Already, 23 Dems have said they will vote ‘no’ on healthcare reform

[robcon]

Source: The Hill

At least 23 House Democrats already have told constituents or hometown media that they oppose the massive healthcare overhaul touted by President Barack Obama.

If Republicans offer the blanket opposition they’ve promised, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) can afford to lose only 38 members of her 256-member caucus and still pass the bill.

Most Democrats opposed to healthcare reform argue it costs too much, imposes a new tax and fines businesses that don’t provide insurance to employees. Some fear that the bill would subsidize abortion.

Many other Democratic members, including those berated by protesters at raucous town hall meetings in August, are still undecided.
A lot could change before the vote, expected late this month.

Voting against a president from your own party is starkly different from defying a Speaker or a committee chairman, and Obama is stepping up his involvement, starting with a speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/57565-already-23-dems-have-said-they-will-vote-no-on-reform

---

Here's the list of Democratic opponents of the bill...

John Adler (N.J.)
Jason Altmire (Pa.)
John Barrow (Ga.)
Dan Boren (Okla.)
Rick Boucher (Va.)
Allen Boyd (Fla.)
Bobby Bright (Ala.)
Travis Childers (Miss.)
Jim Costa (Calif.)
Henry Cuellar (Texas)
Parker Griffith (Ala.)
Frank Kratovil (Md.)
Betsy Markey (Colo.)
Eric Massa (N.Y.)
Jim Matheson (Utah)
Charlie Melancon (La.)
Walt Minnick (Idaho)
Tom Perriello (Va.)
Earl Pomeroy (N.D.)
Heath Shuler (N.C.)
Bart Stupak (Mich.)
John Tanner (Tenn.)
Gene Taylor (Miss.)

[ejpoeta]

1. i had thought massa was supportive. are any of these opponents because they want

a better bill?? or they just opposed because they don't like the bill or healthcare reform??

[PATRICK]

24. His reasons

First, if it isn't single payer it will condemn a lot of people to poor health care coverage, i.e. sickness and death and it will of course be more wastefully costly for individuals and small businesses.
He promised to fight for the best health care coverage that Congress already receives as their perk and not take any himself until that happy day so unimaginable to the WH and oxymoronic Dem leadership.

Massa is a recovering Hodgkin's patient. He is in a tough district where a much different stance could earn him votes. Naturally, voting against this unnecessarily imperfect bill, earns him enemies on all sides, even among progressives who think "a good start" is better than standing up for the rational truth of the single payer plan. The rational truth is that it makes health care available and affordable for all minus profiteers, has been vetted successfully around the world of the very problems used by idiots who are even reluctant to reinvent the wheel at the cost of American health and lives.

Somehow Obama has wedded the divine right of health insurance companies with a rationing of reform that is barely sane politically or economically now or for the future. The Blue Dogs are flat out against the people having any rights or equality that might challenge the rights of big profiteers and campaign contributors.

One argument that once reform is in the process, progress toward total reform will become inevitable. So getting unnecessarily punked by big business is going to work better in this regard than DECADES of Medicare without anyone imagining applying it toward all? Better than a majority in Congress who will be LUCKY to get any token reform whatsoever before 2010 rips them apart just as it is doing now over an easy tremendous political gift they won't take advantage of on our behalf? Political wisdom is dealing and compromising with moral midgets, scoundrels, crooks and a financed propaganda campaign long on intimidation short on rationality? This is how we have been wasting the time as people die daily.

When Massa first ran, during the economic crisis he said it didn't look good for health care this year because of the money, crisis and big plate of work. Happily that picture swiftly changed and he has since found out that the Progressive caucus is the only backbone in DC to do the right thing. There are other poisoned bills that should be voted against and they are proliferating because of the horribly stupid ways DC is dealing with the always cravenly idiotic Blue Dog strutting and the GOP moves to destroy, just destroy the Dems.

[ejpoeta]

54. i personally don't understand the dems attitude towards this issue...

no matter what they do they are going to be vilified by the republicans.... so they might as well do the right thing!!! even if they don't want to get rid of the private insurance cartel.... at the very least they could expand medicare and let everyone get in on that as the public option and quit giving in to the insurance companies. if they pass a crappy bill that does nothing and nothing changes or things get worse... the dems are going to be blamed... just like caving on the stimulus bill.... it's ridiculous!! people may be bitching now, but if the healthcare issue were fixed, then they would accept it....

