Triumphant Democrats passed landmark health care legislation in the House late Saturday night, spurred by a summons from President Barack Obama to "answer the call of history" and expand coverage to millions who lack it.
The final vote was a narrow 220-215. Only one Republican — Rep. Joseph Cao of Louisiana — voted for the measure; 39 Democrats voted against it.
This is a great day for Americans!
The President has finally done what no one before him could accomplish!
Now let's find out who those 39 Democrats are.
Update: The Democrats who voted NO.
John Adler, Jason Altmire, Brian Baird, John Barrow, John Boccieri, Dan Boren, Rick Boucher, Allen Boyd, Bobby Bright, Ben Chandler, Travis Childers, Lincoln Davis, Artur Davis, Chet Edwards, Bart Gordon, Parker Griffith, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Tim Holden, Larry Kissell, Suzanne Kosmas, Frank Kratovil, Dennis Kucinich, Betsy Markey, Jim Marshall, Eric Massa, Jim Matheson, Mike McIntyre, Michael McMahon, Charles Melancon, Walt Minnick, Scott Murphy, Glenn Nye, Collin Peterson, Mike Ross, Heath Shuler, Ike Skelton, John Tanner, Gene Taylor, Harry Teague.
There they are folks. The "so-called" Democrats who place the money they receive from the health insurance companies over the needs of their constituents. I hope that they are targeted by the voters in their districts and immediately replaced with REAL Democrats.
Dammit! IS THAT Dennis Kucinich?
Congtatulations President Obama! This is History being made right before our eyes.
ReplyDeleteCan a SP facebook entry or twitter comment be far behind?
Its about time we got a decent politician from my state of Louisiana,I have to say that Mr Cao strikes me as a man who knows his district well,votes his concience,and has strong ethics,all while being unfailingly polite and earnest.
ReplyDeleteCongrats guys.. Step one.. Check..
ReplyDeleteFind out who the 39 Dem NO votes were and get rid of them...
Let's hope that the Senate can do the same. I also hope that the final bill is better than this one. My real hope is that this is but the camel's nose under the tent and that real reform that really puts the fear of God into the insurance and pharma industries will follow as people realize how ineffectual this legislation will likely be.
ReplyDeleteI love your last sentence, Gryph! "Now,let's find out who those 39 Democrats are." Just what was going through my mind as I read your article.
ReplyDeleteYES WE CAN !!
ReplyDeleteWhoo hooo! Great news for America! We still have a ways to go, but this is definitely a great first step!
ReplyDeleteThe first hurdle has passed. Now we have to hold our breath with the Senate.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of Cao. I really anticipated no Republican votes, even though he stated a couple months ago he might support it. At least he really cares for his people over politics and money.
Hurrah! Yahoo!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, House! Thank you, President Obama! Thank you, AARP!
Thank you, Moveon.org. Thank you, FireDogLake. Thank you, Bold Progressives.
Thank you, Gryphen.
Thank God!!!
ReplyDeleteand AMEN!!!!!
No doubt most of the "39" are Blue Cross (I mean Blue Dog) Democrats.
This is a great day for America!!!!!
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/house/1/votes/887/
ReplyDeleteYes and No
Jim -- Blue Cross -- Blue Dogs -- ROFL! Nice one!
ReplyDeleteKucinich wanted single payer, so perhaps the bill didn't do enough for him.
ReplyDeleteGasman:
ReplyDeleteThe bill that passed is more than likely not going to be the final bill. It is just a historic step forward. The healthcare bill could be improved later, if it gets to the conference committee.
Dennis Kucinich voted NO because the bill was not a Universal Single payer bill... I will stake my life on it...:)
ReplyDelete.
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A man of principals with a hot wife who has a tongue piercing.. :)
He's the closest thing you have to a Canadian in congress.
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.
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This is one Ohioan who is not happy w Dennis!
ReplyDeleteDeb: You got it. Kucinich want real reform.
ReplyDeleteI understand that Dennis K. did not get all he wanted - so what Dennis, you throw the baby out with the bath water?
ReplyDeleteShannyn Moore just tweeted:
ReplyDeleteBill Owen of NY-23 cast 218th vote...suck it up, BUTTERCUP!
It is kind of fun in the sea of pee right now.
ReplyDeleteWHINING and threatening and howling with anger!
Two funny posts (unintentionally funny) - sorry, cracked me up:
Uffda
"My mom needs an electric chair. I should probably look into getting her one as soon as possible."
Uffda
"Not like, an execution chair, you know, a power chair."
mimi said...
