How does electing "Blue Dog" Democrats help the country?

[devilgrrl]

Because from where I'm sitting they don't seem to be much different than their Republican counterparts. I'll bet my bank account that some of these so-called Democrats vote in favor of huge corporations, try to overturn Roe V. Wade, elect more conservative judges, make sure *'s disastrous tax cuts stay intact and will do absolutely NOTHING to stop the current war in Iraq.

Everybody is so excited at the prospect of the Senate and Congress becoming Democratic majorities and I couldn't be less enthused, especially when people think electing conservatives posing as Democrats is a good thing.

I wonder who our next Joe Lieberman or Zell Miller will be - I can barely wait to find out. :sarcasm:

[liberal N proud]

1. Eventually they show their true colors

[ulysses]

2. I look at it this way.

I'm happy to have their support where we have it. Where we don't, we know where to target next Congressional cycle.

[scarletwoman]

23. Exactly. Thank you for saying it so succinctly. (nt)

[FogerRox]

3. Devils advocate, If a bluedog defeats a republican to win election

Is that a bad thing ?

If a bluedog defeats a democrat in a primary, thats maybe not so good.

[tkmorris]

4. You have a point

People keep trying to make the point around here that "Yeah, candidate 'x' isn't perfect but wouldn't you rather have a Dem in that seat than a Repub?" but to me that just doesn't wash.

If it was the Republican Party that was on the upswing right now many of those same candidates would be running for the same seat, only carrying an 'R' after their name instead of the 'D' they sport now. Aside from controlling committees what matters is how these people VOTE, not what letter they tack onto their name.

[magellan]

5. I agree, it's a bad tactic that mostly helps the Repubs

I won't be voting for any Blue Dogs or DINOs. If I have to I'll vote 3rd party.

[stray cat]

6. Bill Frist, Tom Delay, - I prefer moderate dems to that the extreme right

[MonkeyFunk]

7. Because in many areas of the country

your choice is a conservative democrat or a conservative republican.

Democrats at least caucus with the party on organizing votes.

It gets so tiresome to see people bitch and moan that the rest of america doesn't elect liberal democrats. Have you BEEN to the rest of America?

[Name removed]

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[Zynx]

10. The question I would have is have you ever lived in a conservative district?

In Waukesha, WI, home of Jim Sensenbrenner, the only sort of Democrat who could win out there would have to be to the right of Francisco Franco. Barbara Boxer would never win there.

[devilgrrl]

11. Yes, I have, Bucks County Pennsylvania certainly qualifies as conservative.

Barbara Boxer couldn't win there either.

[Zynx]

12. 69% Republican conservative?

[Maddy McCall]

16. Which means.....you proved Monkeyfunk right.

You're somethin' else.

[devilgrrl]

18. What that blue dogs don't do conservative districts any favors either.

Actually, they do many favors in that they'll vote in favor of conservative initiatives. No honey, you're something else :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

20. Blue dogs come from the people who elect them.

Gene Taylor is an excellent example from Mississippi. I'd feel much more comfortable voting for Gene than for Chip Pickering, for example.

If you think that the choice between a Blue Dog and an untraconservative isn't a distinct choice, then you don't know much about politics.

Democrats in some regions of the country aren't identical to Democrats in other regions of the country.

That doesn't make the most liberal the most important, or provincial. Centrist Dems have as much claim to this party as liberal Democrats do. Why some people think that, just because they're more liberal, they "speak" for the party, I'll never know. It's a stupid way to think, for sure.

[devilgrrl]

25. "you don't know much about politics."

yep, gotta love the insults...

Conservatism - it's what's for dinner - deal with it.

Right?

[Maddy McCall]

27. This is the 2004 electoral map, county by county.

It's self explanatory...answers your question quite well.

[devilgrrl]

31. That's a lot of red....

nor does it answer anything other than your need to get in the last word. :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

33. Your posts indicate a level of obtuseness that I rarely encounter at DU.

Well, obtuse and ignorance. It's as if you're doing it on purpose.

