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SSP Daily Digest: 5/6

by: Crisitunity

Wed May 06, 2009 at 2:39 PM EDT


• PA-Sen: In a big diss to Arlen Specter, the Democratic caucus last night voted to slot Specter into the most junior spots on his committees for the remainder of this Congress. The issue won't be revisited until after the midterm. This strips Specter of one of his strongest re-election arguments: seniority, and the power to make things happen that comes with it (especially on his Appropriations subcommittee... although that's not as huge a problem in a big state like Pennyslvania as it would be in an Appropriations-dependent state like Alaska).

• KY-Sen: There's another potential GOP primary challenger to Jim Bunning sniffing out the race, in case SoS Trey Grayson doesn't show up despite having opened an exploratory committee. Cathy Bailey hasn't held elective office before, but she's strong on the fundraising front. She was a Bush Pioneer in 2000, and was rewarded for that with a post as Ambassador to Latvia. She's married to the former CEO of Providian as well, so she can self-fund if need be.

• NC-Sen: Kenneth Lewis, a Durham attorney and fundraiser for Barack Obama, is telling state Democratic Party leaders that he will run against Richard Burr next year. Still no word on state AG Roy Cooper's intentions. (J)

• IL-Gov: DuPage County Board chair Robert Schillerstrom is setting up an exploratory committee to run for the GOP nomination in the 2010 gubernatorial race. He'll join state Senator Bill Brady, who's already in the hunt. Brady has the "my turn" advantage, having finished 3rd in the 2006 primary, but the suburban Schillerstrom would have the population advantage over downstate's Brady.

• NJ-Gov: The Democratic Governors' Association has been reading the Gray Davis playbook (or maybe my advice?): they're going hard after Chris Christie this month with an ad barrage in order to damage Christie in the hopes of getting the much less-known and more-conservative Steve Lonegan the GOP nomination instead. The Corzine camp is not involved in the efforts, which aims at Christie's strength: questioning his supposed corruption-fighting credentials as U.S. Attorney.

• VA-02: Ex-Rep. Thelma Drake announced she won't seek a rematch against Rep. Glenn Nye, who upset her in 2008. This may actually be bad news! for Nye, as there are potential GOP candidates more impressive than the polarizing Drake waiting in the wings. Nye has to be bolstered, though, by the blue shift in this now R+5 district, narrowly won by Obama.

• MN-06: Maureen Reed, a former Univ. of Minnesota regent who ran for Lt. Gov on the Independence Party ticket, will be running in MN-06 in the DFL primary in 2010. While she might not make it through the primary, especially if Elwyn Tinklenberg runs again and/or state Senator Tarryl Clark runs, I'm taking this as a positive sign, in that the IP might not be looking to shoot us in the foot this time. (See also Populista's diary.)

• NRCC: The NRCC has launched another offensive on what they perceive as vulnerable (or at least soften-up-able) Dems, with radio ads against Marion Berry, Charlie Melancon, Earl Pomeroy, Zack Space, and John Tanner. Space is the only one who's on Frontline, but Berry, Melancon, and Tanner are all in districts that moved sharply toward McCain in 2008. The ad attacks the Blue Dogs for being "lap dogs" on the Obama budget.

• Gay marriage: The gay marriage train just keeps building up speed, picking up one more state today. After some public hemming and hawing, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed gay marriage legislation this morning after it passed both chambers of the legislature. (Discussion underway in David Kowalski's diary.)

• King County Executive: The first poll is out in the race to lead King County (which puts you in charge of 1.8 million constituents, and is a frequent stepping stone to Washington governor). In a bit of a twist, the Republican (it's an ostensibly nonpartisan race, but everyone knows who's what) is in the lead in this dark-blue county: former TV news anchor Susan Hutchison is at 20%, followed by two county councilors from Seattle proper (Dow Constantine at 6 and Larry Phillips at 5) and two Eastside state legislators (Fred Jarrett at 7 and Ross Hunter at 3). All the Dems (each of whom is largely unknown outside his district) added up together beat the widely-known Hutchison, though, so whichever Dem survives the primary seems likely to pull this out in the general election, in Nov. 2009.

