Blue Dog Democrats are the biggest roadblock for a public option health care plan being passed, since Republicans are a non-consideration. Some of the most stubborn Blue Dogs resisting a public option are Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE), Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont), as well as Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mike Ross, Democrats from Arkansas.
They continue to say they are following the wishes of their constituents, but that isn’t necessarily so. It appears they aren’t really listening to what their constituents are saying.
Two weeks ago on September 19, The North Dakota Democratic Party voted to make the public option for insurance coverage a stated objective of its platform. Joe Aronson, executive director of the North Dakota Democrats, sent a letter to Conrad, as well as Sen. Byron Dorgan and Rep. Earl Porneroy, which stated:
“On April 4, 2008, the Democratic-NPL Party met in Grand Forks for its biennial State Convention. During the Convention, the party adopted a platform and resolutions... Under the 'National' Issues' heading, item number 27, the party called 'upon Congress to enact universal single payer health care legislation.' I write to remind the delegation that this is your state party's official position on healthcare reform.
”The resolution adopted by the Policy Committee on September 19, 2009, included an amendment that authorized me to request that if you do not support the party's official 2008 resolution preference, we would respectfully ask that you consider support a 'public option'. (Alternet)
“On behalf of the Democratic-NPL Party, I thank you for your consideration.”
Senator Kent Conrad: Can you hear us now?
At about the same time, The Nebraska Democratic Party also passed a resolution making support for a government-run insurance option a central aspect of it’s platform. Senator Ben Nelson was made aware of the vote in the following letter:
“In a nearly unanimous vote at a committee meeting in Fort Omaha Community College, about 70 attendees approved language that urges members of Congress ‘to vote for such health care reform proposals that contain a robust public option at all stages of the legislative process including conference and reconciliation, and encourage legislators to pass such reform.’”
“The provision is popular with the Democrats in the state because we believe without it the bill could too easily become a welfare program for the insurance industry,” said party chairman Vic Colvalt. The argument supporters made was that without the public plan, “basically we end up subsidizing insurance companies and hurting taxpayers who don’t have coverage.” (Daily Kos)
Senator Ben Nelson: Can you hear us now?
In Arkansas, Senator Blanch Lincoln has stated, “I would not support a solely government-funded public option.”
Also in Arkansas, Senator Mike Ross has bragged about “holding the health care bill hostage.” He has also said he won’t support a public option because his constituents don’t want one. (Washington Post)
A new Research 2000 poll commissioned by Daily Kos has some interesting news for Senators Lincoln and Ross. The poll conducted in Arkansas between September 15, 2009 and September 17, 2009 show a strong majority of Arkansans support a public option.
In fact in Ross’s district alone, 74% of Democrats and 80% of African Americans favors a public option.
Senators Lincoln and Ross: Can you hear us now?
Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Max Baucus of Montana has said, “the public option would help hold the insurance companies feet to the fire.” And yet, he voted against a public option in his committee. Possibly because between 2003 and 2008 Baucus took $3 million from the health and insurance sectors, 20 percent of his total contributions, half of that money in just the last two years when his committee began holding hearings on healthcare reform.
Joan Walsh of Salon.com stated, “Baucus didn't vote against the public option despite the fact that it would "hold insurance companies' feet to the fire," but because it would. His insurance industry contributors got their money’s worth, but the people of Montana did not.”
Senator Baucus: Can you hear us now?
The Plum Line reports that Health Care for America Now, the major umbrella pro-reform group, has commissioned a big new poll of 91 conservative House swing districts — including many Blue Dog and rural ones — that finds the public option has solid majority support among those voters.
The poll, by respected Dem pollster John Anzalone, finds that 54% of these swing district voters support the public option, and makes the case that these voters emphatically don’t want a “trigger,” the compromise of choice in some quarters.
On October 8, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and 29 of his colleagues sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid supporting a public option. (Talking Points Memo)
Blue Dogs: Can you hear us now?
On Tuesday the Senate Finance Committee will vote on a sweeping health care reform bill. As the bill stands now, there is no public option included.
It appears the Blue Dogs on the committee Blanche Lincoln, Max Baucus and Kent Conrad are not listening to their constituents or the majority of Americans.
Blue Dogs: This is the most important legislation of our generation. Do you really want to be on the wrong side of history in this vote?
Blue Dogs: Can you hear us now?
Cheri Cabot, Politics Correspondent
Cheri’s column, “Personal About Politics,” published every week, will reflect on how the life of a 60 year-old, middle class woman is affected by politics, policy and the current state of the nation - a look at the personal aspects of politics. Her column is part of Gather Essentials.
Cheri is a freelance writer, living in Southern California. She has two grown children and is the proud grandmother of three.
You can find all of Cheri’s columns on Personal About Politics at www.personalpolitcs.gather.com, The Obama Watch at theobamawatch.gather.comor her home page here, www.ccabot.gather.com.
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Comments: 71 ( 1 removed by Cheri Cabot )
This is pure insanity. How long before we can flush these waste products out of our government?
While the blue dogs are taking the heat, I count about 25 other senators who have yet to stand up and be counted.
When Baucus cast his no vote, he clearly stated that he did not "count 60 votes in favor of a public option". Why didn't Shumer and Rockafeller state publicly that you don't have 60 votes without it either?
