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Tennessee Democratic Rep. John Tanner will retire next November, creating an open seat in an area that strongly favors Republicans. Tanner's decision, according to those familiar with it, was made weeks ago and based on his desire to return to the Volunteer State after more than two decades in Washington. The decision was first reported by the Hotline. Tanner, first elected to the 8th district in 1988, has run without a serious challenge in recent years despite the fact that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) won the seat with 56 percent in 2008. Tanner is the second House Democrat from a...

One of the last three uncommitted Democrats, Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, said Friday he would vote to begin debate on the Senate's health care bill; meanwhile, the Republican opposition opened a new front, arguing that the legislation would lead to health care rationing. Mr. Nelson said he would support the procedural vote scheduled for Saturday night because he didn't want to obstruct reform efforts. He also said he hoped to improve the legislation on the floor.

I just got off the phone with Sen. Bill Nelson's office. He still on the fence regarding the trillion dollar plus 2,074 page Harry Reid's healthcare bill. Please, please call one of his offices and let his staff know that our country cannot afford to add another trillion dollars to our already $1.6 trillion dollar budget deficit. Office telephone numbers: Washington 202-224-6551 Omaha 402-391-3411 Lincoln 402-441-4600

All RINOs are not the same, even when they profess almost identical beliefs. All politicians try to appeal to their constituents, but not all politicians - by a long shot - have the same type of constituents. RINOs who try to win election by stating policies as conservative as the voters will allow are not the problem with the Republican Party. Democrats, shrewdly, have grasped in the last two election cycles the art of the possible in winning congressional elections. Blue Dog Democrats are congressmen who, if Republicans held their districts, have voted completely against the House leadership's health care...

House Democrats passed the 2,032-page Pelosicare bill on a near party-line vote Saturday night 220-215 (roll call here). The only Republican voting in favor of the measure was New Orleans-based Joseph Cao who has long ago proven to be a tax and spend (and spend and spend) liberal. After a week of intense arm twisting, threats and promises from party leaders, more than half of the 52 so-called conservative Blue Dog Democrats voted in favor of the over $1.3 trillion measure. These are the 28 Blue Dogs voting in favor of Pelosicare (who apparently fear the wrath of House Speaker...

Within minutes of Saturday’s historic House vote on health care reform, Republicans pronounced the political death of Rep. Thomas Perriello (D-Va.), pointing to the vulnerable freshman congressman’s vote in favor of the bill. And in the aftermath of the politically charged vote, Perriello wasn’t the only Democratic congressman whose fortunes were being reassessed. The GOP, which voted nearly in lock step against the measure, began crowing about the demise of various other vulnerable members and seized on the moment as a milestone in the path back to a House majority. Other than Perriello — who was the target of 12...

The Blue Dog Democrats have 53 members who are deamed to be considered Fiscal Conservatives, but the analysis of their three votes on the Stimulus, Cap and Trade, and Healthcare tell a different story for the vast majority. There are two members of the Black Caucus who are Blue Dogs: Rep Sanford Bishop (GS-02) and Rep David Scott (GA-13) both of who voted for all three bills. With so many people on here attacking Republicans for not doing more, decided to look into the numbers. Since the loss of a Republican seat on Tuesday to a Dem in NY-23, the...

A new myth has arisen in the wake of last night's vote that a handful of "blue dog" Democrats from red districts were really in a position to stop Obamacare. More than TWO MONTHS ago, I wrote a piece here called "What if they don't care?" and reposted here as "Grim Thought" (http://www.patriotshistoryusa.com/blog/grim-thought/) Sadly, I was right. They didn't care. The entire choreography from August until last night was based on two tactical approaches: 1) "soften" the language just enough to get it by the public (NOT some "blue dogs") so that it did not appear as horrible as it...

Listening to the debate on the floor today, it was clear that Democrats considered it a moral and ideological obligation to pass this bill—consequences be damned. The leadership is congratulating itself now—Pelosi is already the greatest speaker of all time apparently—but there's a tough rough ahead in the Senate. Pelosi could lose 39 votes. Reid can't lose any. Passage in the House definitely creates more pressure on Reid to get it done, but the slender margin—despite the size of the Democratic majority in the House and all the arm-twisting and deal-making (what did Cao get?)—has to make Senate moderates even...

Blue Dog Democrats Hold Key PATRICK YOEST WASHINGTON — A group of fiscally conservative House Democrats is set to vote on a health-care bill that virtually all of its members think does too little to rein in health costs and keep the federal budget deficit under control. But by all indications, the 52-member group -- known as the Blue Dog Coalition -- will split in the voting. The lawmakers, some of whom played an instrumental role in passing a version of the bill approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, have met continually to discuss health-care issues but haven't...