[maryf]

72. Massa is a hero

HR 3200 will criminalize healthcare for many. Of course as its written by the insurance industry, who will gain from this, its no surprise. The Public Option, AS IT Stands, is not much better than the status quo, and looks to get worse before its all over.

[PATRICK]

78. Imagine

that Social Security were being proposed today in this manner. The GOP and Corporate Pravda would insist on making it the demon they have always accused of it being by including private insurers, privatized "options" and insufficiencies and insolvencies that truly would fail. THIS Democratic party seems to "imagine" that would actually be a good thing!!!!!! These wee timorous beasties cannot on the other hand imagine acting like they want the people and themselves to "profit" from shoving aside the suicide blade handed them by pathetic liars and bullies for a bit of campaign cash.

[smitra]

82. See my post #81 on this thread... I report Massa's own words. n/t

[italiangirl]

55. Owned by Corporations

I live in Pittsburgh PA and Jason Altmire is owned by
UPMC, THE major hospital and insurance conglomerate here. He is
a lobbyist and owned by them and will not support any health care
bill.

[zeemike]

74. I am surprised there are any Dem's in Ga, Al, Tn, and Miss.

There racist constituents would not allow them to support a black man.

[indievoter]

80. Pot meet Kettle

Being an intelligent person as you have so elegantly demonstrated with your correct use of "there" and your use of broad generalizations to describe the people that live in those states. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that discriminating against or disparaging an entire group of people based solely on the areas or regions they live in is a very close cousin to racism. But I'm sure you were aware of that. But hey what do I know I'm just an educated man from the south.

[zeemike]

84. Well you are right that was a reactionary thing to say

But I lived in the south and spent some time in Mississippi and Alabama from 1965 to 1992 so it is not like I am ne of those latte drinking northerners.
But I got to know a lot of people in those years... many were good people but many were also racist bastards and so you must excuse my reaction when a democrat sells us out to please them.
But I am not an educated man so don't count on my not making a mistake here and there.

[donco6]

2. If Betsy Markey thinks she's going to be re-elected even -

WITH a "no" vote on public option, she's crazy. She's got one term to make a difference.

[Hawkeye-X]

76. Markey or the Bitch from Ft. Morgan...

Decisions.. decisions...


Fortunately my rep is DeGette, and she's already for robust public option.

[liberal N proud]

3. It would be interesting to see the payout from the Health Insurance industry

to these congress people.

[xchrom]

4. primary 'em. nt

[Le Taz Hot]

92. 'The Party'

would never stand for it. They will choke off any challengers.

[patrice]

5. How strong is it? 15% Overhead compared to 4% from Medicare for All amounts to

one whole hell of a lot of what happens to a lot of people.

[tomm2thumbs]

6. wtf

[Coventina]

7. Don't understand why this thread is unrecommended.

DUers don't think that this story is important?

:shrug:

Anyway, glad to see my rep is not on the list. I'm afraid that he might join, though.

[elocs]

27. Well, it was nice of you to point out the UnRecs.

Attention is what they want and you gave it to them. In the early minutes of any thread I don't see a need to obsess about UnRecs. If a thread deserves Recs, it will get them.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Red Dogs.

[Bigmack]

9. Already, 23 Dems have lost all support...

from the party in the next election. No funds, opposition in the primary, committee assignment downgrades, etc.

Any of these clowns ever hear of sticking together?

[robcon]

12. Where did you get that information about no support?

I think these Dems have decided they're better off opposing the bill.

The reasons for their opposition may include:

-They won't vote their conscience because current polling suggests they'll be better off next year in their district by being against the bill.
-They become scared-cats based on town hall meetings or tea party protests.
-They've gotten money from groups opposing the bill.

[Bigmack]

53. I guess I wasn't clear.

The party should cut off all support for these assholes.

[Le Taz Hot]

93. Are you kidding me?

These are Rahm's babies. Who do you think keeps floating the dropping the public option trial balloon? Trust me, they'll get all the support they need from The Party because they are willing servants.

[NJCher]

10. I see the only Jerseyan

On the list is Adler, way south of me. I visited his web page. He has the bill for download there, in case anyone is interested.

I will alert my students from his county to his position. I hope they decide to contact him. Health care is a hot issue for discussion in my classes and the term has just begun.

Cher

[ramapo]

50. He got my message

I'm stuck in CD5 with Garrett so I look to our Democratic delegation to provide me with some representation. Adler must be caving in to our frightened elders. I will send a donation to his opponent in 2010 if he votes against reform. I sent him a note, not that he cares about me, but it makes me feel better.