ReplyDeleteShannyn Moore just tweeted:
Bill Owen of NY-23 cast 218th vote...suck it up, BUTTERCUP!
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Poetic justice indeed..:)
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I really can't fault Kucinich. I'm not sure that I could have voted for the bill as it was. This really doesn't effect much reform for the vast majority of Americans. I want reform that allows me to tell my rapacious insurance company to go to hell. This bill doesn't even come close to that. Most of us are still going to get screwed.
ReplyDeleteMerely forcing people to buy insurance is moronic. Those that don't have insurance are simply refusing to buy it. They can't afford it. Mandating that they purchase it solves nothing.
The "no government funding for abortion" amendment also strikes me as blatantly unConstitutional. How can they ban funding for something the Supreme Court has ruled is a legal right, especially when a woman's life is in danger?
This is NOT legislation on par with Civil Rights or Medicare. This is a bucket of warm spit. If it leads to something more substantial, it will have served its purpose. If not, this whole affair has been little more than an embarrassing display of how ineffectual our system has become.
I hope this eventually leads to something better.
Politico has a list of the 39 "No" voting Dems (but without showing their respective states).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29272_Page2.html
correction: The Politico list shows 34 of the 39.
ReplyDeleteI googled many of their states which consist of
ReplyDeleteFlorida, New Jersey, many from Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, also SD, WA, PA, OH, KY, TN, Missouri and then I stopped.
I loved Moore's tweet to Sarah the loser!!!!!
Lynn SoCal
I am hopeful but we still have a long haul to windward. I agree with Gasman, I want it to lead to something more substantial. But I think it is a significant step in that direction.
ReplyDeleteI worry that Kucinich didn't vote for the bill. He is a hero and he thinks that the bill stinks. I have to admit the Dems threw women under the bus. It's a good night but I'm a very dissapointed about the abortion and the weaker public option. We need to have campaign finance reform now. They can't be trusted to vote for us and not the lobbyist. It should be against the law for banks, health insurance etc. to line the pockets of our politcians.
ReplyDeleteJohn Adler is from NJ (I voted for him in last year's election) and the only NJ Dem voting against it. I was surprised to find out he was voting against it due to an article in my local newspaper this morning. His reason for voting against it is stated as he does not believe it goes far enough.
ReplyDeleteNJ Repubs voted against it as well- for the complete opposite reason, of course (they believe it goes too far).
ok.... so i had given up on you after the levi 'i knew six months ago' thing... and that STILL makes me mad....i must, however, give you props. you are the one who told me about this FANTASTIC event in America. I will never forget the feeling i had when i saw your headline tonight, so i thank you so much for being on top of it!!!
ReplyDeleteSarah, we know you read this blog. Read these words - MOST Americans support health care reform! You do not represent all of us! When you refer to Americans, clarify WHICH Americans you represent. Quit making things up and "sit down and SHUT UP!"
ReplyDeleteDennis Kucinich is my litmus test in the House like Russ Feingold in the Senate. They ALWAYS vote the right way. They are proud liberals. From Dennis's website:
ReplyDeletehttp://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=153995
This bill in 2,000 pages long. And, while I would love to be thrilled, I trust Dennis K that it's a give away to the insurance industry.
Kucinich is right in voting against. This is just wrong from many angles. Even if they strip the abortion part it is still a piece of shit. We need single payer and nothing else will work. Mandating greed is like making me give money every year to the government to kill innocent people some where. Oh wait they already do that. Well you know those execs need those yaghts for some real down time and i can just pull all those teeth rather than fix them. Those bumps on my skin and the fact that my kidneys hurt are not realy a problem yet so it would be best if i paid money i dont have to fund companys who dont want me to be alive. I am just jumpin up and down that all this great stuff is happening. Something does not smell right...No cats dont fart so that is not it.
ReplyDeleteI see Palin has already entered her Facebook comment regarding the vote tonight. It is clear that REbecca Mansour must be on her payroll now doing her writing. It is in the exact style of R.A.M.
ReplyDeleteThat's 39 that need to be replaced as soon as they're up for reelection. Let the Democratic Party find a challenger and back THEM against the incumbant that sold out their constituents to the health insurance company. Then we'll see how many blue dogs are left to vote against their own party. A lesson needs to be sent. It's a matter of discipline. There must be negative consequences and follow through. If there isn't, there is no incentive to behave in an acceptable manner.
