Persuadable Evan Bayh & His Over-Boarded Wife

[saltpoint]

An unusually effective piece, quite the rarity given the source newspaper, on Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) and his persuadability against the backdrop of his wife Susan's ubiquity on the boards of health insurance and pharmaceutical companies:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090726/NEWS05/907260351/Susan+Bayh+an+issue+in+fight+over+health+care

brief excerpt:

- - - -

As the debate over health-care reform intensifies, Bayh's wife is receiving lucrative payouts from some of the companies that could be most affected by that legislation.

Bayh contends the $2.1 million that his wife, Susan, earned from public health-care companies from 2006 to 2008 represents no conflict of interest. Questions persist, however, for at least two reasons. First, Evan Bayh has been unclear about his positions on many issues related to health-care reform. Second, there's the timing of Susan Bayh's rapid rise into corporate governance.

Susan Bayh, who was a midlevel lawyer for the politically active Eli Lilly and Co. while her husband was governor of Indiana, did not serve on the board of a single public health-care company until it was clear her husband was about to ascend to the U.S. Senate. Only one month before Evan Bayh was elected to the Senate in a landslide vote, his wife was appointed to serve on the board of what would become the nation's largest health insurance company -- and arguably the company with the most at stake in the health-care reform debate.

- - - -

[babylonsister]

1. I wonder if Bayh could make that statement about no conflict of

interest with a straight face. $2.1 million?

Ugh.

[saltpoint]

3. Good point. I'm not sure what to make of Bayh, even after a long period

of service, both as Indiana's governor and as a U.S. Senator.

I'm heavily biased on this one, babylonsister. I was a genuine fan of his old man, Birch, and I surely do miss Birch every time Evan grandstands with the Pukes.

I hope pressure is brought to bear on Evan and Mary Landriue et al to vote for the people. Evan, in particular, has nothing to worry about politicaly -- his seat is very safe (even as his politics are very "persuadable").

[spanone]

2. this should be illegal....it's called bribery. nothing less.

Bayh contends the $2.1 million that his wife, Susan, earned from public health-care companies from 2006 to 2008 represents no conflict of interest. Questions persist, however, for at least two reasons. First, Evan Bayh has been unclear about his positions on many issues related to health-care reform. Second, there's the timing of Susan Bayh's rapid rise into corporate governance.
Susan Bayh, who was a midlevel lawyer for the politically active Eli Lilly and Co. while her husband was governor of Indiana, did not serve on the board of a single public health-care company until it was clear her husband was about to ascend to the U.S. Senate. Only one month before Evan Bayh was elected to the Senate in a landslide vote, his wife was appointed to serve on the board of what would become the nation's largest health insurance company -- and arguably the company with the most at stake in the health-care reform debate.

[saltpoint]

4. Capitalism's big beer gut stretches and tears a lot of fine fabric.

I'd like to see Evan -- who after all has enough money to live on for a dozen more lives -- stand up for the president's initiative and just simply disappoint his corporate pals at Wellpoint and Lilly.

[mod mom]

5. Bayh is a DLC corporate scumbag only worried about protecting his own ass(ets).

[saltpoint]

6. Indiana used to have some very impressive Democrats. Athough I'm

biased, I think Birch Bayh, Evan's father, was the clean-up hitter among those Democrats. Unhappily, he was turned out of office in the Reagan landslide by a reactionary pipsqueak of a Congressman named Dan Quayle.

Shame on Hoosier voters for that one.

I happened to like Jill Long Thompson, but there was no critical mass of blue votes for her, even as Obama carried the state last November, and Mitch Daniels cruised to re-election.

I remember Vance Hartke. I remember how sad it felt when Hoosiers chose the loathsome Dan Coats over Joe Hogsett. I remember asking myself, "What the hell is the matter with those people?"

So I won't condemn Evan's specific vote on the president's initiative until he casts it, and I hope he shocks me with a supportive vote. I'll say something nice about him if he does.

But of course I'm worried.

[RB TexLa]

13. The money given to her is hers not his. This has become a disturbing trend on DU; the idea that a

marriage licensee amounts to people becoming each other's property. Her money is hers, his is his. They and everyone else that is married are still legal adults able to own property and have their income for themselves.

[saltpoint]

14. The article makes no claim to the contrary but nevertheless conflict of interest

is a concern.

[BlueMTexpat]

15. +1!! nt

[bvar22]

7. I would like to see Bayh "persuaded" out of office.

Bayh is up for re-election in 2010.
Progressive Democrats should organize Nationwide and target him with a Progressive Challenger in his Primary.

72% of Americans support a strong Public Option, that includes folks in Indiana.
Even if we can't unseat him, we can raise enough money to make his Primary Pure Hell, and that would send a message to all the "Centrists" who obstruct the Democratic Agenda.


Centrist = Half Republican

[saltpoint]

8. It would be interesting to see how Bayh would fare with a progressive

Dem challenger.

In this generation of Democrats in Indiana, I wonder who that might be.

I think it could be done. I think a candidate could be recruited, funds raised, and volunteers summoned to the cause.

It would "assist" in helping Evan reconsider his vote on the president's initiative.

[Hutzpa]

9. Why don't we do a commercial on these fools n/t

[saltpoint]

10. Presidents have been known to dip into their bag of persuasions to affect

vote outcomes.

Including running ads on sitting Senators.

It could be -- just sayin' -- that Evan Bayh is ripe for some persuasion. The Indianapolis STAR is the state's big-name newspaper. A full-page ad in that sucker would fire the first shot. Electronic media ads could follow in the major-market cities.

It might not work. But it would put Evan in the position of having to explain why he does not support the public option plan favored by the administration of his own party to Hoosier voters who would plainly benefit from such a plan.

[Hutzpa]

11. Ditto

about time to put the pedal to the metal, no more Mr Nice Guy.....

[saltpoint]

12. Yep. I don't know how the demographic would split on that kind of

challenge, but I think it would be healthy for the public discourse no matter what.

I don't think Joe Sestak is a fire-belching socialist, but I think his strong, well-focused challenge to Arlen Specter could prevail, or barring that, at least keep Specter a bit bluer.

Seems as if something similar in Indiana might work with Evan Bayh.

[Wednesdays]

16. K&R

:kick:

[rvablue]

17. K&R. Yuck! n/t

[live love laugh]

18. Didn't they indict Blagojevich whose wife earned a measly $123k?

Bayh's wife is getting $2.l1 MILLION!!!!!>????

:wow:

[saltpoint]

19. Ironically, the two met working in a law firm where it is customary

for one spouse to resign and take work elsewhere.

That he votes on health care policy and she serves on the Boards of health care insurances who oppose the public option suggests a conflict of interest.

A little exposure and heat on Sen. Bayh to reconsider any opposition he harbors toward reform would likely be a good thing.

[AwakeAtLast]

20. I about spit out my morning Chai when I saw that Indy Star printed that!

However, I wonder if it is a chance to bash a Dem in this barely blue state. They never talked about his wife's position until health care reform popped up.

[saltpoint]

21. Good point. I'm not sure the intent. But it careen against us

as you point out, or could help bring a little push and shove to Bayh's role in history.

If Obama is successful in passing health care reform, Bayh might want to jump on board the bandwagon, because it will be landmark legislation. A real shaker-upper.

If he is in opposition, he becomes less politically viable, IMO, for any consideration in 2016.