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Matt Stoller of Open Left deserves a lot of credit for his Tighten the Leash on the Blue Dog Democrats Campaign. He has put together a list of rightist House “Democrats” who are wholly deserving of primary challenges in 2008. Here is that list.
Jason Altmire, PA-04
Brian Baird, WA-03 (he didn't vote for FISA, but he just switched his position and now supports the surge)
John Barrow, GA-12
Melissa Bean, IL-08
Dan Boren, OK-02
Leonard Boswell, IA-03
Alan Boyd, FL-02
Chris Carney, PA-10
Ben Chandler, KY-06
Jim Cooper, TN-05
Jim Costa, CA-20
Bud Cramer, AL-05
Henry Cuellar, TX-28
Lamar Davis, TN-04
Joe Donnelly, IN-02
Chet Edwards, TX-17
Brad Ellsworth, IN-08
Bob Etheridge, NC-02
Bart Gordon, TN-06
Stephanie Herseth, SD-AL
Baron Hill, IN-09
Nick Lampson, TX-22
Dan Lipinski, IL-03
Jim Marshall, GA-08
Jim Matheson, UT-02
Mike McIntyre, NC-07
Charlie Melancon, LA-03
Colin Peterson, MN-07
Earl Pomeroy, ND-AL
Ciro Rodriguez, TX-23
Mike Ross, AR-04
John Salazar, CO-03
Heath Shuler, NC-11
Vic Snyder, AR-02
Zack Space, OH-18
John Tanner, TN-08
Gene Taylor, MS-04
Tim Walz, MN-01
Charlie Wilson, OH-06
You have to wonder if this is enough. The three most prominent “Democratic” presidential candidates, Obama, Clinton, and Edwards, all support keeping tens of thousands of US troops in Iraq to continue Bush's illegal and unAmerican occupation. The many important similarities in political views of Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush are downright scary.
Congressional Democrats could easily stop the war by refusing to fund it, yet they continue to support the war by paying for it with our tax money. Congress refuses to even try to impeach Cheney or Bush despite their many crimes against US law and crimes against humanity. Democrats in Congress continue to illegally expand Bush's wiretapping powers, despite the fact that the Bush regime had more than enough intelligence information to prevent then 911 attacks.
It is starting to look like November 2008 will be a good time to boycott the Democratic Party entirely and stick to progressive Green and Independent candidates. How much more of this corrupt, right-wing garbage are liberals supposed to accept from the Democratic Party before we finally stand up for ourselves?
Don't kid yourself. Stoller is alienating many liberal Democrats and isolating himself and his cause. I'm glad he left mydd and I refuse to click on his new site -- he does not represent me or the vast majority of the Democratic party. The last thing I'm concerned about are primary challenges to the slew of candidates you listed, including Melissa Bean, who I hate. But that's Stoller for you - his cause, or his "movement," above all else.
He may not represent you, but he does represent the views of most liberals and progressives at this point.
No, it's not enough to just focus on these Bush Dogs, and you are correct to note that the Presidential candidates are not liberal. That said, it's more efficient to work within to change the party and force the next President to deal with a progressive Democratic congress that to go independent.
What do you do if the Democratic Party refuses to change?
If you close the option of supporting Greens and independents entirely, don't you lose leverage over the Democrats?
"Congressional Democrats could easily stop the war by refusing to fund it, yet they continue to support the war by paying for it with our tax money.": Yes, absolutely. I naively hoped that a significant number of Democrats in Congress might actually grow spines after their party became the majority party. Needless to say, I've been disappointed.
I love that name, by the way: "Tighten the Leash on the Blue Dog Democrats."
Adam:
I can't wait to see what you put in your blog once you get it started.
We have three Bush Dogs here in NC - why isn't any one running in the primary against them? Are they going to get a free ride? Shuller, Etheridge amd McIntyre