Matt Stoller reports that Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley is starting a Populist Caucus in the House.

This is an interesting internal shift in the House, and suggests that no current ideological caucus is quite capturing the moment.  The plank for this group is economic justice, universal health care, affordable college education, consumer safety, fair trade, and good paying jobs.  Culturally, though, this has more of a rural farmer and union feel than the progressive caucus, with its heavily New Left and multi-ethnic approach, but policy-wise it is substantially different than the Blue Dogs.

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This is an interesting development, and I suspect there’s going to be some strong caucus reorganization going on as an expanded Democratic majority finds its sea legs.

I think it’s great news for two reasons.  First, the Progressive caucus in the House seems disorganized and feckless. It isn’t a useful organizing body, whereas the Blue Dogs and New Democrats find ways to bend a more-liberal Democratic House caucus to their will with infruriating frequency. If Braley’s Progressive caucus can develop into something that bends legislative progress to their wills, then it will be a huge asset for Democrats in Congress.

Second, from a messaging standpoint, I think it’s time for people who identify as progressives to be honest about how the progressive brand has been subsumed by very non-progressive interests and organizations. Progressive has become, in my view, a substitute for Democrat. Politicians still shirk “liberal” and use progressive as a stand-in. But it’s hard to look at many self-identified progressive elected officials, include President-elect Obama, and see actual progressivism. Braley, on the other hand, is positing a populist brand that is actually populist. It’s also in line with how I think of myself when I identify as a progressive. And by creating a new caucus, Braley has created an opportunity to move the Overton window to the left in terms of how House Democrats talk about issues and identify policy to larger narratives. I’ll be very curious to see if Braley is able to grow the new Populist caucus.