I am not very familiar with Mike Ross of Arkansas. Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee has never been indicted - it was his uncle State Senator John Ford who was indicted. In fact, Harold Ford, Jr. is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Bill Frist. Ford is well-respected on both sides of the aisle. The conservative African American blog Booker Rising http://www.bookerrising.blogspot.com frequently mentions Harold Ford - they think very highly of him.
My favorite Blue Dog Congressman is Gene Taylor of Mississippi. Gene Taylor is a solid deficit hawk, strong on national defense, pro-gun rights, pro-life, a supporter of family values (co-sponsor of the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage), a member of the House Immigration Reform Caucus (chaired by Tom Tancredo) and a econonomic nationalist who opposes "free trade" agreements.
Mike Ross was a definite Blue Dog Democrat - that's why I voted FOR him when he was running against an idiot, typical lazy politician that thought that he had the conservative seat in this area all sewed up just because he was a republican.
Ross was good representing this area at first,but just before the last elections, he began to sound like a southern voice of Ted Kennedy and lately parroting Howard Dean.
I guess once you take the pieces of silver from Clinton and his minions, all you are is a puppet that must obey the masters.
Fiscal conservative? Look up how many million$ he brags about bringing to rebuild the bath houses in Hot Springs! All you hear now is PORK! and he was selected WHIP?
He is 100% against saving social security - as long it is the republican idea maybe.
The idea behind the Blue Dog movement is honorable and good - unfortunately the members need to dig out the DNC weeds and PUBLICLY announce their intents and goals.
You might be surprised at the reaction from voters.
All anyone hears from the democrats now is the communist radical Dean, & Kuchinic and the other extreme left kennedy and clinton types that want only to take everbody's money so they can distribute it as THEY see fit to keep their power.
You have a long long hill to climb to get up from the depths that the DNC has dragged our country.
ps ... the RNC is almost as guilty as the DNC in dragging us down away from our capitalist constitutional republic and now shares totally in the blame since THEY have been in power for over a decade (congress has more power than the prez) and little good has been done.