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Since the passage of the S-CHIP bill, the DCCC has been running a campaign of phone calls and radio ads to pressure Republicans who voted against it into switching their vote and overturning Bush's veto. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn says 15 GOP votes will do the trick.
But what about the five Democrats who voted against it, and still refuse to switch their vote?
We applaud the DCCC's efforts to pressure those Republicans who side with George Bush against American kids. And this morning Blue America is joining with BlogPac to do the same thing by placing recorded calls in the districts of the five Democrats:
Jim Marshall (GA)
Baron Hill (IN)
Gene Taylor (MS)
Bob Etheridge (NC)
Mike McIntyre (NC)
The Democratic House leadership put the hammer down and representatives like Dan Boren and Heath Shuler switched their votes in favor of S-CHIP, but these five Bush Dogs continue to religiously support the Bush administration's short-sighted, inhumane and regressive policies.
We've asked you to reach out and call the offices of these Representatives, and now we're stepping up our efforts.
These calls were recorded by Michelle James, a full time working mother who can't afford health care for her son who has bronchitis. You can hear one of the calls here.
While we believe that there should be a big tent within the Democratic party, there are some issues that are not negotiable, and making sure kids have health care is one of them.
The calls are being paid for by the Blue America PAC and BlogPac any contribution you might like to make to support this effort would be greatly appreciated. Use can use ActBlue to donate here.
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JANE!
Hello, Jane!
We can win this one.
Not sure I understood the last para? We can donate money to help people local to the area to put pressure on these five “Dems”?
Putting together faxes for them, at any rate ;-)
egregious @ 3
We can sure try. It’s not one to give up on. You know the GOP is hammering their own not to switch and trying to flip those who did vote for S-CHIP.
Having these Democrats support the bill would put us a whole lot closer.
Ironic that two dem holdouts are from Edwards home state. What’s that all about?
PS: good morning all.
These “dogs” wearing Dem clothing, whether they are “Blue” or “Bush,” need to be reminded that when they are acting like dogs, it is not a positive thing.
What they most resemble is the beaten cur that is so afraid that at the first sign of any resistance from the right, they roll over and show their bellies in fear. Not a trait they should be bragging about by any stretch of the imagination.
peanutbutter @ 4
They’re recorded calls. You can hear one here:
http://static.firedoglake.com/2007/10/marshall.wav
do-si-do @ 6
Oh, to answer my own question, maybe it’s Tobacco Tax?
if making sure that kids have health care is a non-negotiable issue - then why has the health care of immigrant children (even legal immigrant children) been apparently negotiated away?
do-si-do @ 9
That was my cynical take. M O N E Y is at play here.
Absolutely. Also, if for no other reason, I want an override just to show up the MSM which is already saying it’s not gonna happen.
I’ve said this a zillion times and I’ll say it again - bullshit to compromise on this. The bill President Fucktard vetoed WAS the compromise. That’s why it got support from such a wide range of senators across party and ideological lines. There has been compromise on this already. Now, you’re either for it or against it.
Great job Jane and Blue America and everybody.
I even let my rep. hear from me-even though he’s not gonna change his no vote no how, no way - that this is gonna be an albatross around his neck (along with the fact that he’s a corrupt pr*ck.)
Billions and billions for war.
Got a sick kid?
Feck off.
Semi on-topic: Today the LA Times added it’s voice to the chorus of newspaper op-eds blasting Bush’s veto:
do-si-do @ 9
Ethridge and McIntyre are #7 and #11 respectively for top Big Tobacco campaign donations. But Bart Gordon is ahead of them both, and he voted for S-CHIP.
http://opensecrets.org/industr.....#038;Mem=Y
do-si-do @ 9
That’s supposed to be the excuse that Baron Hill is using.
Unfortunately, the Louisville Courier-Journal did a big story in the last week or so about how Kentucky and Indiana would be losing money in the overall scheme due to the large numbers of smokers.
