to threaten people with. The Democratic Party will be the only game in town. The right will battle the left for control and win. The Democrats will be the new Republicans.

I would love to see Glen Greenwald and left leaning Democrats take over the party. If that were to happen I would join the party myself. But its not gonna happen unless Obama wants it too. If we can have a black president in this country then we can have a new political party. How about the **American Labor Party**?

[Titonwan]

I prefer us on the left keep the label DEMOCRAT, since that's what the party stands on- being on the LEFT. The DINO's can make a new party called "American Shiftless Party". Then, all the apologists, trolls, wishy-washies, centrists, cave-in artists and the rest of the clowns can migrate with them. What would be left would be left. Get it? Got it.

[janedarcy]

Good article, but someone failed to mention that Big Blue Dog in the room.

"Vast new warrantless eavesdropping powers and retroactive amnesty for their telecom donors -- measures the administration tried, but failed, to obtain from the GOP Congress." FISA was supported by Barack Obama.

"No matter how dissatisfied such individuals might be with the Democratic Congress, they are unwilling to do anything different to change what they claim to find so unsatisfactory. Even though uncritically cheering on any and every candidate with a "D" after his or her name has resulted in virtually nothing positive -- and much that is negative -- many progressives continue, rather bafflingly and stubbornly, to insist that if they just keep doing the same thing (cheering for the election of more and more Democrats), then somehow, someday, something different might occur. But, as the cliché teaches, repeatedly engaging in the same conduct and expecting different results is the very definition of foolishnes­s."

(and insanity)

"The vital question is what they will do with that control -- specifically, will they continue to maintain and increase their own power by accommodating the right, or will they be more responsive, accountable and attentive to the political values of their base?"

Yes, like a presidential candidate that supports FISA, the death penalty for non capital crimes, faith based programs, curbing gun control, campaign financing run amok, and eroding away a woman's right to choose by limiting abortions.

I want my party back!

[Titonwan]

Yeah, this ain't Kansas, is it Toto? Corporations are buy our Democrats right and left and you have either trolls or plain stupid people defending these corporatist blue dungs. Vote the scum out. Then wash your hands.

[Bettysdad]

Exactly.

This is why I contribute to candidates, never the party or affiliates.

If a party contains a large number of people opposed to me, it ain't my party.