• Mayors: Republican Dan Sullivan beat Democrat Eric Croft to replace Mark Begich as Anchorage mayor yesterday, 57-43. (Sullivan has the advantage of being the son of former mayor George Sullivan.) Discussion underway in benjso99's diary. Also, yesterday in Detroit, Dave Bing defeated newly-minted mayor Ken Cockrel by 4 points. (Which makes him the second legendary NBA point guard to ascend to mayor, following Sacramento's Kevin Johnson.)
Crisitunity :: SSP Daily Digest: 5/6
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SSP Daily Digest: 5/6 | 82 comments
Don't like the "Davis strategy"
I happen to live in New Jersey, and I don't want to take even the slightest of chances that that lunatic Lonegan could become governor.  The man is so far right that it would be like electing Jim DeMint governor.  

Plus, I dislike the strategy.  I thought it was slimy when Davis did it, and I think it's slimy now.

Agree
Real classy Corzine.
[ Parent ]
I'm fine with it
It may be Corzine's only shot at winning.

Frankly he doesn't seem to be fighting very hard himself, though. And I almost wish he would step aside for Dick Codey.  

[ Parent ]
I don't wish i want
I'd vote for Christie over him. I'm tired of him buying elections off the corrupt party machine heads in NJ. He's been incompetent and his huge ego has kept anything from being done. He should step aside for a real politician like Codey who is capable of one, holding the seat for Democrats, and two, running the state with a bipartisan coalition. We could have had COdey as a governor right now and the state would have been better off but Corzine bought off the STate party machine and Codey was told not to even bother running so he didn't.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
i figured this would be a more controversial satement
to make here.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
It is
And one I didn't think worthy of a response unless it was a snark that went over my head.
[ Parent ]
so you think it should come as a given
that Democrats should support a self serving egomaniac who buys his offices and has been four years of incompetence?

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
No
I think it's a given that Democrats shouldn't support another corrupt egomanaic because they don't like the other one.

Christie is probably even more ocrrupt and egotistic than Corzine. These are the politicians New Jersey sends forth.  

Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens

[ Parent ]
Perhaps,
I'd vote for a sensible third party then because seriously, Corzine has been too incompetent a governor as far as getting things accomplished and dealing with the legislature, the Democratic controlled legislature. Of course I don't live in Jersey and won't be voting their anyway ;)

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
Over a racist scumbag like Chris Christie?
Hell yes I do.
[ Parent ]
"controversial?" No. Just kind of stupid.

[ Parent ]
but with that attitude
we criticize Republicans in Alaska for voting for Stevens? Corzine is a bad governor and has bought his office undeservingly and until the voters stick up to the party machine it will maintain its power. So i'm not too partisan to be fed up and not want to send a message. I"m not ihatebush, Im a partisan democrat who supports the Blue Dogs but i have my limits and I do reach a point where i will not vote for a democrat, not because they are too conservative but becasue they are too incompetent or corrupt or both.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
The idea that Corzine is remotely corrupt
is borderline offensive. I've held my nose and pulled the D lever for MUCH worse.  
[ Parent ]
I"m saying he's corrupt in the sense
he's given the D ticket becuase he can buy his offices with his own money.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
That's not "corrupt" in any sense of the word
that I'm familiar with.  
[ Parent ]
Once again
Countless politicians get the bulk of their money from special interest groups like the healthcare and insurance companies.  I'd take a self-funded candidate over a candidate who takes most of their money from unsavory industries anyday of the week.  At least the self-funded candidate like Corzine is likely to be less in bed with insurance industry lowlifes.
[ Parent ]
Health care industry
I believe the health care industry is quite strong in NJ and taking some of it may be a necessary evil (as it is in DE with the credit card industry) but taking alot of it...that may be another thing. And if everyone here is correct thats what Christie has been doing.
[ Parent ]
Ya, I agree
My main point is that bashing politicians for spending their own money on races makes no sense.  If Corzine wants to spend millions on every race I couldn't care less.

Heck, there are plenty of very wealthy self-funded candidates in public office who are very effective.  Wasn't now Senator Cantwell's 2000 election mainly funded from her own pockets?  She turned out to be a very good Senator and we might not have defeated Slade Gorton without her.

[ Parent ]
Its always great
When a candidate can self-fund. Although many who could self fund their own campaign are quite stingy and still want the vast majority of their campaign cash to come from the party and donors. Its their right, though. But Id rather give my hard earned cash to a candidate who cant largely self fund their campaign.
[ Parent ]
I"m saying he's corrupt in the sense
he's given the D ticket becuase he can buy his offices with his own money.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
Corzine Corrupt?
The idea that Corzine is more unethical/corrupt than Christie is downright laughable.

And FYI, I'd much prefer a candidatw who spends his own money to get elected over a candidate who accepts massive amounts of money from unsavory industries like the insurance lobby.

