Welcome to the California Blue Dog blog. While a Blue Dog is a term historically associated with fiscally conservative, socially moderate to liberal Democrats, this site takes a fairly broad view of a Blue Dog. Regardless of your party affiliation, do you basically consider yourself a centrist or moderate? Are you turned off by the polarizing nature of political and policy discussions? Do you see gray areas where everyone else sees black and white? Are you tired of the lunatics running the asylum? Do you crave some mature, insightful and respectful conversation about the state of California politics, press and policy issues?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider yourself a Blue Dog. So welcome to this blog. Feel free to subscribe to the RSS feeds and to carry the spirit of this blog into your comments.
As a very interested Californian and often frustrated voter, I’ve been consistently frustrated at the marginalization of those of us in the middle. We’re accused of not having principles or convictions, just because we don’t subscribe to the shrill partisans at the edges. In reality, most of us live and work pragmatically in the middle — in our professional and personal lives — because that’s where solutions and consensus lie. There is far more that unites us than divides us, even if it doesn’t make for entertaining talk radio or hit pieces in the mail. I’m bookmarking this site and will be back — hopefully, to find more solution-oriented Californians.