In a historic vote the House Health Care Bill Passed the House of Representatives 220 - 215 with 64 Democrats voting against the measure. However, the true test of whether it can pass the senate still looms. With a test vote losing out 47-53 a few weeks ago over the Baucus Bill, much persuasion must be had in the Senate for a bill to arrive at the President’s desk...

As I publish, there are 33 "no" votes from the dems. These five would bump that to 38. Remember, 41 is the magic number. Rep. Ben Chandler (D-KY): Continues To Have Reservations About The Bill. Chandler spokeswoman Jennifer Krimm said her boss would be going over the bill "to see whether or not it meets the needs of Kentucky families." "Chandler will continue to have reservations about any bill that does not lower costs ...

"Like many Americans, I’m very concerned about the efforts underway to rush through the 2,000 page Pelosi health care bill this weekend. Why the rush? That’s a lot of pages to read. Why not give everyone the chance to read it and debate it?

From Cantor's office: Below is a list of 31 Democrats, from coast-to-coast & north to south, who have listened to their constituents and joined Republicans in a bipartisan fashion to oppose Speaker Pelosi’s trillion dollar plus overhaul of the nation’s health care system (Updated is bold): 1. Rep. John Adler (NJ) 2. Rep. Brian Baird (WA) 3. Rep. John Barrow (GA) 4. Rep. Dan Boren (OK) 5. Rep. Rick Boucher (VA) 6. Rep. Allen Boyd (FL) 7. Rep. Bobby Bright (AL) 8. Rep. Travis Childers (MS) 9. Rep. Artur Davis (AL) 10. Rep. Chet Edwards (TX) 11. Rep. Bart Gordon...

House Democrats who have announced they are voting against the Obama-Pelosi-Health Care bill.The list is compiled from various news sources. Please add confirmed 'no' votes with a source link to the thread.The 'Rats have 258 members. They can lose 40 votes and still reach the 218 votes needed to pass the bill on a simple majority.It is expected that all 177 Republicans will vote against the bill. No Republican has announced they would vote for the bill.TN, John Tanner and Bart GordonSD, Stephanie Herseth SandlinNY, Mike McMahon and Eric MassaWA, Brian BairdNJ, John AdlerNC, Larry Kissell and Mike McIntyreMS, Travis...

Democratic U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri, whose district includes a large portion of Cayuga County, said Saturday that he will support the health care reform bill now under consideration in the House of Representatives.

Like many Americans, I’m very concerned about the efforts underway to rush through the 2,000 page Pelosi health care bill this weekend. Why the rush? That’s a lot of pages to read. Why not give everyone the chance to read it and debate it? How much will this bill cost us? It’s unclear because the figures coming out of Washington keep changing – and always in the direction of costing more, not less. The latest numbers show it will cost more than a trillion dollars over the decade, but when has a government program ever come in on or under...

WASHINGTON - If Democratic leaders manage to push a massive health care overhaul through the House of Representatives this weekend, they'll have to do it without one of Maryland's Democratic congressmen. Freshman Rep. Frank Kratovil, facing one of the toughest re-election fights in the country next year, announced Friday that he opposes the measure. His stance could complicate efforts by Democratic leaders to secure approval of the legislation this weekend.

Blue Dog Democrats face a dilemma this weekend: Should they oppose legislation they believe is flawed, or move the bill out of the House in the hopes of it changing in conference? That core question was on the minds of many of the 52 fiscally conservative Democrats after a meeting Tuesday with Douglas Elmendorf, the director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), to get an in-person explanation of the differences between the House and Senate healthcare bills. The number of Blue Dogs leaning toward or committed to “no” votes could be in the 30s, according to members, although Blue Dog...

Another clip from Hengler, this time catching Axelrod phoning it in. Watch to the end or you’ll miss the requisite flattery from Andrea Mitchell. Consider this a continuation of the last post: If, as Ax lamely insists, NY-23 is a big deal while Virginia and Jersey are mere local races portending nothing for The One’s agenda, why do Blue Dogs seem more fidgety than usual? Ed linked Politico’s piece about center-left anxiety a few hours ago, but this one from The Hill is fun too: Vulnerable House and Senate Democrats want their leaders to skip the party’s controversial legislative agenda...

