57 House Liberals Sign Letter: "Simply Cannot Vote For" Plan With No (Or Weak) Public Option

[kpete]

LETTER: http://static1.firedoglake.com/30/files//2009/07/0907301.pdf

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More serious than I thought

Maybe I sold the House liberals short yesterday? Here (pdf) is a letter signed by 57 of them saying they "simply cannot vote for" the Waxman-Blue Dog deal that took out the public option.

Members of Congress send letters to leadership all the time. They do not often bandy about phrases like "simply cannot vote for." So this looks kind of serious.

The liberals won't vote for a bill with no (or a weak) public option. The Blue Dogs won't vote for a bill with a strong one. I'd say that sounds like a genuine impasse.

The way out? Not sure. History still instructs us that the moderates hold more cards than the liberals. This would indicate that Obama at the eleventh hour drops the public option demand, I guess, and persuades the liberals to hold their noses and go with it.

more:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky

[Laelth]

1. Emanuel will undoubtedly be unleashed upon the left.

I, for my part, will keep calling, writing, and praising the members of the Progressive Caucus and demanding that they stick to their guns.

I am a goo-goo. I want good government. I would rather see nothing done that to see Congress pass really bad legislation.

:dem:

-Laelth

[grahamhgreen]

5. +1 - and I bet we can get 10 more signed on in a week. My rep has signed!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

2. Liberals typically bend before blue dogs & rethugs on just about everything...

I think we know what this means for the Public Option.

It's only the 1st year. Obama's got at least 3 more to figure something out. Better to wait and pass something that works than to pass a POS legislation and pat yourself on the back. Then again... these are politicians we are talking about here... :shrug:

[Tim01]

8. And these are Americans we are talking about.

The days of Americans putting up with discomfort because they are looking down the road, or because they refuse to be ruled, are over.
I think corporations LOVE modern Americans.

I predict the govt will come up with some piece of shit that is maybe even worse than what we have now. And Americans will go for it because it is happening right away.
Can you imagine Americans saying, "Forget it. We'll just live with what we have now in order to get something better later"? And then stand by that decision?

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

10. Hey, that's what I'm doing saving up for my M16

I could get an Uzi or Ruger AC556 now, but I'm going to keep saving my $100/mo towards that M16...
I've considered just taking out a loan or putting it on a credit card (and paying the $100/mo) but it seems silly to go in the hole for a "toy".

[Tim01]

11. Class 3 ?

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

18. Title II - Form 4 (n/t)

[Tim01]

19. Huh, very cool.

And kudos for behaving like a grown up with your money. Kind of a rare thing these days.

[grahamhgreen]

3. Progressive caucus email sign up. Difference is Americans want what the progressives are offering.

They don't want the Blue-dog dilemma. The want single payer.



"Sign-up for the latest ongoings with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. By submitting the information below we will include you in on all the latest happenings as well as events and other important information!"

http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?SectionID=3&ParentID=0&SectionTypeID=5&SectionTree=3

[foginthemorn]

7. Here is the letter they wrote to Pelosi, Waxman.....

http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?ContentID=481&ParentID=0&SectionID=66&SectionTree=66&lnk=b&ItemID=479

[John Q. Citizen]

4. there are 51 Blue Dogs. History informs us that 51 is more than 57? Hmmm.

[Greyhound]

20. History also informs us (in the non-thinking world of consumers)

that radical authoritarianism is moderation.:eyes:

I'm pretty sure that if we could bring those terrorists that formed this nation up here, they'd write the whole thing off as a bad idea all around.

[Arkana]

6. Hey, my rep signed that!

I knew there was a reason I kept voting for Olver.

[mmonk]

9. It's their time to show some clout.

[Cairycat]

12. Damn, I really thought I'd see my rep's name on this

Bruce Braley, Iowa O1. He's been a good progressive on other issues. Maybe he'll be in the second wave ....

[grahamhgreen]

14. Call him - I will too!

[mimitabby]

13. yay! mine signed it too

[latebloomer]

15. Mine too!

Guy does the right thing on just about everything.

[lies and propaganda]

16. oh Lynne Woolsey, how i love you.. n/t

[bvar22]

17. These are the 57 CongressPeople I will support for re-election.

The rest can kiss my Liberal ass.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

21. I hope they focus on the "weak" part

Calling something a "public option" doesn't make it a public option.

[grahamhgreen]

22. FDL - list of good rep's to call - link

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/publicoption