Beware of Lurking GOP Barracuddas and Blue Dog Democrats

As usual, GOP barracuddas are quietly developing a multi-faceted approach to overcome what should be an easy win for the Democrats in 2008.

Several GOP election process schemes have been emerging:

• voting machines
• voter caging
• post-Katrina strategies which have forced demographics to the right in Louisiana
• initiative in California to tie electoral votes to individual districts rather than winner-take-all for the state
• eavesdrop on Dem political strategy communications at will after the gutting of F.I.S.A.
  

But here's the centerpiece of the plan for 2008, as I see it:

Trawl, Bait & Hook for the Nomination; Kill for the Election.

Trawl, Bait & Hook -
The right-wing and their media machine will be kinder -- even smoothing the way -- for the Dem candidates they think they can beat, UNTIL they are nominated.

The Kill-
Then they will put their media machine into full-destruction mode against the ill-chosen Democratic nominees. And we know that American voters are remarkably forgetful of lessons that should have been learned. They just keep falling for right-wing media smear-and-fear campaigns.

So, here's how the 2008 race could line up:

Clinton (gender, political baggage issues) and/or Obama (race, experience issues)
vs.
Romney (religious authoritarian, Reagan-ish) or Giuliani (9/11 "hero" authoritarian.)

This would be a dream contest for the GOP media machine! They could easily exploit the pro and cons with the volumes of juicy media clips on file, not to mention the pundits whom they will call in regularly for feeding frenzies. Their objectives?

• gobble up some of the Dem and Independent votes
• decrease Democratic push-back by demoralizing, confusing, and locking them out
• minimize cross-over of Republican voters
  

Meanwhile the GOP cartel will continue to gain ground in the general PR war against the Democratic Party by embroiling the Congress in no-win problems, such as F.I.S.A. and the war, and then beat up and ridicule the sprawling Democratic Congress in the media. As disgusted as the public is with the Republicans, they may be persuaded to be angrier at the Democrats for not succeeding in rectifying the damage.

Speaking of Democrats, let's talk about the Blue Dogs...

This month, the Blue Dog Democrats, on the outer fringes of the Democrats' sprawl, gave critical votes to the Administration, gutting our F.I.S.A. protections under the 4th Amendment. This was not the first time they have worked against our interests.

Who are the Blue Dogs?

The Blue Dogs Coalition is a group of 47 (originally only southern) members of the House of Representatives. According to their website, the Blue Dogs claim to have provided "12 years of leadership" for fiscal responsibility, but hold conservative positions on issues, often voting with the Republican cartel. http://www.house.gov/ross/BlueDogs.

The Blue Dogs need to be confronted by their progressive constituents, and this August break is the perfect opportunity. If you know anyone who is in their districts, please pass this message on.

Progressives also need to get to work on replacing the Blue Dogs with true Democrats who will stand up on their hind legs and act like real men (and women). If that takes educating their constituencies on the issues and the process so they'll choose differently, then let's get on that!

It's up to us, Progressives. Now and in the future, let's make sure those bad dogs don't hunt no more... They eat the bird!

Bud Cramer - AL-5

Gabrielle Giffords - AZ-8

Marion Berry - AR-1
Mike Ross - AR-4

Joe Baca - CA-43
Dennis Cardoza - CA-18
Jim Costa - CA-20
Jane Harman - CA-36
Loretta Sanchez - CA-47
Adam Schiff - CA-29
Mike Thompson - CA-1

John Salazar - CO-3

Allen Boyd - FL-2
Tim Mahoney - FL-16

John Barrow - GA-12
Sanford Bishop - GA-2
Jim Marshall - GA-3
David Scott - GA-13

Leonard Boswell - IA-3

Melissa Bean - IL-8

Joe Donnelly - IN-2
Brad Ellsworth - IN-8
Baron Hill - IN-9

Dennis Moore - KS-3

Ben Chandler - KY-6

Charlie Melancon - LA-3

Mike Michaud - ME-2

Collin Peterson - MN-7

Gene Taylor - MS-4

Mike McIntyre - NC-7
Heath Shuler - NC-11

Earl Pomeroy - ND, At-Large

Mike Arcuri - NY-24
Kirsten Gillibrand - NY-20
Steve Israel - NY-2

Zack Space - OH-18
Charlie Wilson - OH-6

Dan Boren - OK-2

Christopher Carney - PA-10
Tim Holden - PA-17
Patrick Murphy - PA-8

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin - SD, At-Large

Jim Matheson - UT-2

Jim Cooper - TN-5
Lincoln Davis - TN-4
Bart Gordon - TN-6
John Tanner - TN-8

Nick Lampson - TX-22