The talk of "conservative" freshman Dems doesn't worry me at all

[jpgray]

A big tent party will always have some unsavory elements, but those elements lend a great deal of power to the progressive, senior elements of the party such as Conyers, Kucinich, and Waxman. The power of committee chairmanships in the House and Senate will make worlds of difference. After all, the horribly racist "Solid South" helped usher in FDR's New Deal--if it were a choice between a conservative Democrat and a liberal Democrat things would be different, but things being as they are we should be celebrating well into next week that we've knocked out decided conservatives and replaced them with moderates or better. Where it was such a choice, in the CT campaign, we at least lost no ground--we are no worse off there than before. The difference between a minority of powerless progressives and empowered progressives isn't only a matter of having -more- progressives, it's having progressives in leadership positions. And the way our system works, simply having more Ds accomplishes that purpose. The best bill in Congress has no worth if it will never be brought to the floor. See this new freshman class as more of the same with only superficial Ds replacing Rs if you want, but remember all the progressives in Congress you care about. Each new D adding to our majority adds more feathers to their wings, even the mealy-mouthed Lieberman's caucusing with Dems will help somewhat.

[xchrom]

1. lieberman is an independent. not a democrat.

[jpgray]

2. He will caucus with us, however.

[brainshrub]

4. Nah, he's a Republican.

When ever something important comes to the floor, he'll go with the Republicans.

[jpgray]

5. It could be worse

We've gained real power again and we have people who will make great use of it.

[brainshrub]

3. Congressman-elect Heath Shuler (NC-11) is conservative

But he's a good guy, and he's going to make WNC proud.

[jpgray]

8. Haven't heard much about him

What can you tell me, if you don't mind?

[brainshrub]

11. Well, for starters, he's a fundamentalist Christian

but not a bash-you-on-the-head kind. He actually walks the walk.

He is pro-life and has been non-committal on getting out of Iraq. On the other hand, he's an environmentalist and pro-union.

Mixed bag all-in-all. But perhaps he is the perfect compromise for these parts.

I didn't like Shuler at first, but the way he ran his campaign was excellent. He spoke from his values, even if the crowd didn't agree with what he had to say.

He's also a good listener.

When the incumbent Taylor tried to smear him, he didn't go into a corner and cry a river last past Dems; instead, he reached behind the cub-board and pulled out a can of whup-ass.

By the end of the campaign, Taylor was a blubbering mess. It was wonderful to watch.

[Coexist]

6. FDL has some interesting points for you to ponder:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2648183

[jpgray]

7. That's good

:D

[meow2u3]

9. Conservative Dems are largely social conservatives

Most conservative Dems are fiscally moderate to progressive, by today's standards. They're likely to vote with republicans on the cultural issues, but with us on the important kitchen table issues, such as Social Security and health care.

[bluedogyellowdog]

10. These "conservative Dems" are

conservative and progressive at the same time. What we saw last night was nothing less than the return of the Rust Belt Democrats. They're all economic populists. That makes them progressive and compatible with the left, but also compatible with the Lou Dobbs wing of the right. They're also, many of them, opposed to the Iraq War. Again, a progressive left position that is also compatible with the populist wing of the right i.e. Ron Paul or antiwar.com. Most of them are pro-Second Amendment. Most of them are pro-union and support raising the minimum wage, bringing back American manufacturing jobs, and bringing back economic fairness to society. Some are social conservatives but on the left on economic issues.

What they are is traditional Democrats. What they aren't, is Bushite neoCONs. They're Democrats who are a good fit with a big tent Democratic Party that represents the mainstream, silent majority of this country who are sick of the extremist right agenda of the neocons and religious right.

They're the sort of candidates epitomized by James Webb when he reached out to those of his own Scots-Irish American heritage and said "it's time for people to come home to the Democratic Party", or by Zachary Space and Joe Donnelly, Tim Mahoney and Jon Tester, Sherrod Brown and Nick Lampson. Comparing conservative Democrats and conservative Republicans is like comparing apples and oranges. Conservative Democrats are the traditional Democrats who have always ran strong in the Rust Belt, the South, and the rural Midwest and Northwest. They're honest, sensible people who know their job is to represent their districts. Conservative Republicans are crooks. They lie, they foment bizarre wars, they engage in unprecedented power grabs, they gerrymander, they steal elections, they suppress the vote, and they turn up their noses at the "riff raff" even as they grab power to themselves. Or to sum it up, conservative Republicans grab power and turn up their noses and laugh at the "riff raff"; conservative Democrats ARE the "riff raff" or in other words, Regular Guys. Conservative Democrats are progressive on some things, usually economic populism. Conservative Republicans are progressive on nothing.

If the Repugs are trying to claim our Big Tent Democrats as some kind of vindication of themselves, they're full of it. WE won. DEMOCRATS won.