Taking Fiscal Conservatism Where We Can Get It

With the power of the GOP in Congress at a frightening low, fiscal conservatives need to look long and hard to find any restraint on spending. At least we can root for the conservative Blue Dogs to have some kind of influence in the coming healthcare debate. From The Hill:

The fiscally conservative arm of the Democratic Party has begun to flex as the House inches toward action on healthcare reform. [They] issued a statement of healthcare principles Tuesday, less than a week after complaining to three House committee chairmen that they felt shut out from drafting the $1 trillion-plus bill to reduce healthcare spending growth, improve the quality of medical care, and expand coverage to the 46 million without health insurance.

the Blue Dog letter represents a rare coalition consensus, signaling that the 51-strong Blue Dog Coalition intends to stick together — which could including voting together as a significant bloc in the House — if it doesn’t get what it’s asking for in the final bill.

“As we move forward, moderate voices should have a key role in this debate and we must never lose sight of how these reforms will impact small businesses and working families across this country,” said Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), who’s heading a healthcare task force for the Blue Dogs.

And the Blue Dogs are apparently not completely alone.

The Blue Dogs are not the first contingent of centrist Democrats to weigh in on healthcare reform.

The centrist New Democrat Coalition put out a similar document last week. Combined with the discomfort voiced by centrist or conservative Democratic senators like Ben Nelson (Neb.), these salvos signal that congressional Democrats are not fully united behind their leaders’ approach to healthcare reform.

Needless to say, I can't imagine the healthcare debate is going to make any conservative happy, but hopefully the moderate wing of the Democratic Party can at least keep it from becomeing a disaster.