Democrats Who Voted “No” On Health Care
November 8th, 2009, 9:53 AM EST
These 39 Democrats are the most vulnerable House members. Let’s hope this vote make them more vulnerable.
Here’s the list:
Adler
Altmire
Baird
Barrow
Boccieri
Boren
Boucher
Boyd
Bright
Chandler
Childers
Artur Davis
Lincoln Davis
Chet Edwards
Gordon
Griffith
Herseth-sandlin
Holden
Kissell
Kosmas
Kratovil
Kucinich
Betsy Markey
Marshall
Massa
Matheson
McIntyre
McMahon
Melancon
Minnick
Scott Murphy
Nye
Peterson
Ross
Shuler
Skelton
Tanner
Taylor
Teague
never trust someone named Chet, that’s my motto.
burqa Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
I never let anyone named Toby get behind me where I can’t keep an eye on him…
November 8th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Kucinich voted no? That’s interesting. I’m assuming because he felt it didn’t go far enough.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 11:19 am
probably because it didn’t have mandatory abortions.
libpatriot Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Flap: “Kucinich voted no? That’s interesting. I’m assuming because he felt it didn’t go far enough.”
I believe that’s correct, Flap. Bobchai sums it up pretty well, I think: ” Kucinich and maybe a few others voted against, because they want to go all the way to single-payer national medicare.”
GuidoVanHorn: “probably because it didn’t have mandatory abortions”
Hmmm…don’t think so.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
just a joke bro.
libpatriot Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
gotcha
November 8th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Ike Skelton(D) represents a rural Missouri district. He’s been in office since I was in high school.
It’s a generalization, but I’d say most of his constituents are either farmers or retirees from Kansas City moved east for the cheaper cost of living. Many of his constituents might also be meth lab operators but they probably don’t vote.
http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-story-skelton-congress-082909,0,5676319.story
SEDALIA, MO. – For a generation, U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton has been politically untouchable.
A Democrat in a Republican-leaning district, Skelton has regularly won re-election with about two-thirds of the vote while cultivating a conservative reputation and capitalizing on his military expertise to become chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
Come 2010, however, Skelton may face a formidable challenge.
Republican strategists believe they can capitalize on Skelton’s support of President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan, climate-control legislation and, potentially, his proposed health care overhaul to paint the 78-year-old congressman as out of touch with constituents.
The National Republican Congressional Committee plans to target Skelton with health care-related radio ads in coming weeks.
Ike’s only feeling the heat from the teabaggers/RNC crowd. You may be right, it might be time for his retirement. But, if someone like Vicky Hartzler replaces him, you’ll only end up with another Michelle Bachmann to make fun of.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/mo04_skelton/Health_Care.html
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO) released the following statement concerning H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act:
“This evening, I opposed passage of the health insurance reform legislation that was debated in the House of Representatives. After careful consideration and meetings with health care professionals and Fourth District residents, I decided the legislation did not represent the right balance for rural Missourians.
“I understand the need for reform. Far too often, insurance companies get in between a patient and their doctor by denying coverage for necessary medical procedures, by dropping beneficiaries because they get sick, and by imposing unreasonable premiums on those who need coverage the most. These insurance company tactics are wrong and must be fixed. Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree on this. However, while the legislation on the House Floor tonight was a vast improvement over earlier versions, especially as amended to prohibit any federal funding for abortions, I am not convinced that the legislation represented the best policy choice for the American people.
“I am concerned about the impact the legislation could have on rural hospitals and doctors. The proposed reductions to Medicare reimbursement could further squeeze the budgets of rural health care providers.
“I also oppose the creation of a new government run public option and continue to have serious concerns about its potential unintended consequences for Missourians who have private insurance plans they like.
“One solution might be for Congress to address health care reform one issue at a time and to ensure that rural Missourians understand how any new legislation will affect them and their families.
“At the end of the day the American people should be able to look at this bill and say that Congress has done a good job. This legislation did not accomplish that goal,” said Skelton.
H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 220 to 215. The U.S. Senate must consider the legislation before it is sent to the President for his signature.
Ike is only feeling a squeeze from the teabaggers.
It’s only too funny to listen to his government retiree constituents complaining about “government run health care”. Funny, but sad. But it only proves what I’ve thought all along: that this is only more of the war between those that “has” and wants more and those that “hasn’t” and wants some. We are a nation split down the middle.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
he does want to be re-elected…why does this surprise anyone?
