To Arlen and the "Blue Dogs" ...

I do not buy the conservative district argument.

You have a D by your name, the D stands for Democratic Party. The Democratic Party has a platform that they put together at the State Democratic Conventions that are held all over this country run by Democratic Party members who work late into the night arguing and voting on what the Democratic Party stands for.

We have a National Democratic Convention that also has a platform.

You understand playoff games—when you make it to the top and you win the final round, you win?

We won.

Read the platform and vote with the party.

60 votes... Majority party... Winners... the Democratic Party...

Any questions?

Or someone that will work with us 80 to 90 % of the time? Because a liberal Democrat can't win those seats or they would have already. I'll forgive them some votes as long as it doesn't stop the party's platform from moving forward.

I'm not so sure that all these "Blue Dogs" will lose their seats just b/c they vote with mainstream America on one issue or the other.

The excuses are wearing thin.

I've often wondered why he calls himself a Democrat. I think it's because the Dems allow him greater freedom when voting on legislation. The Republicans would never tolerate such individuality. He says that he simply votes for what is best for his district. I think that he's really an Independent at heart.

Indeed, you clearly don't recall the Dixiecrats.

As an independent liberal, I'm endlessly amused at the schizophrenia of partisan Democrats ... talking about "big tent" and "progressive values" and "party platform" -- as though there were the slightest congruency between these notions.

Now we have the myth of a "filibuster-proof majority" ... which can be filed alongside the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.

If they use a D next to their name to get elected, they owe it to their constituents to move that platform forward. I would like to tell Obama that, as well. The State level Democrats here in New England have some very definite statements of belief that the national Democrats ignore.

I understand that some of the conservative state's Democratic Platform may be different than Maine's, but now we have a Democratic president. We have been lured into voting for the Democratic Party with the assumption that when we win the Whitehouse, at that point the Platform starts meaning something. That is in THEORY why people vote for a Democrat. Even Obama in his book says he is a Democrat because he agrees with the Democratic platform more than he does with the Republican platform.

I know it WAS all bullshit, except this last election I witnessed Progressives, Greens, and Independents, become the "partisan Democrats" all of us playing the game by their rules.


This "Blue Dog" meme has simply replaced the "we are the minority" meme, and I have had it.

I just received a call, JUST NOW from the DCC asking me for money. BOY did they call the wrong person. I told them that if Obama does not veto any health bill that does not contain a public option I will re-register as independent.

If Harry Reid can't "lead" the Democrats in the Senate they will never see a dime from me.

I want single payer health care, socialized medicine is just what the doctor ordered, but I am giving them enough face saving to call it the public option. It may be the wedge we need to break through.

Rant over.

and pushing to hard will result in lost seats.