How the Blue Dog–DCCC axis really operates

I've been writing about the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) for a while, wondering if their intentions aren't less progressive than they would have us believe (latest here).

There's no better person to explain what the DCCC is — who they are and how they're wired — than Howie Klein of the excellent DownWithTyranny.

He's just written an "all you need to know" piece on this subject, a good generalist intro, and I want to send you there. (It's his headline that I stole.)

Klein is the expert on the DCCC and the not-dead Blue Dogs that run it. With Digby and John Amato, he runs ActBlue and has been engaging these folks on the ground for a long time. He knows their names and track records inside and out.

A taste — note as you read that Steve Israel is head of the DCCC and that the DCCC supposedly has a "neutrality policy" in primaries. This is how that policy is violated with plausible deniability (my emphasis and paragraphing):

Here's how it works in district after district across the country. A real Democrat enters the primary and along comes a Blue Dog.

The Blue Dog PAC and the Blue Dog incumbents fill the Blue Dog candidate's coffers with contributions. The most corrupt corporate whores on Capitol Hill, the Blue Dogs get their sleazy lobbyist friends-- many of whom are Blue Dog ex-congressmen and former Blue Dog staffers-- to shower even more cash on candidates who they know will "play ball."

Then [Blue Dog Jim] Matheson and [Blue Dog John] Barrow go to a very sympathetic Steve Israel ["ex"-Blue Dog according to Howie] and whine about the neutrality policy, claiming it isn't a real contest because the real Democrat has raised so little money and their candidate is flush with cash.

Israel then "reluctantly" adds the Blue Dog to one of the bogus "Red-to-Blue" lists-- lists that signal wealthy Democratic donors that these are the candidates the party is backing.

That's how a reactionary and corrupt operative like Hayden Rogers, who opposes almost every single plank the differentiates Democrats from Republicans, has wound up as the Democratic candidate in western North Carolina. Israel is already spending money on the race even though there is virtually no chance that Rogers will win.

It's a scenario that plays out endlessly in district after district. ...

Nice process, right? Plausible deniability indeed.

More about Steve Israel here. (Guess who picked him as DCCC Chair? That would be Nancy Pelosi. This Nancy Pelosi.)

There's more; it's a nicely written essay and this is just a tease.

If you want to make a difference yourself, consider supporting Trevor Thomas, one of those progressive real Democrats in his primary battle against Blue-Dog-in-the-making Steve Pestka.

All you need to know about Steve Pestka — He not only has anti-woman views, he voted those views when he was in the Michigan House.

Pestka was one of the Michigan Dems who voted with the Republicans to defund Planned Parenthood. With Pestka's help, the vote passed.

Consider passing some dimes to Trevor Thomas. He could use the help. Like they say in the lotto, you have to play to win.

Progressively yours,

GP

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