SOMETIMES REACTIONARY DEMOCRATS CAN DO MORE DAMAGE TO PROGRESSIVE VALUES AND POLICIES THAN REPUBLICANS CAN

Last week we talked about how the Republican caucus in the House, battered but still breathing, planned to use Heath Shuler's anti-immigrant bill to embarrass Democrats and demagogue of the issue of immigration reform. Basically they are trying to get enough signatures on a discharge petition to force Shuler's bill onto the floor. But there aren't enough Republicans to pull off this procedure. They have to depend on Blue Dogs and Bush Dogs and assorted reactionary Democrats. So far they found seven.

Rahm Emanuel has gotten hysterical in his demands to Democratic candidates for Congress that they "move to the right" on immigration-- reminiscent of his equally strident demands in 2006 that "his" candidates pull back on criticizing Bush's occupation of Iraq. Many of the candidates who allowed him to dictate their position on this were defeated-- Lois Murphy (PA) and Francine Busby (CA) are two high-profile examples-- while candidates who ignored him went on to victories-- like Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA), CongressmanChris Murphy (CT), CongressmanPatrick Murphy (PA), CongressmanJohn Hall (NY), Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, etc.

Emanuel, much hated in the immigrant community, isn't among the 7 traitorous Democrats siding with the GOP on this. His boy Shuler, of course, is. Most of the others are Democrats who frequently cross over and vote for the Bush-Cheney agenda again and again. The exception is independent-minded moderate Nancy Boyda (D-KS). The rest are almost as likely to vote Republican on crucial substantive matters as to vote Democrat, I bet regular DWT readers could guess their names without any help.

Heath Shuler (NC)
John Barrow (GA)
Brad Ellsworth (IN)
Nick Lampson (TX)
Mike McIntyre (NC)
Gene Taylor (MS)

Three on that list were also signatories of the infamous letter to Nancy Pelosi demanding the opportunity to vote for retroactive immunity for Bush Regime criminals-- Shuler, of course, as well as Barrow and Ellsworth. Those three names are among the 6 choices we're asking readers to vote on this week. The "winner" will be the recipient of a well-funded grassroots campaign explaining to voters in their district what retroactive immunity is all about. That Blue America initiative is explained here in more detail. You can vote for your least favorite reactionary Democrat here. The campaign has already collected over $45,000 from over 780 netroots contributors. Donations have ranged from $1 to $1,000; everything will go towards holding these treacherous Democrats accountable.