The Democrats did not lose a 2-1 squeaker last night. They lost two huge races, saw an overall evaporation of 25 basis points of support -- and lost by nearly 500,000 cumulative votes in the three high-profile elections. Or put another way, Republicans won two races decided by millions of voters -- and Democrats won a small race dominated by party operatives. In addition, the GOP made some historic gains in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Washington state special elections to boot. In the context of Bob McDonnell's huge win in Virginia and Chris Christie's surprisingly comfortable win in New Jersey, of...

WHO LET THE BLUE DOGS OUT WHO WHO WHO WHO WHO? Virginia went to the Republicans New Jersey used to be Blue But they too have seen the Red light And Obambi don't know what to do WHO LET THE BLUE DOGS OUT? WHO WHO WHO WHO WHO? Now Michael Steele is the Republican Leader He says its not about Obambi But even the Gay Marriage is not passing and the Liberals are not very happy GET BACK PELOSI GET BACK REID GET BACK OBAMA YOU SKINNY OLD MONGREL HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH

Rush Limbaugh made an impassioned speech on his show today, laying out the real situation facing the Blue Dog Democrats. He said that they can vote for the Socialized Medicine Bill, and please Nancy Pelosi for the moment, and face the wrath of their constituents -- probably losing re-election; OR they can vote against the Socialized Medicine Bill, and likely win re-election, but remain on the bad side of the House leadership. He added that Nancy Pelosi does not like the Blue Dogs, since they are not ideologically pure enough for her, and would be glad enough to have them...

The DUmmies are going rabid, foaming at the mouth, over the Blue Dog Democrats spoiling their precious "public option"! And they lump Pelosi and even Obama in with the Blue Dogs! The DUmmies are all upset because the Pelosi Obamacare bill is not QUITE as full-blown socialist as they would like--even though it would go WAY far to the left. And the dreaded Blue Dogs? Many of them have turned out to be nothing more than Nancy's neutered puppies. They have rolled over and played dead. Take, for example, erstwhile "Blue Dog" Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND). He has finally...

There will be many attempts at interpreting the election results this coming Tuesday. Some people will look to New Jersey to see how the President's popularity and policies are holding up with the voters. But I believe the most critical outcome will be the results in Virginia because of the message it conveys to Blue-Dog Democrats (the key swing vote in health care, cap & tax, card-check, government spending, and taxes). Every Blue-Dog Democrat will have to consider the following: Obama won Virginia last year with an easy 6+% margin. Creig Deeds (classic Blue-Dog Demo candidate for Governor) in on...

INDIANAPOLIS -- The issue of national health care reform could endanger the political future of Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh. The moderate is in hot water with liberals for his failure to endorse a reform bill, 6News' Norman Cox reported. As recently as two days ago, Bayh said he might not be able to support a motion to proceed with a floor debate on health care if it's too expensive. This week, the liberal group MoveOn.org delivered petitions to Bayh's Indiana offices signed by 244 people identified as former Bayh donors and volunteers. They said if he votes to sidetrack health...

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is holding a series of meetings with Democratic centrists to secure the 60 votes he needs to begin the healthcare debate. Democratic leaders expect the legislation to hit the Senate floor next week or the week after. Reid appears confident that the entire Democratic Conference will vote en bloc to begin the healthcare debate, but he’s not taking any chances after losing a crucial vote last week on legislation to address Medicare payments to doctors. Nothing is certain in the wake of Reid’s announcement Monday that he would include a government-run insurance plan in...

Sacrificial Health Care Lambs The health care con, perpetrated by the White House, is well under way. The intent is to keep all attention on every morsel of “news” as it is allowed to leak. The very fact that Americans, by a vast majority, have made their opinions known, yet the incessant push for health care reform continues. It is designed to keep the White House in something of a superior posture to the little people, the voters, who are at the mercy of our all-knowing, omni-present Ruler. Since he has no integrity or moral standing to fall back on,...

First Amendment: Diversity czar Mark Lloyd's FCC votes Thursday on the issue of net neutrality. Advertised as providing access to all, it will do to the information superhighway what Lloyd proposed for talk radio. Not much was said when $7.2 billion was included in the stimulus bill "to accelerate broadband deployment in unserved and underserved areas and to strategic institutions that are likely to create jobs or provide significant public benefits." The administration has big plans for the Internet — like controlling it. Susan Crawford, the so-called Internet czar, told the Wall Street Journal in April that the broadband billions...