Specious argument but one some folks are swallowing.
do-si-do — Tobacco lobby is putting HUGE pressure on their usual voting bloc. There have been pressure point sales leaflets and other information given out at convenience stores and other places where smokers buy their cigarettes urging them to call their legislators and tell them to vote “no” on SCHIP. It’s one of the many reasons why we’ve been urging pushback calls on this issue.
selise at 10 — I answered that one for you in the prior thread — don’t know if you saw it.
Here is a great video on unity. Those 5 dems should watch it.
The Battle of Kruger
Fax numbers:
Jim Marshall 202 225 3013
Baron Hill 202 226 6866
Gene Taylor 202 225 7074
Bob Etheridge 202 225 5662
Mike McIntyre 202 225 5773
To the faxes pups!
Jane:
What’s the story with Barron Hill?
I’ve read here that his office is saying that this will cost Indiana more than Indiana gets (did he make himself a Senator so he could represnet the whole state?) But that’s a new one. So far it’s been about illegals, $83,000 per families and 25 year old children. What’s the real deal with Hill?
On each of the earlier times Bush vetoed bills, he did so with great fanfare, invited in the cameras, and swaggered. On SCHIP, he did it behind closed doors and issued a press release.
Bush is scared he’s going to lose this battle. And he’s right.
Even better, if the Dems learn that it is possible to stand up to Bush on this, they might actually try it on other life and death issues — like the war in Iraq. That really scares BushCo Industries, Inc.
Jane Hamsher @ 15
Ahhh! Very interesting–thanks for sharing that tidbit!
Bustednuckles @ 13
I have suggested that Democrats should make use of the spit-take more often when dealing with this ridiculousness.
Also, was I the only one who thought today’s NYT article touting SCHIP as a good “wedge issue” was offensive?
I think of wedge issues as non-issues brought up to force uncomfortable votes. I think of SCHIP as good policy with broad bipartisan support (ergo, how can it be a wedge issue?) that some Republicans, bucking the sentiments of most of the country, don’t like.
There are wedge issues, and then there are issues - this is the latter.
Beerfart Liberal @ 21
Howie on Hill:
http://downwithtyranny.blogspo.....nture.html
1,621 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
“The Democratic House leadership put the hammer down…”
Ah yes…and jest where did they leave that hammer? If the house leadership really swung the hammer at DINOs and Bushdogs they would be outta committee assignments and moved ta subcommittees countin’ M&M’s in big jars.
No, I think that the house leadership is completely in the bag for Mrs. Clinton’s beltway machine and hiddin’ behind not havin’ a veto-proof majority in order to satisfy Mrs. Clinton’s obligations to the insurance trusts and Big Pharma.
What’s the evidence that Pelosi still has ANY clout left in her caucus?
KEEP THE FAITH BUT VERIFY…YA GOTTA KNOW WHO THE ENEMY IS!!
BlueAm PAC donation: I’m in.
Again, FYI:
Even though the Senate has enough votes to override the veto, you might still call your senators to urge them to vote to override, especially those who voted against to begin with.
As for those fifteen Repugs…
Christy Hardin Smith @ 17
Thanks, Christy. I didn’t know this either.
It’s just relentless, isn’t it? Maybe some of those smokers would actually acknowledge their addiction, and think, hey, if I can do the kids some good and prevent them from doing what I did…
Call me a dreamer.
egregious @ 27
Woo hoo, egregious!
We’re placing a rather large number of calls. They will definitely hear about this.
I’ve been watching this debate from Canada.
This idea that insured families would drop their private insurance for SCHIP leaves the impression that the WHOLE FAMILY would be covered by SCHIP, which I don’t think is the case.
As one who grew up in the US and learned to look after myself healthwise cause I had no other option, and has now lived in Canada for the biggest part of my life, I want to say don’t listen to those who try to scare Americans about universal health care with the Canadian Nightmare (sic).
Though the Canadian Health System is under attack by neo-cons who would starve it of funds, to make private care look more attractive, and the realities of demographics - an aging population - a middle class Canadian has much better, more dependable and more affordable (premiums if enough income) than a middle class American. As Michael Moore pointed out in a pretend debate I saw on American TeeVee, the line (waiting time for services) is shorter in the US, because so many people aren’t even allowed to be IN the line.