November 8th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Four reasons why some Democrats voted against the bill:
1. They come from conservative districts where they are vulnerable in an election challenge from the GOP;
2. They come from some districts (rare now), which have been right wing Democrat since the Civil War, Reconstruction and segregation, or midwest populist in the mold of William Jennings Bryan;
3. They truly voted their conscience (and who can blame that?) I still have some faith in politicians
4. Kucinich and maybe a few others voted against, because they want to go all the way to single-payer national medicare.
These people are on the wrong side of history. I personally don’t like this bill — it was put together with chewing gum, baling wire and duct tape — but it’s what’s for dinner.
We’ll get single payer NEXT time.
–Bobchai
November 8th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
So it’s a civil war in the Democratic Party? No tolerance for moderates?
Bobchai Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Bludogs:
We have not seen all the fallout yet. There is a recrimination mood in both parties.
But so far, the efforts of elected GOP officials have gone further than the Democrats at “purging” moderates.
Whether the Democratic caucus strips committee chairmanships from the renegade Dem. moderates who voted against this bill, or runs primary candidates against them, remains to be seen.
Yet I just don’t see the Democratic party doing that in a big way.
burqa Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I don’t either. The people running the Democratic Party are not as vindictive as those running the GOP, nor do they have a bunch of crazies with bullhorns and large radio audiences insisting they hew to an extremist line.
Good grief, one would think Zell Miller would have been gone long ago, Lieberman, too.
A major difference between the parties that leads to this is the Democratic Party is composed of a coalition of many different groups, a lot more than the Republicans. That leads to things being more wooly and less organized than what we see in the Republicans.
Yes, the GOP has an occasional defector, but overall they are a more disciplined party…
Bobchai Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
burqa: That’s an excellent analysis. The GOP used to be “big tent”, too, but since the 1980s it has gone way to the other side.
Bush senior lost against Clinton because he wasn’t far to the right enough, and the indies who used vote Republican voted for Perot instead.
John Galt Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Lieberman, too.
Pssst….he DID go. The Dems kicked him out. The PEOPLE kept him in.
But, by all means, continue….
OldLefty Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Lieberman, too
The Democratic party stumped for him until he lost in a fair and free election, just like the conservatives tried to do to Spector with Toomey.
The GOP did not back the Republican and Joe won in the general by promising universal healthcare:
“What I’m saying to the people of Connecticut, I can do more for you and your families to get something done to make health care affordable, to get universal health insurance,
My plan will also enable all Americans who don’t have access to affordable, conventional health insurance to buy into new MediChoice health insurance pools, modeled on the health care program for federal employees. The MediChoice pools will be open to all workers who currently fall through insurance cracks.”
But, by all means, don’t let the facts get in the way.
John Galt Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
The GOP did not back the Republican and Joe won in the general by promising universal healthcare
He is objecting to the government option. Not coverage for everyone.
To me, not much of a difference….
OldLefty Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
“He is objecting to the government option. Not coverage for everyone.”
………………..
In 06, he said, “MediChoice to allow anybody in our country to buy into a national insurance pool like the health insurance pool that we federal employees have”,
Lieberman promised what he needed to promise to get elected, the same reason his wife quit Hill & Knowlton who lobbied for the pharmaceutical and insurance sectors.
I suspect, since most Connecticutians support the public option, he is jockeying for lobbying job.
As Steven Colbert said, “His party IS Connecticut for Lieberman, not Lieberman for Connecticut.
burqa Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Thanks, Bob.
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, John, is Lieberman in the Democratic Party or not?
Still smarting after having to be told the president may introduce legislation, eh?
When you hear the bell, go to Math….
Rocky the Liberal Rottweiler Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
“No tolerance for moderates?”
F the moderates.
November 8th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I notice Heath Shuler is on the list. He’s doing about as much for the American people as he did quarterbacking the Redskins…..
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
but he was a great college QB…
burqa Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Yes, but when he got to the big leagues he experienced what Lou Holtz was talking about when he said “You rise to the level of your incompetence.” I think that was after Holtz led the Jets to a 3-13 season or something…
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
sometimes it just doesn’t work out…he still has more football talent in his pinky than I do in my whole body…and I can’t take that away from him.
burqa Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Having him in Congress isn’t working out. Maybe the Democratic Party can get Jeff George to run against Shuler….
