Primer: Congressional Progressive Caucus, Blue Dog Coalition and New Democrat Coalition [View all]

Last edited Sat May 30, 2015, 03:10 AM - Edit history (1)

A portion of the money received by the Congressional Progressive Caucus ends up supporting Blue Dog and New Democrat politicians in the House, via the DCCC.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12778505


Unless otherwise indicated, the info in this post comes from these sources.

website of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also referred to as the House Progressive Caucus http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/

wikipedia of Congressional Progressive Caucus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Progressive_Caucus

website of the Blue Dog Coalition http://bluedogcaucus-schrader.house.gov/

wikipedia of the Blue Dog Coalition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dog_Coalition

website of the New Democrat Coalition http://newdemocratcoalition-kind.house.gov/

wikipedia of the New Democrat Coalition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Democrat_Coalition



CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS


The current co-chairs of the CPC are Raúl Grijalva of Arizona and Keith Ellison of Minnesota. Current members of the CPC are listed here:
http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=71§iontree=2,71

The Congressional Progressive Caucus was founded in 1991, the same year one Bernie Sanders first became a member of the House. The CPC's website says he was the convener and chair of the caucus. Indeed, he was chair for the first 8 years of the existence of the Caucus. I am not entirely sure what is meant by "convener," but I am guessing that the CPC was Bernie's idea.

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."

(Note: This is what DeBlasio professes to be doing 20 years later, formulating a progresssive alternative to the Republican Contract with America.)

The 1995 legislative package was the Job Creation and Invest in America Act, described here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Progressive_Caucus

I strongly encourage you to check out the particulars of this at the wiki.

Originally, the CPC consisted of U.S. Representatives Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Thomas Andrews (D-ME), Ron Dellums (D-CA), Lane Evans (D-IL), Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Maxine Waters (D-CA). It is now the largest Democratic Caucus in Congress, with 70 members. Of the 20 standing committees of the House in the 111th Congress, 10 were chaired by members of the CPC, until Republicans took control of the House in 2011.
(I guess DU is not the only place where liberals abound, after all.)

After Sanders became a Senator in 2007, he continued to caucus with the CPC. He is the sole Senate member of the CPC, the Senate being a much more conservative body than the House. (I would not be surprised if Senator Senators tried, but failed, to found a Senate Progressive Caucus. In any event, when you see that any given Senator is ranked among the Senate's most liberal Senators, remember how conservative a body the US Senate is, even on the Democratic side.)

In 2008, I recall membership being around 100, so 70 is actually a significant drop. I would attribute at least part of the drop to my opinion that the Party has been hostile to traditional Democrats and liberals, tending to support centrists and conservadems. The reason I remember is that all, or just about all, 100 were co-sponsors of the Medicare for all bill.

Several traditional Democrats and liberals have been pretty much run out of Congress. Rangel, for example, remained under Congressional investigation and Obama suggestd on national TV that Rangel resign, too. For example, Rangel had remained under internal investigation for THREE successive elections, but was re-elected each time anyway. Then, the head of his Party suggested on national TV that he (Rangel) resign. (The current claim is that Warren, who has almost folk hero status among we hoi polloi, is the Party's darling. I hope so, but I would not take that to the bank just yet.)

After Sanders became a Senator in 2007, he continued to caucus with the CPC. He is the sole Senate member of the CPC, the Senate being a much more conservative body than the House. (I would not be surprised if Senator Senators tried, but failed, to found a Senate Progressive Caucus. In any event, when you see that any given Senator is ranked among the Senate's most liberal Senators, remember how conservative a body the US Senate is, even on the Democratic side.)

My criticism of the CPC, which I know others share, is that it tends to start out with a firm stand on the side of the angels (in my opinion), but then just goes along with the rest of the Democrats in Congress.

I encourage you to peruse the CPC's wiki and website, esp. the home page of the website, which has current news. If you wish to be kept up to date, you can also sign up to receive emails. If nothing else, read the Progressive Promise (Fairness for All page. http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/the-progressive-promise/


THE BLUE DOG COALITION


With fifteen members currently, the Blue Dog Coalition is the smallest of the three groups. It is also probably the furthest right of the three groups.

