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.
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