With Democrats like him, who needs Republicans?

[Autumn]

11. Time to call Betsy again

:kick:

[seafan]

13. 17 of these 23 are Blue Dogs. And they're up for re-election.

Already, 23 House Dems have said they will vote ‘no’ on healthcare reform, September 8, 2009

The following Democratic lawmakers have indicated opposition to the healthcare plan moving through the House.

John Adler (N.J.)
Jason Altmire (Pa.)
John Barrow (Ga.)
Dan Boren (Okla.)
Rick Boucher (Va.)
Allen Boyd (Fla.)
Bobby Bright (Ala.)
Travis Childers (Miss.)
Jim Costa (Calif.)
Henry Cuellar (Texas)
Parker Griffith (Ala.)
Frank Kratovil (Md.)
Betsy Markey (Colo.)
Eric Massa (N.Y.)
Jim Matheson (Utah)
Charlie Melancon (La.)
Walt Minnick (Idaho)
Tom Perriello (Va.)
Earl Pomeroy (N.D.)
Heath Shuler (N.C.)
Bart Stupak (Mich.)
John Tanner (Tenn.)
Gene Taylor (Miss.)

Blue Dog Member List


Let's make private citizens out of these people in 2010.

[Hutzpa]

47. Very good list

thanks for posting this, now lets get to work.

:thumbsup:

[The Wielding Truth]

49. Called Altmire's office and he will vote PO if it can be pd for.

I left the message that a Public Option was necessary to counter any moves to usurp the reforms by devising ways around the laws to recoup and expand profits at the expense of those in need.

[izquierdista]

14. Time to buy a shock collar

And put it on my Blue Dog. I wonder if there is an "Extra Dense" setting with a higher voltage?

[msongs]

15. time for Obama to go al LBJ on them.... nt

[safeinOhio]

19. Not a damn thing for their district.

[pattmarty]

16. If there is NO public option, I want to see my Rep on that list too....................

..................No public option, no bill. Then Medicare for all can be pushed in a few years when EVEN the teabaggers will be screaming for reform.

[Raineyb]

26. Same here

I see no point in having my rep vote for health care "reform" that doesn't include a public option that is as good as (if not better) than what the private insurance companies offer. Otherwise a public option will end up a second class system where we shunt the poor, underfund it, and it'll end up doing no good at all.

[sinkingfeeling]

17. Keep this list and replace these people next time they're up for election.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

18. Eric Massa? Has there been a typo? Or, is he against because supports single-payer?

[PATRICK]

79. Because he is committed to single payer

n/t

[smitra]

81. This is the letter I received from Eric Massa today on this issue ... (I am his constituent)

Thank you for contacting me about the need for health care reform across the nation.

The U.S. health care system is in crisis. I know this fact from my personal experience as a cancer patient and from my time as a cancer outreach worker. Much to my dismay, I have learned that hundreds of thousands of families across this country are forced to make incredible sacrifices in order to afford necessary medical attention.

Because of this tragedy, I support the idea of a single-payer health care system in which the doctor-patient relationship remains personal and private, but costs and payments are centrally managed. We can reduce overhead and operational costs. Such a plan would encourage preventive health care, dramatically simplify paperwork and reimbursement processes, and reduce costs.

You may be pleased to know that I am an original co-sponsor of H.R. 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act. H.R. 676 will come to a vote on the House floor in the fall, and I intend to support it and urge my colleagues to join me.

I do not intend to vote for H.R. 3200 as it now stands. This is the so-called "Tri-Committees" bill, spearheaded by Congressman Henry Waxman. This bill, as it is currently written, does not do enough to reduce costs and cut fraud, takes over $300 billion from Medicare, and establishes costly and unnecessary new bureaucracies and commits the nation to a gigantic permanent subsidy to the private health care industries .

---------------------------------------------

He is essentially saying - 'single payer or ... keep on fighting'.

[John Q. Citizen]

88. not necessarily. HR3200 as written doesn't even have what any reasonable person would call a public

option.

It has a PO in name only, but it does nothing.

I would vote against HR3200 as written. It's an industry bill at present.

[maryf]

98. That's my man!! thanks for this

Wish I still lived in the district myself, born and raised there!

[ProudDad]

99. Good for him!

He's also not for giving the leeches in the for-profit insurance corporations a huge windfall...

Good for him!

I wouldn't vote for HR3200 either...

[AlphaCentauri]

20. OK it did not work to have a democratic congress majority and the presidency

it's all about the same policies all the time.

