Blue Dog Coalition

Open letter to the Blue Dog Coalition:

I am 88 years old and have excellent long-term and short-term memory.

In my early adult years, I recognized the platform of the Republican Party as conservative, to the extent of minimizing government change, using a hands-off policy on private companies and corporations, while simultaneously embracing a few regulations, such as anti-monopoly. The platform of the Democratic Party appeared to be very similar, with less accent relating to private business, and the willingness to engage in at least minor legislative changes. For both parties, financial responsibility was the watchword.

Through the years, the party platforms have changed. The Republican platform is more like the old-time Democrats. It has become more willing to change. However, it has also sacrificed some of its original responsibility to protect private and corporate interests. It has given up much of its fiscal responsibility, but still claims average fiscal responsibility. The Democratic platform has become more socially involved. The leadership has tended toward unrealistic idealisms, which were not present in the old Democratic platform. The new platform has completely divorced itself from any fiscal responsibility.

I believe that with the present Democratic leadership in power, we are headed toward an oligarchic/dictatorial government, which will later fail through bankruptcy, similar to other world examples.

I also believe that this is not an inevitable development, and your Blue Dog Coalition can be instrumental in developing a new, yet more fiscally responsible federal government. However, your present coalition is too small in its membership to be meaningful in controlling the House agenda. You need a substantial infusion of new members, and many of these may be available from the group which now designate themselves as Republicans. Unfortunately, labels may have a significant influence on your attempting to gain new coalition members. I suggest that at an appropriate time, which would maintain continued support from your local constituencies, you might want to establish a new party known as the Blue Dog Party. When such as solidly available to you, it will go a long way to have many Republicans jump ship. This would be especially true if the newly registered party becomes a party of choice at the local level. Fiscal responsibility and debt reduction will be the most cohesive aspect of the various members.

Consider also that while the Blue Dog Party will have its initial roots in the Democratic House, it will be expanded through the Senate. I and many like me would continue to maintain allegiance to the present personalities even with party label change. For example, my Representative Neugebauer and my Senators Cornyn and Hutchison will more easily retain my vote as Blue Dogs, rather than as Republicans.