Senator Evan Bayh: Friend of Obstructionist Republicans

The 110th congress saw the most obstruction in history, literally. The Republican minority in the Senate forced cloture votes well over 100 times, shattering the previous high mark of 61. Now that Democrats are likely within reach of 60 votes on major progressive priorities like establishing a universal health care system and capping CO2 emissions, Senator Bayh is determined to sabotage his party.

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) is trying to mobilize moderate Democratic Senators to form a group based loosely on the House Blue Dog Coalition.

"I think we have a wonderful opportunity to break the gridlock that has existed in Washington for too long," Bayh said in an interview. "We need to do that in practical ways that will solve problems. The place that will be most important in striking that right balance will be in theSenate."

To suggest that this move is intended to "break the gridlock" is extremely disingenuous. The intended effect is the opposite. Namely, to support do-nothing Republican Senators in their perpetual quest to make sure the Senate is never able to pass any worthwhile legislation. To borrow a phrase from Yossarian, "The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on." Kagro X explains:

As critical as I've been of the Myth of 60, I do recognize that breaking gridlock in the Senate is chiefly a matter of overcoming the filibuster, and that's done by unifying a bloc of 60 votes on questions of cloture. Following the 2008 elections, Senate Democrats are closer to being able to make that a working reality just among themselves than they have been in decades, and here comes Evan Bayh, declaring that the message of the 2008 results is that it's time to fracture the largest Senate Democratic Caucus since 1970s and become a thumb-sucking holdout instead.

If Senate Majority Leader Reid had just an ounce of integrity he would at least make an attempt to prevent the formal fracturing of his caucus. This is not the case:

"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."

Steve Benen explains why this is so dangerous at a time when economists of all stripes are in agreement that a major spending package is needed. He writes:

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.

Unfortunately, given the politics of the Hoosier state, the odds of electing a better Democrat are quite low. Indiana is rated R+7 on the Cook political index. Bayh is incredibly popular in the state, especially for a Democrat. The most recent numbers I've seen have his approve/disapprove at 58/32. It is highly unlikely that Bayh will face a significant primary challenge in 2010.

In some ways, having Bayh in the seat is worse than having a Republican. Not only does he seem poised to move even further to the right, but he also provides incredible cover for Senate Republicans whose legislative strategy has been reduced to gumming up the works at every opportunity. It will be hard for Senate Democrats to place the blame squarely on obstructionist Republicans if a group of worthless conservative Democrats led by Senator Bayh is helping them get to 40 on major issue after major issue.

Originally posted at The Seminal.

Follow Josh Nelson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/josh_nelson

Comments

[Manx]

Looks like Bayh is morphing into Lieberman.

[Catothemuchyounger]

The guy is fairly conservative for a Democrat and he wants to ensure that those with his views have the ability to affect policy. Nothing the matter with that. There are plenty of progressive Dems who will be working together to support their agenda. This is how things work: different ideological blocs organizing and trying to get their agenda passed.

And the idea that this guy is a "Republican" because he in not a progressive is just silly. Yes, progressives may be the currently dominant strain of the party. But there have always been conservative and moderate Democrats. These people don't have to vote for progressive legislation just to maintain their party card. And they can legitimately work to see that legislation reflects their ideas of good policy.

[TruthBeacon]

Cato you must never have lived in Indiana, nor maybe even the Midwest. We do things different 'round here. No we ain't all farmers, but we do have our share our reactionaries.
Many Democrats here wouldn't past muster as anything but dyed-in-the-wool Republicans anywhere else. The prevailing idea is that you have be like a Republican to get votes from Republicans. Now we did manage to break the Red-Blue divide, but that doesn't mean politics have shifted anywhere to the Left, just that McCain was probably too liberal for us all.
Bayh presents himself as moderate, but he's more of a neoliberal conservative Democrat. The son of a Senator, he's the ultimate insider who cares most about his reelection and preserving the image of conservatism.

[Clavis]

You're right, there's no reason to worry. After all, the Democrats have had a majority in both houses for the past two years, and they've been able to get LOTS done, right?

