Republican wing of the Democratic Party

I know it's hard to imagine but there was a time when the DCCC used to give their candidates my contact info and tell them to talk with me about progressive issues. That was almost a decade ago. Today they tell their candidates to avoid me at all costs-- or else! And many of their candidates do... but not all.

When Pelosi and Ben Gay Luján cluck to the media that they're proudly, defiantly recruiting and financing Blue Dogs, anti-Choice fanatics and "ex"-Republicans to run as congressional candidates, they're talking about political opportunists like Jim Justice and Joe Manchin, two arch-conservatives from West Virginia.

I had lunch with an old friend today, a wealthy old friend who is very progressive but was interested if I thought Congress is going to cut taxes. He's kind of looking forward to that prospect from a personal perspective but not looking forward to it on a political perspective. Complicated.

Pelosi and Lujan welcoming Blue Dogs to DCCC headquartersI'm one of those people begging Alan Grayson to run for Congress again. No promises but I don't think he's ruled it out.

Will Pelosi and Lujan tell the DCCC to pay for ads like this?Pelosi and her failed and incompetent DCCC chairman Ben Ray Lujan have become incredibly divisive forces in the Democratic Party just as the drive starts to win back the House. The DCCC is now openly admitting the recruit and finance Blue Dogs, "ex"-Republicans, New Dems, anti-Choice fanatics and other from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

Many progressives are sickened by DCCC chairman Ben Ray Lujan's (and the increasingly senile Pelosi's) decision to recruit and fund Blue Dogs and other anti-Choice candidates and pass them off to unsuspecting voters as real Democrats.

I spend half my day talking to candidates and congressional incumbents. I haven't heard a single one mention the new Papa John's Pizza slogan Pelosi and Schumer are pushing on Democrats. A crew of top Politico reporters found the same thing. One congressmember told me, on the condition of anonymity, that Pelosi "is a leader with no following.

Welcome to the DCCC morgueWhy aren't there more members of Congress like Barbara Lee? And why has Pelosi consistently blocked her from becoming part of party leadership and promoting Garbagecrats-- think Crowley, for example-- over her?

Earlier this week, Heather Caygle, writing for Politico, reported about the Blue Dogs-- the most right-wing and pro-GOP wing of the Democratic Party-- it trying for another comeback. Beltway reporters have bought into the Blue Dog propaganda that describes them as "moderates" (rather than conservatives), which says what about normal Democrats?

Ryan and McCarthy love to brag about how their most toxic legislation passes with "bipartisan" support. And technically, they're right. There is always a pack of bribe-hungry Blue Dogs and New Dems eager to sell their votes to the highest bidders. So far this cycle the 10 most corrupted Democrats in Congress so far-- from bad to worst: