Baron Hill identified as fake Blue-Dog

From Newsmax's John Mercurio (hat tip: Uric Dufrene)...

Who are the real Blue Dogs?

The question irks leaders of the fiscally conservative coalition of House Democrats, which made solid gains in 2008 and now includes 49 members. Every one of them is sincerely committed to reducing the federal deficit, they say. Of the 49, however, only six of them voted against President Obama’s $789 billion economic stimulus package despite their stated, laser-like focus on balancing the budget....

“We feel like he is committed to fiscal responsibility,” Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind.), one of the Blue Dogs who switched to ultimately support the president’s plan, told reporters after the meeting.

Blue Dogs claim Obama’s recent promise to cut the deficit in half by 2012 is a result of their efforts....

Unlikely!

Still, some Blue Dogs say their relations with House Democratic leaders frayed during the stimulus negotiations, mostly because many Blue Dog demands were ignored....Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.): “We're just told how to vote. We're treated like mushrooms most of the time.”

So, will the Blue Dogs cling to their traditional colors, or will they be swallowed up by red ink? The answer to that question could depend largely on how aggressively these six “real” Blue Dogs push back against their party’s leaders.

Here’s a look at the “real” Blue Dogs of Capitol Hill: Bobby Bright (Ala.); Parker Griffith (Ala.); Walter Minnick (Idaho); Collin Peterson (Minn.); Heath Shuler (N.C.); and Gene Taylor (Miss.).