Oh, no, wait, they haven't. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE ARTICLE! The Republicans have obstructed everything and Democrats have been insufficiently united to override such obstruction. Do you really think Bayh's actions will IMPROVE the Democrats' overall traction?!?

[JRsNana]

Evan is just irritated because he thought he'd be the VP elect on Dec. 15 instead of still just a Senator. He's going to do everything he can to make sure Obama gets nothing through the Senate because then all the Hillary folks will be able to say "see, we told you he wouldn't be able to do anything - you should've elected Hillary". It's ALL politics at this point. We'll see how it all shakes out.

[TruthBeacon]

Sorry, JR, can't let this comment slide. If Hillary meant to be obstructionist, she'd not have joined Obama's cabinet. If she wanted revenge, perhaps she wouldn't have endorsed Obama and campaigned for him.
Thinking Hillary would be so petty shows really doesn't do her justice. Why would she oppose Obama's policies when they are more or less the same from hers. The bigger argument is how progressive Obama isn't, not how she and her neoliberal allies want to obstruct a ostensibly progressive Obama.
Politicians say what they need to in order to get elected. Obama is a politician, as is Hillary. The campaign is over and so is the feuding between them.

[JRsNana]

I didn't say Hillary was going to be obstructionist, I said Evan was going to be. Hillary's people are still incredibly pissed off and feel "robbed". This is their way of showing it. Hillary appears to be more over the pain than her friends. I never said Hillary was being petty. Please re-read.

[UnknownSoldier]

There is no such thing has a Conservative Democrat, that just means you are holding a Republican seat until a real Republican comes along. Jim Martin could not win in Georgia because the Rethug was better at being a Rethug than Jim Martin could be.

The Republicans are not always wrong, but Evan and all your supporters should be ASKING why is there no Republican equalivant to what you are doing.

This is where the media is supposed to be hammering away at Evan and the Republicans.

[IndependentBadger]

Ladies and Gentlemen...

the next Joe Liebermann, EVAN, BAYH...!

[snesich]

Evan Bayh is not the good man his father was. He's a bit arrogant and beholden to corporate interests. Let's hope this is more posturing than substance on his part, designed to help him at home before the next election.

Thank goodness this guy wasn't chosen for Vice President! Not only would he beat a heartbeat away, it would have also probably meant another Senate seat for the Republicans.

[maeme]

The local party leaders need to let him know that if he is going to play with corporate lobbyists - and throw roadblocks they won't work for him and they will endorse his opponent - it does send a message. Democrats are so willing to bend over and put up with crap -- and decension --and grandstanding from their candidates - and elected officials (a.k.a Lieberman). CRACK the whip -- let them know who they work for quickly. TALK OF TERM LIMITS -- NEEDS TO BE PLACED ON THE party platform agenda- Senators have become an in-breed ruling elite class of mostly millionaires.

[research]

Sometime I think only the honest ones, like Kucinich, aren't millionaires.

[scooperss]

Byrd isn't either.

[markytex]

given the various sustantive issues discussed in this renowned forum one may assert an opinion. however, should the inputs derived from a contingent of pertinent contributors be festooned with incredulity the various factions may move forward with a decision making apparatus.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Bath is a Corporatist, not A Democrat! Ev's father, former Sen. Birch Bayh, is a Democrat. Please make a note of it.

[jkurd]

What is wrong with you people? I thought the Democrats were supposed to be the party open to intelligent discussion, debate, and disagreement. I am from Indiana, and I will vouch for Bayh. He was an effective governor for 8 years, and now he is a terrific senator. I daresay he is more centrist than most of the people posting here, but that does not mean he's an obstructionist. If the Democratic party was as narrowminded as some of you seem to want, Obama would not be President-Elect. Bayh and the other centrists are essential for good governance and for continued Democratic success in elections. Bring on the vibrant dialogue. We've seen for the past 8 years what things are like without it.

[siegfried]

I am also from Indiana. It seems to me that Evan Bayh's chief accomplishment is getting his wife lucrative board of directors seats.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Being a Corporate Lawyer for Eli Lily didn't hurt either. She worked really hard to quash all of those pesky government regulations. Heckuva job Susie.

