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Blue Dog on Health Care: 'The Landscape Will Change' After Meeting With Obama
If the Blue Dog Democrats have their way, President Obama's meeting with the House Energy and Commerce Committee will be a game-changer.
An aide to one of the Blue Dogs, seven of which are on the committee, told Reuters the group may ask for a slowdown on the health care push. Obama wants health care legislation before the August recess.
"The landscape will change after that meeting," the aide said.
The meeting is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. ET, but may be pushed back as Obama still hasn't appeared in the Rose Garden for his 12:15 p.m. remarks on health care.
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
It may change, but I don't think in the direction the Blue Dogs expect.
I'm starting to loathe them. I understand the political realities they face, but I'm sick of the fact that a bunch of DINOs has such a disproportionate influence on the direction that Congress moves in.
Only in the Democratic Party.
July 21, 2009 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, many of them do face tough reelections, with very conservative electorates. But, that hasn't stopped some from still being rather progressive- Tom Peirello and Betsy Markey both come to mind (on most things, they've voted with the Dems). I think that many of them should be less craven, and just show some backbone.
Even being such barriers to progress won't save some of them- is there anyone who thinks Walt Minnick (for example) has any hope of reelection?
July 21, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Betsy Markey and Tom Perriello are not actually members of the Blue Dog Coalition. Their districts are only slightly Republican compared to many Blue Dogs based on the 2008 results, with McCain getting 50% in Markey's district and 51% in Perriello's district. So they are not under as much pressure to be moderate/conservative as someone whose district went for McCain by 10 points or more.
Nate Silver wrote an interesting piece about how many Blue Dogs could benefit from supporting a public option since there are large numbers of uninsured voters in their districts. So maybe the progressive push on the Blue Dogs should focus on how a public option could help them politically, which seems to be their main concern right now.
You can read it here: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/07/blue-dog-districts-need-health-care.html
July 21, 2009 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fair enough about them not being Blue Dogs, but people throw that term around, with only meaning the actual Blue Dogs about 60% of the time. Frequently people are ranting about conservative democrats in general, such as the New Democrats, or unaffiliated Conservadems (or even moderates in the Senate)
But are you sure Betsy Markey is safe at all- she represents the Wingnut haven of Colorado Springs if I remember correct?
July 21, 2009 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blue Dogs are effectively the Republican Party -- not the looney tooney nuttie buddies who fill the seats now, but old line, Dirksen-Eisenhower types.
The more things change ...
July 21, 2009 1:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wheeeeeee!
July 21, 2009 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anyone care to join me in a mass change of voter registration?
July 21, 2009 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's pretty obvious that they are not as worried about their voting constituents as about the constituents that they -- like most Republicans -- believe they represent: the industry that lobbies them with the most money. Where's Jesse Unruh's rule when we need it? "If you can't take their money, go out with their women, and drink their liquor, and then go out the next day and vote against them, you don't belong in politics." Where is integrity? Where is the representative of the people, not the corporations?
July 21, 2009 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have to say that the juxtaposition of this:
with
is unintentionally hilarious!July 21, 2009 1:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Breaking News: The latest GOP talking point to kill health care:
The government is going to make private coverage illegal.
See for yourself.
http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2233
July 21, 2009 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Our goal should be to cover all individuals through private health insurance. We are not prepared to turn our health system over to the government. Advocate for greater transparency in both quality and price information. Place both the decision making ability and healthcare dollars in the hands of the consumer. Support the Friends of the U.S. Chamber and sign the Health Care petition at http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/takeaction/index.cfm?ID=40 .
July 21, 2009 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Pure" competition had its chance. It's shown it can't adequately address the needs of the people.
I'm sorry that this might impact businesses negatively. But at some point you have to stop making excuses.
July 21, 2009 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wrong thread. I think you meant to post this as Redstate and just got confused?
July 21, 2009 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
get lost spambot
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/mld678/comments.php
July 21, 2009 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
um, no. take that crap to the young republicans' meeting.
July 21, 2009 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you have any idea how fucking expensive it would be to hand Medicare and the VA over to private profit corporations? What a stupid idea! The huge surtax we all already pay to keep those very profitable corporations alive is killing us. We have the most expensive healthcare in the world and you think now making Medicare another "profit engine" will solve what problem? More dumbass/assbackward thinking from a fundamentalist christian/capitalist no doubt.
July 21, 2009 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
The health care issue certainly has shown the real divide in this country.
Politicians totally corrupted by money who do the bidding only of corporate interests.
A media owned by those same corporations that benefit directly or indirectly by keeping the system and the profits right where they are.
And all the paid talking heads who do their jobs by intentionally misrepresenting the truth.
On the other end you have people.
People sick and people dying ,losing their homes, etc. , because they became ill.