BTW, are there any middle class Americans left, or has Bu$hCo eliminated them entirely already!
Peterr @ 22
Maybe this will prove once and for all, that the Dems are the real “pro-life” IE life-affirming, party.
I think “cartoon villain” says it all (thanks again Jon Stewart)
do-si-do @ 32
check out this Luckovich cartoon…
Why does George Bush hate sick children?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 18
thanks christy, i hadn’t seen it before i commented here… it answers my previous question but not my question at 10 here.
p.s. left you a reply of STRONG disagreement.
I’ll place a call myself, but I’m not a fan of robocalls. Has Blue America placed robocalls before? Do they work? I realize everyone in politics does it, but, personally, I tune them out.
Mutant Poodle @ 14
It doesn’t cut it where I live, either (Fairfax, VA.) $61,950 is about the same as the estimate of the minimum for a family of four to live on here. Not to live well, the absolute minimum to afford food, housing, etc.
egregious @ 34
Cuz they don’t have money to bribe him with?
egregious @ 34
Because they aren’t fighting his war.
exile at 31 — That’s not quite right: this insurance only covers children — parents are NOT covered by it. It’s a stop-gap measure for poor families or ones on that borderline monetarily for whom private health coverage is too expensive. The coverage is solely for kids — hence the Children’s portion of the name.
Chris Van Hollen needs to make SCHIP a leadership vote: you’re either with the Democrats or with the terrorists. No DCCC money if you vote to uphold Bush’s evil veto.
Great ad — it’s terrific to see BlueAmerica in this fight.
selise — Left you a response.
SaltinWound @ 36
I tune out the robocalls from famous people, but this one is quite compelling, as she sounds like the real person she is. (Although I admit to listening to an entire robocall from Paul Newman once….)
Inside the Beltway CW, as parroted on NPR this morning:
No chance of overturning the veto in the House.
Thus, all efforts to do so are signs of the Dems’ partisanship.
The truly principled people in all of this
are the
deadendersRepublican supporters of small government.Just gag me.
do-si-do @ 9
Probably, Etheridge is a big proponent of the Tobacco Quota Buy Out…which ironically is because tobacco sales are WAY DOWN!
Ironically Etheridge states on his web site that “This election of 2008 is of extreme importance to the future of the 2nd District, the State of North Carolina and the entire country. The fate and quality of our children’s education, access to more and better-paying jobs, affordable, quality health care for our families, and security in our hometowns all hang in the balance. The direction of our country for years to come will be decided next November.”
I guess that affordable, quality health care for our families, may hang in the balance in the election…but not in the 2nd District NC anymore. Mr. Etheridge has said “hang it”!
Teddy at 43 — I certainly would have listened to Paul Newman, too — love his husky voice. ;-)
One interesting side note — this program used to be called just CHIP. I believe it was Gingrich’s Republicans who changed the name to State Children’s Health Insurance Program — the money still came from the federal government, but they got to pretend it was a state program, since state government is of course less evil (i.e., more likely to be Republican) than the federal government.
And of course, like every social-welfare program that Republicans put their fingerprints on (think EITC, for example), once it actually shows signs of working, rather than making low-income people suffer for the moral failing of not being rich, they try to figure out how they can undermine it.
OfT: Liz Cheney and George Macaca to spin for Fred Thompson tomorrow nite at the Michigan MSNBC debate.
TeddySanFran @ 48
Oh, puke.
Jane and Christy,
Thanks for doing this. I hit the PAC jar when I kicked in for Andrew Rice that you sponsored on Saturday. Howie foreshadowed an upcoming fistfight, and you know me, I’m into that kinda stuff.
And thanks for having Andrew over, it is so important to beat Inhofe and replace him a counterweight to Coburn.
I hope lots of people kick in today, even if it’s only five or ten dollars. That stuff adds up pretty quick.
