A strong progressive movement needs to challenge each Blue-Dog in their primary every time.

Corrupt.

Check out the graphics:

http://prod.midiaindependente.org/en/blue/2007/04/378371.shtml

The Democrats are ruled by conservatives and conservatives are corrupt. The Greens are the liberal party. Progressives (I prefer "liberal" since "progressives" started the Prohibition) might vote only for liberal Democrats and Greens. But we have to stick together and not chicken out in the end and vote for conservative Dems.

Unfortunately, their constituents probably care more about their guns than their houses.

Q: Blue Dog Democrats: Conservative, Or Just Plain Corrupt?

A: BOTH!

So how many of these Blue Dogs are Republicans reregistered as Democrats?

To quote that great statesman, Michael Moore:

"The richest one percent of the population have two political parties. Shouldn't the rest of us have at least one?"

An excellent article pointing out that there are many Democrats who ought to be REPLACED, but carefully so as to assure you get more liberal Democrats and not seat losses that flip agenda control of either house back to Republicans. In conservative districts, it takes money to run against Republicans, and some of these people are obviously selling out.

The irony is that many of the more rural people who vote against abortion, gun control, and gay rights, would also vote for more liberal positions on health care, tax policy, lending & bankruptcy, education funding, the environment and so forth, if they clearly understood the issues and positions of their candidates. Unfortunately, 30-sec TV attack ads on terrorism and baby murder tend to keep many of our campaigns very narrow.

I hope we can find ways to help voters in individual districts know whether they have a Blue Dog, and replace with a Friendly Dog while not losing to a Sly Dog (Republican.)

"I hope we can find ways to help voters in individual districts know whether they have a Blue Dog, and replace with a Friendly Dog while not losing to a Sly Dog (Republican.)" - Daniel David

Normally, I wouldn't take kindly to your posts but this last paragraph of yours I like. Just remember, we can't afford DINOs as much as we cannot afford the worst of the GOP.

Interesting that the New Bankrupsy bill was pasted during the high flying subprime lending stampede?

Don't you think that the financial industry knew the fraud which was be done? They saw this mess coming and have covered themselves.

"Unfortunately, their constituents probably care more about their guns than their houses."

What an ignorant and ill-informed comment! What's the equivalent of saying someone is racist, except that the hateful, stereotypical and ignorant prejudice is aimed at people who either choose to live outside the urban areas or who is aimed at people who live in a particular region?

Years ago, I watched and volunteered a bit for Wyche Fowler's first campaign for US Senate from GA. At the time, he was the Representative for the very liberal, urban Atlanta 5th Congressional District. And the conventional wisdom then was that an 'Atlanta liberal' could never win statewide.

What Mr. Fowler did was spend a lot of time going out to various parts of the state and meeting with people and talking with them. And, of course what he found was that there was a lot of common ground in the cares and concerns of people trying to live and work in this economy.

For instance, of course someone who lives in Georgia and outside of Atlanta is going to be concerned with their house and their mortgage and the possibility of being foreclosed on. Only an ignorant fool would even start to think otherwise. So, today's equivalent of Wyche Fowler would find that there is a lot of concern about exactly these same issues between people in Atlanta and people in other parts of the state.

BTW, how did Wyche do? He won a big victory in the Democratic primaries that surprised all the pundits and their conventional wisdom. That 'Atlanta liberal' polled so well across the state that he got over 50% of the vote in a multicandidate field and got the nomination without a runoff. He then went on to beat the Republican candidate in the general election state-wide as well. He was a fine US Senator for six years, until he lost a re-election campaign because that time he wouldn't get out in the state and talk to people and instead let the consultants in DC talk him into running a campaign of all media ads, most negative.

Of course, the problem with getting rid of the Blue Dog's is that these are exactly the candidates that are found and promoted by Raul Emanual and the DCCC. That group goes out of its way to find rich, conservative, pro-war, pro-corporate candidates to run as the Democratic candidates. And then challenges, punishes, tries to first intimidate and the defeat any progressive candidates. When a progressive manages to win such a loaded and rigged primary anyways, then you see the Leiberman technique of refusing to acknowledge the decision of the party and running as an independent on the ballot.