[ Parent ]
Yeah
I just chose to ignore it. Anyone who thinks the best way to defeat a corrupt party machine in New Jersey is to vote for Christopher Freakin' Christie is not playing with a full deck.

I do wish someone had primaried Corzine though. Corzine doesn't have the money he once had and is unpopular, it woulnd't have been hard.  

Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens

[ Parent ]
the party machine
controls the election results, they turn out the voters and tell people how to vote and people listen, especially in places like Camden adn Newarsk.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
And guess what
Governor Chris Christie isn't going to change that at all, the only difference is it'll give power to the Republican machine that controlled the state in the 90's

and given the choice between the two, I'd rather have our machine, because that's how it works in New Jersey. Codey is a major part of that machine too.  

Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens

[ Parent ]
If that's the case...
...then shouldn't Rob Andrews have won a statewide nomination by now?
[ Parent ]
Lautenburg
had the rest of the state, Andrews just had Camden.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
Hate Christie
I live in NJ, too.  I never heard of Lonegan until recently while Christie has gotten an eight year build uo courtesy of the newspapers and cable Tv that is ridiculous.  The Star Ledger and Comcast ("News 12 NewJersey") worship at the a**hole's shrine.

I hate that sanctimonious Christie. Worse yet.  If we don't define him soon the mythology will take hold unopposed.

Lonegan?  Pushover despite the fact that Corzine has about the worst political skills of any politician I hav eever seen.

[ Parent ]
I would prefer Lonegan over Christie
both to run against as well as a potential Governor.

Lonegan would get nothing accomplished as Governor, and may get impeached if elected.  His views are too far right for Alabama, let alone New Jersey.  He makes Bret Schundler look like a liberal.  And he's open about it.

Christie, on the other hand, is a wingnut who masquerades himself well.

[ Parent ]
Not sure why Populistsa hasn't mentioned this yet
But he reported over at the blog Minnesota Progressive Project that Tinklenberg is going to run as well.  He didn't provide any links saying how he knows this in the post so hopefully he'll enlighten us here with that into.

I'm typing on my iPod so I won't be providing any links so google Minnesota Progressive Project to see the post.

Minnesota Public Radio reported it.
I'm not sure where Populista got it but I heard it on MPR.

DFLer Elwyn Tinklenberg, who lost to Bachmann in 2008, says he intends to run again as a Democrat.

Tinklenberg said Bachmann has not provided any leadership in Congress, and has only voiced opposition to plans to jumpstart the economy and fix health insurance. He added that he's disappointed with some of her public comments.

"She has continued to expose herself as an embarassment to the district," said Tinklenberg. "She does not reflect the district at all, and I think the people of the district understand that."

Tinklenberg said he'll tell DFL delegates that he already has the campaign structure and funding in place to beat Bachmann. He has roughly $200,000 in the bank from his last run.

http://minnesota.publicradio.o...

[ Parent ]
Yup
[ Parent ]
Any word on Roy Cooper running?
Roy Cooper would give Richard Burr fits if choses to run.  

40, male, Democrat, NC-04
everything seems to indicate he is leaning
towards running.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
Cooper and Hagan---I love the combination
Cooper should beat Burr.  Here's my thoughts:

In 2004, Burr defeated Erskine Bowles, who lost 2 years before to Dole.  Bowles was tied to Bill Clinton, and Clinton was not very popular in NC in 2004 (he seems to be more respected now).

In 2004, the GOP had the wind to their backs.  Bush was on the ticket, and I think this helped Burr over the hump.

Now, in 2010, the outlook is more favorable for the Dems in NC as opposed to 2004.  The electorate has expanded, and most of the new voters tend to be more moderate as opposed to conservative.  And Burr is a solid conservative.

Roy Cooper is a much better candidate than Bowles.  Cooper will be our AG for 10 year by 2010, and he's had favorable press coverage during this time period.  Also, if Obama will campaign in NC, he will help excite the vote for Cooper.  Cooper is a better speaker than Bowles--Bowles came off as a policy wonk and didn't have much charisma.  Cooper has a more energetic personality, and he will be a better campaigner.

And last, Burr hasn't made himself a name in NC.  It's pretty bad when you've been a Senator for 4+ years and only about 60% even know you are their US Senator.  I've been told that Burr is not one of the NC GOP party's favorite, either.  I got the feeling that most of the GOP's leaders would prefer to dump Burr for McCrory, but that won't happen.