[tonekat]

21. Nice to see who the cowards are in the party

No projects for your districts, turncoats. Didn't you learn anything about party unity?

Who needs the G.O.P. when we've got dems like these 23?

[paparush]

22. Shuler makes me want to puke. 1/4 of his constituents don't have healthcare here in rural NC.

Every other word out of his mouth is God, Jesus, Prayer, Faith, and yet he completely ignores his Personal Lord And Savior's (tm) primary message - to serve the least of these, tend to the sick, etc.

I supported his campaign to replace Charles "Chainsaw Charley" Taylor, but I plan to work my tail off to unseat his blue dog ass.

[Justitia]

29. Shuler was one of Rahm's most favored pet projects. He really pushed for that guy.

Gee, thanks again for nothing, Rahm.

[paparush]

97. Yeah, I read about how hard Rahm courted him when Shuler expressed

concerns about not seeing enough of his kids, so Rahm called him 4-5 times a day for weeks saying "I'm on my way to drop off my kids' at school", or "I'm just sitting here at my kids' soccer game", until he convinced Shuler that life in DC wouldn't be a negative impact on Shuler's family.

[nytemare]

87. My opinion on Shuler can be summed up by my avatar.

And it has not changed over time.

[funkybutt]

23. Someone should post their phone numbers

so we can get their phones ringing.

:hi:

[truthisfreedom]

25. You mean Democrat oppenents. They're not worthy of the correct term, Democratic.

If we had the discipline the 'thugs had...

[stray cat]

28. But I thought all Obama had to do was snap his fingers?

:sarcasm:

[tomm2thumbs]

30. Hey Californians - Jim Costa is on the list

Oh lookie - it seems the children of the Sudan don't think much of Jim Costa but he wants to run around and take pictures of himself with kids in other countries like he's their own personal Santa Claus. It appears they can tell how genuine he is by the looks on their faces, especially the one in the back.

Interesting Mr. Costa, and you put this kind of picture on your official website and then run around saying you are against health care reform for families in your own district?

INTERESTING


Here is his web/contact info:
http://www.costa.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46

updated with contact info for those who want to express their opinions to his office

[mecherosegarden]

31. I sent him a very polite e-mail but

I live outside of district 20th and " he won't be able to respond to my e-mail."

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[graywarrior]

32. Mostly red districts/areas?

Infuriating.

[closeupready]

33. Do they have primary challengers, and where do I send my check?

n/t

[Octafish]

34. Profiles in Cowardice

Where's the leadership? Where is the leadership?

[Xithras]

35. Cardoza (Calif) isn't on the list?

That's interesting, since he's already stated that he'll vote NO if it contains any sort of public option, or if it imposes additional costs on taxpayers or employers. Since pretty much every option being discussed hits ONE of his points, I'm suprised to see him missing from that list.

[The Wizard]

36. Either way they vote

could be the factor that gets them removed from office. Sometimes you just have to do the right thing.
My prediction is half of them will get voted out anyway.

[derby378]

37. There appears to be a severe shortage of primary challengers for these 23

Has anyone declared against any of these folks yet?

[dashrif]

61. Well

Dan Boren will get voted out if he touches this and it won't be another dem that replaces him so you can't blame him for not wanting to jump in front of a bus IMO

[dugaresa]

38. Altmire worked in healthcare and gets loads of $$$ from them, no wonder

[Stevenmarc]

39. 23 dems need to be told, good luck getting any bill with their name on it out of committee

[BlueDemKev]

40. All but 4 of them are Blue Dogs....

Everyone on that list is part of the Blue Dog Coalition who represent very conservative, rural districts. However, keep in mind there are 52 Blue Dog House Members, and if 30-34 of them are still undecided, there's still an excellent chance of passing reform...though not quite as much as we'd have wanted.

[sarcasmo]

41. 23 bought and paid for Democrats. Follow the money.

[AlbertCat]

42. Y'know, recent polls show even MORE people want health care reform...more than 80%

Noam Chomsky is right.... the USA is a failed state.... because the reps do not represent the people.

[Hawkeye-X]

43. Then these arseholes needs to be primaried out!

[samsingh]

44. remember them and vote them out in the next election

its better to have repugs in their place so that we can then put up a real Democratic challenge.

[samsingh]

45. you have to wonder how many of bush's plans they voted for cart blanch.

