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

[drauz]

self-destruction at the point of victory is a typical Democratic Party behavior. as if the GOP isn't adversary enough, let insensitivity to local politics be the foundation for induced defeat.

[wm1066]

Pelosi and Reid are the biggest Blue Dogs we need to get rid of!
Oh ya, Schumer and Feinstien need to get a reality check also.

[DesertLight]

Throw in B0xer and a player to be named later and you have a deal.

[bassface49]

Boxer is no 'blu dog', feinstein for sure

[Titonwan]

Why don't you go over and play with your REDSTATE buddies? What, they kick you out for not being married to blood relatives? Your little cute sh#t to get a rise get's old.

[robotfog]

and clinton

[syllepsis]

The progressive Dems should just form a third party and strike out on their own.
They will find unexpected allies along the way, if they are truly dedicated to Constitutional principles.

[Marlyn]

"The progressive Dems" ???

Are those the Blue Dogs, or someone else?

[syllepsis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Caucus

[PumaAnn]

They have already. They just took the logo. LOL*

[scottmhall]

Reality Check.

Blue Dog Democrats represent congressional districts that are often overwhelmingly Republican. In 2006, Blue Dog candidates such as Heath Shuler and Brad Ellsworth were elected in conservative-leaning districts, ending years of Republican dominance in these districts.

Currently there are 47 memkbers of this coalition, purging these representatives would would be a drastic loss for the majority status of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives. They overwhelimgly vote with the majority on crucial procedural votes which can make or break important legilation.

Would you rather have a Republican representing those distericts that would against your intrerests 90-95% of the time. Or a moderate who supports the majority 70-95% of the time.

[Lemeritus]

That's the issue, isn't it, Scott? As Greenwald continues in his article:

"Many progressives and other Democratic supporters are reflexively opposed to any conduct that might result in the defeat of even a single, relatively inconsequential Democratic member of Congress or the transfer of even a single district to GOP control. 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."

Simmering just below the surface is the vague and disturbing suspicion that there is really only one party: RULING. And just on the horizon, the quixotic notion that it really is time for a third party.

[biglover]

That's why the Dem Party has such a "big tent"

[Marlyn]

"risks the loss of a Democratic seat in Congress." ???

If the Blue Dogs vote with the GOP and Bush, then it makes no difference whether it is a Democratic seat or not.

[personalpolitical]

Repeat after me: New and better Dems, New and better Dems.

It's all about expanding and upgrading folks!

[jupitor]

No way! What we need is leadership that will tow the line, and make them tow the line! It's also Repub's in congress. It's not just one sided, and it never is! It takes the (WHOLE) congress to make progress, not just half a congressional room! Remember that folks!

[jupitor]

hALF THE POST JUST UP AND DESAPPEARED ON THIS ONE! wHAT THE HECK?

[AurigaRa]

thank you Mr Greenwald
The ONLY way to take back our country is by getting these traitors - and I do mean traitors - out of the system,

Pelosi and Reid are first. on my list. Evan Bayh is way up there too and should not be VP

[WasteNJ]

Amen. Everything that has happened over these years has happened under their noses. They went along quietly, which is the definition of cowardice. Even if they lacked the power to stop things, they could have raised holy Hell in the process.

Let me sum it up in 5 simple words....

"Impeachment is off the table"

End of story.

[biglover]

You are making a passionate statement but nonetheless foolish. Pelosi is a very smart cookie. They won in 2006 because of her savvy. She knew even with the win they would not have the votes to put impeachment on the table and that nothing would get done at all as it would take up all the time to even get it going.

Just sit back and relax. It will be a totally different store on January 21,2009

[syllepsis]

You see, there's the problem. Pelosi by no standard metric was a Blue Dog. Maybe Obama is a Blue Dog.
The point is, these are Democrats. We should let them be Dems, and start over with a new party.

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

" Time To Kick The Blue Dog Dems Out"

just one correction, glenn:

It's LONG PAST Time To Kick The Blue Dog Dems Out. these people aren't democrats and everybody knows it - including them.

[YesWeCanada]

The Blue Dogs are not the problem. They are what's acceptable for their districts. What's really needed are tough Dog Catchers and Cat Herders in leadership. Reid and Pelosi are far too spineless.

[JohnFromCensornati]

I'm pretty sure that the occupation of Iraq is unpopular in their districts as well.
Sorry, but that's not an explanation.

[Chavez08]

Definitely!!! It's time for the Democrats to turn HARD Left.

Right wing unchecked-Capitalist rule has got to end if we want peaceful revolution.

[planetfotheApes]

Most Democrats and Republicans in office serve the same masters and simply fool the Proles over and over with a false bipolar choice.

[JohnFromCensornati]

I'm sick of the move to the right, I mean center.
I told my rep to his face that, if he voted for war funding and FISA, I would not vote for him again.
I don't care if Anne Northup wins.

[jupitor]

Your all idiots! Congress is just as good as the presidential administration that leads it! Republicans and Demacrates a like is responsable for this mess! So if your going to purge an one you start by being fair, an doing evaluation and studing their voteing history, and folks none of you have been smart enough to stop and do that. You just jump on the band wagon every time some article like this comes along. You go off half cocked and you don't do any investigation on any thing! That's why were in thils mess,now! Your acting just like our congress an a lot of senators! Vote for that war, but don't read the statis report before going to war! Shame on you all! Do your home work, before you take the test, and than make sure your ans. are right before handing it in to be checked, folks!

[JohnFromCensornati]

Maybe you should learn how to spell words and compose a sentence before calling anybody else an idi0t.
I happen to have talked to him before he was elected, not after this article was written.

[Titonwan]

Take a breath there, rantorama. Turn on the spellcheck and increase the dosage. It's going to be ok, relax.

[OhReallySheSaid]

So, if this goofy logic is thought through, then you'd have to start with the doyen of the uber left, Barrack Hussein Obama, who among his constantly shifting positions abandons democratic beliefs and embraces the Republican led FISA bill, among others.

If you don't start at the top, then this party purge is nothing more than hypocrisy at its most hubris. So much for the Democratic Party being the party of the big tent like it was when I was being brought up.

[gevan]

One of President Jackson's regrets was that he didn't hang Calhoun. Would you lock them out of the Democratic caucus? FDR learned that purges don't work for non-Soviet style parties. Good luck with that anyway.

[syllepsis]

Jackson was the first Imperial president (for which he was censured).
The problem Greenwald is really talking about is how the Democratic party will not stand up to Bush despite the people's will for change.
Americans do not like Imperial presidents. Corporations do. We need a non-corporate party representing US.

[dadw5boys]

BULE DOG TRAITORS!!!!!!

The blue dog make not complaint when voting for the massive tax cuts but when Veterans Education Bill came up the wanted PAY AS YOU GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why no pay as you go with the big Bush tax cuts????/

BLUE DOG TRAITORS!!!!