Having 2 Democratic senators in NC would be a major coup for this Tarheel man.  I love Hagan, and I think I will love Cooper as my senator.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

[ Parent ]
How old is Cooper?
I'd like to have a Senator who isn't too terribly old.  I know Cooper has been NC AG for like 3 terms so I'd assume he's at least in his 50's.
[ Parent ]
he'll be 53 when he's sworn in


Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
Sounds good
Three to five terms would be nice to break the curse on that seat.
[ Parent ]
yeah
and no incumbent's been reelected to this seat since Sam Ervin in 1968.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
Great point
1974:  Ervin retires, and Robert Morgan (D) wins.

1980:  Morgan, although fairly conservative, is tied with Carter and loses to John East (R), a rightwing nut.

1986:  East commits suicide, Broyhill (R) is appointed.  He loses a close election to a fairly popular former Governor, Terry Sanford (D).

1992:  Terry Sanford had some health issues, didn't like D.C, and voted against the first Persian gulf war.  His heart wasn't in the race, and he lost to a former Democratic ally and new rightwing nut Lauch Faircloth (R).

1998:  Faircloth lacked a good personality, and he tried to be to the right of Helms.  He loses a close election to John Edwards (D).

2004:  Edwards resigned.  He probably would not have been re-elected as a result of his poor attendence voting in the Senate (he was running for President).  Dole decides to become a North Carolinian again, and the Dems ran the boring Erskine Bowles.  Although Bowles won the debate against Dole, Erskine just didn't excite the NC Democratic base.  Dole wins handily.

Some call this seat snake-bit, but I don't believe that's the case.  The only one who should have been re-elected but wasn't was Bob Morgan.  He was a victim of the Reagan Revolution of 1980.  

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

[ Parent ]
Dole won...
Helms seat, not Edwards'. Burr won Edwards' seat.
[ Parent ]
sorry, you are right
my bad.  Bowles was a double loser.

In 2004, Burr snuck in and won Edwards seat due to Bowles poor campaign, plus having Bush on the ticket.  Bush had coattails in the South, and the Dems lost Southern Senate seats in NC, SC, GA (although it was the DINO-Zell's seat), FL, and LA.  Burr was ahead in the polls with 2 weeks left, and then Burr just got some momentum and defeated Bowles.  Burr's victory was more related to Bush winnng by 13% in NC as opposed to a strong campaign.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

[ Parent ]
what are you basing that on?
everything i had heard seemed to indicate that he was thinking about it
[ Parent ]
VA-GOV
Terry got the League of Conservation Voters endorsement today. T-Mac is now the pro-environment candidate (or at least is more so than the other two democrats).

26, Male, Democrat, TX-26
Can T-Mac win the general election?
I know he can raise the money, but I question if his message will resonate well throughout VA.  I like T-Mac, but I wonder if Virginia is "blue" enough to elect him as governor.  I hope he can.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04
[ Parent ]
Polling
I think he is polling the same as Tim Kaine was at this time 4 years ago.

I think it's possible. The thing about Terry is he is incredibly charming and positive as a candidate. You don't get the feeling he's lying through his teeth as he came across during the primary. He makes a compelling message but a poor messenger.

I think Terry can win, and I'd like him to (I seems akin to rooting for a scrappy underdog pulling for Terry, a very rich scrappy underdog) but you seem to want him to pull through. However, once Terry switches to governing, I dunno how well he will do and if another Democrat will be able to follow him up in 2013.

26, Male, Democrat, TX-26

[ Parent ]
Ideally, I prefer T-Mac
His views are more in line with me than Deeds or Moran.  I don't know how his message is resonating with the commonwealth of VA, but I'm glad to hear that he's making a compelling message.

When I first heard that he was running, I cringed due to the fact of his tenure with the DNC.  I've since changed my stance, realizing that he laid some of the groundwork for the Democrats in 2006 and 2008.  I've come to appreciate that T-Mac is a bright fellow.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

[ Parent ]
I originally backed Moran
Because I thought he was the best guy for the job and not a doofus like his brother.  I was dead wrong.
[ Parent ]
In fairness
Moran's not as big of a doofus as his brother.  But close.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04
[ Parent ]
I'm backing Deeds
but I'd support anyone over Terry McAuliffe.  He really sucks, is trying to buy this race with personal wealth and corporate connections.

Heck if 2011 wasn't a redistricting year, I would consider not voting for Terry in the general.

