HuffPo: Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois Senate Candidate, Pledges To Create Senate Progressive Caucus

[steve2470]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/13/alexi-giannoulias-illinoi_n_681362.html

Illinois Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias announced on Friday that if he wins in November, he will immediately spearhead the creation of a formal progressive caucus in United States Senate

The Illinois Democrat's campaign told the Huffington Post that the objective is to provide a philosophical counterweight to the sway that conservative Democratic members often have over legislation.

"Think of this proposal as a sort of 'Blue Line' caucus for the Senate -- a group of progressive leaders who will hold the line and set a minimum threshold of what we think should be at the bargaining table," Giannoulias said in a statement.

"We've seen what the Blue Dog caucus has been able to accomplish through its infrastructure. And we've been able to get landmark legislation passed in the face of unprecedented Republican obstruction and conservative Democratic opposition in large part because the Progressive Caucus in the House has played a vital role in advocating for policies that help all Americans, not just the privileged few," Giannoulias continued. "But there is no real counterpart in the Senate that can wield a similar influence and operate as a stopgap to both destructive Republican policies and enabling, wavering Democrats."

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