NYT has two interesting stories today.
First, President Obama is meeting with progressive members of the House who are sceptical of current HCR bills. Next he's meeting with potential swing vote BlueDogs.
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.c...
The other NYT story is he has evidently given up on courting fiscal conservative Democrats who worry about the real costs of the bill.
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.c...
This may be a good clue as to the potential switchers that we should be contacting.
Those called to the White House today:
Menbers of the Progressive Caucus:
Representative Madeleine Bordallo, Democrat of Guam, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus chair, health care task force chairwoman
Representative Donna Christensen, Democrat of Virginia, Congressional Black Caucus chair, health care task force co-chairwoman
Representative Danny Davis, Democrat of Illinois, Congressional Black Caucus Chair, health care task force co-chairman
Representative Raul Grijalva, Democrat of Arizona, Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairman
Representative Mike Honda, Democrat of California, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus chairman
Representative Dennis Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio, Congressional Progressive Caucus, health care task force co-chairman
Representative Barbara Lee, Democrat of California, Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman
Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard, Democrat of California, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, health care task force co-chairwoman
Representative Jan Schakowsky, Democrat of Illinois, Congressional Progressive Caucus, health care task force co-chairwoman
Representative Nydia Velazquez, Democrat of New York, Congressional Hispanic Caucus chairwoman
Representative Lynn Woolsey, Democrat of California, Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairwoman
Members of of the New Democrat Coalition:
Representative Jason Altmire, Democrat of Pennsylvania, health task force co-chairman
Representative Melissa Bean, Democrat of Illinois, vice-chairwoman
Representative Lois Capps, Democrat of California, health task force co-chairwoman
Representative Joseph Crowley, Democrat of New York, chairman
Representative Ron Kind, Democrat of Wisconsin, vice-chairman
Representative Allyson Schwartz, Democrat of Pennsylvania, vice-chair, health task force co-chairwoman
Representative Adam Smith, Democrat of Washington, vice-chairman
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.c...
The second story is that Obama has evidently given up on persuading fiscally conservative Democrats whose main concern is lack of cost controls and final real cost of the bill.
Of those meeting with Obama today only one fiscal conservative, Jason Altmire (PA), voted against the bill.
At least 14 other members of the New Democrat Coalition also were no votes on the health care legislation, but they are not going to the White House on Thursday.
Among the Democratic lawmakers concerned that the legislation does not do enough to control costs are a bloc of 24 members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog coalition who voted against the House bill in November. At the time, many said they preferred the Senate version of the legislation, at least in terms of its cost-control efforts.
“While the health care reform bill before the U.S. House of Representatives has many positive elements, I believe that it does not do enough to slow the growth of health care costs or to rein in spending on care,” Representative Suzanne Kosmas, Democrat of Florida, wrote in an opinion column in the fall. “That is why, after careful consideration and with great difficulty, I decided that I could not in good conscience support this bill.”
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.c...
Why is the WH giving up on fiscal conservatives while trying to pander to the GOP with the "Health Savings Accounts" which will be a windfall for the rich and not gain a single vote?
There are numerous things that could be included to reduce costs both to consumers and the government which would not seriously hurt the bill. Wouldn't the strategy make more sense if the WH determined just what cost controls are necessary to get the 217th vote?
Anyway, praise to the WH for evidently seriously working to get the progressive caucus on board, including Kucinich.