The way to get the Blue Dogs out of Congress is to run independent\third party campaigns in the general election. Trying to compete in the rigged game of an undemocratic Democratic primary is a waste of effort.

If you have a strong commitment to run and support a truly liberal\progressive independent candidate in the general election, then its immediately obvious that the one candidate who can not possibly win is the Blue Dog. Then, if the Democrats really don't want the seat to go Republican, their only option is to abandon the Blue Dog and support the progressive.

Of course, what you find in the real world is that the Democratic Party establishment would rather see a Republican win than a progressive.

Anyone notice this. When dealing with Democrats, the only possible compromise is for liberals and progressives to give up what they want and to support the conservative position. Its never acceptable to the Democrats that the conservative Democrats might ever have to compromise on anything to create a coalition that can win.

Thank you COMarc, i second your post. I was about to make the same point, although getting a little tired of repeating myself to the hard of hearing. That's you, Daniel David. I have no idea why you think salvation lies with the Democrats. They aren't interested, you don't have enough money.

Corruption isn't actually accurate. The system has been sold-out. The corruption came decades ago. The political system is functioning just as it's supposed to. The current batch of D.C. political whores all belong to one party - the Uncle Buck Party. While Uncle Sam was being run out of town, and the Constitution being changed to facilitate fascism, the Dems and Reps have given birth to their own party. They have the mainstream media doing their PR work. And the military industrial complex has just given Bush a new part of IRON HEELs that he can use to keep himself in office or on his next Middle East gas run.
America, we hardly knew ya!
Hoa binh

This provides another example of the harm done by the corporate media, demagogic politicians, and even some liberal organizations in lumping together social conservatism and economic conservatism. The oligarchy wants nothing better than for the "little people" to view elections as choices about social issues.

The left should stop trying to convince the rural Southerners and others to change their positions on social issues (which will never happen) and instead attempt to inform them that national elections are really not much about social issues and that, in national elections, the social issues are all just so much noise.

Giuliani, or any of his fellow fascists, would not appoint a fifth fascist to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, but to overturn the Bill of Rights.

COMarc and BeForKids,

I have no objection whatsoever to the idea of electing independents, as long as they're liberal enough to caucus with the Democrats for control purposes when they arrive on Capitol Hill. You may have an excellent point that some of them could win in three-way races, and I'll wish for that anywhere you can get it done.

I'm pro-liberal, anti-Republican, not just a Democrat. Though I don't support the idea of third parties running for president (because they do not ever win), some conservative districts might be ripe for it where you spilt the conservatives between a Repug and a Blue Dog and win with 40% or so
Liberal independents, lots of them to replace some incumbents, would be great for Congress.

Just more fodder to believe in a vast conspiracy...skull n bones, masons, the new world order.

The Democrats are corrupt why single out just one group of them as they are all in K Street's pockets just like the Republicans.

My state, Pennsylvania, recently elected a "Blue Dog" senator, Robert Casey. PA is a state that goes either way as each election passes, Dem or GOP.
Not casey he votes with Bush every time for whatever reason I do not know.
Maybe it's where he was when they passed out brains.
The man lives and dies abortion becuase of his old man but he also seems it ok to keep up the war, spy on all americans and vote down the line with Idiot in Chief.
Maybe Santorum was you know, man on dog, but Scranton is giving him a run for his money.
Casey's web site had or has a section called Santorum Watch great huh.......I take it to mean make sure you stay right of Santorum

According to the Rove Dictionary for New Bushmerica:

Blue Dog Democrats: synonym for loyalbushieDems. One who talks the progressive talk, but walks exactly as ordered by his paymasters.

"The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller's initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill-a telling justification."

Blue Dogs or Lap Dogs? A concern for the "integrity" of a Bankruptcy Bill that clearly favored corporate "predatory" industries and wealthy individuals? Are these people for real?

At the time that 19 Democrats voted in favor of this bill, a Bush appointed SEC Commissioner (William Donaldson) OPPOSED the bill.