Forget all the drama with Republicans and President Obama. The most tumultuous relationship in Washington right now is playing out in the House, between the Blue Dog Democrats and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. On pretty much everything this year, the Blue Dogs have pushed back against Pelosi—the stimulus, energy, health care. This week there’s been a whole new round of anti-Nancy grumbling among conservative Dems, as Pelosi tries to finalize details of the House’s version of the health-care bill. Among other things, she’s still angling for the much-debated public option—even though, by the White House’s own admission, it will never pass...

Speaker Pelosi is nixing a deal she cut with centrists to advance health reform, said a source familiar with negotiations. Pelosi’s decision to abandon the agreement that was made with a group of Blue Dogs to get the bill out of committee would steer the healthcare legislation back to the left as she prepares for a floor vote. Pelosi is planning to include a government-run public option in the House version of the healthcare bill. She wants to model it on Medicare, with providers getting reimbursed on a scale pegged to Medicare rates. "The speaker is full-steam-ahead," said a senior...

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is nixing a deal she cut with centrists to advance health reform, said a source familiar with negotiations. Pelosi’s decision to abandon the agreement that was made with a group of Blue Dogs to get the bill out of committee would steer the healthcare legislation back to the left as she prepares for a floor vote. Pelosi is planning to include a government-run "public option" in the House version of the healthcare bill. She wants to model it on Medicare, with providers getting reimbursed on a scale pegged to Medicare rates. "The speaker is full-steam ahead," said...

On Friday, I was at DePauw University in Indiana debating former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. It was two days after Barack Obama's big speech before a joint session of Congress and Mr. Dean is a strong advocate for his party's agenda and a medical doctor, so I expected him to defend the president's idea of adding a "trigger" to health-care reform to ease its passage and thereby guarantee a government takeover of our health-care system. But Mr. Dean turned out to be tougher on triggers than I was. He called them a "terrible" idea. It's now becoming clear...

WASHINGTON -- In many ways, President Barack Obama's address to Congress on Wednesday was aimed at lawmakers like Georgia Reps. Jim Marshall and Sanford Bishop -- fiscally conservative Democrats who represent rural enclaves and small towns in ideologically moderate to conservative Southern districts. "In my opinion, the demographics of the Blue Dog Coalition reflect more accurately the demographics of the entire United States of America ," Bishop said. "Most Americans are centrists. Where I come from the values are God, country, family, work and guns, and not necessarily in that order."

Barack Obama lied not once in his Health Care speech but twice -- and not on inconsequential issues, but big ones. The lies were direct and were compounded by the fact that he accused others of lying because they called him on his lies. Joe Wilson who sat on the congressional committees which reviewed the amendments that were then killed which would have required people to prove they're citizens. Of course! The Democrats are for open-borders and Obama is too. They lie all the time about their agendas. What we need is Republicans who refuse to apologize for telling the...

Democrats in the Senate may have a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority when healthcare reform comes up for a vote, but at least one Democrat is telling party leaders not to count on him to be the 60th vote. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska told The Hill newspaper: "I'm not going to commit anything at this point in time on procedural votes, neither pro nor con, because it will depend on the circumstances. "I can't make those decisions in advance because it depends on what the bill is and what the circumstances are at the time. Otherwise you're just giving away your...

WHIP COUNT: DEMS LACK THE VOTES Wed Sep 09 2009 17:03:37 ET At least 44 more moderate Members of the Democrat Caucus have gone on the record in opposition to the current health care bill in the House, a Hill source claims. Likewise, at least 57 liberal Members of the Democrat Caucus have gone on the record saying they will vote against a health care bill without a strong public option. Unless multiple Democrats flip on their stated position on health care, Speaker Pelosi lacks the votes to pass a bill through the House on the strength of Democrat votes...

Congressman Charlie Melancon today made official what has been anticipated for some time. He's running for U.S. Senate. "I'm announcing my candidacy for the U.S. Senate to replace David Vitter," Melancon said in a Youtube video he emailed to supporters. He describes himself as an anti-abortion, pro-gun centrist and a member of the "Blue Dog'' caucus of fiscally conservative Democrats in Congress. He doesn't attack Vitter in the announcement, but does say, "Louisiana deserves better." He adds that Louisiana needs "more honest" leadership. Melancon never specifically mentions Vitter's admitted "very serious sin" after his number showed up on the DC...

From an extremely well-placed source in congress: It's game-on against the "Bluedogs".

With the death of US Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) the Democrats lose their sixty-seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. This will make the passing of Obama agenda legislation – specifically healthcare – more difficult until Massachusetts seats its next Junior Senator, who promises to be a Democrat. The loss of even one Democrat in the Senate is cause for concern for Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) because he has a rogue element within his Democrat caucus, the Blue Dog Democrats. In Washington, it is all about counting the votes at any given moment on any piece of legislation. As they...

