When they were swept into office during the anti-Republican elections of 2006 and 2008, the Democratic “Blue Dogs” were touted as the new answer for those looking for fiscally conservative members of Congress without all of that pesky social conservativism that normally was associated with Republican candidates. It was this myth that sold them to marginally Republican constituencies that were tired of the poor track record the GOP had demonstrated to that point. And, with the Obama wave that swept the GOP out of power completely, 54 “Blue Dogs” were firmly ensconced in Congress.
But then came the tests, and the Blue Dogs failed miserably. As a voting bloc they had the power to stop TARP, the stimulus and ObamaCare. But they didn’t. Instead most decided that while the label “Blue Dog” was useful for being elected in the districts from which they hailed, actually living up to the promise of fiscal conservancy in the face of Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic agenda was just not something they were willing to do. So they capitulated and threw fiscal conservancy under the bus.
Consequently, in a very short time, 3 trillion in new debt was built up and the Blue Dogs were intimately complicit in its creation. Angry voters noted that and were quite vocal about it at town halls where Blue Dogs attempted to defend their votes.
Of the 54 Blue Dogs in Congress, only 8 have what are considered “safe seats”. 10 more have slight leads (within the margin of error) over their Republican opponents. And 36 now face Republican opponents who lead them in the polls. As this election is shaping up, the distinct possibility exists that as few as one-third of them may survive the election.
What has been fatally injured is the narrative of the “fiscally conservative” Democrat. No longer does it have any cache. The next time a Democrat attempts to claim such a mantle for himself, TARP, the stimulus and ObamaCare are all that are needed to counter that claim. It is clear that party politics took priority over the supposed principle of fiscal conservancy upon which they hung their candidacy. The actions, not words, of the Blue Dogs have given us no reason to ever again believe Democrat claims of fiscal conservancy.
It appears that the bill for their betrayal may come due on November 2nd.Their impending defeat is well deserved. And they’ve done it the old fashioned way – they’ve earned it.