It seems to me that the blue dogs have decided that it is better to be a back bench senator than to not be a senator at all because that is where they are headed. Say good bye to your chairmanships. Take a look at where Harry Reid stands in the polls right now, I suspect he will have a lot of company if the dems pass a bad health insurance bill and try to call it a victory. Those mandates are going to piss a lot of people off.
People need to stand up too.
Thanks for reminding her where she actually lives!
The vote I fear will prove that once again.
As much as good men (Brown,Obama, etc) try I fear they will fail.
Getting rid of the black hearts will also do no good as they will be replaced with more of the same as it is way too expensive to run for office.
Sen. Sherrod Brown is my senator. He was chosen to write the language for the public option and worked with Ted Kennedy on it. He buys his own private insurance because he feels he is paid well enough to do so. He and Franken should be running this country.
And, I gotta tell ya...I like Al Franken! Let him smoke dope if he wants, but that guy has been gettin' it done!
POTUS 44 smoked pot and managed to shed it for cigarettes and now even that is going the way of history.
The enemy of good is perfection! I know of no human who can honestly claim perfection!
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform
But, in the early 2000's the GOP supported Medicare Part D which ended up being a not very good means of providing rx coverage to seniors. Why? The GOP, and sadly, the Blue Dogs are whores to an industry which sucks up at least 30% of our nations health care dollars. Until we have public financing of elections I just don't see how this is going to change.
health insurance industry and big PhRMA....just look at the paychecks they get from those areas. That being said, if they get voted out of office, they lose that influence and that paycheck, unless of course they start working for them in a lobby capacity, which most of them do. Total lack of morals.
First, your post was extremely well researched and I learned a lot. But, I wouldn't say that "certain" politicians know who they work for because I believe that all of them, to one extent or another, know who they work for.
Admittedly, some are more ethical than others and I am thankful for that.
You are correct, of course, that the insurance industry and Pharma are what are screwing up this whole reform issue. Having worked in Pharma I can tell you from first knowledge that collectively they are extremely stupid and short sighted. Going back Medicare Part D, insurance and Pharma hopped into the bed together and Pharma got screwed but they're too stupid to know that. If Medicare had directly run Part D, as should have been the case, Pharma would have had to drop their prices more than they did to the private insurers. But, their sales would have been so much greater that it would have easily made up for it. As it now is in Part D, the insurers throw up so many roadblocks to the use of drugs through prior authorizations and high co-pays that Pharma hasn't really benefitted that much. But, they're too dumb to figure it out.
How true that statement is!
Then there is Sen. Mike Ross of Arkansas. He is adamently opposed to a public option even though 75% ( at least) of his constiuents want it. He sold his pharmacy for an exhorbitent amount....so much so that the tax assessor called to make sure it wasn't a mistake. She said that half of the town - literally- could be purchase for the same price as what he got for his pharmacy. Guess who bought it? A big pharmacutical company. Big surprise. They not only bought the business, but the building the land and gave his wife a job. Total amount? Over $1 million. Sweet. You don't think he isn't bought and paid for?
Interesting bit of info on Mike Ross since I was not aware that he was even a pharmacist. While I'm not certain about Arkansas a pharmacy here in California is just not worth much. This, of course, makes Ross' selling price even more of an outright bribe. Even a well established pharmacy in Calif. with a large clientele has little value. The reason is that the insurance companies have squeezed pharmacies so badly that they're really just not that profitable anymore.
If a pharmacist dispenses a name brand drug which say costs $200 the insurance company may reimburse them $205. It's difficult to stay in business with that kind of low profit margin. What pharmacies have to do to make a buck is to make it up on generics sold to their cash customers. An rx for a generic which costs the pharmacy less than a dollar may be dispensed for $10 to $15. Some of the chain pharmacies really rake you over the coals and may charge $25, or more, for a drug which costs them 50 cents.
Politicians need enourmous sums to get elected and re-elected. TV time is expensive and necessary. We voters have proved time and again that we will believe any lie we see on television. think about what the swift boaters did to Kerry.
We truely do get the government we deserve.
If you really want change try voting for a candidate that airs NO TV commercials.
> "Who does this country belong to? The corporate facists or the people?"
Not only are these "Blue Dog" idiots not listening to their own constituents, and not only are they in the deep pockets of big Pharma & Ins companies, but I wonder how many of them have used the great government-run health care they get...especially the govt-run free health care office in the House & Senate.
What hypocrites!
I'm getting real tired of waiting till Obama finally moves on reforming health insurance...and doubly sick of Baucus' BJ to the health industry!
Good article! We have a blue dog congressman who must lean conservative to get elected in this district here in Idaho. In this state and district, the people are against most everything. A congressman who ignores that and is a Democrat to boot, will not get a second term. The people here do not understand the health care proposals and don't want to be confused with facts.
You must be kind of a lone wolf up in your district then, huh?
How can these idiots preach against their own best interests? And why are so many people buying their lies? Why are they more concerned about big health care corporations and their insane profits instead of individual people who need affordable health care? Honestly, these people are insane!
The only workable and obvious solution to our health care woes is Medicare for all, simply slower lower age eligibility until all Americans are covered.. It's a no-brainer!
Fcuk you and your health problems voters, enough about you, more mansions and top free health care for me.
I can feel your pain, Cheri. LOL
Yes, those Blue Dogs are listening, just not to your party's leadership.