Which Side Are They On?

The Left Coaster provides an inventory of the 31 House Democrats who, over the last two days, voted to both repeal the Estate Tax and in support of the finance industry-sponsored Bankruptcy Bill.

Sad to say, half (16) of them are from the South:

Robert Marion Berry, Arkansas (Member of the New Democrat Coalition)
Sanford Bishop, Georgia (Member of the Blue Dog Coalition)
Rick Boucher, Virginia
Ben Chandler, Kentucky
Bud Cramer, Alabama
Henry Cuellar, Texas
Lincoln Davis, Tennessee
Chet Edwards, Texas
Bart Gordon, Tennessee
Ruben Hinojosa, Texas
William Jefferson, Louisiana (Co-Chair of the DCCC)
Mike McIntyre, North Carolina (member of the NDC)
Charlie Melancon, Louisiana
Nick Joe Rahall, West Virginia (DLC Member)
Mike Ross, Arkansas (Member, New Democratic and Blue Dog Coalitions)
David Scott, Georgia (Member, Blue Dog Coalition)

Another four were from the border territories of Maryland, Missouri and Oklahoma.

It's hard to argue that these were votes of political calculation made by Democrats in "tough" districts. I don't remember hearing about a groundswell of voters clambering to repeal a tax that affects .1% of the population, or for a bill that puts consumers at the mercy of predatory financiers.

These were votes of choice: do I stand with the special interests or with ordinary Americans? Unfortunately, these Democrats and their Republican compatriots sent a clear message about which side they're on.