And still we see nearly half the people refusing to accept that unless we as a country see to the needs of the least fortunate among us, we lose all claim to morality.
I do believe the final outcome will produce a bill we "progressives" can appreciate.
But my hope is we gain many more people who will realize who and why we are fighting for these causes.
July 21, 2009 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
These Blue Dogs were not elected president. I doubt seriously Obama will be pushed around by them and let them dictate to him.
July 21, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
If the Dems don't get this passed, they will be the party that collapses. Wake up, Dems. All that health insurance company money will not save you from the wrath of the people come 2010 and 2012.
July 21, 2009 2:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hope Obama drops the hammer on them.
July 21, 2009 2:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am quite willing to trade the seats of some Blue Dog Democrats in order to get meaningful health care reform.
July 21, 2009 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately, they're a lot less sanguine about that possibility, and will vote accordingly.
The ability to break a filibuster in the Senate has a short shelf life. We should be willing to consider any acceptable compromise if it gets us a public option the Republicans will spend years or decades trying to undo.
July 21, 2009 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
It would help if there were a consistent message coming out of the White House about what the bill will or will not do.
It might tax employer-provided health benefits above a certain level, and it might not. It might tax people above a certain income level to offset costs, and it might not. It might include a public alternative to private health insurance, it might not include that but some form of incentive to form insurance-plan cooperatives, it might blah blah blah.
The inability to explain within five minutes what the hell this bill will do, let alone how it will be done, is what's killing us here. We have no one to blame but ourselves.
July 21, 2009 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
thats not true.
if your problem is the people are to dumb to understand anything unless its 1 sentence repeated over and over, i can understand that.
but this like any issue is more about the media and the slanted and the outright lying done by its members to defeat anything their corporate owners want defeated.
July 21, 2009 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
thats not true.
It hasn't been that long since the White House floated a trial balloon through Emanuel about possibly doing away with a public option, if there were some alternative that lowered costs and covered basically the entire public. Emanuel got slapped for it, but it wasn't Emanuel's mistake.
if your problem is the people are to dumb to understand anything unless its 1 sentence repeated over and over, i can understand that.
There needs to be an answer for every charge, and that answer needs to fit on a postcard. I know we have a better case than they do, but we argue it as though we don't know it, or believe that we're lying. Positive statements. Numbers. Methodology. At the end, why their numbers and methodology don't really address the questions they asked. It's like we forgot how to campaign for something since winning the election.
July 21, 2009 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amen.
Which is why Jim DeMint's comments really were a godsend.
July 21, 2009 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Were you a spying roach in the Oval Office to make the "trial balloon" statement? Just because someone writes such drivel when Rahm made a stupid statement, does not make it true. See how that works?
Obama is working the system for this reform right now and this is exactly when it has been needed. He gave the Congress "I'm wonderful" folks a chance to get this legislation going and what happened? Slowdown. It is simply unacceptable.
As CT suggests, DeMint (also Kristol) made stupid statements and Obama is using them in a way to get folks' attention and make a point. I think he's making it.
I am absolutely ENRAGED by anyone in Congress thinking they can get the taxpayers to pay for their GD benefits and then simply walk away from this issue and go vacation in August. I'm overjoyed that Obama called them on it. And I'm taking names and will support any viable primary candidate who will oppose these DINOs.
People are out of work or fearful of losing their jobs and our Dems in Congress want to act like it's the 1600's and they are royalty? Completely unacceptable. Completely.
July 21, 2009 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Were you a spying roach in the Oval Office to make the "trial balloon" statement? Just because someone writes such drivel when Rahm made a stupid statement, does not make it true. See how that works?
Emanuel doesn't say anything of consequence in front of any member of the press unless he knows he has a green light. Biden may not have message discipline, but Emanuel assuredly does.
For that matter, Kathleen Sebelius said much the same thing to Bloomberg News in an email less than a month ago. Obama has since walked it back, as he should, but a public alternative to private health insurance is the only path to any meaningful cost containment for American health care, other than making it a capital offense to be a day older than 65. How it was that this late in the game, somebody in the White House and DNC decided we could compromise on the public option and still achieve our goals, I don't know. But that kind of fuzziness is a problem for us in selling a massively expensive reform like this.
I'm overjoyed that Obama called them on it. And I'm taking names and will support any viable primary candidate who will oppose these DINOs.
And we are reaping the benefits of that strategy, as employed by the Republican leadership against insufficiently doctrinaire members of their own damn caucus. You're probably one of those people outraged that Joe Lieberman wasn't publicly humiliated for his role in McCain's campaign, because the mythical moderate Republicans would be found to vote our way in his stead. Look around. How many Republicans are eager to hop the fence for our proposal?