ReplyDeletethey had to throw out abortion in order to get conservadems support. Once this passes, we need to srt lobbying them to add it to the health care bill:-) AFter we throw out the blue dogs and replace those we can with progressives!
ReplyDeleteObama heals, Sarah squeals! (taken from Palingates post)!!!
It comes down to this: Any Republican or Democrat who voted against this bill does not have the health and welfare of his/her constituents or any American in mind.
ReplyDeleteI do not see how they can go back to their districts and face the people whom they are supposed to represent.
There is no viable spin that can be put on their NO vote, particularly when they had nothing else to offer.
Boo! Hiss!
I know that Kucinich voted against the bill because it didn't do all the things that are needed. But here is a great example of making a big step forward, even if it isn't all the way. Ted Kennedy would be proud.
ReplyDeleteThe bill is a START and I'm thrilled! And of course, Sarah's Facebook writer was burning the midnight oil--I just checked and there's a longwinded comment already this morning (5:56 EST). I didn't read the entire thing--need more coffee to absorb it all--but "she" is gloating slightly that women were basically thrown under the bus to get the bill passed. "Her" opening salvo sez the bill puts "America on a path toward an unrecognizable country"--hmmm--maybe the "country" of Africa, dearie? Or maybe you mean Russia, since you can positively ID it from your bathroom window? After so many years of neocon rule, we're finally pulling ourselves out of the muck. And I'm sure that amendments will be made to the bill over time. Suck it up, Buttercup!
ReplyDeleteHope your still as elated when your taxes and health care costs sky-rocket and you have to wait 6 months for a doctor's appointment. Fools!
ReplyDeleteGee Sarah, maybe if you had permitted cameras and the press at your speech the other day, the bill would have been defeated. You are a political buffoon and moron!
ReplyDeleteWaPo breakdown of how everyone voted, their state, how much they've received from the health industry, and percentage of uninsured in each district.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/votes/house/healthcare/index.html?hpid=topnews
The Washington post reports that there will be a coloring book of sarah palin, Going Rouge!!!!
ReplyDeleteGasman, it is sad that our system is no longer about helping Americans, it is about being reelected, so they can help Americans sometime in the future, if they just didn't need to get reelected and on an on
ReplyDeletecame to support Kucinich. State by state single payer option. Somehow we felt the need to make insurance mandatory, instead of access universal Kucinich and I agree that this layer of beaurocracy is wasteful and not needed.
ReplyDeleteFor all of you who say this bill doesn't go far enough, I agree, but you have got to be big picture here folks. Good God, two years ago who would have thought we could get insurance companies to stop denying pre-existing conditions?
ReplyDeleteWe have come a long way in a relatively short period of time.
I've about had it with these uber-liberals who keep criticizing everything as not being progressive enough...you're getting as bad as the Republicans. Kucinich should be chastised by his constituents if they wanted him to vote yes. Got to give it to him though, he sticks with his priciples, which would have gotten us NOWHERE.
I am a liberal, but also a REALIST. If you have a dem congressman/woman who voted yes, do what I did and donate to them and send a thank you email. I was represented by a Republican war lobbyist for years who was a Bush rubber stamp. If you want change, make it happen.
I enjoyed Fox News coverage, if you could call it that. Weren't they the ones complaining when the rest of the MSM didn't cover THEIR news item?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the good and deserving citizens of the United States of America!
God bless you all!
John Barrow from Georgia here is an interesting tidbit for ya'll. He had a nephew (sisters child) name Clute, Clute was diagnosed when he was child (5) with a brain tumor. Clute and his family took many trips to Texas for treatment for Clute.
ReplyDeleteThe medical expenses were crippling. At that time I worked for a Sheriff Department and we knew of Clute because his grandfather was a Superior Court Judge.
My Sgt., my shift and I held a benefit carwash to help with the staggering medical bills the family was accruing. The local shop in a box (K-mart) allowed us to use their parking lot and furnished us all the supplies we needed for our carwash.
I have never washed so many cars in my life, which was a good thing. We grossed almost $1,800 between the cars we washed, the guys we flirted with and just some down right giving people.
I am simply appalled by him voting no to the health insurance. Of all the people in the world he knows first hand about how crippling health issues can be. I guess some people can forget quickly how medical issues can destroy a family's life. I for one will never forget what this family went through and what a brave little boy he was.
here is the link about Clute if any are interested: www.clutebarrownelson.org
Please note that the only Republican who voted for it was from Louisiana.