Thanks for the info on Hill, Jane.
Related to the prior thread, my senator had a bogus anti-SCHIP op-ed last Sunday. Wrote a LTE and called bulshit on him and got published. Really happy. First time I ever got one in. The only 2 LTEs on SCHIP have been pro.
again, NO COMPROMISE!!!
Oh I see. The robocalls to *people* in the districts to presumably motivate them in turn to pressure the local politicians…
OK. Sorry, I can be dense sometimes. I’m like, why robocall the politicians?
D’oh. Back to lurking :-P
Beerfart Liberal @ 51
link? I wanna see!
Helpless Dancer -
Apologies for the busted linky I left downstairs…….and thanks to twolf for the fixer. Left the computer for a bit and just now got back.
peanutbutter @ 52
I thought the same thing for a moment. Guess we’re not quite awake yet.
1,621 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
kaCHING!!…OK, ya got another cash deposit ta Blue America from the dwindlin’ Norske treasury, now when do we get the beer and pretzels?
And heads up to you other Blue America investors, Tim Walz down in MN 1 in southern Minnesota is gunna need TONS a cash ‘cuz he’s goin’ up against a real krypto-Nazi who is already playin’ the immigration and racism cardz. This district is a bit different from the old 1st and 2nd districts but it holds jest enough of the old 2nd District with the old German beer makin’ towns and Aryan farmers to make this a dangerous race.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNTITION…THEY’RE NOT DONE WITH US YET!!
Jane Hamsher @ 53
I think this is it:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com.....6627.story
I don’t work these link things too good.
Peterr @ 22
This is really a shit or get off the pot moment for Democrats. If they can’t win this fight — with such a large majority of Americans, including Republicans with them — then they really are completely worthless.
If, however, they win this one we can hope it will be a confidence builder and lead to more action in the future.
They need to realize their 11 percent approval rating isn’t because they don’t cave to Bush enough.
Sure that seems obvious enough to anyone not poisoned by the beltway Kool-Aid, but it truly seems to be a mystery to them. Maybe this will be just the antidote they need to get hip to reality.
Beerfart Liberal @ 57
Wow. VERY impressive op-ed.
do-si-do @ 23
How’s this for an approach. If these Senators REALLY believe that the bill is bad on its merits rather than due to the fact that their tobacco contributions are influencing their votes…then they should donate all their Tobacco Contributions to Child Health Organizations to establish that they are not being influenced on those grounds.
Then they can vote against S-CHIP with clear consciences ;-) and voters will not get the awful impression that they voted against this bill because they are on the take. And willing to sacrifice the health of kids for such a few thousand in campaign contributions.
Beerfart Liberal — Great LTE — kudos!
MP @ 33
Good one! I could also see one with Big Tobacco throwing a pack of cigs in their bags!
This is a repeat of a comment I made last night, but hope no one minds me posting a repeat now. I think a handy dandy summary of basic facts regarding SCHIP veto controversy can be found at link at bottom. Summary points immediately below.
—-
For anyone interested here is a rundown of SCHIP facts. From Brad DeLong’s blog. You can follow links to source on Mankiw’s blog.
Bush administration is lying about SCHIP. Heard Pelosi today in a news clip talk about it. Glad to see she had gathered the guts to call Bush administration on its bald face lies. The news report included pathetic response from Bush administration spokesman, and the reporter concluded (correctly) that spokesman could not really answer Peolosi’s charges. So, I hope the timid Democratic leadership learns that confronting Bush administration BS head on always has big rewards.