[ Parent ]
why, he's the epitome
of DLC capitulation that Clinton used in the 1990s, managed to lose CLinton's presidential nomination to come from behidn OBama, and is an all around horrible leader and was disaotrous everytime he's been in charge of a party apparatus and his campaign style and leadership style are severely lacking. Plus this is just so opportunistic. He has no roots to the state, he just lives there and is using out of state fundraising connections to trry to buy the election. He simply can't beat McDonnell, Deeds is the only one with the base and resume to do that.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
I'm no T-Mac fan
But to be fair, I always got the feeling that the only two people in the Clinton campaign who had any sense were he and Harold Ickes, the rest (such as Mark "only some states count!!!" Penn) didn't seem to know what was going on half the time and nobody really liked them all that much.

Politics and Other Random Topics

24, Male, Democrat, NM-01, Chairman of the Atheist Caucus, and Majority Leader of the "Going to Hell" caucus!

[ Parent ]
He's lived in Virginia for almost 20 years
About as long as both our President and Vice President had lived in their states before they first ran for statewide office. Besides, plenty of great governors didn't move to the state they preside over until they were adults, like, oh, I don't know, Tim Kaine for one?
I hear you on some of the electability arguments--I merely see McAuliffe as the strongest of three mediocre candidates, and am hardly certain he will win--but can we stop perpetuating the "NoVa invasion" trainwreck?

22, Democrat, AZ-01
Peace. Love. Gabby.
[ Parent ]
Deeds is by far the strongest
because he carried with him rural southern Virginia counties that McAuliffe will lose easily. And NoVA is reliably dem now anyway so we don't have to nominate candidates from there.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
And that is why
In the state of New York we will never nominate a person from New York City ever again . . .

26, Male, Democrat, TX-26
[ Parent ]
totally different thing
NYC and the immediate area are 60% of the state population. NoVA is perhas athird of the state's population, a big difference. I'm saying right now the type of candidate who can win is one who wins the rural areas and the north and richmond to make for McDonnell's strength in Virginia Beach and that whole region.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
I just prefer McAuliffe over Deeds
Deeds doesn't really excite me.  He's too conservative for my taste.


40, male, Democrat, NC-04
[ Parent ]
I like deeds a lot,
especially his background and his appeal to rural virginia.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus
[ Parent ]
Me Too
Deeds' ability to appeal to rural Virgina makes him ok in my book.

Too often Democrats, especially in the South now, run away from rural areas, either because their views are out of sync with the average voter, or because they simply think they cannot win.

Deeds is not one of those people.

No, I'm not saying McAuliffe or Moran are out of touch with rural VA, just making a general statement because I have been a fan of Deeds for a few years now!

[ Parent ]
Conservative on what?
The only issue that Deeds is really conservative is guns.
[ Parent ]
Well in Virginia
Conservative on guns is pretty much mainstream.  
[ Parent ]
Even
Even on guns, Deeds isn't the worst of them.  He made a compelling case for why he'd be the best candidate for gun control in the last debate:  it'll take someone from SoVA who understands the gun culture to end the gun show loophole.  More generally, it'll take someone who Virginians can trust on guns to get even the more obvious gun measures put into effect.
[ Parent ]
I now endorse Creigh Deeds for VA-Gov


party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01
[ Parent ]
If I was Moran or Deeds
I consider trying to appeal to blacks by connecting McAuliffe to the worst anti-Obama attacks in the primary.  

It's desperation time for Moran/Deeds.

[ Parent ]
TX-Gov: Leaked Memo from Perry camp
http://www.scribd.com/doc/1502...

GOVERNOR Perry beat SENATOR Hutchison (43-42)
Kay Bailey Hutchison beats Rick Perry (47-36)

I'm putting my money on Rick Perry winning this thing. 2 reasons: Palin criss-crossing the mega churches on his behalf in February driving up his vote in a super low turn out primary (it always is) and KBH's moderate base not likely to show up in the primary and be labeled as a Republican.

I have a friend who really likes KBH, claiming she was going to win in a walk. I asked him if he was going to vote for her in the primary. His response: "Hell no! I don't vote in primaries." I think this how a lot of Hutch's base is going to be.


26, Male, Democrat, TX-26

That's really interesting
Further down in the memo, it says that Republicans who think that their party is going on the right track (aww, how quaint) credit this with leaders in Texas, but those who think that the party is on the wrong track blame leaders in Washington. Between that and Senator KayBay underperforming regular ol' KayBay, it's pretty obvious that Perry is actually on to something with all the ridiculous sovereignty saber-rattling. I bet he pulls it out, and then we all get the pleasure of watching him futilely try to navigate the fine line between advocating for the succession of Texas yet running for POTUS.

