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Progressives: Punish Blue Dogs Who Vote with GOP on Health Care
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by TheCameraObscura | October 10, 2009 at 12:46 pm
125 views | 9 Recommendations | 4 comments
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It's no secret that several Blue Dog Democrats including Max Baucus, Blanche Lincoln and Ben Nelson have been fighting the public option harder than the Republicans. However, now Progressives Democrats are fighting back.
On MSNBC, Rachel Maddow reported that “two major power brokers” from the left are insisting that any Democrat (presumably Blue Dogs) who joins the Republicans to block health care reform should lose their committee chairmanship or subcommittee chairmanships as punishment.
Echoing this call, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee has created an online petition to Senator Harry Reid calling on him to revoke the chairmanship of any senators who join the Republicans to filibuster health care reform.
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TheCameraObscura
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 18:07 on October 10th, 2009
You can punish them, but the Blue Dogs have been elected in districts which are conservative. So what if you lose your chairmanship? You keep your job as congressman or congresswoman for that district.
The power principle. Only works so far and then you get hit with it from the other side.
Maybe they should find out what the Blue Dogs want and give them what they want and not just ask for submission.
at 19:37 on October 10th, 2009
Roy, we already know what the Blue Dogs want, millions more in contributions from the health insurance industry, state deregulation for the insurance industry and big government intervention limiting citizen's rights for redress via the courts.
If you don't think taking away someone's chairmanship means anything, call Blue Dog Max Baucus' D.C. office (202-224-2651) and ask him how he'd like to ose his chairmanship of the senate finance committee. I'm serious.
at 05:09 on October 11th, 2009
Speaking as one who is represented by a Blue Dog, i think you are flat wrong. Contributions? No, simply a matter of representing the views of their constituents, and getting re-elected.
Ben Nelson votes for socialism - disguised as national health care, his chance of getting re-elected is 0.
at 16:57 on October 11th, 2009
You honestly don't think contributions have anything to do with the way Blue dogs vote? Hmm, let's look at the numbers:
http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/09/21/mike-rosss-district-supports-a-public-option-mike-ross-does-not/
Recently, (Blue Dog Democrat) Mike Ross sent a letter to his constituents saying, “I remain opposed to a government-run public option,” and called the idea “controversial.”
A new poll by Research 2000 shows that a plurality of Ross’ district support the public option. Forty-seven percent of those polled favor creating a “government-administered health insurance option that anyone can purchase to compete with private insurance plans,” while only 44% opposed.
Support for the public option was overwhelming among Democrats in the district (74% favor vs. 19% oppose); the PO was supported by a plurality of independents (47% favor vs 43% oppose).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/30/AR2009073004267.html
Blue Dog Mike Ross (Arkansas) has received nearly $1 million in contributions from the health-care sector and insurance industry during his five terms in Congress, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign contributions.
Records of political fundraisers since 2008 compiled by the Sunlight Foundation, a Washington-based watchdog group, show a steady schedule of events for Ross sponsored by the health industry or lobbying firms that represent health-care companies. They include two "health-care lunches" at Capitol Hill restaurants in May 2008 and March 2009, as well as receptions sponsored by Patton Boggs and other major lobbying firms.
Overall, the typical Blue Dog has received $63,000 more in campaign contributions from the health-care sector than other House Democrats over the past two decades, according to the CRP analysis. The top three recipients were Rep. Earl Pomeroy (N.D.), with $1.5 million, and Tennessee Reps. Bart Gordon and John Tanner, both of whom collected over $1.2 million from the industry and its employees, according to the data.
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I would assume by your statement that you believe health care public option plan is "socialism," do you also oppose similar programs such as Veterans Care?