Live Webchat now going on w/ DSCC

[brooklynite]

I'll pass on as many Q's/A's as I can

http://www.dscc.org/chat

[brooklynite]

1. Q. Are you going to give us a health care update as of this moment?

JB Poersch:
I dont know if I have much to add to whats our there publically other than to say in addition to healthcare and funding the government I expect that its likely we are here until Christmas eve, but the President and Senate Democrats are trying to get this done and aiming for the end of the year

[brooklynite]

2. Q. Now that it appears we do not have a solid or even a weak public option, and ...

Medicare reform is now another moot point, how do we proceed to recover something from the existing legislation in the Senate?

JB Poersch:
Personally I would a public option or Medicare expansion provsion as part of the overall bill

(and there is not yet a final bill as the Senate continues to amend it on the Seante floor)

but i think we are going a long ways towards a better health care system

Assuring care for preexisting condtions, making healthcare afforadble, assuring someone who may be out of work that they will be convered, and yes coverage for the millions of Americans who have no coverage. This is a worthy achievement

I think the President is right when he says what we are tyring to get done wasn't done by 7 Presidents, and almost 70 years of calling healthcare reform a "priority"

[brooklynite]

3. Q. My question is why do the Senate Democrats have to rely on a 60 vote count for passing a bill...

...when GOP Senators in the past never used the 60 vote count?

JB Poersch:
I make a better operative than I do a Parliamentarian

but the truth is its not the rules that have changed as much as the political environment, its obvioulsy more heated and polarized and the Republicans feel emboldened to use every possible procedurial movement to block any kind of legislation

(afterall, a few weeks ago Orin Hatch suggested that they wouldn't allow for votes on unemployement insurance becuase Republicans were unhappy)

[brooklynite]

4. Q. How to rid the world of Joe Lieberman?

JB Poersch:
Heres what I know, we need 60 votes to get this done. Assuming the Republicans continue to show the American Public they dont care its likely Lieberman needs to be a yes vote at the end of the day

[brooklynite]

5. Q. In which states do you see the most potential to pick up seats?

JB Poersch:
Whatever people say about the envirnment, there are some really good opportunties out there, heres a few: Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, North Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Florida

[brooklynite]

6. Q. Can we get rid of David Vitter in Louisiana?

JB Poersch:
Absolutely

Independent voters dont trust Senator Vitter. His personal ethics issues have left voters in that state unsettled. More and more voters think Vitter has gone Washington on them and they need a fighter
Wednesday December 16, 2009 3:19 JB Poersch

Charlie Melancon can win

[Le Taz Hot]

7. Oh, how cute.

A dog and pony show to placate the unwashed masses. Do you REALLY think they give a shit?

[mymessageboardid]

8. Did you get my penny....

in your postage-paid donation envelope I sent back to you?

[brooklynite]

9. Q. I see the tea partiers and their energy and I get worried. Are we going to lose seats?

JB Poersch:
History says we do

and so do most of the pundits in Washington, but we fought back history in the last two cycles and I think we can do it now.

Its facinating to watch the fight within the Republican party between extremist grassroots activists who affiliate themselves with the tea party and other groups versus a tired corrupted Washington Republican establishment. The thing the grassroot activists keep asking their leaders in Washington is, arn't you the ones that caused the problems in the first place?

They got that part right

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. Who do you really work for, us or your corporate contributors?

:grr:

[brooklynite]

11. Q. Do you realize how many people will not give again to the DSCC until we see proof that there is..

...effective leadership in the Senate?

JB Poersch:
I wake up everyday knowing that the DSCC and Senate Democrats as a whole wont be sucessful without your support

There is a lot we have achieved, equal pay for women

expanding health insurance for children

hate crime legislation, Matthew Sheppard

economic recovery act

housing bill

etc

Hey folks, once we solve healthcare voters are going to have to recognize that three of the biggest challenges facing the country today

continuing recession

a rising debt

and the war in Afghanistan

were all given to us as a result of a failed Republican administration

these remain HUGE challenges

[brooklynite]

12. Q. update us on those who are retiring...

...and the chances for more progressives in their seats.

JB Poersch:
Republicans have had 7 retirements, giving us several good opportunities

Robin Carnahan the Secretary of State from Missouri, is going to be a great fighter and her opponent was the number 2 Republican leader in the House, its not hard to figure out who represents change

Paul Hodes has been a strong voice in the House for New Hampshire, and on the Repubican side one of those ugly tea bag like fights we keep reading about

and theres more

[brooklynite]

13. Q. When I give to the DSCC, where does that money go?

JB Poersch:
Give yourself credit

In the last 4 years you've picked up 14 seats, you've elected 18 new Senators

You've defending ever single Democratic Incumbent

and you've defeated 8 Republican Incumbents

you did that. Your money did that.

[brooklynite]

14. Q. How is Cal Cunningham looking in North Carolina?

...Can we continue the trend and finally turn NC blue?

JB Poersch:
Cals a good candidate but there is a primary first

I'm excited that people are waking up to the reality that Burr is more failed than Elizabeth Dole ever was

we need to win here

[brooklynite]

15. Q. tell the DSCC they have to stand up now for health care...

...in order to keep their base. We won.

JB Poersch:
agreed

Healthcare is important not just to the Democratic base but to millions of Americans

not everyone agrees about all the details

but this is a fundamental part of who we are as Democrats

[brooklynite]

16. Q. How do we make "the party of no" the Republicans...

...a failed party--the reverse of

JB Poersch:
Personally its not enough to label them as a party of no

We need to hold them accountable for what they failed to do in the past and what their agenda is now

This election has to give voters choices about what Democrats and Republicans stand for

We must not let Republicans hide in the closet

[brooklynite]

17. Q. around the watercooler there are lots of folks who think that Dems will lose seats in '10...

...How do you avoid that kind of group think from becoming self-fulfilling prophecy?

JB Poersch:
You know in Washington its routine to expect that the bottom is going to drop out

I dont believe that to be the case

We've got 10 months before the next election and great candidates who deserve your support

nobody thought we could take back the majority

lets suprise em again

[brooklynite]

18. Q. Is there anyway of getting around reading all 700 pages of the healthcare bill

JB Poersch:
Isn't that silly? and we are delaying funding the troops while a couple of the conservatives beat their chest

isn't that sad

[brooklynite]

19. Q. I make a better operative than I do a Parliamentarian"...

...Funny, but what's the point of having a Dem majority if we cower to the ConservaDems

JB Poersch:
Look I dont buy the whole "cowering" thing

Its a diverse caucus

we represent the whole of the US and the complexities that go with it

and nobodys knee jerk anything

and we're still here right before Christmas

becuase while the Repiublicans are eager to go off to St. Barts

we're determined to get health care done

Thanks for sharing this with me today

I want to reiterate something I said earlier

I know we can't do this without

you

This is a fight worth fighting