Basically two things are going on. Bush is trying to sell a program cut as a businesslike focus on efficient program targeting core population (but, it will end up being a big program cut). Second, Bush administration is portraying policies and guidelines it has followed and approved itself for years as a wild eyed radical spendthrift commie Democratic plot. This is convenient now that the SCHIP bill that mostly follows existing guidelines is being approved in a Democratic congress. Extracts from post and link below:
SCHIP facts from Jason Furman:
–The President supports a proposal that would reduce annual spending on SCHIP relative to inflation and reduce the number of covered children and pregnant women by 840,000 according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)…
–The Democrats and a substantial number of Senate Republicans support a proposal whose principal focus is covering low-income children who are currently eligible (3.2 million according to CBO) plus expanding coverage modestly to new children (600,000 according to CBO). In total 85 percent of the coverage expansion is for those who are already eligible but are not getting coverage either because the funding limits…
–Although the SCHIP legislation is typically described as “costing” $35 billion, much of this sum is needed simply to maintain the current enrollment and service levels. Democrats insisted that the entire $35 billion be paid for without increasing the deficit…
–States have always enjoyed flexibility on setting their own income eligibility levels under the SCHIP program. And since 2001, the Administration has actively encouraged states to apply for waivers to use SCHIP funds for adults. All but two of the waivers covering parents or adults without children were approved by this Administration…
–About three-quarters of people covered by SCHIP are in HMOs run by private insurance companies. Moreover, the new bill expands private insurance options for SCHIP beneficiaries…
http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/…..an-of.html
I just don’t get Hill and “we would put more in than we get back” from SCHIP Look, I’m from NJ, and we always sent more to DC than we got back. And who got more than they sent? Lotsa red states. Go figger.
Beerfart Liberal @ 57
The link works fine. Outstanding letter, congratulations!
EvilDrPuma @ 39
My point exactly! We can get this bill passed if any kid who is on the SCHIP bill is also obligated to go to Iraq to fight/occupy cuz we all know it’ll still be there when they turn 18! /s
egregious @ 34
because he read that book on the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918…”Don’t cough in my direction, kid”.
Great letter, BfL
Is my R senator a schmuch or what?
Beefart, Great op-ed. SNAP!
Beerfart Liberal @ 69
Yes. You gave him a good pimp-slapping, though.
schmuck.
really gotta start the using spell check
Speaking of Bush Dogs, I nominate Nancy “Impeachment is off the table” Pelosi.
Let’s help Cindy Sheehan challenge and replace Nancy Pelosi! Cindy Sheehan is the best of all the candidates running for Pelosi’s seat - even if she may not run as the Democratic nominee, she is the one dedicated to peace and to the Democratic platform.
Cindy Sheehan For Congress!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJJHl0dUx8I
http://www.cindyforcongress.org
http://www.democraticunderground.com
Bob in HI
egregious @ 20
Thanks for the fax #s. I’m swamped w/work, but making time to fax ‘em’s a no-brainer. Ditto a donation going to Blue America PAC.
Beerfart Liberal @ 64
It is a totally specious argument but it gives him a fig leaf of cover which is really all he’s looking for.
Beerfart Liberal @ 72
Yeah, sorry I mispelt yore name!
TeddySanFran @ 48
Bringing out the evil flying monkeys, is he? Thompson’s first real debate coming up…he’ll need a lot of “spin”. Maybe tornado levels!
OT, sorry, but I don’t know where to post this and ask a few questions, and of all the liberal blogs I’ve found, this place seems to be the friendliest.
While reading some threads at various blogs (not this one, thankfully) last night I noticed something disturbing. There is a lot of hate at many of these blogs, and while much of it is very understandable, there seems to be little tolerance for any opinion that might differ even slightly from the accepted wisdom on some threads. I find this disturbing. Someone mentioned earlier in this thread about the democratic party being a very large tent. And I agree with that. We have many people in the democratic party with a myriad of opinions. But there are major things we can and should agree on.
Now that we (dem’s) seem to be winning the war of ideas in this country, I’m noting some of the same hubris that the republicans showed (and are still showing) when they took power in the 90’s. This is disturbing to me. No matter how much we gain we cannot become a party of exclusivity. We need to maintain the inclusivity that has always been the Democratic party. I’m reminded of something Will Rogers (I think it was him) once said, “I don’t belong to an organized political party. I’m a Democrat.”
