ALABAMA REP JUMPS SHIP, BECOMES REPUBLICAN

Too early to call this a trend but a 46% strong disapproval number for Obama, this health care monstrosity about to pass despite the will of the people, and now an Alabama Democrat turning Republican, it'd be a good start. POLTICO has the story:

POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.

According to two senior GOP aides familiar with the decision, the announcement will take place this afternoon in Griffith's district in northern Alabama.

Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.

The switch represents a coup for the House Republican leadership, which had been courting Griffith since he publicly criticized the Democratic leadership in the wake of raucous town halls during the summer.

Let's see how blue those blue dogs really are.

h/t to MM

BLUE DOG TOWN HALL IN FARRELL, PA

Having grown up in a town adjacent to Farrell, I have a few contacts in the area who can get the word out. Democratic Representative Jason Altmire in Pennsylvania's 4th District will be holding a town hall at Farrell High School on August 26th.

(PITTSBURGH, PA) -- Today, U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) announced that he will hold a town hall meeting on health care reform in Farrell on Wednesday, August 26 at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the auditorium at Farrell Area High School, located at 1600 Roemer Boulevard in Farrell, PA. Doors will open at 4 pm.

For more information on Altmire, be sure to visit his website.

Also, if you're a constituent and interested in getting on the call list for Altmire's Sept 1st teleconference town hall, be sure to call and make a request:

Constituents who wish to participate in Altmire’s telephone town hall can call his Aliquippa Office at (724) 378-0928 to be added to the call list.

More at Altmire's WEBSITE.

And of course, if you'd like to see what Altmire looks like, here you go....