Actually, it's not unbelievable. Nothing some blue dog/DLC types do can surprise me. There's no low to which they will not sink. One, Bobby Bright, is understandable. He's probably the most conservative Democrat in the House, and he'll either lose his seat in November or switch parties if he wins.
The other, Mike McMahon, of Staten Island and Bay Ridge Brooklyn, has no excuse. Not only is he pushing extending tax cuts for the wealthy, he voted against the HCR bill that passed the House in November. He won with over 60% in '08. Although his district is the most conservative one in NYC, it is more socially conservative than economically conservative. Yet this DINO has thrown in his lot with the Republicans, and their philosophy. What a disgrace. Wouldn't surprise me if he jumped parties also at some point.
Although Democrats have a 17-point edge in registration, the 13th is by far the most conservative and least racially diverse district in the city. Voters are somewhat conservative on social issues and matters regarding "law and order", which kept Republicans in the seat for over a quarter century.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Reps. Bobby Bright (D-Ala.) and Mike McMahon (D-N.Y.) asked members in a "Dear Colleague" letter Thursday to support extending the tax cuts, which passed in 2001 and 2003 and are set to expire this year, for at least another two years. Specifically, Bright and McMahon are asking lawmakers to sign a letter to Obama asking him to include the tax cuts in his budget plans for 2010.
. . . .
In the letter to the president, the members say the Bush tax cuts should not be allowed to expire. That would put them in opposition to Obama’s stated plan of letting some of the tax cuts meant for the wealthy to expire while keeping breaks in place for the poor and middle class, consistent with his campaign pledge of not raising taxes for anyone making less than $250,000 a year.
Bright and McMahon’s letter is likely to earn backing from Republican-leaning business associations.
http://thehill.com/...