Matheson, Blue Dogs More Bark than Bite?

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Utah's lone Democrat in Washington has consistently touted the influence he and the more moderate Blue Dog Democrats Coalition could have on key issues in Congress this year. But on many close and controversial votes - like establishing a timeline for troop withdrawal in Iraq - the group of 48 moderate Democrats didn't use its influence. Congressman Jim Matheson says that's because they couldn't get enough support within their ranks to take a position:

"It's a consensus driven group with a high-threshold of a two-thirds majority to take a position," says Matheson. "With a lot of issues you don't get two-thirds majority and the Blue Dogs don't take a position on every issue."

In a number of votes, Matheson broke both with his party and the Blue Dog Coalition to vote more like a Republican. Just last weekend, he voted against a measure to encourage renewable energy development, but for a plan to expand government eavesdropping abilities. Matheson says he votes on a bill's merits, not a party line.

U of U Political Scientist Matthew Burbank says the moderate Blue Dog Democrat Coalition has discovered the challenge of getting things done when a party's in the majority:

"I think the Blue Dogs perhaps underestimated there would be a lot of contentious issues and the Democrats didn't have such a big majority that they could easily get things through," says Burbank. "And of course you still have a Republican President."

The Blue Dogs have managed to wield their influence in one critical area, says Matheson. They pushed to reinstate more conservative budgeting rules that require Congress to pay for each program as they create it, rather than spending in a deficit.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2009 KCPW