You will notice that they (pelosi,obama,rambo) didn’t let Kucinich off the hook. How they got his vote, we will probably never know. Some combination of promises and blackmail, we can be sure but the interesting thing is why was his vote so important that it required a special trip to his district and calling him out on his home turf (and pointedly not using his ‘Congressman” title but, rather, “Dennis” with the same tone dismissive Edwards used his name in the debates.
{ Lerher to Kucinich – ” Why didn’t you vote for the Iraq Bill, Congressman?”
D.K. – “Because I read it!”
J. Edwards (the same guy that D.K. supported in 2004) waspishly – “Oh, good one, Dennis!” }

Why make all that effort when they had to know that Stupak was the one they were going to appease, and with him and his cohort, they had enough votes. They didn’t need Kucinich but the did need to break any rallying point for the left in opposition to this bill. Now there is no one in congress on the left who can say they stood up to the corporate take over. I think this proves that Obama’s political skills are the equal of LBJ, just on the wrong side.

I’m starting to really dislike the word “progressive”. It’s meaningless. I’m sure Obama considers himself “progressive”. Anyway, Obama is pretty conservative so maybe he wants those conservative votes, because we all know the liberals will go along with anything he does and hail it as an historically historic liberal achievement, but the conservative Democrats sometimes are the votes he needs, because no matter what he proposes, he’s not going to get Republican votes.

How they got his vote, we will probably never know.

On Maher, Kucinich said something to the effect that the prez promised him some planes so that his constituents could fly up to Canada for free health care….

I feel like if they can’t support the party platform, or at least keep their mouths closed when they don’t like it, they ought to find some other party that’s more in tune with their apparent beliefs.

That applies to the folks at the top, too: support the platform, be quiet about your differences with it, or leave.

Labor was a surprising slap in the face to me. I knew they wanted to protect the private insurance model in order to keep the benefit stick and carrot, but this is incredibly self defeating on their part.

No wonder so many Blue Dogs get more than a small portion of their campaign contributions from unions.

Herseth-Sandlin would’ve voted for the bill if they needed her. But they hoped that they wouldn’t. They knew it could cost her her seat.

If you are STILL opposed to yesterday’s vote, you probably should not consider yourself a “Progressive”. The progressive movement had a tremendous victory yesterday. With the signing of HCR, the country will set a new direction and finally settled the argument as to whether HC is a “privilege” or a “right”. A “liberal” position prioritizes the corporations as the benefactor of yesterday’s legislation….A “progressive” position is that 32 mil Americans will have access to affordable HC. We’ll start there and work to make further “progress” in the months and years ahead. You’re right. Obama IS a Progressive.

Good post. I am not sure whether this will be of interest but there two articles online today on Obama, Democrats and the bill.

The Health Care Hindenburg Has Landed, Chris Hedges
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_health_care_hindenburg_has_landed_20100322/

I found that post after reading Bob Samuels, President, University Council – AFT in HuffPost today

The Progressive Case Against the Health Care Bill and Higher Ed Reform

My sense, wrt the Ohio trip, is was that Obama was threatening to visit districts of those he counted on (but voted no), and parade around with the DCCC’s alternative pick. And if you can put a strangle-hold on Dennis Kucinich, you have accomplished something.

“See what happens when you try to bust THIS President?”

So you go to the district of a vociferous opponent and strut your stuff.
That line again: “Can you imagine the sound that Air Force One makes when it lands in Eau Claire, Wisconsin?”

Jane you were great on Ratigan’s show today at your very best as usual…

I love how quickly the ‘debate’ has pivoted to protecting the incompetents who voted for this piece of shit.
I don’t give a fuck if EVERY ‘progressive’ is unemployed – tomorrow?

THE problem is the pathetics who are currently being paid to be “leaders”, who have every excuse for shitting on us bottom 90% for the benefit of the few, and who have bottomless gall when it comes to treating us like campaign serfs & ATMs. There is NOT 1 Federal level Dem or state level Dem in Washington State worth giving a second of time to or giving a thin dime to this year, period.

IF stu-pid-pak or LIEber-slime can sidetrack and wreck healthCARE legislation because of a minority of bigots or a minority of fascists, AND our “leaders” can’t beat them, THEN our “leaders” have to go.

and that includes Jim McD in the 7th

rmm.

Oh well, I’m not giving to anything with the words “Republican” or “Democratic” in their titles for the foreseeable future anyway.

Welcome to Earth. What color is the sky on your planet?

