Rep. Mike Arcuri is now a no vote on health care reform. The bastard won't even vote to get it out of the rules committee.
I just don't get it. He voted for the public option, but this bill isn't OK? WTF?
Now granted, I think that it is very very likely that this bill passes. It could even mean that Pelosi actually has the votes (contrary to the article) and is releasing him. Also, given that the Rules Committee is stacked with other Pelosi loyalists, this isnt really a problem, but it shows what a scumbag he is.
A key House Dem has begun informing party leaders he plans to vote against health care legislation both on the House floor and in the rules committee, on which he sits.
Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY), a sophomore Dem who had a tougher-than-expected re-election bid in '08, has told the Dem caucus he will vote against the bill.
He becomes the 3rd member, along with Reps. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), to have switched from supporting the first bill, in Nov., to opposing the Senate version.
Arcuri's vote will not hurt the bill's chances in committee, where Dems hold a 9-4 advantage over GOPers. The panel's other 8 Dems all voted for the first version of health care, and only Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) voted in favor of the Stupak amendment.
But Arcuri's decision could make Speaker Nancy Pelosi's goal of winning the 216 votes necessary for passage all the more difficult. Sources say Dems remain short of the votes necessary for passage, but that they have not reached their goal yet.
If the DCCC wants my money this cycle or ever again, they better set up a carve-out so my money does not go to assholes like this. Even if the bill passes.
As far as I'm concerned, if you sell out the President in his time of need, after getting a CBO score that shows that this bill reduces the deficit by trillions of dollars, you can go ahead and trip and fall down a super long flight of stairs.
Anyone interested in a primary challenge for this Blanche Lincoln wannabe?
Given that the Rules Committee is meant to support the Speaker, it's time for Rep. Arcuri to lose his precious spot, at the very least.