Blue Dogs are not fiscal conservatives - #TCOT

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: On Thursday, we noted the vote of Arkansas Blue Dogs on the House auto manufacturer bailout bill: "Rep. Marion Berry (D) and Rep. Mike Ross (D), alleged Blue Dogs, voted for the bailout." The term "Blue Dogs" has been used for democrats in the US Congress who claimed they were fiscal conservatives. However, their allegation of being fiscal conservatives have continued to be muted by their actual actions and votes. Over time, they have become big supporter of increased taxes to offset spending in an effort to evidence that they are fiscal conservatives. The majority of Blue Dogs are really big spenders who hide behind increased taxes and fees to cover their tacks.

On Friday, Congress Matters issued a list of names and summary actions of the 47 members of the Blue Dog coalition. Their headline makes the point: Blue Dogs fractured on bailouts? To summarize, Congress Matters reports:

5 Blue Dogs voted yes to bail out Wall Street, but no on bailout out the auto industry

12 Blue Dogs voted no on the Wall Street bailout, but yes on the auto industry

23 of them voted for both bailouts

2 Blue Dogs voted for the Wall Street bailout, but missed the auto bailout vote

5 Blue Dogs voted no on both bailouts

Of special interest is Congress Matters summary:

. . . the Blue Dogs appear to have fractured wildly on these questions. Their membership is all over the map. Yes on both. No on both. Yes on Wall Street but no on the automakers. Yes on the automakers but no on Wall Street. They hang together pretty well when they're sticking it to immigrants or people who need bankruptcy protection. But when it comes to being "fiscally conservative" by directing billions of dollars designed to "save" entire sectors that are central to our economy, the Blue Dogs are almost entirely without meaningful cohesion. . . . This gang can't shoot straight, and surely ain't all it's cracked up to be.

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