Blue Dog Dems Endorse Amendment That Would Double Unemployment, Gut Social Safety Net

[NorthCarolina]

Link: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/11/16/370172/blue-dog-democrats-endorse-balanced-budget-amendment-that-would-double-unemployment-gut-social-safety-net/

By Travis Waldron @ThinkProgress.org

Congressional Republicans are still trying to persuade Americans that they are focused on job creation, but each time they propose another piece of legislation, it is exposed as a gimmick that will do little, if anything, to create jobs. Such was the case with their anti-regulatory policies, their attempts to repeal health care reform, and virtually every other policy proposal they have brought forth.

Next up in that line, unfortunately, is a rehashed form of a radical Balanced Budget Amendment, a plan that according to recent analyses would actually cost America 15 million jobs. But thanks to the conservative wing of the Democratic Party, the Republicans won’t be alone in their chase for a radical budget amendment that could help push the country back into the throes of recession.

Despite the fact that House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said yesterday he would encourage his party to vote against the radical plan, Blue Dog Democrats endorsed the amendment on a press call today, Politico’s Marin Cogan reported on Twitter. ThinkProgress confirmed that endorsement with a spokesperson for Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), the Blue Dog Coalition’s co-chair for communications. According to the Hill, Ross said on the call that Blue Dogs favored such an amendment “before balanced budget amendments were cool”:

“We were advancing a balanced budget amendment when balanced budget amendments weren’t cool,” a co-chairman of the coalition, Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), told reporters on a conference call.

“If any Blue Dog does not vote for it, I’d have to question how much they’re a Blue Dog,” Matheson said.

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More at link



Blue Dogs, DLC Dems, New Dems....what the hell ever happened to just plain ol' "Democrats"...the ones that actually advocated for the people?

[librechik]

1. good gawd this fucking Tabor Crap is going to kill us all

can anyone take a look at Californis and think that a balanced budget amendment can ever work?

PEOPLE DIE OVER THIS SHIT!! We are not corporations which must profit. States and governments exist to serve the people.

[defendandprotect]

2. This is what's left of the party after Koch Bros. DLC controlled it for more than 20 years -- !!!

I'm sure Obama will be admonishing them shortly -- !!!


:evilgrin:


We have to pay a lot more attention to Third Way control over the party now --

Jonathan Cowan, Pres. Third Way says their stance/policy is the "base of the party

is to be ginored." Further that "populism or populist discussions and debate are

the equivalent of Karl Rove propaganda of extremism."



:nuke:

[libinnyandia]

3. The blue dogs are more interested in being re-elected than

working with the more progressive Democrats. About the best thing you can say about them is they don't vote for Boehner and McConnell for leadership positions.

[NorthCarolina]

4. Can't really even say that. Recall that 19 of these "Blue Dogs"

voted against Pelosi for speaker, casting their ballots instead for fellow Blue Dog Heath Shuler.