Bet it’s orange

I went over to Neugebauer’s official site and let him know what I thought about it – I used to live in that area, and his behavior isn’t representative of most people there. (I said that he was a disgrace to his teachers, to his Sunday school teachers, and to his mother and grandmothers, who surely tried to teach him better manners than that.)

Yes but we do need a progressive platform of some sort, imo. Pach started on one years ago… I guess life got in the way of finishing it.

One step at a time. Move on to Dodd’s bank legislation. This is where the rubber really hits the road, since only money is involved, not principle, nohow. Watch where people go on this one. It’s the true litmus test.

Probably not – they’re not celebrating that openly. They also weren’t favoring corporate giveaways like that. (There are maybe two people over there that are actually celebrating; one is a cheerleader for Mr O, and the other has been leading the charge against FDL, to the point of inventing things to say.)

Things that should be involved:
Is it right to bail out businesses just because they’re big?
Is it right to let them get that big in the first place?
Should they be allowed to charge fees for everything, even when they’re not loaning money and not paying interest (much)?
Should they be paying bonuses when they’re losing money?
Should they be treating bonuses as a normal part of annual salaries?

Jane Hamsher, I disagree because here in Sioux Falls, Herseth Sandlin had already told the Argus Leader, she would not support the bill no matter what was in it. Phones at her office, here and in DC were off the hook, I tried continually to get through. This evening the phone in DC, states ‘voicemail box is full’. Very typical of Herseth Sandlin, she is going to have a difficult time and I am not alone in saying that. I volunteer making phone calls, canvassing, making voter contact and attending meetings. The deadline for ballot petitions is March 31.That alone makes it difficult for a challenger, but Democrats are also reluctant to take on a sitting Democrat in a primary. Still, just about everyone I’ve spoken with and comments I’ve read all say, they will not vote for her. I predicted this a year ago. I’m not voting for her, period.

I agree with you on this vote. See my diary a few days ago.
The only responses I got were pretty negative. But I still hold to it.

Just one person’s view with respect to the others.’

I personally think the liberal movement is best served by taking what we got and moving vigorously to content as the future unfolds .

What we got is a major major moral victory that in my view is historic.. Mostly symbolic but symbols express simple messages. And this is good one which I think many can agree with. No matter how much we scream right now about the sham bill what is going to be remembered is the speeches and that visual of the Democratic Caucus arms locked together walking across the street among the vicious protesters.

Don’t you all think we can both support the message of the symbol and continue to press for ultimately undoing the corporate hold on the Democratic party and the country?

These are the folks who voted FOR the GOP motion to recommit (to write the Stupak amendment into the bill); they are the ones who deserve to have their DCCC funding yanked. It’s one thing to vote against leadership on policy, but another to vote against leadership on a procedural vote. If you oppose on both procedure and policy, you might as well join the GOP.

Altmire, Barrow, Berry, Boren, Bright, Chandler, Childers, Costello, Davis(TN), Donnelly, Holden, Lipinski, Marshall, Matheson, McIntyre, Melancon, Peterson, Ross, Shuler, Skelton, Taylor

Neither Herseth-Sandlin nor Kissell are in that list. But PhRMA’s and United Healthcare’s Mike Ross is. Yes, the same Mike Ross that Bill Clinton held a fundraiser for.

The Dems have an old one they seem to have abandoned, maybe we can get it for cheap.

On second thought..

This is the letter my Representative (I feel like putting that in quotes) will get in the snail mail and also got via his “contact me” form at his House website. By itself, my letter won’t do much, but if our Congress critters hear from those of us who opposed this “reform,” it will add up and they will start to get the message.

Representative Cleaver,
You voted to pass the Senate’s health insurance “reform” bill. You know as well as I do that Congress could have done much better than this insurance industry giveaway.

I am one of your constituents. I always vote and have voted for you in each of your 3 previous elections. My first political contribution to any candidate was to you and it was a result of your pledge to reject any bill without a public option.

Whether or not I vote for you again depends on what you do to advance real healthcare reform. I am a supporter of a single-payer system but I compromised to a “public option.” You reneged on your pledge to vote no for legislation which did not contain a public option. And salt in the wound is the fact that the bill you voted to support effectively rolls back Roe v. Wade.

If, in the time remaining in this session, you work to promote some sort of single-payer or public option or Medicare buy-in legislation, AND work to undo the damage you did to a woman’s right to choose, I will likely vote for you again. If not, then you are hardly different from the Republicans and therefore there is no compelling reason to support you.

