The Blue Dog Coalition is the dragging brake on social progress in Congress. I see them as the opportunists they obviously are.
These are politicians who are exploiting the Democratic Party in states where Republicans traditionally get elected. In fact, I suspect many of these conservatives of being Republicans in Democratic clothing. I blame the national leaders of the Democratic party for allowing these Right Wing politicians to pose as Democrats in order to achieve token electoral results.
While I have heard Howard Dean actively debating some of the Blue Dog camp, I am not convinced that the Democratic Party has not sold out to corporate America, especially Wall Street Banks and the Health Insurance Industry.
The necessary progressive agenda on the environment, energy independence, health care and education cannot proceed under the present conditions in Congress. The politicians in that body have conveniently subscribed to Neoliberal Economic Theory, as cover for their prostituting themselves to corporate America. In reality, they have been paid off or threatened by the wealthy interests in this country to not pass any legislation that will shift the tax burden back on those who own 90% of the wealth in the US. The wealthiest 5% of the US population are calling the shots, in other words. This means no progress to drastically improve the lives of the other 95% of the US population.
It is a strange experience for me to concede that the Right Wing extremists in the Republican Party are perhaps more genuine and less corrupt than the Neoliberal Blue Dogs. This does not compensate for their ignorance, of course, but it is a stunning realization that the Democratic Party, which once stood for transparency, fairness and economic equality, has gone over to the dark side of the corporatocracy.
Observing this is part of my practice. Speaking it is also part of my practice. Writing to those who represent me is also part of my practice. If all those who see the absurdity of the Blue Dog positions on progressive initiatives simply wrote to their Blue Dog representatives, things may well change for the better for all US citizens. The current trend to enrich the rich and further impoverish the vast majority can only lead to disaster for all.