It is the job of the Democratic sponsors of this bill, their staff, and the President to give the members in contentious districts and states something defensible, something they can vote for. Part of this involves managing the image of this program, and presenting its attributes while clearly refuting (or conceding to) opponents' charges. If even we don't understand what we're selling to the public - or we seem that way - then we shouldn't expect to satisfy the concerns of Democrats whose districts aren't predisposed to vote our way. If we don't get that, then it won't matter how ideologically pure our candidates are, if we can't hold enough of the Senate together to pass our bills.
July 22, 2009 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
What I hope happens to the Blue Dogs is that Obama tells them he will not campaign for them or raise a dollar for them. They can whore out to whatever corporation they choose and live or die on their own. When a matter is as important to a Democratic President as this is and a Democratic representative cannot be depended on, and is a complete whore to their fundraisers, then to hell with them. Sadly the total amount of money these whores raise to get reelected is a tiny tiny amount compared to the billions and billions that get "profitized" by the corporations doing the bribing. Blue Dogs are cheap whores.
July 21, 2009 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do "blue dogs" have any relationship to "blue cross"?
July 21, 2009 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
And these blue dogs will cancel insurance for themselves and their staffs when??
This makes me sick to my stomach. In my state, Florida, 25% of the people are uninsured. My representative and senator are blue dogs. They should be ashamed and they should be muzzled. I have a few extra should anyone decide they're in need.
July 21, 2009 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
healthcare is not a supply and demand issue, so stop trying to equate our healthcare system with any other business. matter of fact, you would have a more productive society if workers did not have to worry about healthcare and could pursue their own business and not worry about getting sick and destroying the family.
i understand the blue dogs voting problem in their districts but i am just tired of them and want them to leave. i am working to vote out rep. lipinski in my district
July 21, 2009 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly right! Healthcare is not a supply and demand issue!
Conservatives believe everything has a price and everything is fair game. Liberals believe in the golden rule, do unto others as you wish they do unto you. The entire civilized world covers all citizens with healthcare because it is the financially smart thing to do and the morally correct thing to do. In America we worship money above all else and have huge corporations devoted to killing off the sick and the weak to make "profits" for already filthy rich individuals.
July 21, 2009 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blue Dog Democrats are letting the Republicans control them with fears of not being re-elected if they support Obama's health care plan.
If they support it, they can tout that they've done something for all the people of American, not just the priviledged few.
If they don't, the entire Democratic party will be seen as weak and not worth voting for in 2010 and 1012.
July 21, 2009 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
i hope Obama backs them into a corner and makes them wet themselves. game changer? for them maybe.
I will run against bayh myself if no other dems get in. my slogan will be "I AM NOT EVAN BAYH".
AND "WHAT WOULD BIRCH DO".
July 21, 2009 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I find it ironic that the countries that are the least religious in the world have the best quality of life underpinned by a solid universal health care system.
Here in America where still 40% of our population still does not believe in evolution, who drag their knuckle into churches across our country every weekend listening to men pontificate about the virtues of taking care of your neighbor, come back to work on Monday lobbying to continue the murder for profit health care system we currently have here in the United States.
It is the 21st century Blue Dogs, and Republicans, if you are going to continue to uphold an 18th century ideology then you should not be surprised to be labeled as barbaric ideologues, supporting the murder of your fellow Americans so you can keep your political coffers in the green with blood money of your biggest donors. The murder for profit health care industry.
July 21, 2009 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
The United States is the only Major Industrialized Nation in the World that does not offer Universal Healthcare to it's citizenry(World Health Org).
That alone say's it all, but there's more...the cost of healthcare in the United States is two times more expensive than the next costliest nation's(Bloomberg). Yet, our healthcare outcomes rank 29th in overall efficiency(CDC).
Our government officials receive over 75 million dollars per year, from lobbyist who represent private insurance companies(Open Secrets.com).
Last but not least, infant mortality in the United States ranks 35th of the top 49 nations around the world(WHO). So what price do we put on a human life? We have a right to pay the most for healthcare, but we don't have a right to get the best of healthcare?
The greatest country on earth? The only major industrialized nation that doesn't provide Universal Healthcare for it's citizens.
July 21, 2009 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, guys, its 3:40. Has everything changed yet? Did I miss it?
July 21, 2009 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
The public health option and all the 'anti' funding by the health insurance industry lobby really brings to mind the argument for term limits for our elected reps.
July 21, 2009 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've just checked out Betsy Markey's past two major votes - one to reign in executive compensation and the other to protect our food supply. In both cases she voted no. I could find, of the 50% of the blue dog votes I checked out, no blue dog voted the same as Congresswoman Markey.
Someone mentioned that she comes from the "whacko" city of Colorado Springs - no - it is not in her district. She took a major vote from the two major population areas - Larimer and Weld Counties. I am dumbfounded by these votes.
August 5, 2009 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink