How Red Are the Blue Dogs?

I’ve never much believed in the concept of a “blue dog Democrat.” As far as I can tell, the only thing that determines whether a “conservative” or “moderate” Democrat votes with his party’s leadership is whether the party needs his vote. If it does, it’s bye-bye blue dog. On this interpretation, being a conservative Democrat is just a pose that is adopted to the minimum amount necessary to gain re-election in a swing district.
Michael Ramirez takes a less cynical view in this cartoon; click to enlarge:

Who knows? Maybe socialized medicine is the acid test. The Democrats have the votes to pass Obamacare in both the House and the Senate, no matter how crazy we all know that proposal, in any of its iterations, is. An old saying holds that every dog has his day. Just maybe, this could be the day when the blue dogs will finally count for something.