Congress' Newest Caucus: The Populists

Last year Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley started work on bringing together a new House caucus that would be focusing on the economic issues most important to America's working families. With the Progressive Caucus unable to get their shit together and stand up to the corporate-oriented Blue Dogs, there has been a real need for a cohesive group of fighting Democrats to counterbalance the toxic-- and growing-- influence of the Republican-lite Blue Dogs, who have been working diligently to drag the Democratic Party in Congress further and further to the right and away from its base. And with allies like White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer aiding and abetting... well the Blue Dogs may be useful idiots but their pro-Big Business agenda is making powerful headway against the interests of America's working families.

Tuesday Braley unveiled the 21 founding members, all good Democrats, along with two confused Blue Dogs. (The Blue Dogs are fellow Iowan Leonard Boswell who nearly lost his seat to an anti-Blue Dog primary opponent in 2008, and Mike Arcuri of New York, a Kirsten Gillibrand type politician looking to be all things to all people-- and who also nearly lost his seat last year.) The rest of the new caucus is made up of Peter DeFazio (D-OR); Betty Sutton (D-OH); Steve Cohen (D-TN); Joe Courney (D-CT); Keith Ellison (D-MN); Bob Filner (D-CA); Phil Hare (D-IL); Mazie Hirono (D-HI); Hank Johnson (D-GA); Steve Kagan (D-WI); Eric Massa (D-NY); Linda Sanchez (D-CA); Jan Schakowsky (D-IL); Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH); Peter Welch (D-VT); and John Yarmouth (D-KY). Pretty great bunch overall. Braley is the chairman and the three vice-chairs are Arcuri, Pete DeFazio and Betty Sutton.

In explaining to his constituents why he joined the new caucus, Eric Massa said it would be "the only caucus in Congress devoted solely to addressing middle class economic issues." He explained the caucuses goals by breaking down their aims into 6 categories:

Creating Good Jobs and Good Retirement: Creating and retaining good-paying jobs in America, providing fair wages, proper benefits, a level playing field at the negotiating table, and ensuring American workers have secure, solvent retirement plans;

Cutting Taxes for the Middle Class: Cutting taxes for the middle class and establishing an equitable tax structure;

Affordable Healthcare: Providing affordable, accessible, quality health care for all Americans;

Quality, Affordable Education: Ensuring quality primary education for all American children, and affordable college education for all who want it;

Fair Trade: Defending American competitiveness by fighting for fair trade principles;

Protecting Consumers: Protecting consumers so that Americans can have faith in the safety and effectiveness of the products they purchase.

"During this time of economic recession, America's middle class needs representation in Washington. I'm proud to join the Populist Caucus because working families deserve a voice. This caucus will work together to find common ground on policies that create good-paying jobs, make healthcare more affordable for all, and put middle class families first again."

Unlike the Blue Dogs, all the members are supporting President Obama's Stimulus legislation and they have also actively pushed for inclusion of the Buy American provisions that Republicans and Blue Dogs have fought against. Constant pressure from populists and progressives have forced some of the worst banksters, like CitiGroup and JPMorgan, to stop foreclosing on homeowners' mortgages-- at least for now.

JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon said the New York company plans to halt new foreclosures for owner-occupied home loans through March 6. Dimon made the pledge in a letter to Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, who released it on Friday.

Citigroup's foreclosure moratorium applies to all "Citi owned first mortgage loans that are the principal residence of the customer as well as all loans Citi services where we have reached an understanding with the investor" until President Barack Obama's administration has finalized the details of the loan modification program or March 12, whichever is earlier, according to a company release.