[devilgrrl]

38. The last eight years in the USA and that primary bullshit will do that to you....

this country has gone so far to the right that I don't see us coming back anytime soon... even toward the center... I don't see it happening. What's there to look forward to? The MSM is going to treat Barack Obama the same way that Bill Clinton was treated. They will hammer him back and forth over bullshit like flag pins, that's how lame it'll be... I just know it.

Ignorance.... yeah, okay.

[cap]

19. bucks is a changin' there, devilgrrl...

Upper Bucks is still conservative...but Lower Bucks went for Obama big time... More NYCers and Philly people moving in Lower Bucks...

[devilgrrl]

21. Back in the late 80's/early 90's it was solidly Bush Country

Glad to hear that news.

[cap]

28. We have been workin' hard here to flip it...

We finally got a Democratic Congressman -- Pat Murphy -- Blue Dog, but you gotta start somewhere. Most importantly, we have been winning local elections and have even got one County Commissioner. We've been winning the Presidency though and hope to turn this into Obama Country.

[Zynx]

32. Bucks voted for Kerry by 3 points.

[cap]

34. so our challenge is to beat that spread for Obama

eom

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[TechBear_Seattle]

9. They are Democrats in name (if *only* Democrats in name)

To most people hereabouts, that is the one and only thing that matters. (I wish I could use the :sarcasm: tag with that, but alas....)

[aikoaiko]

13. Well, there is the majority leadership issue.

[Richardo]

14. They allow the Dems to have the committee chairs, Speaker and the agenda

Other than that, not much :eyes:

[Maddy McCall]

22. Oh, those little things?

How....unimportant.

:rofl:

[devilgrrl]

26. Hey Maddy McCall, the moment these people vote with the GOP, I'm going rub this in your face

Then I'm going to say "Told you so!"

:hi:

[Maddy McCall]

29. You make less sense as this thread progresses.

Ummm....OK.

:shrug:

[devilgrrl]

30. No, it's not okay. I have an issue with wolves in sheeps clothing...

and too bad if you don't like it. :*

[Richardo]

39. ...

:D

:hi: Maddy

You're going above and beyond trying to be sensible here. It's plain that it's a futile effort.

[Xithras]

24. In some areas, it's just the best you can hope for.

I live in CA-19 and have to deal with a Republican representative (Radanovich, a tried and true Bush teat sucker). My friends a few miles to the south live in CA-18 and get to enjoy Dennis Cardoza, who is about as blue dog as they come. His is a district that went for Bush in both elections, which consistently elects Republicans to state and local offices, and which is only Democratic at the federal level because of a historical fluke. A real LIBERAL couldn't get elected dogcatcher here (literally, the Stanislaus County Animal Control facility kills thousands of animals a year and considers no-kill shelter concepts to be a liberal fantasy worthy of laughter and scorn...I am NOT kidding).

So, you get a choice. You can enjoy the Blue Dog conservative Democrat that district sends to the House every year, or you can deal with the Republican who would replace him if we told that district that we no longer wanted their kind of Democrat. Choose well.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

35. I thought the definition of a Blue Dog Dem was one that would vote

for a dem no matter what.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

36. never mind - that's yellow dog,huh?

[Lifetimedem]

37. Here is how the BD's benefit YOU

They give the numbers needed to be a majority in the house, thus put the Dems in charge. They can help build a veto proof minority !

There are liberal Pubbies that will vote on bills with the dems. How each man votes is to his conscience.

[Oak2004]

40. Once upon a time ago, when the Republicans included liberals, often the R was the better choice

But now liberal Republicans are extinct. The Democrat is almost invariably the more progressive of the two, even if progressive here means only "occasionally shows a populist streak" and "votes with the party on issues the whips twist their arms on". More critically, a Blue Dog can give Democrats control of the House or Senate (or State house, or city council, or whatever), allowing for more progressive policies overall (given that it's no longer possible for anyone sane to work with the extremist remnants of the once diverse Republican Party).

I used to be one of those now extinct liberal Republicans. I'm now a member of a local third party. As someone who has never been a Democrat, I have absolutely no party loyalty or partisan urges towards the Democrats. What I do have, however, is common sense and a commitment to progressive values, and in most cases the most progressive possible outcome in an election is to support the Democrat.