Hey, Mike Ross and Jim Cooper, do you see that?

Drop the bullshit and show your true colors.

(Sorry, but if they’re going to act like Republicans in office, they should put the R after their names and run as Republicans next year, allowing real Democrats to challenge them for their seats.)

Politicians change parties to get re-elected and for no other reason. Prinicples have nothing to do with it.

This guy figures he’s toast as a dem and has a chance as a gooper.

What’s the composition of his district?

And TPM is reporting that the Republicans are NOT welcoming him with open arms!!

Conservative Backlash Against Griffith Party Switch Begins

Does this mean he can vote against the health care expansion hoax now? Does that lessen the 60 votes? I hope and pray this is so.

Is this in any way different than how Democrats reacted to Arlen Specter?

We can only hope that all the “blue dog” Democrats go Republican. The short term losses to the Democratic Party – given that even so-called “liberals” like John Kerry are in reality plutocratic corporatists opposing real progressive reform – are completely tolerable. The gain would be the beginnings of a real fracturing and purge of the Democrats. Such a purge would begin to realign politicians along their real ideological, moral, and electoral/donation bases, leaving us with a clearer picture of who is friend and who is enemy. I’d rather be represented by a minority party in Congress that actually represents me than be “represented” (exploited, used, and abused) by a majority party in Congress that represents anti-abortion activists, the plutocracy, and big corporations.

In the first year of his first term and he thinks he’s toast?

Pretty bad when neither party wants ya.

Now if we could only force the rest of the ConservaDems to bolt to the Rethugs.

He is in the House of Representatives, not the Senate.

He’s a representative, not a senator.

we should call them Rahm Dogs.

Owe ya a beverage.

pray on this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/opinions/anntelnaes/?hpid=opinionsbox1

Oh, look. It’s a Saxbe Chambliss Confederate love child.

Two surnames, too.

WalMart ads on FDL?

I guess someone has to pay the bills.

Him and Short Ride can be BFF’s now.

Retch.

What are the chances that Rahmbo has another one just like him ready in the wings to run as a Democrat?

I’m always amazed how religious people sit silently while Republics use their religion for the benefit of Republics.

WTF does bought and paid for by the health care industry actually mean?

If the guy’s an MD with his own facility, he’s part of the health care industry.

When did that become necessarily a bad thing?

Soon you’ll be able to ask the same question about Democrats.

In that part of Alabama it really doesn’t matter. Griffith only won by 3 points over a Rethug. We’re talking about a part of the country where a lot of family trees are represented by a straight line.

I don’t know about “that part.” Hugo Black came from Alabama. I guess there has been some back sliding since the 1930s.

Why not accept the money from Walmart and use it for purposes that they would not use it for?

Irrelevant, unfortunately. He is in the HOUSE where there is no 60 vote thingy. The House is strictly majority rule. Minorities have no power there.

What I’d like to see if Bernie Sanders grow a pair and declare that because of the healthcare crime, he is no longer caucusing with the Democraps. THAT would kill their 60-vote tally, but it does require that Sanders actually stand up for what he PURPORTS to believe.

That would be novel, for a “lefty” or “progressive” in the senate to actually declare that they really DO stand for something and that their vote is NOT for sale to biggest corporation.

Hear me Feingold? No? Didn’t think so.

apparently even bayh and his wife are a partially owned subsidiary of the health insurance industry.
you can find that they own millions of shares of wellpoint, and profited perhpas 250k-500k from the recent run up of wellpoint stock.
see jane’s post earlier today about the gains:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/report_bayhs_wife_made_millions_as_board_member_fo.php

Susan Bayh’s affiliation with Indianapolis-based WellPoint isn’t news. But a new report on TheStreet digs into the details. It also finds that last year, Susan Bayh sat on four other corporate boards, in addition to WellPoint’s. She received over $656,0000 in cash and stock for all her board work, around half of which came from WellPoint.

Rahm would probably donate six figures to get him back.

Old news, dude.

Nice pick Rahm money well spent/s

This, if nothing else, exposes the folly behind the idea of electing “more and better” Democrats. Inevitably, many of the Democrats you’re left with are right-wingers whose allegiances shift with the electoral winds. A majority party that can’t get anything done may as well be in the minority.

I don’t think any state has the market cornered on inbreeding. Also, I don’t think historically that monarchies are the only examples of an inbred ruling class. It would explain so much about our own leaders.

double post-sorry

Hardly. This shows what happens when Rahm gets involved. Sure, there are a number of Act Blue candidates that have, since getting into office, turned tail and run to the corporate side BUT it is ALWAYS the case when Rahm and the DLC is involved. They ALWAYS pick and support Republicans in all but name. ALWAYS.

You pick a true progressive candidate and support him/her. If they live up to their promise then you continue to support them and work to get someone else into another seat.

More and BETTER Dems with BETTER being the key word. All Rahm does is think about “more”. And it shows.

Parker Griffin, actions should show Progressives how the Game is now played

Progressives candidates must learn how to talk and walk like Republicans and Tea Party Candidates on the Campaign Trail, because once you get to congress you can Transform back into a Progressive.

It work for Barack Obama in 2008 and his hero Ronald Reagan.

The brand names Democrat and Republican really don’t mean anything when you get to congress. Progressives must learn the tricks of the other side.

It would be AWESOME to see a Republican transform into Progressive.

The powers that be would go CRAZY!!!

Rahm head would explode if he saw republicans he like becoming Progressives.

Dear Nobodies: My wife’s a lobbyist, you know. She works for one of the biggest lobbying firms in Washington. They pay her much more than I make as a member of Congress — partly for her work, but mainly because she’s my wife. (Just kidding, dear!)

I wish I didn’t have to keep a house in my congressional district at all. It’s such a joke. We hardly ever visit. Our home is in Washington. It’s where my children have grown up, and it’s where they attend Sidwell Friends. I’m afraid, my dear constituents, that my D.C.-bred kids don’t like you. They think you’re crude. And they think you talk funny.

this can spin our way: look! look! the bill is so bad democrats are turning into republicans to avoid voting for it. and a doctor too! kinda screws on the AMA endorsement, huh.

meanwhile we are rid one more of rahm’s boys. and rahm has to start over again in the district.

and general chaos increases.

I LIKE THIS GAME.

very nice. yes! yes! can we do that? please? please? huh? huh? who will go first????

I don’t think anyone is going to want to have to run as a Democrat next fall.

It’s safe to say that the “health care industry” is a wee bit more than an MD with his/her own facility.

You’re right – I guess I’m reacting to the interpretation of “more and better” that I’ve seen in play, the idea that electing “more” Democrats in the form of corporatists and Blue Dogs will somehow lead to “better” Democrats who actually stand up for progressive values. I guess what I’m arguing for, as you are, is “better and more” as opposed to “more and better”. Hope that makes sense.

How many more DINOs will switch after the HCR fiasco?

Now that their evil work is done, what possible reason remains to stay a D? Wonder if Lieberman will change.

And it’s safe to say that there’s a whole lot of difference of opinion in the health care industry and the people working within it.

Of course Dr. Griffith doesn’t want to reform health care. Doctors account for 21% of US health care costs, second only to hospitals.

All the good doctors in congress are talking about insurance and pharma…

Doctor, heal thyself…

Nah. That would make his life more difficult. He has the rest of DeeCee exactly where he wants them.

he 5th was considered one of the few realistic chances for a Republican pickup in what was forecast to be a very bleak year for Republicans, due to the district and state’s recent voting history. The 5th is one of the few districts in the former Confederacy that has not elected a Republican since Reconstruction. Democrats still hold most local offices as well as most state legislative seats in the area, but the district’s residents have been increasingly willing to support Republicans at the national and state level. It last supported a Democrat for president in 1976, and George W. Bush and John McCain won the district by double-digit margins in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
Due to these trends, most forecasters rated the district as a toss-up. CQ Politics forecasted the race as ‘No Clear Favorite’, The Cook Political Report ranked it ‘Democratic Toss Up’, and The Rothenberg Political Report rated it ‘Pure Toss-Up’.[8][9][10]
Griffith defeated Parker, taking 52 percent of the vote to Parker’s 48 percent. He carried all but one of the district’s seven counties. This came even as presidential candidate Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL, whose seat was up for re-election) won every county in the district. His victory, and that of Bobby Bright in the 2nd District, gave Alabama two white Democratic congressmen for the first time since Glen Browder and Tom Bevill left the House in 1997.

[Modnote: please link to source, wiki]

The 60 votes are in the Senate. Griffith is in the House of Represenative.

This guy see’s where his district is headed and is getting out in front of it.

Yes, that’s what it looks like.

Now if only Nelson in the senate would do a switch. Then we could finally forget about kissing HIS ass to get a bill passed.

He’s still going to be a good little Corporate Servant though. That’s all that matters.

All congresscritters need and take money from special interest groups. All pay something back. Congresscritters are also acutely aware of how their constituents are leaning on key issues and they won’t buck them…

These are like golden principles of politics I would think. It’s “getting elected and staying elected 101″.

don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya, dude

and good luck with your new friends

they bite

oh ya, they’re also in the process of killing the repuglitarded brand

so knock yer self out

align yourself with the least patriotic political party in America’s history

let us know how that works out

and don’t come back begging to let back into the DEMOCRATIC PARTY pal

when the repuglitarded party blows up in your face, suck it up and go away, asshole

This guy see’s where his district is headed and is getting out in front of it.

I think most Blue Dogs are going to consider turning Republican. As Democrats, they face defeat, but as Republicans they essentially flip the calculus. It all goes to show how stupid and bankrupt Obama and Rahm’s electoral strategies are. They are effectively making seats safe for Republicans.

Two words:

Better Democrats.

Two words for Rahmbo:

Bite me.

what are the chances of suing the crap out of this DINO? not only did a lot of Democrats donate a good deal of time , but also he’s got OUR MONEY in his campaign war chest! I want my money back asshole! even if we cannot get it, tiing the 2-faced SOB up in court for a while would be worth the effort.

I heard a great comment yesterday…”a bird needs both wings to fly”… we need both wings of our country and we need compromise. As long as we are a nation deeply divided nothing will be accomplished in this polarized nation except for more hatred of the other side. I lean left and I want to see health reform….

Actually, that part of Alabama has not voted for a Republican U.S. Rep in about 140 years. They’ve been going GOP for president since 1980. But no coattails long enough yet to go red on Congress.

Incidentally … a substantial proportion of conservatives in Huntsville are not even from the South. They are federal or defense contractor employees who are there because of NASA and Redstone Arsenal. They vote to keep their paycheck coming, and they view the GOP as greater benefactors. It’s the rural people in the other 6 counties of AL-05 — the ones being derided elsewhere in this thread as incestuous morons — who make the difference in keeping the House seat blue.

hey walt minnick, why don’t you join this blue doggy friend of yours? good riddance indeed.

Wish Rahm would go with him.