Let's not forget that this bill was passed in the early months of 2005 when corporate criminals were being dragged into court for fleecing both shareholders and consumers of this nation. Don't you think that the Securities and Exchange Commissioner may have OPPOSED this bill because he, better than anyone in Congress, knew how much fleecing was still taking place on Wall Street? You would have to be a criminal or a complete idiot to have voted in favor of this bill when a Republican-appointed SEC Commissioner opposed it! Shortly after this bill was passed, SEC Commissioner, William Donaldson resigned to "spend more time with his family".

You've heard that one before under this administration, and more times than you can count!

LOL

Both parties are corrupt. Perhaps 99.9% of the Republicans and only 95% of the Democrats. If only it was an ideological difference, we should be so fortunate.

It's possible that there is a version of non-corrupt conservative ideology out there somewhere, but it may have never occurred in American politics outside a context of corruption and/or some form of xenophobia.

Imagine a version of conservativism which wasn't corrupt or xenophobic. It might emphasize conservation (same root word), caution/deliberation, fiscal restraint, isolationism, etc. Not necessarily all bad things, but they have nothing to do with what is called conservativism today.

It is strange how aptly we see the weaknesses in others yet cannot see our own. Progress involves changing ourselves not others. Changing ourselves is the only power we have and we have not done nearly enough of it.

I am from Mass. supposedly the bluest of the blues, and from Cambridge (as in the People's Republic of), and still the Democrats in power here oppose small "d" democracy. I just watched with amazement as the powers that be made sure to undo a democratic vote for a progressive. And succeeded.

The party is a mess, both nationally and in many small localities. I say this as a lifelong Democrat trying to figure out what the heck to do with my passion for politics.

Democrat = corrupt

Isn't that at about the level of 'dog bites man' as a news story?

After all, the entire party is build upon taking big contributions then delivering political favors. Both parties are. But note how the Democrats have done nothing to even try to change that while in control of Congress. They just went to the K-Street lobbyist with their hands out to deliver the message that the last election meant they got more of the bribes than the Republicans these days.

Democrat = corrupt = Republican.

Meanwhile, back to our lead news story. Joey Smith, age 10 was bitten by Mrs. Johnson's dog Cheesecake.

If I have to vote between the wolf and the wolf in sheep's clothing, I'd much rather vote for the wolf and know what's coming to prepare for their worst nightmare's before the storm hits !

I agree with COMarc's earlier post who pointed out that Raul Emmanual has been promoting/supporting these "dogs" against grass roots progresives attempting to win primaries. This is one of the leading Dems who controls the purse strings of the party when it comes to funding campaigns and his rise in the party has some very interesting ( sinister) aspects. This is why I feel that a trojan horse was introduced quite some time ago, and the influence of those who infiltrated just keeps spreading like a virulent form of cancer.

That is precisely why I maintain so vehemently that those of us who want fundamental change, MUST look elsewhere. The door was shut in our face, and standing and pounding on it, will not make those who hold the key, open it.

They don't want our kind, and they believe they don't NEED us. The truth is, folks, our KIND doesn't need them---they just co-opt our dreams and dilute our considerable energy. Let's offer those things in a franework that honors what we have to offer. Anything else simply admits defeat before we ever get started.

DK may have a D after his name but clearly he is no more welcome in the Dem party than we are. Support him because it is the right thing to do for you---so that you at least can vote your ideals for a change. If enough people vote for him in the primaries, perhaps the message that we are a force to be reckoned with will be heard.

Since Nixon (at least) conservative seems to be by definition, corrupt.

There's no such thing as Blue Dog Democrats, there are only Democrats and they're scum. They are betrayers of the US Constitution and criminals. A vote for a Democrat or a Republican is a vote for Fascism and War Crimes.

Recall the quote from one of the corporatists in that great film, Syriana: "Corruption is how we win!!"

Name the names.

No matter who you vote for if you don't actively participate after the election you will never get representation. Consequences maintain behavior, it's like telling your child to clean thier closet but never checking to see if they completed the task. Checking to see if they understood what needs to be done and have the ability to do it successfully. News-flash - the closet hasn't been cleaned in a very long time and another family has moved in.