Q&A: In the words of the FAR LEFT DAILY KOS if Obama’s PLAN FAILS WILL IT be at the HANDS OF BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS?

Question by demhater: In the terms of the FAR LEFT DAILY KOS if Obama’s PLAN FAILS WILL IT be at the HANDS OF BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS?
The Democrats have a chance to accomplish goals they’ve dreamed about since the New Deal. They have 60 seats in the Council, and a commanding advantage in the Household of Representatives. So if they fail to pass certain legislation, Republicans won’t be to blame; Democrats will.

* potentate172000′s diary :: ::
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This is particularly right for healthcare reform. Blue dog Mike Ross of Arkansas wrote “the Blue Dogs are committed to passing shape-care reform. But, reform that does not meet the President’s goals of substantially bringing down costs is not an option.” In the Council, moderates like Evan Bayh, Mary Landrieu, and Kent Conrad are wary of providing a public option, or voting for such a large bill.

Many of these Democrats have already expressed reservation about spending in the past few months. Bayh for his section said Obama’s initially budget “represents an improvement from years past … [because] money we will borrow will fund valuable priorities like affordable shape care, energy independence, job creation, and culture improvements, rather than tariff cuts for the most affluent.” But Bayh could not support it because “under this budget, our inhabitant debt skyrockets from $ 11.1 trillion today to an estimated $ 17 trillion in 2014.”

Early on, there was even some Democratic opposition to the stimulus. Eleven Democrats (including six blue dogs) voted against the final bill citing concerns over cost. These concerns have become a recurrent theme as congress contemplated various spending measures.

With a huge deficit already, it’s hard not to share their reservations about adding still more. Their concerns were bolstered last week when the CBO said the Household bill would $ 230 billion to the budget deficit over 10 years.

Of course there are political calculations at play as well. Many of the Democrats raising concerns come from conservative districts and states that voted for McCain last fall. Their conservative-leaning constituents are concerned about the deficit. Voting for such a large bill could give their opponents an issue to use against them in the 2010 midterm elections.

For its section, the Democratic leadership is in a bind. They can try and cajole these Democrats into voting for the shape reform bill by threatening to withhold pork or fundraising. But failing to support Democrats in these vulnerable districts could cause the election of a conservative Republican. I don’t know it’s better to have a Democrat with you 80% of the time, than a Republican who’s never with you, the leadership will reason.

This is not an insignificant enhancement. Blue Dogs hold 52 seats in the Democratic caucus. Moderate Democrats hold the balance of potential in the Council. If even one moderate votes to allow a filibuster, then the Democrats cannot invoke cloture. A touch tells me that the Democratic leadership will end up making substantial concessions to this group to keep them all on board.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/20/105114/159

Obama himself, writing for Daily Kos in 2005, made it clear that purging the Party of moderates was a goal of their “progressive” coup. Annotation the totalitarian language:

In order to beat them, it is necessary for Democrats to make some backbone, give as excellent as they make, brook no compromise, drive out Democrats who are interested in “appeasing” the aptly wing, and enforce a more clearly progressive agenda. (emphasis added)

Preeminent answer:

Answer by MichelleMalkin
Did Obama really say that wow…

Know better? House your own answer in the comments!

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