Some Potential ActBlue Targets for '08

Here are Democratic congresscritters who voted...

• For the Military Commissions Act


• For the Bankruptcy bill (technically known as "Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act")


• Against Net Neutrality (technically the "Markey of Massachusetts Amendment" to the "Communications, Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006"), and


• For Federal Government intervention in the Terry Schiavo case (technically known as "For the Relief of the Parents of Theresa Marie Schiavo")

Sanford Bishop (GA-2nd))

Dan Boren (OK-2nd)

Bud Cramer (AL-5th)

Henry Cuellar (TX-28th)

Lincoln Davis (TN-4th)

Chet Edwards (TX-17th)

Bob Etheridge (NC-2nd)

Tim Holden (PA-17th)

Mike McIntyre (NC-7th)

Charlie Melancon (LA-3rd)

Mike Michaud (ME-2nd)

David Scott (GA-13th)

John Tanner (TN-8th)

---

Due to how the vote was conducted, a number of dubious Dems missed the Schiavo vote.
Here's a list of those who voted...

• For the Military Commissions Act


• For the Bankruptcy bill (technically known as "Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act")


• Against Net Neutrality (technically the "Markey of Massachusetts Amendment" to the "Communications, Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006"), and who


• Did not vote on Federal Government intervention in the Terry Schiavo case (technically known as "For the Relief of the Parents of Theresa Marie Schiavo")

Leonard Boswell (IA-3rd)

Allen Boyd (FL-2nd)

Artur Davis (AL-7th)

Dennis Moore (KS-3rd)

---

I recognize that some of these Congresscritters represent pretty red districts and there may not be much to be gained by financing a serious primary challenge. Moreover, there may not be a more progressive candidate willing to run in the primary. But some districts are probably more purple now than they were a year ago so it may be worthwhile to look at local races on '06 to see how things are trending. But "K Street coziness" still needs to be looked at and that may add some additional potential targets.

Dubious Dems

Here's a list of Democratic House members who voted in favor of both the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act and the Military Commissions Act. If I had some buckets of money to spend to finance a serious Democratic primary campaign, these are incumbents I'd look at first.

Robert Andrews (NJ-1st) *

Melissa Bean (IL-8th)

Sanford Bishop (GA-2nd))

Dan Boren (OK-2nd)

Leonard Boswell (IA-3rd) *

Allen Boyd (FL-2nd) *

Ben Chandler (KY-6th)

Bud Cramer (AL-5th)

Henry Cuellar (TX-28th)

Artur Davis (AL-7th) *

Lincoln Davis (TN-4th)

Chet Edwards (TX-17th)

Bob Etheridge (NC-2nd)

Harold Ford (TN-9th)

Bart Gordon (TN-6th) *

Stephanie Herseth (SD-At-Large)

Brian Higgins (NY-27th)

Tim Holden (PA-17th)

Jim Matheson (UT-2nd)

Mike McIntyre (NC-7th)

Charlie Melancon (LA-3rd)

Mike Michaud (ME-2nd)

Dennis Moore (KS-3rd) *

Collin Peterson (MN-7th) *

Earl Pomeroy (ND-At-Large)

Mike Ross (AR-4th)

John Salazar (CO-3rd) *

David Scott (GA-13th)

John Spratt (SC-5th) [gets props for voting against the Schiavo bill]

John Tanner (TN-8th)

Gene Taylor (MS-4th) *

Update: I did a check of the vote on the Terry Schiavo bill. Only one of the above representatives (John Spratt) voted against that law. Those listed with an asterisk simply did not vote on the Schaivo bill.

New Tune: "Pull Up a Chair"

The title is derived by the Saturday morning chats at the wonderful Firedoglake blog. This is just some instrumental music (muzak?) I assembled with the help of software. Click on the icon to bring up a pop-up music player (requires javascript) and then click on the play button. ;)

Keeping the "Lamont Score"

I posted this comment at Firedoglake on November 11th...

Personally, I’d like to see BlueAmerica use some of it’s influence to keep wayward Dems in line. Perhaps listing all Dems coming up for reelection in 2008 and giving them a “Lamont Score” based on degree of support for progressive causes, avoidance of K Street coziness, and perhaps one other measure. Those with low scores would be targeted for a primary challenge with funding from BlueAmerica. Of course there may not be a progressive candidate to take the incumbent on but the threat alone might induce some behavior modification.

The third measure mentioned above should be how well the politician avoided using his/her position to achieve some sort of sweetheart deal or in some other way reflecting poorly on the Democratic party.

It's too soon to pass judgment on a few high profile Dems who have recently been in the news for potential ethics issues so I won't mention any names other than Albert Wynn (D-MD) who should wake up and smell the coffee given how closely Donna Edwards came to defeating him in the Democratic primary. As I said before, I realize that there may not be a progressive candidate willing to take on a well established incumbent with a poor "Lamont score". But a politician with a poor "Lamont Score" should understand that he/she is being flagged for a primary challenge with funding support by ActBlue. The Lamont victory in the Connecticut primary and the Edwards near-victory in the Maryland primary should be sufficient to keep a few of these wavering Dems in line.

New Song: "I Blame Clinton"

A song for the Republican pundits out there. The words have been
placed in the public domain.

(v. 1)

Well Osama ain'’t been found
Iraq casualties abound
And I blame Clinton

That ol'’ deficits a mess
Coulter wears that same old dress
Well I blame Clinton

We got Foley’'s pedophile emails
Abrahamoff's goin’' to jail
Well blame it on Clinton

(v.2)
North Korea’'s got a nuke
Mid-terms look like a rebuke
And I blame Clinton

There'’s a bird flu on the loose
And Limbaugh’'s had some drug abuse
But I blame Clinton

If there'’s a brush fire or a quake
Or if I have a stomach ache
Then I blame Clinton

(instrumental verse)

(V.3)
Now the Taliban returns
And global warming's a concern
So I blame Clinton

Halliburton's got the dough
No bid contracts don’'t ya know
But I blame Clinton

It'’s been five years since he'’s gone
But everything that has gone wrong
Well I blame Clinton