Voting out the Bush Democrats

[LaStrega]

Submitted by Bob Ferdik

While Democrats control the House of Representatives by 231-202, they cannot pass progressive bills on health care, the environment, jobs, justice, and impeachment - or even stop horrendous Republican bills on Iraq, torture, and warrantless wiretapping - because a few dozen "Bush Democrats" usually vote with George Bush.

One solution is to elect more Democrats to increase our majority so "Bush Democrats" matter less, and many netroots groups like Moveon.org, DailyKos.com, and Blue America are doing this brilliantly.

The other solution is to support progressive Democrats in primaries against "Bush Democrats," and that's why we launched this effort, drawing heavily on the excellent advice of Blue America's Howie Klein.

The main reason progressives have avoided primaries against Democratic incumbents is the fear that a divisive primary might help turn a "Bush Democratic" seat into a Republican seat. Realistically, there may be a few "Bush Democrats" who are uniquely able to win in Republican districts and therefore should not be challenged in a Democratic primary. But those are the exceptions, not the rule - especially in an election like 2008 where Democrats have a large lead due to widespread disgust with Bush and the entire Republican Party. We will not target incumbents who are truly exceptional.

Let's get their asses outta there!

[rpannier]

1. Lots of good information

Thanks for posting

[LaStrega]

2. You're very welcome ...

I feel a definite momentum building ... if we keep pushing we can accomplish an astounding turn around.

[bhbwl]

10. Does anyone else recognize the significance...

...of the day after election day?

The 5th of November is Guy Fawkes Day, also known as "Bonfire Night."

Fire, traitors...

Just sayin', is all.

"They got the guns, but we got the numbers,
Gonna win, yeah, we're takin' over...
COME ON!" - Jim Morrison

They can't stop us all.

[tbyg52]

3. Unfortunately, I'm guessing mine is one of the "unique ones"

Darn it. Well, almost anybody is better than DeLay.

[LaStrega]

4. DeLay sucks ass ... and not in a good way. n/t

[SlingBlade]

5. Voting out the Bush Democrats

Great idea

Why we allow this as well as the Pelosi/Reed connection to
turn our votes into Republican enablers has always been a sore
spot with me, AKA ,Lieberman.

This last episode with the FISA bill has brought me to the conclusion
that win or lose we must take our party back from the fascist.

Win or Lose !

[LaStrega]

7. We'll start with the D's who have a 'yea' by their name:

Here they are, in all their glory.

on edit:

Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea

(I think I got 'em all)

[lonestarnot]

6. K & R even though

Error: you can only recommend threads which were started in the past 24 hours


and put it on the front page!

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

8. I think the most important thing...

...Is to build up a mechanism for progressive accountability for ALL Democrats so that none of them are able to cave into Bushies without getting bitten from the left. There may be a few places where only conservative-leaning Dems can win and maintain a seat. But they are the exception. What matters is that the candidates elected represent the views of the people in their district, period.

[paulthomson]

9. thanks for posting this

Good Post--thanks

[Rabia]

11. You mean Dixiecrats?

Bush Democrats used to be called, in a less 'politically correct' environment, Dixiecrats. Dixiecrats have been the southerners and others who joined the Democratic Party to prevent it's progress in eliminating first slavery, then Jim Crow, and lately economic inequality.

A bigot by any other name.....

[Equality4all]

12. Obama rethinks Bush policy of warrantless wire taps. Likes it!

The reason Democrates can't stop 'warrantless wire tapping" is because the Obama administration SUPPORTS IT and wants to spy on Americans. Here it is, http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/04/obama-doj-worse-than-bush

[trumanh59639]

13. I wouldn't worry about it

They only represent about 1% of Dems in general.