November 8th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
They should all become census workers in Kentucky.
November 8th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
But let’s not forget to thank the radical rightwing extremists who helped (D)Bill Owens, NY-23, into office, so he could vote YES on health care reform.
burqa Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Yup, and the wedge issues and fambly valyas didn’t carry the day in the other races, either.
It was a victory for the center of the political spectrum and the realization by conservatives that is the direction they have to move toward in order to break that losing streak they have been on….
Bobchai Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Rocky The Liberal Rottweiler:
Right. Truth be told, this bill passed because of moderate Republican Cao and 23rd NY Owens, the new guy. It was THAT close.
So, thanks to Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck, we have a health care bill now.
–Bobchai
burqa Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh….. in soccer they call that an “own goal” heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh….
November 8th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I had such a lovely evening, puttering with my pressed flower crafts and thinking how wonderful the Democrats understand their moderates and do not threaten them. And wasn’t it lovely, exciting and positive the passing of the baton to the next generation at the Democratic Convention? These new age Republicans have to threaten the older Republicans to take control. It is all so interesting!
Bobchai Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 3:31 am
Debby: Bull elephants never give up their alpha male status. And they never forget, either.
–Bobchai, wondering how your pressed flower crafts are going now
Debby Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I am shaking in the Petals, Bobchai!
November 9th, 2009 at 12:04 am
Well said.
–Bobchai
November 9th, 2009 at 3:14 am
“These 39 House Democrats are the most vunerable House members. Let’s hope this vote makes them more vunerable.”–Alan Colmes. And Republicans and/or conservatives get blasted by liberals for saying the same thing about Republicans who vote the “wrong way” on a bill.
Well let’s hope Anh Joseph Cao is more vunerable for voting For the bill.
OldLefty Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 8:22 am
“Republicans and/or conservatives get blasted by liberals for saying the same thing about Republicans who vote the “wrong way” on a bill.”
……………………
I think EVERYBODY has been saying that since that Roman Senate.
So the other side says,
Well let’s hope Anh Joseph Cao is stronger for his profile in courage.
Daddio Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Let’s hope these 38 minus Kucinich, are stronger for their profile in courage. I am to familiar with Kucinich to include him. He is a Big Government liberal. The more power centralized in Washington, DC, the better, in his book.
November 9th, 2009 at 8:15 am
I applaud all 39 for their vote on this bill.
OldLefty Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Yaaay, they voted AGAINST the wishes of the people who put them in office….I know mine did.
The problem is the GOP challengers are so bad, you almost HAVE to reelect him.
Daddio Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Who are the 39 challengers? Kucinich is a lock in his district.
OldLefty Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 8:36 am
I am talking only about my district where the people want a public option, but our rep gets a lot of money from the private insurance companies…..so he goes with who pays his salary, for REAL.
But his GOP Challengers are all Big Government, redistribute the wealth from the bottom up, Big Brother belongs in your bedroom, not in the boardroom, conservatives.
TDro319 Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I’m pretty lucky, OldLefty. My senators are Dick Durbin and Roland Burris. We also have Jan Schakowsky as congresswoman. Unfortunately we are saddled with Mark Kirk (who will probably lose his seat in 2010).
November 9th, 2009 at 8:18 am
I see some pretty famous people on the list–Clyde Barrow, Jeff Gordon, Andy Griffith, William Holden, Ed McMahon, Reba McIntyre, Bob Nye the science guy, Betsy Ross and Red Skelton.
Yee-Haww!!! :)
November 9th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Have a good day everyone!!
November 9th, 2009 at 9:01 am
What, little UFO Dennis the Menace didn’t vote for this piece of crap bill? And you want him out?
He voted against it because its not single payer Ceaucescau care, you dolts. He’s a principled Democrat, not a Wall Street doofus whore like Obama lama shimmy sham.
burqa Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
I’m fine with Kucinich.
I would prefer single-payer, too.
Countries with single-payer kick our butt in most categories of health care performance.
Good thing we have “fiscally responsible” conservatives around who prefer to pay twice as much and get far worse results……….. real bargain shoppers, they are….
November 9th, 2009 at 5:33 pm