Most sincerely,

MM

what can we expect from a president that (sic) was up on capitol hill beating the bushes for the bailout and no regulation while he was campaigning? what can we expect from a president who appointed grave robbers as finance advisors? this is not going to be pretty at all regardless of obama’s ability to continue the bush policy animal farm nomenclature.

I actually think that’s a pretty good list of who fucked them over.

Barrow, Boren, Marshall, Taylor, Peterson — they could’ve taken this vote and survived (as a pure matter of politics). I know Pelosi wanted to protect Minnick, Teague, Kratovil, Nye and Herseth-Sandlin if she could. Whether they would’ve voted for the health care bill if pressed I suppose we’ll never know, but it’s telling that they did vote with leadership on the procedural matter.

Seems to me you could at least also say you are sorry he got spit on.

VERY nice letter. Exactly to the point and very respectful. It’s a good model. Thank you.

I am sorry. Unfortunately, I learned of that after I’d submitted my e-mail.
I thought it was generous of him to decide to not press charges.

You can write the DCCC here:
http://www.dccc.org/page/s/contact

I sent ‘em this love note:

Why should anyone contribute to the DCCC when it has been reliably reported that you intend to fund re-election of SD Rep. Sandlin, who voted AGAINST HRC?
I understand that your reasoning is that she is the only D who can “hold the seat” in South Dakota. How does holding the seat benefit the party when the holder (Sandlin) will vote to defeat core Democratic legislation? If this is what you do with contributions, I will encourage all my friends to do what I am doing: withholding contributions from DCCC until it stops wasting its time and our money.
Sincerely, I’d appreciate a response indicating the reason for your support of Sandlin.

Well said. This bill is not hardly all we wanted but on the other hand, is a bigger problem for the GOP–who bet everything in an all or nothing gamble to derail the bill—and lost.

Irregardless of the difficulty or imperfect results, we need to press on. Persistence is omnipotent.

Notice who’s not on that list who voted No. Artur Davis, for one.

Of course, NC Democrats know that Shuler and McIntyre are practically worthless except for ensuring that Nancy Pelosi remains Speaker.

Also interesting is how many of these folks are in districts with more than 20% uninsured.

National Journal has a neat interactive map.

And I forgot to say it is indeed a very good letter.

I am saving it for future plagiarism. :-).

I was appalled today when I saw Jane Hamsher on MSNBC sticking up for the teaklanners — and even worse, comparing them to the protesters who tried to stop Bush’s bloodbath in Iraq. It was one thing to form a temporary coalition with such cretins in order to stop what she thought was a bad bill, but now that it’s an accomplished fact, it time for Hamsher to climb out of the bed she’s in with them. If she doesn’t she’ll become just a weirdo fringer like them who deserves to be contemtably ignored.

And I’m neither a kossack nor a hamster. I’ve spoken well of FDL and Dk as both being for progress, but I’ll be damned if I’m going support the regressive teaklanners too while being compared to them. SCREW THAT!

Good point… I really like were we were going with Pach’s back in the day.

In response to bobinaz: thank you. In response to TarheelDem: Herseth Sandlin voted against the rule, that’s a procedural vote; yes she has been consistently pro-choice,especially when it won’t hurt her at home. We’ve got some real rabid ‘right-to-life’ types here in SD. They have been persistent, fortunately we have been able to muster the votes to counter them. But the thing is Herseth Sandlin led voters to believe she wanted change also, and has consistently voted no, on every major bill, even the energy bill, which will come back for reconciliation because of differences with the senate version (I am a Repower America volunteer). So we are anxious to see what she will do. That is not going to soothe very many ruffled feathers, though.

“And I’m neither a kossack nor a hamster. I’ve spoken well of FDL and Dk as both being for progress”…

Yeah, I bet.

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2010/3/22/04823/6495/43#c43

You lose.

And I’m neither a kossack nor a hamster.

Yes, and respectful, too.

Irregardless of the difficulty or imperfect results, we need to press on. Persistence is omnipotent.

The good fight was fought. The task now is to move forward and improve the existing law.

I will sign a petition for my state to not be included in the “mandate”. If that is siding with the teabagger’s, tough.

I already sent a letter to my congressman to sign on and be a cosponsor of Alan Grayson’s bill.