ReplyDeleteMy rep voted for the bill, but only because he got concessions on the abortion issue. Federal funds are already forbidden, by the Hyde Amendment, to be used for abortions. That wasn't good enough for him. He wanted extra provisions in the bill (as best as I can understand him/it, his written response to my question on this issue was pure CYA double-speak)that would place restrictions on the insurance policies a woman could purchase with federal vouchers depending on whether or not that policy covered abortions. He's a Dem. who lives in the C Street House. I'm glad the bill passed, but unless I get help with my insurance bill via voucher or can buy insurance through a hopefully less expensive public option, I'm still screwed.
ReplyDeleteCuriuos here, I wonder does the new healthcare package cover Viagra?
ReplyDeleteOne way to lessen abortion is to stop giving South Carolina Attorney Generals the blue pill.
Can we get a Bumpersticker saying
ReplyDelete"Suck it up, Buttercup" ?
thank you everyone
Sarah Palin was for Health Care in 2008 before she was against it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjZW4z9zqqY&feature=related
ReplyDeleteWatch the entire 3-minutes and you'll hear her say it herself.
Remember back when Clinton was elected president some 17 years ago & he put Hilary to work on health care reform. Given her rigidity, she could not even work with the members of the committee, & many politicians that were given serious payback nothing happened. Sure Obama made concessions, but at least it is a step in the right direction. The insurance companies & pharma have had a amazing ride at the expense of many. Bill Owens being the 218th vote is such too rich. Heh! Way to go Quitty, you're a jinx.
ReplyDeleteI respect Dennis Kuchinich's reasons for voting no on the bill. It is a pathetic version of healthcare reform. I agree women's rights have been set back. It is sad we couldn't get something better, but our govenment is really controlled by corporations. I consider this bill our first step to change that. Hopefully it the first of many steps toward improving healthcare.
ReplyDeleteI am glad Kuchinich's vote was not the one vote that was needed to pass the bill. I would be royally pissed off if it was. You have to make the most with what you have, if this hadn't happend the insurance companies & the repub would continue to run the show. I think it was a bad judgment call on his part.
ReplyDeletegasman @ 9:10:
ReplyDeleteright on. couldn't agree more.
it does not effect reform for the vast majority of americans. the whole point of "health care reform" was to reform it in favor of the people. and they didn't do that.
6 million on a public option when 45 million are uninsured? and that's something to cheer about?
"Aye" on Stupak or "Nay" on the final bill is very bad..very "unDemocratic......but to vote "Aye" on Stupak AND "Nay" on the final bill, is simply being a traitor to the Democratic party.
ReplyDeleteThere are 26 DINO traitors here, who should be on everyones mailing list:
For future reference, here is the list of Democrats who voted "Aye" on the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.
AL-2 Bright, Bobby; AL- 5 Griffith, Parker; AL-7 Davis, Artur; AR-1 Berry, Robert; AR-2 Snyder, Victor; AR-4 AR-4 Ross, Mike; CA-18 Cardoza, Dennis; CA-20 Costa, Jim; CA-43 Baca, Joe; CO-3 Salazar, John.
GA-2 Bishop, Sanford; GA-8 Marshall, James; GA-12 Barrow, John; KY-6 Chandler, Ben; IL-3 Lipinski, Daniel; IL-12 Costello, Jerry; IN-2 Donnelly, Joe; IN-8 Ellsworth, Brad; IN-9 Hill, Baron; LA-3 Melancon, Charles; ME-2 Michaud, Michael.
MA-2 Neal, Richard; MA-9 Lynch, Stephen; MI-5 Kildee, Dale; MI-1 Stupak, Bart; MN-7 Peterson, Collin; MN-8 Oberstar, James; MS-1 Childers, Travis; MS-4 Taylor, Gene; MO-4 Skelton, Ike; NM-2 Teague, Harry
NC-2 Etheridge, Bob; NC-7 McIntyre, Mike; NC-11 Shuler, Heath; ND Pomeroy, Earl; OH-1 Driehaus, Steve; OH-6 Wilson, Charles; OH-9 Kaptur, Marcy; OH-16 Boccieri, John; OH-17 Ryan, Timothy; OH-18 Space, Zachary.
OK-2 Boren, Dan; PA-3 Dahlkemper, Kathleen; PA-4 Altmire, Jason; PA-10 Carney, Christopher; PA-11 Kanjorski, Paul; PA-12 Murtha, John; PA-14 Doyle, Michael; PA-17 Holden, Tim; RI-2 Langevin, James
SC-5 Spratt, John; TN-4 Davis, Lincoln; TN-5 Cooper, Jim; TN-6 Gordon, Barton; TN-8 Tanner, John; TX-16 Reyes, Silvestre; TX-23 Rodriguez, Ciro; TX-27 Ortiz, Solomon; TX-28 Cuellar, Henry.