[TruthBeacon]

I'm from Indiana. Bayh has been a good friend of his corporate sponsors. He's done some good things as well. I would say unequivocally that he is not a progressive. He would no more support an initiative of Dennis Kucinich than he would Ron Paul. If this is the center, we certainly do live in an upside-down world, because those two men--theoretically on opposite "sides"--reflect a centrist America that goes censored in the corporate media.
Since being governor, Bayh has tried to make the least amount of waves. Now, in a time of need, for change and leadership, people with courage and initiative are needed, to lead from the front. Bayh might become a better leader, but first he needs to take more chances, and not shy from controversy.

[Clavis]

How does assembling a "Blue Dog Coalition" stand for vibrant dialogue? The only things Blue Dogs have done for the past 2 years is help Republicans get everything they want while getting Democrats and Democratic priorities NOTHING in return. And now they want more power, separated from any truly progressive agenda and tied more deeply into the Republican power structures and interests? Fabulous.

You're right, what could possibly go wrong?

[mredder4]

Josh Nelson sounds like the super-conservatives that pushed all the moderates out of the GOP between 2000 and 2004. Hey, maybe some of us Democrats DON'T like unrestrained progressivism. Ever consider that? Maybe we want checks on spending, even if spending is what will get us out of the economic hole. Ever think that we might want the right amount spent and not just "a lot"?

Questioning the party loyalty of certain members is a GOP tactic, not one I thought I'd see the Democrats use on each other once in power again. Suggesting that Bayh's state could elect a "better" Democrat is disgusting. It's petty politics, and if people weren't so blinded by power, they'd see that it limited the GOP to a much shorter control of Congress than was ever imagined.

There are more Blue Dog Democrats and independents that lean the same way than far-left progressives. They want to advance the same causes as much of the fringe does, but they want to do so responsibly, and not in the "OMG, we're in power, let's do everything and anything we can regardless of the consequences" mentality that is starting to grip Democrats. Blue Dogs will only serve to keep Democrats in control by being the voice of moderation.

Deal with it.

[1murillo]

mredd,
"Maybe we want checks on spending, even if spending is what will get us out of the economic hole."

Your argument seems to be that you might want 'checks' on what you agree will save our economy. That's reactionary because instead of working to solve the problem Bayh is announcing that he's creating an opposition group, that' not good for anyone but himself.

And you write that Blue Dogs are the voice of "moderation." To moderate the "fringe" as you call it. The high vote, high percentage support of Democrats by definition does not make them the fringe.

People are "dealing" with Bayh and his obviously self-aggrandizing political move by reporting that his behavior and his wanted role of "moderator" is a weak cover for strengthening his local political support.

Like Shelby, Vitter, Sanford, Sessions before him, Bayh is trying to claim a bit of attention for himself before he gets relegated to the back bench.

He might not lose in IN, but he's not trying to solve our real problems.

[mredder4]

Independents elect Democrats, not Democratic voters. The numbers just simply aren't there. Therefore, Democrats have a responsibility to more than just the Left. Yes, that can take shape as something governed by a progressive agenda, but that can't mean being the opposite (but mirror) of the way the GOP ran the government from 2000 through 2006. Obama can't be a president that can bully his party into everything he wants, the way Bush was. I don't want to see that, and I voted for Obama and the entire Democratic ticket in my state.

Sorry if that offends the radicals, but some of us who believe in progressivism also don't believe in overly-large government. We've read and learned history and all that nonsense, so we can see examples of how that attitude brought civilizations down.

[GeorgeP922]

Oh, I LOVE this comment.

Nothing better than seeing the pro-bush segment of our party disappear.
And this spin filled lie of a comment is glorious proof of that.

These people tried to destroy the Democratic party for years, and failed every single year.

And now, terms like Bush-Dog and DLC and Mark Penn are household names.

[hjfraser2002]

They are forming an opposition group before there is anything really to oppose. This is not about moderation. It is about obstruction. we need every body working together not figuring out how to make things harder.

Deal with it!