The Blue Dog Coalition was formed in 1995, after the mid-term election of 1994 put Republicans in charge of both Houses of Congress for the first time in 42 years (1952, when World War II hero Eisenhower had been elected the first Republican President in 20 years). However the website of the Blue Dog Coalition describes that as a mid-term election.

The term "Blue Dog Democrat" is credited to Texas Democratic Rep. Pete Geren (who later joined the Bush Administration). Geren opined that the members had been "choked blue" by extreme Democrats from the Left.[14] It is related to the political term "Yellow Dog Democrat," a reference to southern Democrats said to be so loyal they would even vote for a yellow dog if it were labeled Democrat. The term is also a reference to the "Blue Dog" paintings of Cajun artist George Rodrigue of Lafayette, Louisiana, as the original members of the coalition would regularly meet in the offices of Louisiana representatives Billy Tauzin and Jimmy Hayes, both of whom later joined the Republican Party; both had Rodrigue's paintings on their walls.[15][16] An additional explanation for the term cited by members is "when dogs are not let into the house, they stay outside in the cold and turn blue," a reference to the Blue Dogs' belief they had been left out of a party that they believed had shifted to the political left.[17]

........

Although its membership is not exclusively Southern, some[18][19] view the Blue Dogs as the political successors to a now defunct-in-name Southern Democratic group known as the Boll Weevils, who played a critical role in the early 1980s by supporting President Ronald Reagan's tax cut plan. The Boll Weevils, in turn, may be considered the descendants of the Dixiecrats and the "states' rights" Democrats of the 1940s through the 1960s, and even the Bourbon Democrats of the late 19th century.[20]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dog_Coalition

Blanche Lincoln and Gary Condit were among the more famous founding members. Joe Manchin and Ben Nelson were also members at one time.

The founding principles of the Blue Dog Coalition, that continue to guide the caucus today, are forever enshrined in its preamble: “Members of the Blue Dog Coalition are dedicated to the financial stability and national security of the country, notwithstanding partisan political positions and personal fortune and do hereby agree to organize a Coalition to serve the interests of our country.”

http://bluedogcaucus-schrader.house.gov/about/history


NEW DEMOCRAT COALITION


The current chair of the New Democrat Coalition is the controversial Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, who is also the current chair of the Democratic National Committee, having succeeded fellow New Democrat, Tim Kaine.

According to its website, it currently has 46 members. http://newdemocratcoalition-kind.house.gov/membership

If you are wondering what a New Democrat is, a New Democrat is basically a Democrat who espouses the philosophy of the now defunct (in theory) DLC and its successors, such as the Progressive Policy Institute, New Democrat Network, Third Way, Center for American Progress, No Labels and so on.

Bill Clinton ran as a New Democrat, while claiming, falsely, IMO, that Robert Kennedy was a New Democrat (philosophically). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Democrats (Scott Brown did something similar in Massachusetts when he first ran, portraying himself as an ideological successor to JFK.)

Obama did not run as a New Democrat, but claimed to be a New Democrat after he was elected the first time. After he was elected the second time, he said that he would have been considered a moderate Republican during the Reagan Era.

So, now you know.

The New Democrat Coalition was founded in 1997 by Representatives Cal Dooley (California), Jim Moran (Virginia) and Timothy J. Roemer (Indiana) as a congressional affiliate of the avowedly centrist Democratic Leadership Council, whose members, including former President Bill Clinton, call themselves "New Democrats."

......

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).[8]



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.

......

Political donations

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the top contributors to the New Democrat Coalition caucus members are the finance, insurance and real estate industries.[10] The Center also reported that the New Democrat Coalition receives a considerable amount of cash from the financial sector and since 1989 members of the New Democrat Coalition have collected $50 million from the finance, insurance and real estate sector.[11]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Democrat_Coalition

Zell Miller was once a member of the NDC. I guess that was before he decided he was star speaker at the Republican National Convention. So was then Senator John Kerry and, of course, then Senator Hillary Clinton. So was John Edwards, who also ran as a populist in a Presidential primaries. (I guess John had a residence in both of the Two Americas?) The wiki lists more former members.




This post is intended only an introduction to three of the groups that influence our lives so greatly. Please continue your study beyond this overview.