UT-2 Matheson, Jim; VA-5 Perriello, Thomas; WV-1 Mollohan, Alan; WV-3 Rahall, Nick; WI-7 Obey, David.
Here is the list of 26 Democrats who voted "Aye" on Stupak but "Nay" on the final bill:
Altmire, Barrow, Boccieri, Boren, Bright, Chandler, Childers, Davis (AL), Davis (TN), Gordon (TN), Griffith, Holden, Marshall, Matheson, McIntyre, Melancon, Peterson, Ross, Shuler, Skelton, Tanner, Taylor, Teague
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/7/801996/-64-Democrats-on-the-Wrong-Side-of-Stupak-Pitts
Once again ITA with Virginia Voter@4:54am. It is not the health care reform we wanted but we do have to be realists; we are not going to get everything we want in the first go. Look at how Social Security had to be tweaked and massaged when FDR pushed through that legislation. I am so proud of President Obama I have tears in my eyes. I was so afraid it wouldn't really happen. This is HUGE for America; yes there is still work to be done but right now let's just enjoy this and be very thankful for this victory.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think a nice thank you to Rep. Cao of Louisiana would be in order. And Sarah, I know you are reading this. Have a nice day Buttercup, and thanks for all you do to help the Democratic Party!
GreatGranny2c posted this GREAT link over on the Mudflats:
ReplyDeleteWaPo has the breakdown of how everyone voted,
their state, how much money each has received
from the health industry, and the percentage of
uninsured in each district.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/votes/house/healthcare/index.html?hpid=topnews
Far from perfect, but it's a start!
ReplyDeleteThe work continues...
We MUST do everything we can, to get the Stupak
ammendment ditched. That right there would be taking women's reproductive rights back to the dark ages, back to the time when wealthy women got D&Cs....and poor women went to back-alley butchers or resorted to the wire coat-hanger. Abortion is a LEGAL procedure, the RWNJs need to just get over it!
I just don't get it. Don't believe in abortion? DON'T HAVE ONE! Seems simple enough to me!
Trish it is simple, but they don't want ANYONE to have one!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe are NO CHOICE! My half sis had to have a mexican abortion back in the 60's and got infected and never had any kids after...
On Meet The Press today, Rachel Maddow made a point that should NOT be
ReplyDeleteoverlooked by Democrats in the House and Senate who wish to remian in their
elected offices in 2010 and beyond, and that is the fact that if the Stupak-
Pitts C Street anti abortion amendment in the House version of Health Care
Reform is NOT removed if/when the bill goes to Conference to be merged
with the Senate bill, there will be MASSIVE blowback for the Democratic party
from it’s female base.
Maddow: “The Stupak amendment . . . is the biggest restriction on abortion
funding since the Hyde Amendment, it’s the biggest restriction on abortion
access in this country in a generation, if it took a Democratic President 60%
majorities in the House and Senate are Democrats to get that I think you can
expect Democratic women to sit on their hands at least, if not revolt if that
doesn’t get taken out in conference.”
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/8/802087/-Maddow:-Democratic-women-will-REVOLT-over-Stupak-Pitts-if-it-is-not-removed
I just want to remind everyone who says we should replace all of the blue dogs just what happened in NY 23 last week. Why do we have such a huge majority in the House and Senate? It's because conservative Republicans went on a hunting spree. Their target was moderate Republicans. The moderate Republicans are now on the endanger list and so is the Republican party. We should be careful not to make the same mistakes as the Republicans. They knew the bill would pass, they didn't prevent it. We should do everything we can to stop Lieberman, Lincoln, Landrieu, Pryor, Bayh, Baucus, Conrad and Nelson from preventing a vote. The other blue dogs might not vote for the bill but I don't think they'll help the Republicans. And as for the pre-existing condition I believe that insurance companies will still deny people because the fine is less than having to pay out thousands for treating them. We still have not made it painful enough for them to stop. If Congress really wanted to help Americans with pre-existing conditions they would throw these stupid CEOs in jail.
ReplyDeleteHuffington Post is saying that Don Young urged Cao do what he needed to do for his district. According to the Alaska Dispatch Young was beside Cao the whole time during the vote and was trying to keep party leaders away. Of course Young and most of the other Republicans behaved badly yesterday. Everyone of them should be thrown out.
ReplyDelete