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C J Nelson · Guest

I thought that every thing would be wonderful and perfect when the oh
so knowing and caring Democrats took over power from the evil GOP.
(Sarcasm)

Well seems that the lefties are experiencing the age old proverb: Be
careful what you wish for.

They wished for power, got it and:::

Conservative Democrats Assert Power

Mar 07 3:01 PM US/Eastern

By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced scorn from
fellow Democrats during a recent closed-door meeting for not moving
more aggressively on Iraq, it was conservative Blue Dogs _ her
ideological opposites _ who rose to defend her.
The unlikely support reflected an emerging dynamic in the House, where
the 43 right-of-center fiscal hawks are increasingly asserting their
power, working to moderate the policies and image of a party with a
liberal base and leaders to match.

SNIP

With Democrats in charge again, the Blue Dogs have played a key role
in halting an emerging plan to place strict conditions on war funding.
Their revolt helped beat back that proposal, by Pelosi ally John
Murtha, D-Pa. Leaders are now considering a watered-down version.

They started the year with a major victory, when Democrats adopted
strict "pay-as-you-go" budget rules that Blue Dogs have advocated for
years to block measures that would deepen the deficit.

Soon after, their insistence that a catchall spending measure stay
within strict budget limits helped Democrats pass the bill along with
boosts for veterans, health research and education _ handing the party
its only substantive win so far this year.

The group's next major test is likely to come when Democrats look to
pass a budget. Many in the party are pushing for tax increases to fund
education, health and other priorities.

House leaders now see the support of the group _ particularly its nine
freshman members, whose victories over Republican incumbents in
conservative districts helped to hand Democrats the House _ as a
prerequisite for any measure they bring before the House, senior aides
said.

"It should be obvious that very little is going to pass in the House
that a majority of Blue Dogs do not support," said former Rep. Charles
Stenholm, D-Texas, who led the group when he was in Congress and keeps
in close contact with House Democrats.

"Gee I thought the serious lefties were going to be in charge and make
those nasty moderate DLC types toe the line??"

Stenholm opposed Pelosi's 2002 ascension to the ranks of House
leadership, believing that she was philosophically too far to the left
and dismissive of moderate points of view. Many Blue Dogs and other
moderates are still wary of her, they say privately, concerned that
Pelosi's liberal views and tendency to side with her mostly left-of-
center confidants could earn their party an extremist image that will
cost them their seats _ and Democrats the majority.

"He was correct."

But many now also say that Pelosi is bowing to the political realities
that landed her in her post.

"The country has moved to the center. Nancy understands that,

"Sure she does, and I have swamp land in Atlantis for sale also."

Blue Dogs _ with their right-of-center views, conservative districts
and hawkish tendencies _ share a more natural rapport with Majority
Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., who they see as their most prominent
advocate in leadership.

SNIP

The group's clout lies in its numbers and its reach into competitive
districts that proved crucial to Democrats' victory last November.
With just a 32-seat majority in the House, Democrats can't afford to
alienate their conservative flank.

The reality was reflected in the six-point priority list Democrats
unveiled last year and pushed through the House in January _ a
minimalist agenda designed to attract broad support, including from
the Blue Dogs.

Winning the majority has forced Democrats into a "general-election
setting" where they need to appeal to a broader base in order to
garner the 218 votes needed to pass anything, said Rep. Allen Boyd, D-
Fla., a leader of the group.

"Again I thought that Liberal/Lefty would reighn supreme??"

"Iraq is a good example," Boyd said. "The majority of the caucus would
say, 'Let's be really strong in forcing the president out of here.'
Well, some of us are really uncomfortable playing general, and you're
going to see that reflected in what we vote on."

The more sizable liberal wing of the party is chafing at the Blue
Dogs' influence.

"Poor Babies!!"

Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., a member of the "Out of Iraq" caucus that
favors forcing an end to the war, complained in a recent Web interview
that Blue Dogs "are bragging that they have nine new members."

In the interview with the liberal group Progressive Democrats of
America, she pointed out that the Progressive Caucus can boast the
same number of freshmen.

But party officials argue that those more liberal newcomers are not in
competitive seats, and that their supporters are unlikely to forsake
Democrats in 2008, when they will be highly motivated to turn out to
try to wrest the presidency from Republicans.

"Can you say minority party again by 2010??"

The same can't be said of the first-term Blue Dogs, many of whom are
already preparing for tough re-election fights.

And I thought that the GOP was self distructing.

I am getting some pop corn and soda.

I am going to sit back and watch the left destroy the Dummycrat party.

And I am going to cheer while they do.

Guest · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:09 am Post subject: Re: Trouble in Liberal Wonderland

On Mar 7, 3:02 pm, "C J Nelson" <clarencen...@yahoo.com> wrote: