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HUNTING FOR A DEAL [1]
['John E. Yang', 'December']
Date: 1995-12-21
If the budget talks between President Clinton and congressional Republicans continue to falter, the Blue Dogs stand ready to race to the rescue.
The Blue Dogs are 21 conservative and moderate House Democrats who offered the only Democratic alternative to the House Republicans' plan to balance the budget in seven years. They officially are called the Coalition, but in keeping with the House tradition of zoological names for intraparty alliances, they are better known by their nickname, the "Blue Dog Democrats."
It is a play on the term "Yellow Dog Democrat" that was used to describe southern voters so loyal to the Democratic Party that they would cast their ballots for a yellow dog if it were a Democratic candidate rather than vote for a Republican.
But the inspiration for the moniker is a painting by Louisiana artist George Rodrigue of a blue dog sitting in front of the Capitol, part of a series he did to depict the spirit of his late black-and-white dog Tiffany, part spaniel, part terrier.
"It just sort of became our mascot," said Rep. Charles W. Stenholm (D-Tex.), a leading Blue Dog. The group made lapel pins of the dog.
The Blue Dogs are descendants of the Boll Weevils, a group of conservative southern Democrats who formed the Conservative Democratic Forum to support President Ronald Reagan's economic policies in early 1981 and 1982. Like the Boll Weevils, the Blue Dogs have formed a political action committee.
At the same time the Boll Weevils were formed, moderate Republicans from the Northeast organized into the Gypsy Moths to try to temper the impact of Reagan's economic policies on their urban and industrial districts. The Blue Dogs are more geographically diverse than the the Boll Weevils. Their leaders include Reps. Gary A. Condit (Calif.) and Collin C. Peterson (Minn.).
And, yes, there are cats in the House -- the Conservative Action Team, a group of Republicans who go by the acronym CAT. What is the difference between a Yellow Dog Democrat and a Blue Dog Democrat?
"A blue dog's got a better sense of smell," Stenholm said. "And if you're not careful, it'll bite you." CAPTION: Rep. Condit, above, is a leader of Democrats' group with Rep. Collin Peterson, below. CAPTION: Blue Dog painting hangs in Capitol Hill office of rep. Gary A. Condit (D-Calif.), with autographs of original members at bottom.
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[1] Url:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/12/21/hunting-for-a-deal/63249283-8ee8-44e0-be0c-d7cb2de365d2/
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