A key House liberal suggested Thursday that party moderates who've pushed for changes in health care legislation are "brain dead" and out for insurance company campaign donations. Moderate Blue Dog Democrats "just want to cause trouble," said Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., who heads the health subcommittee on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. "They're for the most part, I hate to say brain dead, but they're just looking to raise money from insurance companies and promote a right-wing agenda that is not really very useful in this whole process," Stark told reporters on a conference call. Kristen Hawn, spokeswoman for...

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) received two standing ovations Tuesday from the Laurel Rotary Club as he voiced criticism of President Obama’s drive to reform health care. “The Blue Dogs (Democrats who often vote Republican) have done America a great favor by delaying the vote,” said Taylor, a member of the group, who noted he is voting against the bill. “I don’t think we have the money for that. I’ve always thought something worth doing is worth paying for.” Taylor said the health care debate is a timely issue, adding that Americans must realize there is cost involved. “We all...

In a statement likely to intensify the GOP assault on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reign, a first-term Democratic "blue dog" congressman said that he would not vote to make her the top House Democrat again. Rep. Parker Griffith, a former oncologist from Alabama, told a town hall meeting this week that Pelosi is too divisive to be speaker. "I would not vote for her [again]," he added. "Someone that divisive and that polarizing cannot bring us together." Griffith has been fairly independent this year, opposing the stimulus and the cap-and-trade carbon emissions plan, according to the Huntsville ( Ala. ) Times,...

House Dem won't vote for Pelosi as Speaker By Michael O'Brien Posted: 08/25/09 01:43 PM [ET] A freshman House Democrat from Alabama said Tuesday he would not vote for Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as Speaker again because of her “divisive and polarizing” image. “I would not vote for her,” Rep. Parker Griffith (D-Ala.) told a constituent at a town hall meeting when asked if he'd support Pelosi. “Someone that divisive and that polarizing cannot bring us together.” Griffith represents a conservative district in Alabama that had been long held by former Rep. Bud Cramer (D), who retired after nine terms. Griffith...

Just got a robocall from his office this evening (Aug 24)...... Altmire Invites Constituents to Town Hall Meeting on Health Care Reform on August 26 August 18, 2009(???) (PITTSBURGH, PA) -- Today, U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) announced that he will hold a town hall meeting on health care reform in Farrell on Wednesday, August 26 at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the auditorium at Farrell Area High School, located at 1600 Roemer Boulevard in Farrell, PA. Doors will open at 4 pm. If anyone knows applicable town meeting sites could you please post this there. BTW,...

MARIANNA, Fla. — Rep Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) is a skilled politician who has pretty much seen it all — a Deep South Democrat who’s managed to dispatch all opponents in his conservative-leaning Panhandle district since winning election in 1996. But as he fended off gnats buzzing through the August humidity after a morning fending off angry constituents at a town hall meeting here, Boyd confided that the depth of the unease spurred by the health care debate had caught him by surprise. “People are scared,” Boyd said twice, trying to explain what would drive his constituents away from home and...

Time was, Baron Hill was best known for his jump shot and tenacious defense when he was starting at guard in the heartland of basketball mania, the Hoosier state. He was successful in parlaying that notoriety, a good persona and “Blue Dog” political philosophy into a multi-term stint in the Congress, representing his home district, the 9th.... Hill lost his seat 5 years ago to a conservative patriot named Mike Sodrel, a truck driver-turned transportation magnate, but got his seat back the next election (2006). And something happened in the interim. Gone were the old Midwestern values and all that...

public (or "government-run") option in the healthcare bill before Congress is unlikely to survive conference between the House and Senate, a leader of the centrist Blue Dog coalition said this weekend.

Rep Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) is a skilled politician who has pretty much seen it all — a Deep South Democrat who’s managed to dispatch all opponents in his conservative-leaning Panhandle district since winning election in 1996.

From last night's Fox News All-Stars.On Obama blaming Republicans for obstructing health-care reform: "This is typical Obama. He speaks for truth and justice, and anybody who opposes him is a rabid partisan who does it for personal partisan reasons. Look, this is disingenuous, and it's dishonest. He knows that the reason his proposals are in trouble is because of two things: Democrats in Congress, and the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. In Congress, he's got the Blue Dogs in the House and he's got the moderates in the Senate. And the reason that he's in trouble is because, for example, as...