TWO DEMOCRATIC HOUSE TURNCOATS HIGH ON THE 2006 ENDANGERED INCUMBENTS LIST-- BEAN AND MARSHALL

Superribbie over at DAILY KOS did an exhaustive survey of 2004's endangered Democratic congressmen, ranked by likelihood of defeat. Although I'm be putting all of my political energy into trying to help progressive candidates defeat Republicans, I can't help but smile at some of the names on the endangered list. And numero uno is Georgia turn-coat, Jim Marshall in the 8th District, the only Democrat to break ranks with the House caucus and vote to prevent a serious investigation of the Bush Regime's lies and distortions that lead us into war-- a vote the Republicans won by ONE VOTE, Marshall's. I don't live in Macon so I don't have to think about voting for him or the even more horrendous GOP alternative, former congressloon Mac Collins, a certifiable lunatic and far right extremist. But it's candidates like Marshall that keep me from giving a dime to the DCCC (and using my donations in targeted races being fought by progressives.

And speaking of non-progressive Democrats in trouble with voters, an even more egregiously horrible freshman Democrat looks like she's going down the toilet next year, the horrid Melissa Bean in Illinois' 6th District. This CAFTA turn-coat (one of only 15 Democrats to abandon us on this crucial vote) votes like a Republican on an enormous number of important issues-- too many. It's a very Republican district and Labor is out to see her fail. She just spent her entire first term doing nothing but raising money, so she won't go down easy, but I think she'll lose and, as much as we could use her vote when it comes to organizing the House... well, that's all she's good for, so let her eat shit and... There are a couple of other turn-coat Dems, like Henry Cuellar (TX), Dennis Moore (KS), Charlie Melancon (LA), and Jim Matheson (UT) on the endangered list but these two are the worst.