February 26, 1996
Web posted at: 5:05 p.m. EST
From Reporter Louise Schiavone
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A vocal group of congressional members who call themselves the "Blue Dog Democrats" have made headlines with their renegade proposals for resolving the contentious budget and welfare disputes.
A like-minded group in the House called the "Blue Dog Republicans" is backing those proposals.
With their "Blue Dog" insignia, 21 Democrats and 40 Republicans have embarked on a new political movement that began by thumbing its nose at congressional leaders.
Then, it was called the "NLT Caucus" for "not on the leadership track," said a laughing Rep. Collin Peterson, a Blue Dog Democrat from Minnesota.
The goal of both groups is to move government policy away from the Democratic left and Republican right to what they perceive as the American political mainstream.
Louisiana's Rep. Jimmy Hayes was a Blue Dog Democrat until he switched parties and helped found the Blue Dog Republicans.
"I believe those two groups of dogs ... are the basis by which some of that process of reform can come about," he said.
"Think about it. You're never ever going to put Dick Gephardt (D-Missouri) and Rep. Dave Bonior (D-Michigan) in a room with Dick Armey (R-Texas) and (GOP Speaker) Newt Gingrich and have them discuss policy for the future of America without needing two officials in striped shirts."
The Blue Dogs found their name by accident.
Louisiana artist George Rodrique has made millions of dollars with his blue dog art, inspired by his dog, Tiffany. Rodrique painted a special version for his friend, then-Democrat Jimmy Hayes, who was under fire for voting against President Clinton's budget.
"It amused him that I was being threatened at that time with loss of committee assignments, so he painted an oil called 'The Washington Blue Dog' and he wrote a note on it saying 'Jimmy Hayes, the Blue Dog Democrat."
Peterson explains further. "One day Jimmy Hayes brought these blue dog pins in and we put them on ... The Wall Street Journal interviewed somebody that day and picked this up and it kind of took off."
On the Democrats' pins, the dog faces left. For Republicans, it faces right.
Either way, the Blue Dogs are a selective group. Other politicians have to pass muster before they can join the pack.
"It's tough to get in," said Peterson. "We've had some people who have made overtures, and we didn't feel like they fit within our group."
Blue Dogs of both political breeds say Americans are sick of the nasty, partisan way Congress seems to do business. They say it's time to try something new -- compromising, with an eye not toward the next election, but the next generation.
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