[MitchellC]

Heath Shuler has good reason to stand by his campaign promises and not side with his leaders on every vote - his re-election (in the conservative North Carolina 11th district) depends on it. He got in on a 'perfect storm' of a fluke - a corrupt Republican incumbent that no one liked, a lack of a record that allowed him to promise voters anything, his own local celebrity status, and an all-around bad year for Republicans.

Shuler has the media, and sadly a lot of conservatives, duped into believing that he's an independent/conservative voice within the Democratic Party.

He is, on his best day, fighting against the tide of his own party on a small number of issues in order to preserve his own hide for November. The rest of the time, he is siding with Pelosi on the great majority of votes.

If Shuler wins re-election this year, he will have taken a large step toward solidifying the district for himself, then as the years go by he'll wander further and further to the left, much like John Spratt in South Carolina's 5th district - another one of those congressional districts that "ought" to be Republican districts.

[MitchellC]

Armor for Congress PING!

John Armor for Congress

John Armor on YouTube

Freepmail or ping me on the thread to be added to the John Armor for Congress ping list.

[MarkL]

I LOVE the way dems work, as can be seen in the FISA bill (and just about anything else that liberals have done throughout history)...

Step 1) Compel a person or corporation to do something... Often against their own interests.

Step 2) When things go bad, as they usually will when libs think them up, make the person or corporation legally and fiscally liable for the results.

Step 3) Turn the trial lawyers loose on the person or corporation. All the while, demonizing them in press. Claim that the industry is taking advantage of the weakest and least of us. Propose a tax payer “bail-out.” Maybe even try to make a case for nationalizing the industry.

Liberals believe that the only thing that matters are intentions, NOT the results. And since they meant well, they shouldn’t be responsible for the results, since the “ends” didn’t turn out the way the liberals had hoped.

Mark

[pnh102]

Shuler has the media, and sadly a lot of conservatives, duped into believing that he's an independent/conservative voice within the Democratic Party.

It really doesn't say much for conservatives when they keep falling for pitches like these from Democrats. It should be common knowledge at this point that a vote for any Democrat at any level of government is a vote that empowers socialism and everything else we hate.

[AppyPappy]

William Jefferson....please pick up the courtesy phone

[RU88]

Thanks for the heads up on this. My congresscritter is one of the housebroken blue dogs from Pennsylvania. I just saw that he is one of the co-sponsors of Shuler’s immigration reform bill but refuses to sign the discharge petition to get the bill to the floor for a vote. Just sent off a nice letter to the Congressman asking him to explain his position, which looks as twisted as a Pennsylvania Dutch pretzel.

[jmaroneps37]

The “blue dog” bull shiite is another aspect of the damage done by the fools who “just couldn’t vote for my Republican congressman because there is a gay Republican in Florida” or “ I can’t vote Republican this year because Bob Ney and Randy Cunningham are crooks.”
Well we certainly did have a gay GOPer in Florida and Ney and Cunningham were crooks who are now in the can, but now we have the worst congress in our lifetime. Thanks jerks.

[depressed in 06]

If the Blue Dogs really want some clout, they should switch to GOP.