[JDPriestly]

46. This means that these Democrats don't believe that Obama

has enough support to cause them to risk supporting him. That is because Obama has been too cautious and doesn't really fight for any particular agenda. He is not uniting the Democrats in Congress. That was evident the moment that they were sent home for a recess without a concrete bill or even agreement on the ideas about health care reform that they would present to the public.

First, Harry Reid needs to resign. He alone is to blame for the fiasco with Baucus' committee. That the Senate was adjourned without Baucus' committee's agreement on the text of a bill is an unforgivable sin of mismanagement.

Then, Obama needs to take the reluctant Democrats in the entire Congress to the woodshed.

But before he does any of that, Obama needs to get some real Democrats into his cabinet and appoint some to his group of aides.

Right now, Obama has surrounded himself by Republican wolves in Democratic clothing: Rahm Emmanuel, Bernanke, Summers, Geithner to name a few need to go and they need to go now.

Obama should have asked Congress to increase taxes on the very wealthy and to put limits on bonuses (as the Europeans are doing) or tax the bonus money above a certain level to the high heavens before introducing the idea of health care reform to the American people.

We could have single payer if we reformed our tax code. That is because Congress is nervous about increasing our budget outlays without increasing tax income. Makes sense to me.

President Obama claimed he would appoint a Team of Rivals to his cabinet. He has gone out of his way to appoint Blue Dogs and conservatives, but he fires all his liberals. I question whether he included any just ordinary people desperately needing health insurance or any people who had been cheated by insurance policies or insurance companies in the roundtable discussions he held on health care. It was important to do that. It would have kept the insurance companies at bay.

This means that Obama's four years will be wasted in wishy-washy compromises. I am still looking forward to his speech tomorrow. He is a good man, but he has surrounded himself with the wrong people. If he fails on this, however imperfect it may be, he will fail altogether. He will not pass a single important initiative if he can't get the support behind this or behind single payer.

Personally, I think he should have held out for single payer and not compromised on the public option in the first place. Let's start looking for a stronger candidate.

[closeupready]

48. Ditto.

n/t

[The Wielding Truth]

52. I am disappointed in Harry Reid. Where is his hammer?

[harkadog]

64. These are not Senators. They are House members

Nancy Pelosi is in charge of them.

[JDPriestly]

66. I blame Reid and here is why:

I understand that these people are representatives (mostly because I don't know much about several of them). I also realize that we may not need their votes in the House.

But, if Baucus' committee had returned a bill on time so that the reconciliation process could have been completed before the summer recess, the fanaticism of the Tea-Baggers would have been met by organized supporters of reform on the other side.

Because there is no bill and no fairly concrete proposal for those of us who support reform to get behind, we were disorganized. Thanks to Baucus, there is an illusion in the country that health care insurance reform is not as popular as the status quo. That is untrue. But, as is so often the case, our leadership failed us. And that leadership was Harry Reid in the Senate and President Obama. Harry Reid should have told Baucus to get his homework done on time or go to the back of the class. Reid allowed Baucus to silence the health care reform supporters. That is unforgivable.

Reid and Baucus are responsible for the suffering and deaths of all those who die or suffer because they lack the kind of regular health care they need without the reform.

I have seen what a good health care reform plan can mean. I lived in four European countries and loved the health care in all of them. Here, I have gone for years at a time without health care insurance -- even though I needed specific preventive care. The people who go without are those who work and earn a low wage and do not get insurance through their work as well as those whose employers buy cheap, HMO insurance for them that doesn't cover what is needed for preventive care.

[harkadog]

71. I certainly agree with those points.

[NoodleyAppendage]

51. "Most Democrats opposed to healthcare reform..." are worried about their own asses & not the people.

All of these TRAITOR DEMS have one thing in common. They care more about themselves than the party. Fuck 'em.

J

[gmpierce]

56. right culprits - wrong issue

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. The Blue Dogs really ought to be drummed out of the Democratic Party, but they are right on this medical cludge.

They are right for all the wrong reasons. But if the only bill we can get is pre-negotiated by Obama and the medical industry we are probably better off with nothing.

Change - we need to keep doing it until we get it right.

[imdjh]

57. Talk about a shit list. Allen Boyd is a piece of shit.

[laughingliberal]

58. They oppose a new tax or fine on businesses that don't provide health insurance

But it's perfectly OK that the bill imposes a fine on working people who don't buy the overpriced, worthless policies from the private insurance companies. When are we going to hear the media explain to people what kind of mandate they're facing if this goes through without a public option?

[UrbScotty]

59. Then they're not really Democrats.

Sorry, I'm a proud Dem, and I believe in a big tent.

