I don't agree with the Blue Dogs on many, if any, of the issues that tend to separate them from the rest of the party.  I'm not pro-life, I'm not opposed to gay marriage (or even gay mortgage), and I don't think I need to spend half of my day professing my patriotism (I love my country, but I show it my own way.  One flag on the porch is enough, thank you, and none on the car).  I'm not big on gun control, so I guess I'm sorta with them on that.

Anywho, what's my point?  Well, to be brief, we'd kind of like to win seats, right?  Well, to do that we're going to have to support some folks who are barely recognizable as Democrats.  Cayazoux is a pretty conservative cat.  I doubt he'll vote with us more than half the time (literally).  There will be votes where we could really use him and we won't have him.  It'll suck.  I'll be mad at him.

But ya know what?  The other guy would have voted with us likely less than a tenth of the time.  We have to understand that some districts and some states are anathema to what we in the netroots consider "progressive."  When I see a fund-raising drive for a progressive primary challenger in a safe (and I mean safe) district I don't really mind.  Move the needle in the right direction, sure.

But when I see that happen in a competitive district I could spit nails.  And that's not just for incumbents.  If the national party is backing some socially conservative hack who wants to call himself a Democrat and is with us some of the time, and he can actually win as opposed to losing gloriously (and in a landslide) whilst trying to make a point, then I want that guy/gal.

I know, I know.  We can't purple-ify the red districts if we don't try to.  A blowout loss from a progressive might help the next candidate.  That's not a bad point.  However - I want to win.  And I don't mean elections.

I want legislative wins.  A half loaf of bread is far more sustaining that flat-out starvation.  Remember that.  I won't go into particular races.  I'll just say that I've seen it happen.

As far as the Blue Dogs in office?  I can't stand some of their votes.  FISA, judges, social policy, you name it, they've probably pissed me of regarding it.

But they're Democrats, and they're with us more than the Republican(s) they beat would have been.  

It'll do.  Remember that next time you open up your checkbook.