Evan Bayh Forming Conservative "Blue Dog" Caucus In Senate

Via Open Left, Roll Call reports:

Bayh, who has spoken with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) about his initiative, said he is trying to create a faction of moderate Senators who will gather on a weekly basis ahead of the usual Tuesday Democratic Caucus meetings.

Additionally, Bayh envisions inviting outside speakers to address the group, which would also work in concert with third parties that have similar viewpoints, like the Third Way, a nonpartisan progressive think tank.

A Reid spokesman said the Majority Leader was similarly upbeat about the idea.

"Nearly a decade of Republican fiscal irresponsibility has contributed to our current economic crisis," Reid spokesman Jim Manley said in an e-mail statement. "That is why Sen. Reid welcomes Sen. Bayh's decision to form this group. For we know that Sen. Bayh, like all Democrats, is committed to restoring our nation's fiscal and economic health."

Over the past three weeks, Bayh and his staff have reached out to Senators to judge the appetite for such a group.

"I've had some expressions of interest," Bayh said. "I'm going to continue to meet and talk to my colleagues."

Likely targets for Bayh would include moderate Democrats like Sens. Mark Pryor (Ark.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Ben Nelson (Neb.), Jim Webb (Va.), and Sen.-elect Mark Warner (Va.).

Steve Benen adds:

In the House, the Blue Dogs are not only overly cozy with corporate lobbyists, this is a coalition reluctant to embrace a progressive vision on issues like climate change, and committed to a financial plan focused on spending reductions and balanced budgets -- precisely when the federal government needs to be doing the opposite.

That Bayh wants a similar group working in the Senate is discouraging, to put it mildly.

Comments

[Chavez08]

03:56 PM on 12/15/2008

Reid has to go, bottom-line. He's the biggest obstruction to Democratic policies on the Hill and he's either intentionally working for the Republicans or he's the most incompetent tool that ever held the position.

Give ME 30 days with those pissant crooks in the Senate and I'd bring them to their senses.

[GeorgeP922]

03:39 PM on 12/15/2008

Great reading when it comes to Bayh:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200808u/mark-penn

Also, a classic Report from right here on Huff Post that was largely ignored by the media and the DNC (who would want to admit the schemes at the DNC that pulled money right out of the DNC couffers):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/10/mark-penns-wife-feeding-a_n_112058.html

[johnie2xs]

02:34 PM on 12/15/2008

The Obama administration should marginalize this bonehead, and help show his constituents his obstructionist tendencies, as it relates to bringing about economic health not only in the country but in the state of Indiana. The "Blue Dogs" are in some ways worse than the right wing. It's like your own family turning against you.

[Chavez08]

03:45 PM on 12/15/2008

"Blue Dogs" are like those punks that work at the non-profit charity just long enough to steal all the donated Christmas gifts so they can sell them for crack.

[johnie2xs]

04:05 PM on 12/15/2008

.......or sell their grandmother's jewelry for a "dime bag".

[Bystander]

02:13 PM on 12/15/2008

Evan's efforts will put the Democrats in the Senate evan farther away from the 60 vote mark. As Martha Stewart says, "It's a good thing."

[GeorgeP922]

02:45 PM on 12/15/2008

Just like Lieberman in 2006, Republicans will be POURING MONEY into the next primary campaign of Evan Bayh.

So, we need to start funding efforts on ActBlue dot com to defeat him NOW.

We do not need another Joe Lieberman, not now.

[Bystander]

03:39 PM on 12/15/2008

There are a lot of moderate and conservative Democrats who will also be supporting Evan Bayh. But you're right, a lot of Republicans will also support him...I certainly will.

[GeorgeP922]

12:20 PM on 12/15/2008

This guy is the new Lieberman.

And not that he embaressed himself and the whole Senate by stuttering and stammering nonsense on the Rachel Maddow show defending the most hated and destested politician of all time (well Lieberman is close to Blago).

Its that Bayh looks at what Lieberman does, how he works, and what he brings to the table and he loves it.

Bayh seems to get off on Democratic infighting and divisions.

He was delighted to strong arm his IN democrats into not endorsing primary candidates when he already did, and was on a board for Hillary.

He had no problem faking his name into VP consideration.

This is Evan Bayh's political death sentance, I know people are already building organized efforts to build up a strong primary challenger, and those same folks will do the same to Warner and Webb in VA if they join this pro-gop "club".

[mrone2]

11:37 AM on 12/15/2008

I'm glad Obama didn't choose this DINO SOB as his running mate.

[GeorgeP922]

12:20 PM on 12/15/2008

He never did, Bayh put his own name out there.

Look, do some google homework on the links between Bayh, Mark Penn, Third Way, Dick Morris.