But if you're willing to buy these scare tactics and oppose saving lives, then how can you call yourself a Democrat?

[Zorra]

60. We so need to get Democrats eleced in their districts. n/t

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[defendandprotect]

63. These are "Democrats" who should be targeted in next election . . . along with the DLC -- !!!

[truebrit71]

65. Fire them all...

..if they want to vote with the rethuglicans, they should become rethuglicans...

[veganlush]

67. With regard to Stupak, of Michigan, the health sector is..

...third on his list, having given him over $150,000.00...

[veganlush]

68. here's the link....

http://www.votesmart.org/finance.php?can_id=26912

[yoyossarian]

69. I don't know how much longer I can take this shit...

We live in Mordor. We are surrounded by orcs and trolls.
Fuck. I can't afford to live OR die here.

Fuck.

[leveymg]

70. Nancy should call them all into her office, and strip committee assignments of any who don't change

their vote. DCCC needs to do the same thing with campaign money. What good are they in the Democratic Party if they won't vote for THIS issue? What good is the current leadership if there are no consequences even threatened?

[Dr Fate]

73. I hope the tea baggers they are trying to impress make good DEM campaign workers.

n/t

[DFW]

75. Matheson, Boren and Shuler. What a surprise (NOT)

Of course, Matheson is from Utah, and Boren is from Oklahoma, states where a Democrat in office is
officially listed as an "endangered species." NC went for Obama, but I guess the trickle-down effect
only works with Republicans (oops, no it didn't work when they tried it on the economy either). I
am not familiar with the others. I hope that some if not all of them have secretly apologized to Pelosi,
telling her that they are guaranteed to lose their seats in 2010 if they vote OK on this, and promise
to reverse their position at the cost of their seat if they sense it will fail without them.

[depakid]

77. Good riddance

These idiots in districts with small swings will be the first to go in 2010. The irony of course is that Rahm recruited many of the dogs who've turned around and bit him!

My prediction- Rahm also goes in 2010.

[Kaleva]

83. My rep is on the list (Bart Stupak)

But, bless his heart, he does get alot of contributions from insurance companies.

[DeeDeeNY]

85. The undecideds are complete idiots

if they're going to let themselves be intimidated by the ignorant and mostly phony loudmouth protestors at town hall meetings.

[hamsterjill]

86. Henry Cuellar

I don't know about the rest of them, but if Henry Cuellar is REALLY a Democrat, I'll eat my hat. He was "placed" in Texas by the Republican machine, and the voters were foolish enough not to notice.

I'd love to see a serious challenge to him. And would love to see him regain his private citizenship (as mentioned in an earlier post).

[DonCoquixote]

89. To those single payer or bust types

It's not like I cannot see your point, but to those who hate this bill, do they really think it's defeat is going to shift things towards single payer. NO, it will embolden those who want to kill the idea of any public influence on health control, much less option. The media will nto focus on your reasons for single payer, it will interpret this as a sign that the American people don't want a public option, and roll accordingly. Of course, if HR 3200 passes, and the babies that are the american people realize the water is not as bad as Glenn said it was, then they can move to wanting more, like hr 676, but if hr 3200 falls, the GOP will close the casket on health care reform, again.

[Mind_your_head]

90. 23 Dems have acknowledge that they don't/ won't betray the "(insurance/pharma) hands that feed them"

It's as simple as that!

Vote all of these whores OUT of the REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM. THEY DON'T REPRESENT YOU!!! (Unless you are a CEO, CFO, or COO of a corporation right now, it doesn't even need to be a "healthy corspe" right now.....:eyes:

[Justicekthx]

91. We should call them out

Daily both the house and senate who vote against a public option...Republican light is the same as being a republican and not give one dime to them for re-election imagine social security and medicare coming up for a vote for the first time these assholes would vote against that too.

[ShortnFiery]

94. We don't worry about shelling out BILLIONS for our Military Industrial Complex.

Stop these senseless occupations and use THAT money to enliven a robust PUBLIC OPTION.

[blueworld]

95. Et tu, Perriello?

You can have no idea how hard it was to dump that bigot Virgil Goode from his stranglehold on this VA district...but we did it & elected a Dem & now he's against health care reform. Terrific.

[Kaleva]

96. Is this bill worth voting for?

See post #104.

There may be some very good reasons why the bill ought not be supported.

[ProudDad]

100. It's very damn simple

Just allow anyone to sign up for Medicare - at any age...