[oneolcop]

I just learned that Pelosi and the hard left in congress are in the process of hammering the "Bluedogs" about the healthcare bill. The source, a congressman, said that the speaker, Pelosi is offering big incentives if they fold and threatening harsh punishment for them if they vote against the bill.

The only thing he said would make them resist is hamming them with phone calls demanding they vote against the bill and clogging their phone lines with calls. Go to it!!!

[Islander7]

Mississippi PING!

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Pelosi is not their boss, their constituents are.

[spectre]

Blue Dogs better stand up to Pelosi and remember who brought them to the dance.

Pelosi's threatened "incentives" and "harsh punishment" will amount to NOTHING compared to being voted out in 2010.

sw

[Devils Avocado]

These guys are going to have a tough go of it no matter what in 2010, because of the way most primaries work. If they hold the line against health care, the ultra-left in their jurisdiction may organize against them during the primaries, which have much lower participation (sometimes below 10%!). If the far left can mobilize a disproportionate number of their voters, they may be able to sink Blue Dogs in the primary.

On the other hand if the Blue Dogs slide to the left to win the primary, they risk alienating general-election voters who sent the Blue Dogs to DC in the first place because they're moderates. Not a fun political position to be in.

[Agamemnon]

Imagine if this heavy-handedness actually sparked a mass-defection resulting in party switching in those Red State McCain-voting majority house districts.

Well, I can dream, can't I?

[right way right]

They should make the threats become public if they want to lower the heat.

[Safrguns]

Republicans should encourage them to switch parties in response.

Voters can separate out the RINOS later.

We need to take down the leadership first.

This would do it.