[mredder4]

I'd much rather see the liberals in the Democratic Party trying to persuade conservative Democrats rather than Republicans. If Democrats can frame their arguments in terms that influence these Senators, there are still some moderate Republicans that can also be swayed the same way. It also helps frame a stronger argument that more Americans support, because the majority of Americans, sorry to break your heart, are not conservatives or liberals (and even boiled down to those two, liberals remain the outnumbered minority). Democrats lose when the fight against Republicans in Congress. I'd be willing to see how they do against each other for a while, to break the losing streak, maybe.

[TruthBeacon]

"Blue Dogs will only serve to keep Democrats in control by being the voice of moderation."
This is the whole problem: people like Bayh and Reid and most Senators have it as their primary goal to get re-elected. How best to do that? Don't make mistakes and don't lead from the front. Maximize corporate contributions. Act like a corporation: don't piss off anyone who might hurt you later. These Democrats are treading water, which means letting things go on as they have: more interventions, more spending, more negative momentum.
Real leadership requires personal conviction and courage, not constant compromise and a fear of failure. I don't think Bayh has made a mistake in his life ever. Probably even calculated his first date's bonafides. Sorry but what we need is a whole lot more. That's why change can't come from within the system: people like Bayh and even Obama are too interwoven into the status quo to change it.

[mredder4]

Your statement also applies to pols like Pelosi, Frank, Rangel, etc, all the big names in the House too. Don't criticize politicians for working to get elected and re-elected; it's their jobs.

Even with Democrats in charge of Congress for two years, what have they accomplished? They're ALL treading water, not just Bayh.

[whateverlolawants]

"The 'OMG, we're in power, let's do everything and anything we can regardless of the consequences' mentality that is starting to grip Democrats."

...what mentality are you talking about? I have not noticed it. And don't you think we have a hell of a lot of work to do to fix Bush's mess? That doesn't equate to wasteful, unchecked spending. Give me a break. I'm from Indiana too, and Bayh is so unimpressive. I was so glad Obama didn't pick him. Indiana went blue even without Bayh- we can't be THAT bad! (Although, I do think it would be worse to have a real Republican in his seat.)

[wendynyc]

We need total opennedd and transparency in Congress as well.

We need to know who are their campaign contributors.

We need to know how and whose interests are they protecting when they vote for or against any particular bill.

[PATina]

Hey don't get mad at Bayh... he's just being a pragmatist.... hahahahahahaha

Seriously though... that's why people like Evan Bayh... and other DLC/Blue Dog Dems need their own party (actually... I say leave them the Democratic party and the Progressive Dems start their own party).

It's ridiculous to me that people will sign on as Democrats... and then act like everything else.

[GeorgeP922]

Sounds nice, but it was our party first.

Dont forget, people try and wash it, but the fight was between the DLC and the DNC for a while.
It almost seemed that was the DLC's goal, to destroy and wrest power from the DNC.

When the Dem primaries ended this year, the DLC stopped attacking and seemed to dissapear.

Now they are back, and now we have to deal with them.

Also to any political newbies, remember a euphism started by several bloggers from this site 2 years ago is to never refer to the "Blue Dog" club as Blue Dog, we always try to refer to them as Bush Dog Demcorats.

And now it sticks, because all they want to do is extend and protect Bush's legacy.

[myrddin]

Since when does fiscal responsibility have anything to do with Bush? Our government needs to watch it's spending. We are currently 11 trillion dollars in debt. This does not mean that worthwhile programs such as health care should be jettisoned. Only that the money needs to come from somewhere besides China. I am a fiscal conservative democrat who wants to see the budget balanced. I also want universal health care and investment in green technology. These things are not mutually exclusive. Some investments will pay off in the long run even though they cost money now. Your term of Bush-dogs is inappropriate and idiotic.

[wendynyc]

Congress is so full of partisan crooks - nothing will get done - we the people will suffer as usual!

Can we do something collectively - like boycott federal taxes for a month. Maybe then they will get the message!

[VikingQuest]

Maybe we should stop electing people because of their names then.

Career politicians are always going to be the same.

[Grunty1]

If only you took your own advice, Bush/McCain supporter.

[mluo2010]

Have fun not paying your taxes-in jail. Although you might land yourself with some of those partisan crooks.

And since when did you pay federal taxes every month?

[GeorgeP922]

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