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Blue Dog Democrats losing numbers in the House

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    Outgoing Congressman Altmire speaks out

  • Duration 5:10
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-- seen the last of the species on this planet die off.

One of a select few Democrats -- spending what's been calling saving was this species let history record its formal name of blue dog a source blue dogs restored.

Those fiscally conservative Democrats who while more liberal in their social outlook or anything but when it came to our financial outlook -- I'll -- one of them.

Once among more than a dozen of like minded fiscal purist and come later tonight maybe happen.

When there's different Democrat goes the way the dote over or forced out an election in which constituents favored bacon over a guy.

Taking away the debate can I could go into the details of his losing a primary and and that guy losing the general elections -- bites of this day.

This guy is not staying the Pennsylvania congressman part of a dying nearly extinct breed a backbone principal politicians who felt that saving taxpayers' money mattered.

And that stupid things like -- I don't know -- mattered as well.

But before he becomes extinct to Jason -- with me now.

Congressman.

And feel.

Thank you for that wonderful introduction I didn't mean to call -- widowed overt act but I said it all respect as I told you on and off the air.

Yeah you you were -- our principal guy and and not a slave either party.

Words predictable routine -- and automatic ways of doing things you wanted to forge a middle ground and that made -- an anathema within your own party.

I have to tell you I really I feel good about my time in office I did what the district I represented wanted me to do.

I feel good about him I didn't -- -- out.

Well it was a combination of we did reapportionment we combined two districts in the one.

I won my part of the district 70% of the Democrats in the democratic primary from the district that I represented voted for me that wasn't the issue.

The other congressman that I ran against that higher turnout in his his constituents supported him and as you said he ended up losing in the fall to a guy that -- -- last time.

And you know it was just -- usual circumstance but.

A lot of the animosity that was driven in the primary was because of the few votes that I cast now.

We know about our kids on guard like you say it is a -- point but I here's what scares me.

In this deal.

So tilted toward tax -- over spending cuts.

The appetite for spending cuts just is not there now I'm not saying that it might not eventually be there in the future that someone will get something resembling a backbone.

But you -- a great deal of political outcry.

Trying to address spending and tried to take on your speaker at the time Nancy Pelosi and in a continuing role as -- In a role as minority leader and it was like you were always up against the tide what happens now.

Well both parties have done it we've talked about -- a little more on the dynamic on the democratic side they are gonna have to come to terms with the fact that the American people are fed up with the spending there's no question about that.

On the Republican side I think the American people are fed up with the lack of ability.

To work together and -- they're gonna have to resolve that among their own conference in speaker Boehner is gonna have to figure out a way.

To better bring everybody together on his side and then work -- with the other party.

On top of that so -- that congress is not operating as it was designed to operate there's no question about that there's a lot of reasons why that's the case.

But the country suffers when we don't have people in the middle.

That can work together they can compromise that can do big things for the country.

And I think that's where most of the American people would like us to be but unfortunately that that's just not the type of person that we're sending to Washington anymore -- I would never envisioned today congress and maybe you would -- where we're it was far easier.

It's a slap on tax hikes than ever cut spending I thought up against -- Franken up against the reality.

Of everything hitting the fan certainly spending cuts would materialize and they didn't.

So if they didn't materialize now at the -- of what look like a public suicide watch how the heck are they ever gonna materialize.

The Republicans have more leverage next time around than they did this okay.

It's going to be a big topic of discussion when the debt ceiling comes up and when the see Questar.

In two months expires again.

So what I'll go to we'll see what will go to the break again we'll go we'll come borrowed them -- -- -- that the government -- why.

When there's not a deadline can we get something done.

And it.

Well congress is never been able to actor rarely.

Through the decades without a hard deadline and unfortunately the fiscal cliff was designed specifically to force action because congress never would've made those difficult decisions.

Where they're not a hard deadline.

The debt ceiling provides another deadline that's why I don't think that we should remove that from congressional authority because I think congress needs to have a say.

In whether or not the debt ceiling is raised but none of this should be used as political leverage so that you can achieve political goals and unfortunately that's what's happening now.

Well congress -- not so do this on and off the air again that your decent man of enormous integrity.

And hope springs eternal that at least -- DNA is left in congress but thank you sir for your service and we've done.

Thank you Neil happy new year view as well meanwhile ahead of --

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