It was reported yesterday that U.S. Representative Christopher Carney has been contacted by Senator John McCain, and asked to switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. Carney responded, “I appreciate the Republican Party’s outreach, but I have no plans to change parties.”
From a progressive perspective, Carney’s reaction is profoundly disappointing. Congressman Carney would make a much better Republican than he does a Democrat.
Carney is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a collection of mangy Democratic politicians who maneuver to block progressive legislation on issues like climate change and health care reform. They block progressive Democrats from running for office, but vote like Republicans on the most important votes.
On a scale that reaches all the way up to very progressive 100, Christopher Carney’s legislative scorecard on That’s My Congress only manages to reach a 2. If Carney were to defect to the Republican Party, a more progressive Democrat would have the opportunity to run for Congress, with the support of the district’s Democratic Party resources. At present, voters in Carney’s district only have the choice between a right wing Republican, and a right wing Democrat.
Senator McCain, take Chris Carney over to the Republican Party – please! Give him roses. Send him chocolates. Whatever it takes, just get him and his rotten Blue Dog compadres out of the Democratic Party!
Congressman Carney and Senators Specter and Casey might wiggle and squirm to keep their jobs.But prior to the Mass. election they were committed to fine me, arrest me, jail me if I did not want to become Obama’s slave and buy mandatory health insurance.
My constitutional rights meant nothing to them! He voted against the bail outs and won my vote. Then It dawned on me
that he only votes against his party when his party does not need the votes.
He fooled me once, but never again.
So interview him now if he still is going to push to put me in jail.
Or isn’t that important now! Ask
him if he will change parties to save himself?