Blue Dogs vow to bite on Iraq spending bill - (they're opposed to the GI Bill of Rights)

[Breeze54]

Blue Dogs vow to bite on Iraq spending bill

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/blue-dogs-vow-to-bite-on-iraq-spending-bill-2008-05-07.html

By Mike Soraghan
Posted: 05/07/08 07:54 PM

A small group of fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats is threatening to block the emergency war spending bill over a program for veterans’ benefits not offset with tax hikes or spending cuts.

Because of that problem, and the efforts by House Republicans to stall floor action with procedural motions, the vote on the carefully crafted supplemental measure could be delayed until Friday or next week.

“Some of us oppose creating a new entitlement program in an emergency spending bill, whether it’s butchers, bakers or candlestick-makers,” said Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.), a founding member of the Blue Dog Coalition who serves on the House leadership team as a deputy whip.

The so-called GI Bill of Rights, authored by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), would give veterans money for college and cost $720 million in its first two years. But critics say that could grow to billions in future years.

House Democratic leaders attached it to the supplemental spending bill figuring Bush wouldn’t dare veto veterans’ benefits. If he did, Republicans would pay a steep political cost.

But that calculation is now causing heartburn for Blue Dogs, the same members who have generally supported war funding. The fiscally conservative coalition is split. Some members are willing to block the bill because “pay-as-you-go” budgetary rules — offsetting new spending with spending cuts or increased taxes — have been ignored one too many times. Others, like Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.), don’t want to oppose benefits for veterans.

“It’s a cost of the war,” Barrow said.

Because of that division, there is no formal Blue Dog position on the bill. But blocking the bill wouldn’t require all 47 Blue Dogs; it takes only 15.

More....

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Let me get this straight....

It isn't the continuation of the occupation, they just don't think GI's deserve an education?

This is so convoluted.... :eyes:

[LakeSamish706]

1. How do we get rid of these so called "Blue Dog Democrats"? Sorry, but...

I don't view them as Democrats at all, more like Repugs. in my view.

[Breeze54]

3. We need to kick them out on their asses and

replace them with real progressive Dems !

Pic heavy : http://www.house.gov/ross/BlueDogs/Member%20Page.html

Blue Dog Coalition

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

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Members

* Mike Arcuri (New York)
* Joe Baca (California)
* John Barrow (Georgia)
* Melissa Bean (Illinois)
* Marion Berry (Arkansas)
* Sanford Bishop (Georgia)
* Dan Boren (Oklahoma)
* Leonard Boswell (Iowa)
* Allen Boyd (Florida), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration
* Dennis Cardoza (California)
* Christopher Carney (Pennsylvania)
* Ben Chandler (Kentucky)
* Jim Cooper (Tennessee)
* Jim Costa (California)
* Bud Cramer (Alabama)
* Lincoln Davis (Tennessee)
* Joe Donnelly (Indiana)
* Brad Ellsworth (Indiana)
* Bill Foster (Illinois)
* Gabrielle Giffords (Arizona)
* Kirsten Gillibrand (New York)
* Bart Gordon (Tennessee)
* Jane Harman (California)
* Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (South Dakota), Blue Dog Whip
* Baron Hill (Indiana)
* Tim Holden (Pennsylvania)
* Steve Israel (New York)
* Nick Lampson (Texas)
* Tim Mahoney (Florida)
* Jim Marshall (Georgia)
* Jim Matheson (Utah)
* Mike McIntyre (North Carolina)
* Charlie Melancon (Louisiana)
* Mike Michaud (Maine)
* Dennis Moore (Kansas), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy
* Patrick Murphy (Pennsylvania)
* Collin Peterson (Minnesota)
* Earl Pomeroy (North Dakota)
* Mike Ross (Arkansas), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications
* John Salazar (Colorado)
* Loretta Sanchez (California)
* Adam Schiff (California)
* David Scott (Georgia)
* Heath Shuler (North Carolina)
* Zack Space (Ohio)
* John Tanner (Tennessee)
* Gene Taylor (Mississippi)
* Mike Thompson (California)
* Charlie Wilson (Ohio)

Former members of Congress who were once prominent Blue Dog Coalition members include:

* Brad Carson (Oklahoma)
* Gary Condit (California)
* Harold Ford Jr. (Tennessee)
* Ralph Hall (Texas) (became a Republican and is still a member of the House)
* Bill Lipinski (Illinois)
* Ken Lucas (Kentucky)
* David Minge (Minnesota)
* Max Sandlin (Texas)
* Charlie Stenholm (Texas)
* Billy Tauzin (Louisiana) (later became a Republican and served until 2005)
* Jim Turner (Texas)

[Ewellian]

11. You'd better check voting records

before vowing to kick them out. My congressman joined the Blue Dogs but sure hasn't been voting with them.

[Breeze54]

12. The why is he a member?

:shrug:

They have a bad reputation as Bush lapdogs. :puke:

[Ewellian]

16. IMO, he did it as "cover"

He won an open long-time republican seat in a republican-majority district. I've been very satisfied with his voting record. Our district has been named by the RNC as one of their "top-five" targets....but no one has stepped up to run against him yet. NY-24 Mike Arcuri.

[magellan]

4. Stop voting for people just because they have a 'D' after their name

Start looking at who they really are and what they stand for.

The Democratic Party is cutting off its nose to spite its face by telling people to vote 'D' no matter what.

With Dems like these, who needs Repubs?

[Breeze54]

6. They were voted in from conservative districts...

"Many members come from conservative districts, where liberal Democrats comprise a decided minority of the general population." In 2006, Blue Dog candidates such as Heath Shuler and Brad Ellsworth were elected in conservative-leaning districts, ending years of Republican dominance in these districts.

The term, Blue Dog Democrat, is playfully derived from the original term Yellow Dog Democrat. It was former Democrat Rep. Pete Geren, of Texas, who said that the members have been "choked blue" by those extreme Democrats, from the left. Thus, he is credited for coining the term Blue Dog Democrat.

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

[magellan]

9. The further the Dems lean to the right to win seats

...the less progressive the party becomes, and the more we'll see repub values holding sway.

[Breeze54]

13. I agree and the conservative Dems in those states need to wake up!

Fast!

[Winterblues]

2. Why would GIs need an education? Remember how much crap Kerry got

when he inferred those same GIs might need an education. Everyone said he was saying our troops were stupid.. I am sure that mis-characterization cost him a few votes..

[Breeze54]

5. please stop....

:eyes:

[Nite Owl]

7. Ok so they will pay for the war

because they are afraid that they will be called unpatriotic and not supporting the troops but benefits for these very same troops need cuts in the budget for something else or new taxes? How does that make sense? They are showing their true color and it isn't blue!

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

8. Oh come on..

They states pretty clearly why they are against it and they are *valid* reasons:

"program for veterans’ benefits not offset with tax hikes or spending cuts."

Seems to me they are against the fact that this program is being passed and not funded.... hmm sounds like NCLB to me and we all agree that was bad.

"Some of us oppose creating a new entitlement program in an emergency spending bill"

Procedural but valid you should not be creating long term entitlements in short term spending bills. Webb should strip out his program and make it be its own bill with funding.

[zanne]

10. Why aren't there are "blue" or "yellow" Republican dogs?

Is it because we've allowed the other party to label and divide us? We ought to think of labels for them, too. How about "delusional" Dog and "Psychotic" Dog?

[Breeze54]

14. They named themselves...

[marmar]

15. Somebody call Animal Control.....

Mad Blue Dogs on the loose.... :crazy:


Some of these people, not all of them, are an absolute cancer on the party. Yes, Pelosi has been a disappointment, but I really do feel sorry for her because she has to herd cats (or blue dogs), and that's gotta be tough.

[tuckessee]

17. Why don't the troop supporters pay for the GI boondoggle themselves?

Put their money where their mouths are. Start a private scholarship foundation for veterans.

Me, I'm tired of paying for crap like this.

I'm all tapped out. So is the nation. We're broke.

Even if we weren't broke, I could think of many things I'd rather spend money on than rewarding people for volunteering to fight counter-productive, illegal wars.

[wmbrew0206]

18. Here is the issue with the GI Bill

There are two separate GI Bill in the House right now. The one attached to this bill so greatly increases the amount of aid to military members who qualify for it that it is feared that it will be a deterrent to re-enlistment. The benefits are almost comparable to an E-3 or E-4 would make if they continued in the service. This would could cause the military to lose a great percentage of junior members who normally would stay in and become the NCOs that run the military.

The second bill, the ones the Blue Dog democrats are favoring, also increases GI Bill benefits but not as much as the other bill. This one also seems to have a scaled approach to benefits, ie the longer you stay in the better the package becomes. I think the scale tops out at 6 or 7 years, but I'm not sure.

I hoping the first bill passes for selfish reasons, but these democrats are not against increasing GI Bill benefits, just how to do it.