Here We Go Again....Blue Dog Dems Rebel Against Pelosi

[AnnInLa]

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2006/nov/16/blue_dog_dems_demand_pelosi_support_harman_for_intel_committee_chair

Election Central has just obtained a letter that has been sent by the conservative Blue Dog Coalition of Dems to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging that she back Rep. Jane Harman to chair the Intelligence Committee.

As the panel's ranking Dem, Harman is the logical choice for the Intel committee. But Pelosi -- who failed today in her bid to install Jack Murtha as House Majority Leader over the Blue Dog-backed Steny Hoyer -- appears to have been pushing Rep. Alcee Hastings for the Intel gig. The letter -- which was voted on and given the necessary 2/3 vote to make it an official Blue Dog position -- suggests that Pelosi may be about to get hit by another revolt against her pick by rank-and-file House members. The letter reads:

"As members of the Blue Dog Coalition, we are writing today to express our strong support for our colleague Congresswoman Jane Harman's appointment as Chair of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence...

We have given our full confidence to Congresswoman Harman to lead the Intelligence Committee and respectfully request that you do the same."

Full letter and signatories here: http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2006/nov/16/blue_dog_dems_demand_pelosi_support_harman_for_intel_committee_chair

[fooj]

1. Enough already.

For goodness sakes...WTF do we stand to gain by all of this back-stabbing and in-fighting?

Maybe I just need a break....

[Ignacio Upton]

2. In this case they are actually justified

Alcee Hastings was impeached as a federal judge for taking bribes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcee_Hastings

[KSU Wildcat]

8. I heartily agree with you....nt

[partylessinOhio]

3. Oh, Oil of Olay!

[Junkdrawer]

4. FYI: Wiki on "Blue Dog Democrats"

Blue Dog Democrats are social and economic conservatives and centrists in the United States Democratic Party. In the United States House of Representatives, Blue Dogs are an actual coalition of like-minded Democrats organized as the Blue Dog Coalition, rather than just an expression such as "Yellow dog Democrat." The term is a reference to the "Blue Dog" paintings of Cajun artist George Rodrigue of Lafayette, Louisiana; the original members of the coalition would regularly meet in the offices of Louisiana representatives Billy Tauzin and Jimmy Hayes, both of whom had Rodrigue's paintings on their walls (and both of whom later switched to the Republican Party).

The Blue Dog Coalition was formed in 1994 under the 104th Congress as a way for more conservative members of Congress of the Democratic party to have a unified voice in Congress. It currently has 37 members. It considers itself a continuation of the socially conservative wing of the Democratic party made prominent during the presidencies of Lyndon Johnson and Harry Truman whom many in the Blue Dog movement consider to be the first two Blue Dog presidents.

The coalition was notably successful in a special election of February 2004 in Kentucky, to fill a vacant Representative's seat. They were also successful in the November 2004 elections, when three of the five races where a Democrat won a formerly Republican seat in the House were won by Blue Dog Democrats. Freshman Blue Dogs in the House are sometimes known as "Blue Pups."

Often, the group will be instrumental in striking a balance between liberal and conservative ideas. Despite Blue Dogs' differing degrees of economic and social conservatism, they share a strong orientation toward fiscal responsibility, and as a rule work to promote positions within the House of Representatives which bridge the gap between the two extremes. Blue Dogs are an important swing vote on spending bills and, as a result, have gained an influence in Congress out of proportion to their small numbers. They are frequently sought after to broker compromises between the Democratic and Republican leadership.

...





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dog_Democrats

[DURHAM D]

6. Thanks for posting - I had been wondering how many

members are in the group. Pretty small group and not that many signed the letter.

[William769]

5. It's called living in a Democracy!

We've' had enough of the goose steppers! :eyes:

[wyldwolf]

7. Good for them. Bravo!

unlike the Republicans they are replacing, Democrats showed today they will not march in lockstep at every dictate from their leaders. And if there is any good news for the Democrats from the entire episode, that is it.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1560277,00.html