 | Bob Gabordi is executive editor of the Tallahassee Democrat and Tallahassee.com. He can be reached through this blog, at bgabordi@tallahassee.com or (850) 599-2177 |
| Posted 11/16/2009 6:45 AM EST on tallahassee.com Congressman Allen Boyd, D-Monticello, likes to take his electronic voting card out of his wallet in situations like this and say it belongs to the people of the 2nd District. He did that at a meeting of the Tallahassee Democrat’s editorial board recently and again last week at a public forum he hosted on health-care reform. “It's your card,” he said. “You asked me to take it to Washington and use it in your interests.” But which “you” is he talking to? Not a simple question. The problem is that his district is huge and diverse. In approximate terms, it stretches from Live Oak in the east to Bay County in the west, from Cross City in the south to Marianna in the north. The largest population center is Tallahassee, arguably one of the most liberal Democrat communities in the state. Yet much of the rest of the district is a mix of conservative Democrats and conservative Republicans. The net result is Boyd tries to portray himself as a pragmatic middle-of-the-roader, a proud Blue Dog, a fiscally conservative Democrat. He’s not opposed to social programs, as long as he knows how we’re paying for it. The problem is the middle is nowhere anymore, not in politically polarized America. Politics is becoming more like football: You are either on the team, or you're the enemy. There is no middle. This is not to say he won’t win re-election, incumbency is still very powerful. But he’s a target for zealots on both sides. For some in his own party, Boyd is too conservative and hasn’t stood with President Obama enough. State Sen. Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, who is running against Boyd in the primary, says it is time to put a “real” Democrat in Congress from this area. Lawson has been running a quiet campaign, almost as if he’s allowing Boyd to wallow in his “middleness.”And he’s been doing just that, running around the district – he’s conducted 14 or so of these public hearings – only to get jeered, taunted and attacked. That’s in part because he’s not conservative enough for people like Diane Berryhill. She was at his last public forum in Tallahassee and taunted him for voting with his party on other initiatives of President Obama. “We gave you that card,” she said. “Are you going to represent us (on health care), or are you going to vote on the basis of some lobbyists, or your party or what Nancy Pelosi is twisting your arm to do?” But which “us” is she talking about? Berryhill certainly doesn’t speak for much of Leon County, where the forum was held. Leon voted 91,747 to 55,705 for Obama. Democrats far outnumber Republicans here. Florida overall voted for Obama, too. Boyd’s district was typically divided – the rural areas voting for McCain. So – again – who is the “us” that Berryhill was speaking for, that she demands that Boyd represent? Berryhill and those at the forum who interrupted Boyd while he answered questions, jeering and hooting at the congressman, represent the politics of the loudest voice, hoping to sound larger than they actually are. But that’s where Boyd has placed himself, trying to ride that middle rail between conservatives and liberals. Unfortunately for him, there are trains coming down the track his way from both directions. You can send your comments by clicking the button below, e-mailing me at bgabordi@tallahassee.com, sending a private message on Tallahassee.com, Twitter @bgabordi, LinkedIn, Blogger.com or on my blog on Friendster. You can also find links to my blogs on Facebook.com, but you have to request to be my friend. |
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