New Dems nip at Blue Dogs’ heels - Democratic Underground

ccharles000

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Tue Mar-10-09 04:16 PM
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New Dems nip at Blue Dogs’ heels

By Jared Allen
Posted: 03/09/09 08:09 PM
The House has long been a battlefield for liberals and conservatives to debate their differences fiercely, with lonely members in the middle of the political spectrum rarely attracting much attention.

But with President Obama’s commitment to bipartisanship and a major infusion of conservative Democrats in the lower chamber, two leading House factions are jockeying for position in the middle of the combat zone.

The so-called New Democrats are engaging in a sibling rivalry of sorts with their bunkmates in the center of the Democratic Caucus, the Blue Dogs.

After years of either being mistaken for having the same agenda as the Blue Dog Coalition, having their own coalition’s priorities misunderstood and/or being ignored altogether, the New Democrats have decided to publicly differentiate themselves from the Blue Dogs.

Apart from its flashier name, the Blue Dog Coalition has grabbed the spotlight more because it has a clear-cut No. 1 issue: fiscal discipline. Blue Dogs have given House leadership officials headaches for their repeated calls to adhere to pay-as-you-go, or pay-go, budgetary rules. Even though they have caved from time to time, Blue Dogs have commanded attention from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

New Democrats have a more nuanced existence — one that, at times, has caused them to be overlooked. The New Democrats’ strategy, which began quietly at first, was on full display just weeks ago, when they — and not just the Blue Dogs, as many had initially thought — forced Democratic leaders to take the housing and mortgage “cramdown” bill back to the drawing board

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/new-dems-nip-at-blue-dogs-heels-2009-03-09.html

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Omnibus

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Tue Mar-10-09 04:56 PM
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1. Just what we need, more centrist, pro-business "Democrats". n/t

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Jennicut

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Tue Mar-10-09 05:04 PM
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2. The House has more members so its got lots of room for different fractions within the parties

Am I the only one who thinks this is no big deal but kind of natural considering how many new seats we picked up in the last two elections from more conservative areas? Doesn't mean Obama has to listen to them.

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acmavm

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Wed Mar-11-09 05:58 AM
Response to Reply #2

10. Well, it's a pretty damn big deal with their votes help to defeat democratic

bills, legislation, and programs.

But it's like beauty I guess, it's all in the eye of the beholder.

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FLAprogressive

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Tue Mar-10-09 05:23 PM
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3. No, they're not centrists. They're center-right corporatists. Fuck both groups.

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tritsofme

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Wed Mar-11-09 12:18 AM
Response to Reply #3

5. And they represent the difference between Democratic and Republican control

of the House.

Deal with it.

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FLAprogressive

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Wed Mar-11-09 05:44 AM
Response to Reply #5

8. And they create a conservative working majority.....

Especially on trade issues and foreign policy.

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liskddksil

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Tue Mar-10-09 09:30 PM
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4. new dems / blue dogs two sides of the same coin

and that doesnt amount to a whole lot of change.

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Dr Fate

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Wed Mar-11-09 12:20 AM
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6. Bad-cop/bad-cop. n/t

n/t

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omega minimo

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Wed Mar-11-09 01:30 AM
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7. It's a big chamber. Why don't they just decide who gets to be called

Republicans.

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wyldwolf

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Wed Mar-11-09 05:47 AM
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9. here's a money quote in reference to the "DLC is dead" crowd

"New Democrats — along with their 13 members from the class of 2008..."

13 new members in the 2008 elections. 15 new members in the 2006 elections.

The House has the most new dems since the groups inception.

Al From, the DLC boogeyman, is stepping down and handing the reigns to policy wonk and Rahm Emanuel best bud Bruce Reed, a DLCer (Kaine) is now the chairman of the DNC. There's a DLCer around every corner in the Obama White House.

Like them or not, they're far from dead. Sorry, KOS.

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