Blue Dog Democrats (and why they should matter to you)

[Pangloss]

Hey folks! It's been a while and I had a slight break from my workload at school so I thought I'd swing by and see how things are going at SFN. Looks like you guys have been keeping up the tradition of excellence in debate and discussion.

 

Just for fun, here's a little something I whipped up a few days ago for some friends of mine on a private board that we use to keep in touch. (Hence the invective at the end -- don't take it personally!)

 

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"Blue Dogs" are moderate-to-conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives who support a balanced budget and logical fiscal spending.

 

Here's their 12-point plan:

 

1 Require a balanced budget. (i.e. an Balanced Budget Amendment)

2 Don’t let Congress buy on credit.

3 Put a lid on spending.

4 Require agencies to put their fiscal houses in order.

5 Make Congress tell taxpayers how much they’re spending.

6 Set aside a rainy-day fund.

7 Don’t hide votes to raise the debt limit.

8 Justify spending for pet projects.

9 Ensure that Congress reads the bills it’s voting on.

10 Require honest cost estimates for every bill that Congress votes on.

11 Make sure new bills fit the budget.

12 Make Congress do a better job of keeping tabs on government programs.

 

The Centrist Policy Network has a pretty good detailed summary of the plan here:

http://www.centristpolicynetwork.org/pages_2005/02/blue_dog_budget_reform/blue_dog_12_point_plan.html

 

Wikipedia has pages about the BDC here:

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

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

 

A list of BDC members can be found here:

http://www.house.gov/tanner/blue.htm

 

And they have an unofficial web site here:

http://www.bluedogdemocrats.com/

 

The reason this is coming up now is that they've introduced a new reform package which should be seriously considered. It will not happen, however, because House Republicans will stomp the sucker flat. Watch for House leadership to nit pick details on this and call it fiscally irresponsible or some such BS, or just ignore it completely.

 

Since the Republican "Contract with America" also required a balanced budget amendment, and Republicans are constantly touting fiscal responsibility, it is ludicrous for them to oppose these measures. But they will do so because they are in power and intend to spend your money on their constituents as fast as they possibly can.

 

What are you going to do about that?

[Mokele]

6 Set aside a rainy-day fund.

 

You know, I've always wondered why the government doesn't do this. Especially since my parents harped on about me 'setting aside something for a rainy day' ever since I started getting an allowance.

 

It's sad that I demonstrated more fiscal responsibility when I was 8 than all of Congress today. You can't buy plastic dinosaurs if you don't have enough money saved up.

 

Mokele

[Sayonara]

Hey folks! It's been a while and I had a slight break from my workload at school so I thought I'd swing by and see how things are going at SFN. Looks like you guys have been keeping up the tradition of excellence in debate and discussion.

Welcome back! We missed you.

[In My Memory]

Mokele,

 

You know, I've always wondered why the government doesn't do this. Especially since my parents harped on about me 'setting aside something for a rainy day' ever since I started getting an allowance.

Better yet, why hasnt the government set aside "rainy day" fund to invest. It seems as Bush's SS reform is based on investing existing money in the stock market, it would be logical to set aside a small rainy day investment fund to collect a 2 - 3% return as a way of digging the way out of the deficit hole.

 

I would take someone very knowledgable in economics to explain how realistic the idea is, but at face value (assuming the most optimistic conditions) it seems to make sense.

[john5746]

 

Here's their 12-point plan:

 

1 Require a balanced budget. (i.e. an Balanced Budget Amendment)

2 Don’t let Congress buy on credit.

3 Put a lid on spending.

4 Require agencies to put their fiscal houses in order.

5 Make Congress tell taxpayers how much they’re spending.

6 Set aside a rainy-day fund.

7 Don’t hide votes to raise the debt limit.

8 Justify spending for pet projects.

9 Ensure that Congress reads the bills it’s voting on.

10 Require honest cost estimates for every bill that Congress votes on.

11 Make sure new bills fit the budget.

12 Make Congress do a better job of keeping tabs on government programs.

 

 

I'm not familiar with the details of the balanced budget amendment, but I think the Fed should have the ability to run a debt. I mean, I wouldn't be able to own a house without debt. We wouldn't be able to wage war without breaking the budget.

 

Rainy day fund: Rainy days have come and gone. We have a huge debt. Any surplus should go directly to reducing that.

 

I haven't heard the 'liberal' media talking about this. I have only heard about the demo's not supporting SS reform.