22, Democrat, AZ-01
Peace. Love. Gabby.
[ Parent ]
I seem
I seem to be in the minority here on SSP in thinking Hutchison wins this.  Maybe I'm biased.  Unlike you're friend, I likely will be voting for her in the primary.
[ Parent ]
Perry/KBH
Perry should make it well known to all the evangelicals that KBH is pro-Roe v Wade. Even though she basically has a pro-life voting record she nevertheless supports Roe v Wade and that is just not acceptable to evangelicals. And the evangelicals here are solidly Republican in registration (unlike in neighboring OK and AR). Many even very fiscally conservative. I think evangelicals can support a Roe v Wade Republican in a general election but i cant see it in a Republican primary.
[ Parent ]
Looks like Specter gets at least one senior post back.
http://voices.washingtonpost.c...

Looks like the Dems flexing muscle. May work with Dkos reporting Specter back on board in regards to EFCA - http://www.dailykos.com/storyo... .

An acceptable trade off
Throw him a bone if he's serious about flipping back on EFCA.  The big test is healthcare reform.  He absolutely must get on board some sort of public option to have my support in 2010.  Even a water down public plan would be an acceptable compromise for me.  Because lets face it, even a watered down public plan is going to slowly crowd out the private insurance market with their bloated overhead costs.
[ Parent ]
He isn't
he isn't for binding arbitration after 120 days and isn't for card check. So he'll be for some kind of "compromise" that helps a bit but doesn't really level the playing field and will probably have those two main elements removed. Maybe we'll get minding arbitration after a year or something weak like that but we won't get card check.

I hope unions force a up or down vote on the EFCA bill without any changes as a substitute amendment so we can see which Senators are really for working people and which just did a compromise to try to save face.  

[ Parent ]
Well my hope is
that then insurance companies lower their prices to what they should be and makes it more affordable so that our government system isnt really needed.  Not that we'd then get rid of it because if we did, their prices would slowly go right back up.
[ Parent ]
I don't
I want the public plan to strangle the private insurance sector to death, which I believe will happen.  There is no way that insurance companies with their massive overhead can compete against even a watered down private plan in the long run, nor should they.  Private insurers are nothing more than useless parasites that serve no positive purpose period.
[ Parent ]
Whether its public, private, whatever..
I just hope the next victorious health care plan makes things cheaper and makes insurance better. Getting people covered is a big deal but its not the only thing (politicians seem to think it is). I work at a retail chain and even Im covered. But problem is my insurance is very low quality. I hope that within the next few years not only is everyone covered but everyone has quality health insurance. And what isnt covered is made much cheaper.
[ Parent ]
Part of the reason for the high costs
are because not everyone is covered and people without insurance are being treated as charity cases. It increases costs, so covering everyone will, in itself, do a lot to reduce costs.  

Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens
[ Parent ]
You should think through this and use this as an argument in favor of it
when people talk to you about the issue.

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01
[ Parent ]
It's pointless
So many people already have their minds made up.  They'll just fire back by saying we should round up and deport all illegals to lower healthcare costs.  I've heard garbage like that many times.
[ Parent ]
That's why our education system
needs some fixin', so that people actually learn things like basic macroeconomics.

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01
[ Parent ]
I think we should round up all those
treasonous wingnuts and stick them in a good jail where they belong.
[ Parent ]
Not a bad idea
Alaska has a lot of wilderness and Alskans love federal money and jobs.  Set up the camps there.
[ Parent ]
oh I do
believe me, I do, and those who oppose it still eventually find something to say...like "well...illegal mexican immigrants and black mothers with nine children will abuse it"

There is really no justifiable reason to oppose universal health care...the only real reason to oppose it is if you feel certain people don't deserve it.  

Liberty Avenue Politics - a place for politics in Southern Queens

[ Parent ]
The amusing thing
Is that those brain dead zombie "pro-lifers" are the ones who usually use excuses like that to oppose universal healthcare or other benefits for the poor.  Funny how they want to force people to have kids but don't want their tax dollars to go to towards helping those kids have a decent quality of life.  
[ Parent ]
That's not the first ideological contradiction to happen to ideologues.
Not even the first to happen to modern conservative ideologues.

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01
[ Parent ]
SSP Daily Digest: 5/6 | 82 comments

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