[lwfky]

11:22 AM on 12/15/2008

Thank goodness this man was not really considered as a running mate for Obama. Talk about more of the same! This country needs a progressive agenda to get back on course. I don't understand how the right can blather on about conservatism when we see where that has led over the past 20 years.

[emcd]

01:37 PM on 12/15/2008

Amen to that sentiment! I always thought Bayh was a MItt Romney wolf in Democratic sheep's clothing!

But let him go out and try to prove that America is a center-right country. It seems like that's basically what he's up to here.

[Clavis]

11:18 AM on 12/15/2008

Thank goodness Bayh is there to protect the wishes of the rich and powerful few from the tyranny of the majority.

[marinade]

11:17 AM on 12/15/2008

Left, right, moderate. Baloney.

The problem isn't ideology. The problem is hiding corruption, ineffectiveness and incompetence behind fake ideology battles.

Bayh is self-serving.

The American people need to stop fighting these fake battles against each other and concentrate on the real battle, wresting the power out of the greedy little hands of career politicians. The members of Congress have been too long working for special interests and for their own career ambitions .

[GeorgeP922]

12:22 PM on 12/15/2008

I agree, Bayh reminds me of people like Blago and Lieberman in that they don't care about the people, the party, or the government.

Their only driving force is power and political capital.

Bayh will tell you, he doesn't get into ideologies at all, well Blago and Lieberman sing the same tune.

[sixx]

10:55 AM on 12/15/2008

The Blue Dogs who assisted GW Bush in bringing our nation to near bankruptcy want to re-group and nullify the last election. Put them in a kennel until the next primary.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

10:49 AM on 12/15/2008

One more excuse for the leadership in the Democratic Party to do nothing to stop either the out-flow of U.S. jobs or the dilution of the remaining U.S. wages by the invasion of illegal immigrants.

[Kassandra]

10:55 AM on 12/15/2008

The Dems are always like herding cats. They really need to get it together and learn to use power again for US not the lobbyists. While the republcians have learned the ways of the brownshirts all too well, the Dems continue to flail. They're all happy we elected them, now they can forget about US

As for your post 100% agreed.

[Chavez08]

10:16 AM on 12/15/2008

Now is definitely not the time for "moderates". The extreme right-wing, pro-slavery ideologues who have controlled this country for decades and drove America to the brink of collapse by consolidating the wealth via lies, corruption and social-darwinism are now calling for Liberals to be "moderate".

Bull-F**king-Sh*t!!! The voters made it painfully clear in November they want an immediate end to corporate slavery and a sharp reversal of the environment killing "Free Market" ideology that turned the U.S. into a third world country and is turning our world into bad science fiction movie.

I apologize in advance to the so-called "Centrists" (labor exploiting business owners, - I assume) on this sight who are empathizing with Blue Dogs and attempting to spread lies that America is "Center Right". Maybe you jittery businessmen are using the wrong blog to propagate your less-than-honest viewpoints. The WSJ or ABC News might be a better forum for you.

America is about as much "Center-Right" as McNuggets are "Health Food"

[robeson]

10:16 AM on 12/15/2008

"In the House, the Blue Dogs are not only overly cozy with corporate lobbyists..." but supported many if not all of Bush's failed policies.

If Sen. Bayh proposes a similar group in the Senate than it's primary purpose would be to tried to nullify the people's will in the Presidential election.

Vote in primaries.

[Chavez08]

10:28 AM on 12/15/2008

Run Primes against Reid first. He's proving to be extremely ineffective (and/or corrupt)

[StellaDuBois]

09:38 AM on 12/15/2008

What's so wrong about fiscal conservatism? It would have kept us out of the war. It would keep spending from getting out of control as it has been. It strengthens the country by strengthening the economy. It doesn't have to mean the end of programs or social responsibility, just strong oversight to be sure funds are used wisely and efficiently. It's how budgets get balanced.

What's wrong with that?

[Barbie40]

10:15 AM on 12/15/2008

fiscal conservatism doesn't mean pay as you go or fiscal responsibility. Fiscal Conservatism mean tax cuts for the rich, tax increase for the middle class, deficits, recessions, and unemployment.

[sixx]

10:24 AM on 12/15/2008

Stella,
Blue Dogs are to fiscal conservatism as GW Bush was to compassionate conservatism. It's false advertising. As practiced by GW and the Blue Dogs it means money transfers should only be made to the rich and powerful. The greatest debt our nation ever created was under GW Bush, Republicans, and Blue Dogs. Blue Dogs have no standing .

[Shashi0224]

09:10 AM on 12/15/2008

Bayh doing this, and Reid allowing or encouraging this, is a slap in the face to the majority of Democrats. I am even more proud and thrilled that President-Elect Obama chose Joe Biden and not Bayh to be our Vice-President.
To Bayh.......bye Bayh!!