The Democrats' Split Personality Disorder (Mother Jones)

[kentuck]

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/09/democrats-split-personality-disorder

<snip>
They are the best friends of the health insurance industry. They are fiercest foes of the health insurance industry.

I'm talking about Senate Democrats. On Tuesday afternoon, five Democratic members of the Senate finance committee—Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, Blanche Lincoln, Bill Nelson, and Tom Carper—voted with all ten Republicans on the panel to defeat Sen. Jay Rockefeller's amendment, which would set up a public health insurance plan to compete with private plans. These Democrats provided the winning margin in the 15-8 vote to kill a measure much dreaded by the health insurance companies. Such firms had plenty of reasons—billions, you might say—to celebrate what this band of Democrats did. On a subsequent vote for a weaker public option amendment offered by Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, Nelson and Carper returned to the Democratic fold and supported it, but Baucus, Conrad and Lincoln again sided with GOPers and defeated it.

<snip>
The press release referred to health care horror stories that happened when insurance firms denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. It noted that health insurance firms dump the sick to increase profits, retroactively cancel policies to avoid paying for health care, flout regulations designed to protect consumers, engage in fraudulent activity, and routinely under-reimburse customers. In other words, they are scum.

So the Senate Democrats need a split screen to convey their view on health insurance companies. Most of them want to beat up on the companies and create a public plan that would place pressure on these firms to lower prices and offer better policies and better service. But a handful of Senate Democrats have opposed that effort and provided bipartisan cover to the preserving the highly profitable prerogatives of the health insurance industry. With five senators—including the committee chairman—voting with the Republicans against the Rockefeller measure, the Democrats lost the opportunity to draw a clear line: the Republicans want to protect this industry; we want to protect you.

On health care reform, the Republicans are united in rejectionism. The Democrats are split. They present a mixed message to the public. And on an issue as complicated and complex as health care, that's not good political medicine.

[autorank]

1. By design

It looks more "democratic" that way. k*r

[Echo In Light]

4. Gotta help keep the door open to encourage the public's return embrace of repubs

Which is to say, must maintain the Big $ two party monopoly on "democracy."

[dmr]

2. Too bad We The People can't implement new regulations for Congress

because I have little faith they would do it themselves.

Sometimes I think term limits would be a good idea.

To avoid collusion or improprieties:

Campaign finance should be changed to public financing.

Those who sit on committees cannot accept contributions from the entities or industries that their committees cover;

There should be a 5 or 10 year wait limit for them (& their aides/staff/immediate family) to take a job within those industries.

I'm sick of this bullshit.

[rudy23]

3. It's looking more and more like Obama is WAY on the other side of that split

I thought he was more of a straddler during the campaign. He did a great job of making a lot of us think this.

Let's see what he has to say about the Blue Dogs who keep voting down the public option.

[Echo In Light]

5. Bumping