Who knew? There is still a Blue Dog Caucus in the Democratic Party, even as New Yorkers elect a socialist as Mayor of America’s largest city. The Caucus is said “to be an official caucus in the House of Representatives comprised of “fiscally-responsible Democrats who are leading the way to find common sense solutions.”
And I found out that pearl, “small”, in the New York Times. The Caucuses continuing existence showed up in an article about a Member of Congress from a rural district in Washington State. Her name: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.
At the beginning of the interview, Perez quoted from the gospel of Luke: “He who is faithful in a small thing is faithful in a great thing also.” Underscoring small she proposed an amendment to a bill because we are plagued with “headlight brightness.” The amendment urges “the Secretary of Transportation to study the impacts of headlight brightness on the vision and safety of drivers, pedestrians, and other road users, as well as in regard to different terrain, such as hills and curves.”
Her signature cause is informed by her disgust with a never-ending stream of products that cannot be repaired. She co-owned an auto repair and machine shop with her husband. And I quote from Perez: “We don’t want to be perpetual renters of disposable crap”. She refers to much of what we own as items simply rented.
Thankfully, the article didn’t go into what she thinks about the President. We are forced to overindulge his performative behavior. In one very simple way Representative Perez is his antithesis. He is wedded to big things. The “Big Beautiful Bill”, for example, was biblical in its length. Even the best-informed got entangled in the details.
And if we want to simplify, much must be done locally. Yes, City Councils. Sparks will fly, but at the end of the day you will have had a chance to weigh in. And, much will have to be done by all of us as buyers.
My wife and I became beekeepers shortly after the century’s turn. We joined a beekeeping club. The Members bought, sold, repaired, and combined to buy less expensively. The leader of the club would drive ten plus hours to buy nuclei of bee hives called “nucs,” and everybody who bought one or more would show up with their pickup trucks the next morning, get their supply, and then hive them.
My wife and I were newbies, and a seasoned beekeeper offered his services free of charge to help us. He adamantly refused to take money.
President Trump should use his tariffs on disposable goods while letting what Representative Perez would call “goods we own” and can repair be tariff-free. Indeed maybe her Party should go beyond powerful identity groups and make small business a part of their platform. I think it would be popular and help revive businesses that fix the repairable while taking some pressure off landfills.
My guess is her party will run against Trumpism and not on a platform aimed at simplification. Or, as she might envision it, “ownership” so that those who want to cut the thread or maybe chain link binding us to Big Tech can do so. It would be refreshing at the next inaugural to see something other than Big Tech moguls in the prize seats.
More recently I have started paying attention to the Town Council where I live. The Council listens; my Member of Congress is too busy being herded around to pay any attention. Trump has a leash on him.
Now decentralization doesn’t assure happiness. I used to live in New York City and would be furious with the new Mayor’s radical moves embracing socialism. But I would know that next time around I could try to do something about it.
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
Bob Brell says
The author dips low again with his Blue Dog bait and switch. Clever? Only to the nonobservant. Using the Blue Dog caucus as the bait, the author again as he does so often, uses the piece to bash President Trump again, not once but twice. The switch, first the author cleverly leverages the Blue Dog message with “Thankfully, the article didn’t go into what she (Representative Perez) thinks about the President”,(which presupposes the author has insight into what Representative Perez thinks). Now where did the author come from with that comment other than his personal mission to criticize and smear the President. That’s followed by “We are forced to overindulge his (the President) performative behavior” May as well pile on while he can, but none of this criticism and smear has anything to do with the Blue Dog initiative which may have some merit.
The author goes on with, “My guess is her (Rep. Perez) party will run against Trumpism (however that’s defined) and not on a platform aimed at simplification. Or, as she might envision it, “ownership” so that those who want to cut the tread or maybe the chain link binding us to Big Tech can do so. Preposterous! When was the last time a democratic representative broke ranks with their party on any vote? Silence out there? And who did the “Big Tech Moguls” go all out for in the last election? It was President Biden! The Big Teck Moguls (Democrats all) then turned tail and came to Washington on bended knee begging for forgiveness and sold their souls to the highest bidder.
The author winds up with, “I used to live in New York City and would be furious with the new mayor’s radical moves embracing socialism.” Mamdani’s assent didn’t come over night. The east coast elite (banking, publishing, investment, etc., all big money and mostly democrats), over several decades set the stage for the Mamdani revolt. The elite will move to Florida taking their money and bad habits with them just like Californians continue to bail out taking their money and bad habits to Oregon, Texas, Idaho and elsewhere. Too much money is the root of all evil. Despicable all.