Liberal Democrat Suggests Blue Dogs ‘Brain Dead’

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Liberal Democrat Suggests Blue Dogs ‘Brain Dead’
By Alex Wayne, CQ Staff


Moderate “Blue Dog” Democrats “just want to cause trouble” and are opposing portions of their party’s health bill because they’re interested in campaign donations from insurance companies, said the Democrat who heads the health subcommittee on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.

Rep. Pete Stark , D-Calif., a proponent of the government-run plan — what Democrats call a “public option” — suggested Thursday that members of the Blue Dog Coalition aren’t thinking clearly.

“The Blue Dogs just want to cause trouble,” Stark said during a conference call organized by the liberal group Campaign for America’s Future. “For the most part they’re — I hate to say brain-dead. They’re just looking to raise money from insurance companies and promote a right-wing agenda that isn’t very useful in this process.”

In response, Kristen Hawn, a spokeswoman for the Blue Dog Coalition, said members of the group “believe it’s more important to get it right than to rush legislation on this complicated and critical issue.

“The Blue Dogs want to see health care reform happen, and they will continue to be constructive partners with the White House, and with other members of the House and Senate, to reach that goal,” she said.