House liberals are growing increasingly frustrated with their Bluedog colleagues and their obstruction and foot dragging on the health care reform bill. Maxine Waters, a member of the House Leadership has been outspoken about what's going on in the House Energy and Commerce Committee where 7 Blue Dogs are holding back any progress on the Health Care Reform bill.
Waters warns Blue Dogs to beware 2010
Liberal frustration started to boil over in the House on Tuesday as negotiations over health care reform with centrist Blue Dog Democrats dragged into a second week.
The delay prompted Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) to lash out at the Blue Dogs as hypocritical and even hint that more liberal Democrats might challenge them in primaries.
That's just not none, especially by a member of the House leadership as Maxine Waters is as a chief deputy whip.
Asked if she would recruit more liberal candidates to run against Blue Dogs, Waters said, "That’s normally not done."
But she added: "There may be people out there listening and observing all of this who may get motivated based on what they’re seeing and throw their hat into the ring."
She also criticized White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel for recruiting many of the House’s more conservative members when he headed the House Democrats’ campaign arm. Now, she said, "The chickens are coming home to roost."
The Blue Dogs won't like Waters speaking out and hinting of challengers. Nor will Rahm like the swipe Waters took at him.
I'm gratified to see someone inside the Congress is willing to let the Blue Dogs have it with both barrels, and isn't shy about pointing out the pitfalls of ignoring the folks back home. Ive seen the idea of challenging these Blue Dogs in their primaries mentioned here several times just today. I also hope Rahm Emanuel will step up to the plate and twist some arms of the Blue Dogs he recruited to run for office, if he isn't doing so already.