Remember what that whistle-blower guy said in the classic movie, All the President's Men:
"Follow the Money."
Well in that investigative spirit, I give you this exercise in expanding your Political Awareness.
New Democrat Coalition [NDC] -- wikipedia.org
The New Democrat Coalition is a Congressional Member Organization within the United States Congress made up of Democrats who support an agenda that the organization describes as moderate and pro-growth. A November 2012 press release described the organization as "Congress' largest coalition of moderates heading into the 113th Congress," and announced the election of Representative Ron Kind as the Coalition's Chair. As of January 2015, there were 46 members in the House of Representatives and 5 in the Senate.[9]
[...]
The Senate New Democrat Coalition was founded in the spring of 2000 by Senators Evan Bayh (Indiana), Bob Graham (Florida), Mary Landrieu (Louisiana), Joe Lieberman (Connecticut), and Blanche Lincoln (Arkansas).[11]
The NDC has worked to craft and pass legislation, including Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for the People's Republic of China, fast track Trade Promotion Authority, digital signatures, and H-1B visa reform and continues to work on matters such as privacy, broadband, expanding e-learning opportunities and making government more accessible and efficient through the use of technology. Many in the Democratic Party's left-wing criticize the group, however, accusing it of ignoring social justice and the poor.
[...]
New Democrat Coalition members (House)
Florida
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)
51 NDC members -- not too shabby, even if DWS is one of their fearless
leaders.
The New Democrat Coalition definitely deserves a seat at the political-debating table.
But just contrast that with ...
Contrast the NDC ... the nearly 70 members of a similar "coalition" of the more progressive, people-first points of view, in the U.S. Congress.
Congressional Progressive Caucus -- wikipedia.org
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is the largest membership organization within the Democratic Caucus in the United States Congress with 69 declared members.[4] The CPC is a left-leaning organization that works to advance progressive and liberal issues and positions.[5][6][7]
[...]
The CPC is committed to government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Their policy agenda is rooted in four core principles [called “The Progressive Promise -- Fairness for All”]:
(1) fighting for economic justice and security in the U.S. and global economies;
(2) protecting and preserving civil rights and civil liberties;
(3) promoting global peace and security; and
(4) strengthening environmental protection and energy independence.
Their fundamental fairness plan reflects national priorities that are consistent with the values, needs, and hopes of all Americans, not just the powerful and the privileged. Accordingly, the CPC also advocates "universal access to affordable, high quality healthcare", fair trade agreements, living wage laws, the right of all workers to organize into labor unions and engage in collective bargaining, the abolition of the USA PATRIOT Act, the legalization of same-sex marriage, US participation in international treaties such as the climate change related Kyoto Accords, strict campaign finance reform laws, a crackdown on corporate welfare and influence, an increase in income tax rates on upper-middle and upper class households, tax cuts for the poor, and an increase in welfare spending by the federal government.[8]
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) was established in 1991 by six members of the United States House of Representatives: U.S. Representatives Ron Dellums (D-CA), Lane Evans (D-IL), Thomas Andrews (D-ME), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Maxine Waters (D-CA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). [...]
The founding CPC members were concerned about the economic hardship imposed by the deepening recession, and the growing inequality brought about by the timidity of the Democratic Party response in the early 1990s. More importantly, on January 3, 1995 at a standing room only news conference on Capitol Hill, they were the first group inside Congress to chart a detailed, comprehensive legislative alternative to U.S. Speaker Newt Gingrich and the Republican Contract with America, which they termed "the most regressive tax proposals and reactionary social legislation the Congress had before it in 70 years." The CPC's ambitious agenda was framed as "The Progressive Promise: Fairness."
[...]
CPC Senate Members
Bernie Sanders (VT)
Certainly if the Moderate Dems get a seat at the table (of dueling national ideas and possible solutions) ... then the equivalently sized --
no larger -- association of Progressive Dems, DESERVES an equally significant seat.
That is, if 'counts of Representation' still mean anything in our Citizen's United-undermined Democracy, anymore.
Of course we could always wait, until someone the NDC choice gets elected -- to find out What they really think about weighty matters, that are part of our current events.
Then again, there's No guaranteed of that either ... given the positions and issues Moderate Dems routinely bargain us away, for.