Posted on 11/15/2006 1:14:21 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Conservative Democrats seek larger role
By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer 24 minutes ago
For a dozen years, the Democratic conservatives known as Blue Dogs have been baying at the moon, ignored by Republicans and tolerated by their more liberal Democratic colleagues. Now, these House lawmakers say that is about to change.
Republicans "did not lose their seats to liberal Democrats" in last weeks elections, said Rep. Mike Ross (news, bio, voting record), D-Ark. "Republicans lost their seats to Blue Dog Democrats."
"We'll have a lot to say about what passes and what doesn't" when the 110th Congress convenes in January with Democrats in control for the first time in 12 years, said Ross, new communications director for the caucus.
With the addition of nine newly elected freshmen, the Blue Dogs claim 44 members, nearly 20 percent of the incoming Democratic majority. They will be led by Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla., and include Rep. Collin Peterson (news, bio, voting record), D-Minn., in line to become the next Agriculture Committee chairman.
The Blue Dogs were formed in 1994 after Republicans swept the long-entrenched Democrats from power. They tend to be social conservatives on such issues as abortion. But their big issue is fiscal discipline — balancing the budget and reducing the federal debt.
Many in the group are from the South, and the group took its name from the old adage that southerners would vote for yellow dog if he were on the Democratic ballot. A blue dog, they decided, was a moderate or conservative "choked blue" by the Democrats in the years leading up to 1994.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
""We'll have a lot to say about what passes and what doesn't" when the 110th Congress convenes in January with Democrats in control for the first time in 12 years, said Ross, new communications director for the caucus."
hehe... Sure you will.
A gift of cash from a Lib lobbyist is all it will take to make these blue dogs red.
I am sure the grids have already been greased for them.
Stretch doesn't have the spare seats to ignore these guys, which is why they are issuing a public statement.
This is the thing with razor thin majorities - they'll have the same issues we had, but worse since their side is far more coalition than ours is.
About one-third of the Blue Dogs are the real thing (examples are Dan Boren of Oklahoma, Gene Taylor of Mississippi and Collin Peterson of Minnesota), another third are Joe Liberman type liberals who still love their country (Jane Harmon of California may be the best example here, Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota would be another) and the remaining third are moonbat rubber-stamps who wear the blue-dog label as a fig leaf to ensure electability in their districts (Stephanie Herseth of South Dakota, Adam Schiff and Joe Baca of California) . . . but they get pork for their districts and throw them an occassional bone such as a pro-NRA or pro-life vote where it won't make a difference.
The signature should be
John Conyers, Nancy Pelosi, John Dingle, Jane Harman, Alcee Hastings, and last but not least Henry Waxman
The Progressive Caucus
A subsidiary of Democratic Socialist of America
If you don't kick the traitors and communists out of your party, don't even bother coming for our votes.
The price of victory at any cost will be the Democrats downfall.
What the hell is a conservative Democrat?
At this point in time, there is no such thing as a "Conservative" Democrat.
Only 9 of the 44 Blue Dogs are freshmen.
Repeat after me: :"Yes Mistress Nancy"
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