When you're a blue dog Democrat, it's normally due to the fact that you're in a Conservative leaning district. While some blue dogs may actually be Conservatives, a lot are moderate centrists under extreme pressure from local Republican political action committees, national groups that know they're vulnerable, and the slew of Republican contenders that are vying to take out a Democrat, at any cost. But, we all know that, right? Well, if you live in a blue dog district, like I do, you get to see the pressure, first hand, and really understand the fine line that these Congressmen and Congresswomen are walking. Because the wingnuts are in FULL FORCE in these districts.
Take Frank Kratovil (MD-01) for instance: Remember, this is a PVI R+10 district that Kratovil squeaked through last November... by the skin of his teeth.
Update [2009-7-28 15:49:1 by Chuck Cook]: - Because it appears that I've been unclear:
I'm not making excuses or saying it's right to vote against health care. I'm saying that a better understanding of what blue dogs have to put up with is in order. I've been pushing for constituents to call Kratovil's office and voice support for the public option. We need to let the blue dogs know that they have progressive support in their districts to fight this kind of nonsense.
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Update [2009-7-29 12:46:19 by Chuck Cook]: - I have changed the paragraph below, because it has been brought to my attention that it appears as if I am implying that Americans For Prosperity were behind the protest at Kratovil's office. It was not my intention to give that impression. Monday's event wasn't an AFP event.
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Update [2009-8-6 13:47:30 by Chuck Cook]: And, on Tuesday, the tea baggin' "birthers" stormed an agricultural meeting he was having in Wicomico county to berate him about health care
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Yesterday, a group of pro-corporate profit individuals decided to protest Congressman Kratovil's Salisbury office because of his stance on the health care bill, which is... no stance at all. His communications director publicly stated that Kratovil has not made up his mind on the bill and would like some more time to review and revise where necessary. Amazing, right? Protesting a Congressman, based on no vote, whatsoever. So, they decided to HANG HIM IN EFFIGY:
Here is their little group in it's near entirety. This protest was kicked off with all of 3 days notice. Note the effigy behind them, with none of them having a problem with it:
And here is Kratovil's Communications Director, Kevin Lawlor, calmly answering every question from this group of extremists (note the effigy to his right. Gotta have a calm, cool, and collected Comm Director when you're in a district like this)
These kinds of things happen all the time in my district, and, sometimes, I think the Kos community loses sight of the intense pressure that some of the blue dogs are under. I'm not making excuses or saying it's right to vote against health care. I'm saying that a better understanding of what blue dogs have to put up with is in order. I've been pushing for constituents to call Kratovil's office and voice support for the public option. We need to let the blue dogs know that they have progressive support in their districts to fight this kind of nonsense.
If you live in the district of a blue dog Democrat, and you haven't started any outreach to constituents, you need start now. The radical right-wing extremists are in full force, and it looks like we're going to have an August recess to fight, every single day, against the PR machine that is fully focused on the blue dogs right now.