My personal belief is that Obama was a plant from the beginning leading progressives to believe he would fight for them when he was already bought and paid for by corporate America. As I have said many times if he is the candidate in 2012 I will not throw my vote away and vote for a third-party but will vote repug to ensure I get the most out of my vote.I will do everything in my power to make sure he does not get reelected.

I will sign a petition for my state to not be included in the “mandate”. If that is siding with the teabagger’s, tough.

We each choose our friends — are judged accordingly. But for you to sign a petition is not the same as Hamsher going on TV and apologizing for homophobic racists and even lumping them them with anti-Iraq protestors.

…Hamsher going on TV and apologizing for homophobic racists…

Nice projecting. I think you would not say it, however, if you lacked the requisite proof, or even shreds of evidence.

I would be very interested to see it.

It all comes down to the enemy of my enemy is my friend. It may make strange bedfellows but it is what it is.

You see for me the worst possible action you can take is betrayal after trust. This is treason pure and simple. I thought Obama would never fight for anything but I was proven wrong with this god awful bill. Yet he did exactly the opposite of what he promised. This is treason, betrayal after trust.

“Nice projecting. I think you would not say it, however, if you lacked the requisite proof, or even shreds of evidence. I would be very interested to see it.”

Projecting? Isn’t that when you accuse others of what you yourself do? I think teaklanners are political and personal scum and would never apologize for them or compare them to anti-Iraq protesters — nor ally myself with them for any reason (it being politically stupid and counterproductive foremost).

I tried to find a clip or transcript of the Dylan Ratigan segment I saw Hamsher on today, but couldn’t. Sorry.

Have at it. Mark the time code where Jane Hamsher does her “apologizing for homophobic racists”.
Please do get back to us.

That was King.
Here’s Ratigan.
Again, mark the time code, please.

I unsubscribed from DCCC and give them an earful whenever they come by asking for money.

Wrong program. Wrong network.

I unsubscribed from DCCC and give them an earful whenever they come by asking for money.

Might as well contribute to the GOP as the DCCC since their corporate agenda is pretty much the same. And it’s gotten so that they don’t even feel a need to differentiate on social and labor issues any more since none of the big groups hold them accountable.

That’s some good digging. Thanks. Scroll to :34

She deplores the epithets and then implies that “one or two” teaklanners are racists, compares them to some anti-war protesters who went over the top, and then uses them as an example of how angry America is at the insurance bill.(As if they represent anybody but wingnuttiest)

People will sometimes tell themselves, and others, anything in order to protect their point of view. I’ve been a big admirer of Hamsher for going to the mat in this fight — she’s one of the few who didn’t knuckle under to the delusion of pragmatism — but she needs to wash her hands of the teaklanners altogether and not squander her high standing on a “kill-the-bill” cause that’s now over. Because there is still much for her to do in order to get Medicare For All enacted, however long it takes.

You have a right to interpret what she said as you like but she was honest in saying that it was a few people and that it happens with all partisan groups. What she was there to discuss was the bill and not to be diverted by a side issue. For me–I appreciate her honesty and ability to focus on the important point.

You really have to want it badly to concoct that nugget.

Groups like FreedomWorks and AFP (Dick Armey and Tim Phillips’ outfits) stage these parties. They use, and suggest the use of, violent, abusive, race-tinged phrases. They create templates (in conjunction with the RNC) of signs and sloganeering designed to rise the hackles of both their sheep (themselves pre-disposed to authoritarian and racist and violent rhetoric out of desperation, fear and blinding lack of intellect) and their intended targets. They tell them that getting in the faces of their opponents, being provocative, is good sport, great television, and effective at bending the PR curve. It is the very essence of “Shoot first and ask questions later”.

And this whole brew is based on a core set of lies and distortions about the origin, contents and net effect of health care legislation.

Along comes someone who knows the real policy implications of the bill (mandates in this case), and the onerous burden it will place on a very large segment of an already frenzied and instruction-prone bunch of loudmouth idiots, and suggests that as bad as the lies and filth these people have been fed, there’s something actually infuriating about the bill that might set them off…

Like I said, you really have to want it. This is right out of Rove’s playbook. You should be not so much embarrassed as ashamed at having the temerity to peddle that detritus here, or anywhere.

Wow. I never expected this website to become a junior varsity adjunct of redstate.com

The next thing will be for Hamsher to become a regular lunatic fringer on FOX.

It’s too bad. What a loss for progress.

I support the bill as well. But I think we could have got a lot more with real leadership.

This wasn’t just RomneyCare, this was DoleCare – one of the Republican alternatives to Clinton.