Blue Dogs emphasize fiscally responsible politics
Congressman Lincoln Davis and his fellow Blue Dog Democrats are fed up, and it’s Washington’s fiscal irresponsibility that’s got their collective goat.
“I’m fed up with the borrow-and-spend policies of the current Congress and the current administration,” Davis told a lunchtime crowd at his campaign headquarters in Chancery Plaza Friday afternoon.
Echoed Arkansas Rep. Marion Berry, “If you’re gonna spend money, you ought to have it, and you shouldn’t be borrowing it from you children and grandchildren. You don’t have to be brilliant to figure that out”
Davis, Berry and Reps. Allen Boyd (Florida), Dennis Cardoza (California), Mike Ross (Arkansas) and Mike Thompson (California) visited McMinnville Friday as part of the Blue Dog Fiscal Responsibility Tour, a multi-state tour touting the benefits of responsible economic policy.
The Blue Dogs Coalition is a group of 39 moderate and conservative Democratic U.S. Representatives. The group was formed in 1994 by a number of Democratic congressmen who believed their moderate-to-conservative views had been “choked blue” by their party.
The group’s name is a variation of the moniker Yellow Dog Democrat, that being a Democratic party loyalist who would vote for a yellow dog if it were on the ballot as a Democrat. Begun by a small group of Southern congressmen, the group now boasts members representing districts all across the country.
Thompson told those present that because of the Bush administration’s fiscal policies, the U.S. debt has ballooned to $7.5 trillion, and is expected to grow to $10.4 trillion in five years time.
“Every day we, the American people, the taxpayers, spend $1 billion on just the interest on the national debt. That’s $1 billion a day we can’t spend on education, homeland security, health care or even tax cuts,” he said.
The Napa Valley Congressman added that 40 percent of the country’s privately held debt is held by foreign countries.
“And a part of that debt is held by the National Bank of China. That’s pretty scary,” he said.
“You can’t owe half the world billions of dollars and not have them control part of your destiny,” added Cardoza.
Before continuing on to Tallahassee, Fla., the next step on the Blue Dog Fiscal Responsibility Tour, the visiting Congressmen urged those in attendance to support Davis in his bid for reelection, praising his common-sense work and dedication to the people of the 4th Congressional District.