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Every Dog Has Its Day

By W. James Antle, III on 7.24.09 @ 11:02AM

RealClearPolitics has a story up on how the Blue Dogs are finally getting respect from President Obama and the Democratic congressional leadership -- now that they hold the keys to whether health care reform passes. This kind of attention irritates liberals to no end, much like the Republican leadership's solicitude toward moderates bothers conservatives. Why, liberals ask, pay so much attention to the Blue Dogs when the Congressional Progressive Caucus is larger?

Short answer: Because most members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus hail from safe districts while the Blue Dogs are disproportionately vulnerable to Republican challengers. Their fear of handing such challengers votes in favor of higher taxes, ballooning deficits, and mandatory abortion coverage as cudgels with which to beat them in 2010 is what makes them reluctant to go along with the party.

Of course, the Blue Dogs frequently put up a fight at first only to roll over. So we'll see.

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JP| 7.24.09 @ 1:17PM

The GOP's best chances in 2010 are in the Blue Dog districts. I think the Blue Dogs will probably roll next week when Speaker Pelosi forces a floor vote. If and when they do roll over, November 2010 could be a bloodbath for them -the GOP could pick up as many as 40 seats if they place thier cards right.

Even the Senate could favor the GOP. Even if the GOP only picks up two Senate seats, the supere-majority is over for Reid and Obama. Given the unpopularity of Boxer and Dodd, those 2 seats are up for grabs. If the President gets pretty much what he wants from the Cap and Trade and Health Care Bills, it could be a blow out in the Senate. The economy, according to retired Fed Govenor Binder, is at bottom and should be recovering in 2010. Universal Health Care and Cap and Trade would plunge us right back into recession as businesses shed jobs, move overseas, or liquidate.
I still cannot believe that a politician would sacrifice his career for a neophyte like President Obama. Anyone with a brain knows the economic effects of both Cap and Trade and ObamaCare. If the Blue Dogs fold on HealthCare, the Democratic majority could be gone for a long, long time.