House Dem To Colleagues: Show Spine!

[jefferson_dem]

House Dem To Colleagues: Show Spine!

With the chances of passing the health reform bill in the House looking very hairy, we’ll all be hanging on every utterance that comes from undecided House Dems, in search of clues for their intentions. Here’s one that will cheer reform proponents:

Rep. John Adler, a freshman who won a Republican-leaning district in 2008, is also undecided, after voting no last fall. He said the Senate bill did a better job containing health costs.

In an interview, he said he had spoken directly to the president about the issue and was not worried about Republican arguments that Democrats would pay a political price for supporting the health bill.

“I think people shouldn’t be worried about their careers. They should be worried about doing what’s right.”

These quotes from Adler, interestingly, are being circulated by Republicans. National GOP strategists are making reconciliation a 2010 campaign issue; the NRCC has even set up a war room to pressure House Dems to say whether they’ll support this procedural tactic, warning that those who do will “face the electoral consequences in November.”

The fact that national GOP strategists are trying to spook Dems into not voting for the bill, of course, raises the possibility that they see a defeat for the bill as worse for Dems in the end. Some GOPers privately say they view passage as worse politically for Dems; others acknowledge that Dems are better off if they pass something.

But that aside, note that Adler is urging fellow Dems to “do what’s right” after having talked to Obama. The President has publicly and privately urged Dems to pass reform in order to put themselves on the right side of history.

<SNIP>

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/house-dem-to-colleagues-show-spine/

[damntexdem]

1. But how can they show what they don't have?

They'll have to put on a burst of vertebral growth if they're to do it.

[denimgirly]

2. Saw a video with Young Democrats mockingly laughing at Weiner for having a Spine....wtf?

It will takes years before enough real democrats like Weiner and Grayson will be respected for their spine. I was watcihng this video on youtube of several young democrats around a table laughing it up and how they got a chance to ride in Air Force One with the president. One of them mentioned how Weiner was aboard and immediately went to work on trying to convince Obama that Single Payer was the only way to go. What was interesting was how these young democrats talked about weiner and the idea of standing up as if it was a digusting trait...and how Weiner stood little chance of another invite on the plane.....they all lacked a spine and they laughed at how Weiner was losing his chance to be a "good dog" and not laying down and saying "yes, sir".

Weiner and Grayson are the real deal and outside Kucinich and Sanders they are the only true democrats out there.

[babylonsister]

3. Those young dems are just that, young and naive. If it were that

easy, maybe they could even do it, which I doubt. And welcome to DU, denimgirly! :hi:

[whathehell]

4. That's absolutely scary...they're "laughing" at the idea of "having a spine"?

Jeebus...Are THEY our future?:scared:

[wroberts189]

5. Can you hunt that vid down? Who were these idiots? thx/nt

[wroberts189]

6. If they pass a bill with either a PO or no mandate they will win big....

Never look to pubs for advice or if you do then do the opposite of what they say.


on edit:knr

[Cha]

7. Steve Benen had a piece about my Blue Dog in NY..

<snip>

Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY) voted for House health care legislation in November. But he says he's almost certain to vote no on the Senate bill when it comes up for a vote in the House later this month, according to a report in the Utica Observer-Dispatch.

"There would have to be some dramatic changes in it for me to change my position," Arcuri said.

Back in November, he was saying somewhat different things. "There are some parts of the Senate bill I like better, and some parts of this bill I like better than the Senate version. I look at this as piece of the whole -- this is the first step in a process."

And why, pray tell, would Arcuri vote for health care reform before voting against it? He apparently has three reasons.

The first is that he thinks the health care reform bill should be broken up into parts, and considered piecemeal. Whether Arcuri realizes it or not, this is absurd -- reform doesn't work piecemeal; the parts are interdependent.

The second is that he doesn't like reconciliation. This, too, is a rather pathetic excuse. Not only does reconciliation exist for budget fixes, but Arcuri is in the House, where there's already majority rule and no need for reconciliation.

The third is Arcuri's concerns about the excise tax, which is at least coherent. But keep in mind, under the White House approach, the excise tax's eligibility threshold is raised, and implementation would be delayed until 2018, which is intended specifically to address concerns like Arcuri's.

In truth, Arcuri's opposition sounds like someone searching desperately for an excuse. He's just scared. I understand why -- Arcuri represents a swing district in central New York, and he doesn't want to lose his job for doing the right thing.

But it gets us back to the same inescapable electoral dynamic: Arcuri already voted for health care reform. He has, in other words, already taken the proverbial hit. Arcuri can reap the possible reward only if he helps deliver on the promise. If he turns tail now, the political problem doesn't get better for his re-election campaign; it gets considerably worse.

Later this year, Arcuri is going to see one of two television attack ads in his district: (1) an ad that tells voters, "Arcuri voted to pass a liberal health care reform bill"; or (2) an ad that tells voters, "Arcuri voted to pass a liberal health care reform bill -- and then ran anyway when things got tough."

His fear notwithstanding, Arcuri will be in a much stronger position to defend himself on the heels of success, not failure. I'm not suggesting he take one for the team and vote for reform regardless of the consequences; I'm suggesting that it's in Arcuri's own self-interest to support good legislation that will help his constituents.

Cowardice always seems easier, but the consequences are usually far more severe."

—Steve Benen 11:15 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (20)
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

Thank you, Steve Benen, for pointing this out..I need to send this to my Rep, Michael Arcuri, ASAP.

[amborin]

8. spine would mean starting over with real health care reform: single payer; and not taxing the middle

class

[ShortnFiery]

9. They're right. It's a big "bait and switch" = Senate Bill = Horrible Bill with no reconciliation.

NO, do not pass this on "good faith."