New Democrats Flash Independent Streak.

[elleng]

Freshman Rep. Bobby Bright won his seat in Congress by convincing conservative southeast Alabama voters that he wasn't a typical Democrat. Barely a week into his Washington career, he showed that he meant it.

On a vote that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saw as a slam dunk for kicking off the new Congress, Bright opposed a bill named after an Alabama tire-factory worker that would ease restrictions for women challenging pay discrimination. A few days later, Bright voted against another Democratic rallying point, expanding health insurance for children of the working poor.

Bright's rebellion against his party's agenda illustrates the trade-offs that Democrats face in reaching into conservative strongholds like the Deep South to build their majorities in Washington.

http://nytimes.com/aponline/2009/04/25/us/politics/AP-US-New-Democrats-Mavericks.html

[depakid]

1. Actually, that's an "old" style called a Dixiecrat

No better today than they were in the 1960's, but useful insofar as they draw Republican money away from other races.

[wyldwolf]

3. yep, Blue Dog. Not a "New Democrat." Althought he is a Newly elected Democrat

There is a difference.

[Joe Steel]

2. Maybe we'll see more of this.

Maybe we'll see more of this. The Democrats are going to abandon Labor on the Employee Free Choice Act. Maybe union members should abandon the Democrats.

[bemildred]

4. That's hardly a new sort of Democrat.

The thing is anybody can be a Democrat, it doesn't require any particular position on policy. And that is why it is so important to put real progressives up IN THE PRIMARY everywhere, so the voters have a real choice that is explained to them clearly.