Again, I’m not criticizing anyone here. As I’ve said, this is one of the friendliest progressive sites I’ve found, and I appreciate that. I’m spouting off here because I think most folks here will, at the very least, listen to my comments and consider them.
Sorry for going on a bit, and again, sorry for being so far OT. I didn’t know where else to go. And my depression really got the best of me last night. Thanks for listening.
1,621 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Peterr and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
“…if Dems learn to stand up to Bush on this, they might even try it on other life and death issues..”
And that, brother Peterr, is why they won’t get the votes in the house to override. Mrs. Clinton’s pimps in the Democratic leadership are sweatin’ bullets on this…if this gets away from the Clintonistas they know that the next defense reauthorization may jest shoot her whole campaign outta the water and then there goes Bush III and the final consolidation of friendly fascism.
By the way, has anybody seen Mrs. Pelosi lately…did Stenny and Rahm send her out ta inspect latrine hygiene at Fort Polk?
KEEP THE FAITH AND MAYBE WE KEN BEAT ‘EM THIS TIME!!
cinnamonape @ 77
I’m thinking more of the accretion disk around a black hole.
When the dust clears on this, is there any way we can get a tally on this fundraiser to lobby for sick children? Or would it be impossible to break out?
Oilfieldguy @ 70
ditto! Congrats…
Liz Cheney ain’t so bad. Rumor has it that she actually enjoys it when little children nibble at her Gingerbread house.
Oilfieldguy @ 84
Eeewwww!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 42
thanks christy, left you one too.
bottom line, i guess the answer is we do believe that immigrant children’s, even legal immigrant children’s health care is negotiable.
sad.
ADM @ 78
Sadly, you get that in any crowd, but try to focus on the rational, insightful and tolerant progressives. There are more of us than there are of them.
And don’t rule out the possibility that some of the posts you see on liberal blogs could just as easily be agent provocateurs. The reich-wing knows no limits to the depths to which they’ll stoop to forward their dastardly agenda.
I hate to lower the caliber of conversation, but another one’s out of the closet and into the holding cell:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/...../#comments
selise @ 86
You guys are doing damage to my knees, I’m having to go up and down the stairs to keep up with this :-)
selise at 86 — As I said, based on the make-up of this particular Congress and the votes therein, unfortunately, that’s where it shakes out. Which is why more and better Democrats going forward is so important.
It’s a marathon not a sprint…repeat after me…
kdh22 @ 88
What is it with these Repugs? They’re really giving the gay movement a bad name…
Richmond @ 89
thank you so much. really needed the laugh… been feeling very bummed about the invisibility of immigrant kids in all this. actually been sitting here crying. but laughter really is the best medicine and you’re the doctor.
think i will now go try to write an LTE about the evils of ignoring immigrant children.
SufiLizard @ 87
Yes, I was aware of the possibility they were trolls, and I even commented there that it seemed the trolls had hijacked the thread. It just seemed so pervasive. And nobody else on the thread was commenting on the direction the dialogue was going. It’s just that at some point I get tired of reading “Bush sucks!” over and over again. Yes, he does suck, and has certainly done a lot of damage to this country, and needs to be tried for crimes against humanity. I just wanted to express my concern and remind folks (although most here do not need reminding) that if we want to get him tried for war crimes, we have to work together, no matter what our views are on various social topics.
Again, thanks for listening.
selise @ 86
Sorry to jump into this debate…
I don’t think you’ll find many here who disagree with you. I think, however, what we’re seeing with this SCHIP bill is a choice between a seriously flawed (and arguably racist) version of health care for children or NO healthcare for children at all.
We’ll be lucky to override Bush’s veto on the flawed SCHIP bill — it will take everything we’ve got to get the override.
If we put forth a much more comprehensive, (and moral) bill it probably wouldn’t have even made it to the president’s desk to be vetoed.
The bottom line, as I see it, is that if we can win this battle it will embolden the left and lead to better things.
Sadly, to get the change that most of us here would ultimately like to see, we have to do a LOT more work on the ground to radically change public opinion.
Getting people to do the
rightcorrect