Blue Dog Democrats: Conservative, Or Just Plain Corrupt?

[flashl]

Blue Dog Democrats: Conservative, Or Just Plain Corrupt?

Through their ethics scandals, Republicans in Washington long ago began making the word “conservative” synonymous with the term “corrupt.” Surprisingly, though, it is a group of Democrats that is cementing this definitional conversion for good.

In the midst of the housing crisis, a cadre of self-described “conservative” Democrats called the Blue Dog Coalition is demanding congressional leaders delay legislation designed to help people trapped in high-interest loans stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. The bill, House Resolution 3609, allows judges to ameliorate the terms of abusive “subprime” mortgages. Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., is championing it-a gutsy move for a lawmaker whose state domiciles major lenders.

The Blue Dogs say they oppose Miller’s initiative out of concern for the integrity of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill-a telling justification. Under that odious law, millionaires can shield their mansions from creditors, and corporate executives (think: Enron guys) can prevent ripped-off shareholders and employees from seizing their holdings. Harvard’s Elizabeth Warren notes that the law also “permits people with vacation homes and investment property to rework their mortgages in bankruptcy.”

But regular homeowners? Sorry-without Miller’s legislation, judges are barred from defending you against the vultures.

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Maintaining "integrity" of the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill?

[Horse with no Name]

1. I vote corrupt

I vote that the majority of them are actually republicans that couldn't get elected as republicans so they crossed over into our party and polluted it.

[flashl]

2. And, they make the 'big tent' argument harder to accept.

[Horse with no Name]

3. I don't buy the "big tent" theory anymore

the only ones espousing it are those that call themselves "centrists"...I call them republicans.

[flashl]

4. Agree. It opens the gateway to "get back to you" politics.

[mmonk]

8. I reject the "big tent" idea.

There is a place for undemocratic ideas on the other side of the aisle. When they are on our side of the aisle, they produce a sabotaging effect.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. The "Big Tent" might be ok to visit, but I don't want to live there.

And, the ringmasters are a pain in the ass.

[leftchick]

5. corrupt, complicit, corporate criminals

.

[depakid]

10. You forgot to mention cowardly

Mnay have never seen an issue that they wouldn't back down on.

[KharmaTrain]

6. Scared Shit

Most Blue Dogs are in blue or red districts...many barely won their seats and are the first ones being targeted by the GOOP. While its easy to sit in a safely blue area and condemn Blue Dogs these people DO represent more conservative areas and their voting records will reflect that. They tend to bend to the "conventional wisdom" as any little backlash in their areas can mean the difference in being re-elected. The Democratic party is a big tent...and if it is to be a majority party, there must be room for those who do have "conservative" values. Better to have them in the tent than outside trying to tear it down.

That said, I was a strong critic of the bankruptcy bill and this vote is a major reason I will not vote for my Democratic Blue Dog...and am supporting her challenger in the primary. Anyone with a modicum of financial education (which is me) could see that tightening bankruptcy redress was going to lead to a lot of foreclosures and bankruptcies. It was pure greed that has driven this sub-prime mess by an industry that knows the booosh regime has and will bail it out....just like daddy did during the S & L mess.

[Robbien]

7. No way are they scared. Blue Dogs champion robber baron causes

not because they live in red states. They do it because they believe in a free and unfettered market for owners. They believe that no regulation should stand in the way of corporate profit.

They are not scared to go against their conservative voters. The Blue Dogs are scared that their Democratic Party mask slips and voters find out that they are true blue robber baron GOPers down to the very core of their souls.

[Horse with no Name]

9. Most excellently succinct.

Thank you.

[leaninglib]

11. I assume you would like to see more Republicans in the house.

Just as there are liberal (for) Republicans, there are conservative (for) Democrats. When the votes are close, these members typically decide which way it goes.

[mmonk]

12. Nope.

Just less republican ideology leaning democrats.

[Horse with no Name]

13. and with the blue dogs

it almost certainly goes the way of the republicans.

[Robbien]

14. It would be great if the DCCC stopped supporting Blue Dogs in primaries

The Democratic party and the DLC/BlueDogs have no business recruiting Democrats to run in primaries where there is already a good candidate. The Democratic party takes our donations and recruits a GOPer, slaps a BlueDog mask on him and tells him to go out and defeat the progressive democratic candidate who would just ruin everything for the "centrists".

The DCCC and DSCC has no business meddling in primaries. They are supposed to be there to fight GOPers, not support GOPer BlueDogs to defeat Progressive Democrats.

[leftchick]

17. recruiting repukes/dlc blue dogs and smothering real democrats is Rahm's way

and if you think 2006 was bad he is on a tear for 2008. This party has been completely corrupted by emmanuel and his ilk.

[brazos121200]

15. In a political system like ours where

everybody is presumably a supporter of capitalism it becomes necessary to incorporate the "blue dogs" into the party. Without these blue dogs in the house the Democrats would still be in the minority. Yes, they are apologists for corporate greed and misdeeds, welcome to American politics. I think the bankruptcy bill was odious but it is only symptomatic of the power of corporate money in our system. What the big corporation want they usually get sooner or later, and historically the Democratic party has been a big part of this process. To drive the blue dogs over to the Repubs only strengthens the power of that party and weakens ours, and God knows we need all the help we can get.

[Bitwit1234]

16. I think they are some of the sneaky republicans, who filed as

democrats because they knew they'd never get the position as a republican nor the funding. So they are stealer's. They stole the Democrat name and money.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. They are politicians. Attaining and holding on to power any way they can.

“Now, the man on the stand he wants my vote,
He's a-runnin' for office on the ballot note.
He's out there preachin' in front of the steeple,
Tellin' me he loves all kinds-a people.
(He's eatin' bagels
He's eatin' pizza
He's eatin' chitlins
He's eatin' bullshit!)”

Bob Dylan