Blue Dog Democrats Struggle With 'New Dems'

Blue dog Democrats who are known for being more socially and fiscally conservative than their colleagues are finding themselves in a struggle for power with so-called 'New Dems,' according to The Hill.

The 55-member coalition of moderate Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives may have caught the attention of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, but the members of the 'New Dems' say they do not wish to be defined by the principles espoused by the Blue Dogs.

One key reason, obviously, is the fact that Barack Obama sits in the White House. Obama has clearly embraced an extremist agenda, and most Dems in both the House and the Senate have been more than willing to jump on board the Obama program.

Frankly, the Blue Dogs have very little power in the House due to nothing more than the sheer numbers. They are simply overwhelmed and out-voted by the more liberal element in the Party.

Even some of the Blue Dogs themselves have abandoned their principles and jumped aboard the Obama bandwagon.

Pelosi Keeps 'Blue Dog' Dems Under Her Heel

When the Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, many had hoped that the more conservative 'blue dog' Democrats would have a major impact on the direction of their Party.

Those hopes have been largely dashed.

If the blue dogs have made any progress toward having a moderating impact on the Democratic leadership either in the House OR the Senate, you certainly can't tell it by the actions of either chamber.

In fact, in the House, for example, ultra-liberal Speaker Nancy Pelosi has only solidified and strengthened her iron-fisted grip on her underlings.

According to an analysis conducted by The Hill, during the last 2 years Pelosi has emerged as the undisputed head of the Democrats in the House, and she is not afraid to use her power to punish blue dogs and reward the like-minded liberals who do things her way.

And the blue dogs simply acquiesce.

Pelosi, the unquestioned leader in the House whose enormous power seems to grow by the day, has sought to placate both factions. And to this point, she has succeeded.

Few members clash publicly with Pelosi. Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Jane Harman (D-Calif.), who were at odds with Pelosi over the last few years, were stripped of their top committee posts.

Centrists are grumbling that their growing ranks aren’t represented in the leadership team that Pelosi shaped through back-room arm-twisting. The so-called Blue Dogs, while publicly celebrating President-elect Obama’s commitment to “pay-go,” are wondering when the stimulus balloon stops expanding.

Dingell in particular was one of the few Democrats in leadership positions who supports gun rights. But Pelosi ditched him in favor of one of the most liberal anti-gun nutcases in the House--Henry Waxman.

So much for the 'power and influence' of conservatives within the Democratic Party.