Blue America's success! Bush Dog switching SCHIP vote!
By John Amato Thursday Oct 11, 2007 1:50pm
On Monday---I told you that Blue America was running some recorded calls made by Michelle James, a full-time working mother who couldn’t afford health care for her son and volunteered to pitch in against the five Bush Dogs who are voting against the SCHIP bill and our kids. The Bush Dogs were: Jim Marshall (D-GA), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Bob Etheridge (D-NC), Baron Hill (D-IN), Gene Taylor (D-MS). I say "were" because Baron Hill is changing his vote and coming down on the side of helping sick kids. Good for him!
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on our efforts:
Washington — Democratic-leaning groups are making hundreds of phone calls in the Macon area district of Democratic Rep. Jim Marshall, deriding Marshall for voting against the funding of a children’s health program and potentially causing problems for Marshall, one of the most vulnerable congressional incumbents in the country in the 2008 elections.
The groups — Blue America and BlogPAC — are targeting Marshall and four other House Democrats who voted against the bill that would have added $35 billion over five years to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known nationally as SCHIP and in Georgia as PeachCare for Kids...read on
We're going to keep the pressure up and do the right thing. Blue America and BlogPac are not going to stand around and complain, we're taking action. As you can see---when there's action---there's results...
Please donate if you can to the Blue America Pac so that we can continue to fight for progressive ideals...
I have a few other posts going up today on what other actions Blue America is taking....It's very cool...
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Who is Blue America? First time I've heard of it.
Blue America is Pac formed by FDL, Howie Klein (DWT), C&L and Digby. We check out progressives to support and then fundraise for them as well as target Bush Dogs. We're making calls, buying ads and trying to represent a real Progressive agenda...
For those who haven't seen it, check out Bill Maher's excellent commentary on the health care crisis at the end out his last show (a few minutes into the clip):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3E42JigHeo&mode=related&search=
Since Bill Maher is on HBO, he doesn't have to bend over to the pharma gods - he's free to speak freely on this, unlike all politicians and advertised sponsored TV. I don't know enough about to SCHIP to speak knowledgeably on the matter, but I sincerely hope it focuses on producing healthly adults who need very little health care -i.e. prevention. As Maher points out, there's not much money to be made in healthly people. If this is just another way to get more lifetime subscribers to unnecessary drugs and treatment, then I say go back and re-write the bill. This bill should reduce the long-term health care liability of the nation, not add cost. I would be interested in hearing this addressed from people who understand the program.
If this thing ever passes, I hope all of you in support of it run right out and start buying cigarettes. It'll be your patriotic duty if you are really interested in funding children's healthcare.
patthemonkey @ 1:
It's a cable channel of soft-core porn.
I contacted Mr. Bill's office in Bloomington.
I told them first that I was not a constituent, but that I thought he should know that many others appreciate his re-thinking of this continued funding of the SCHIP.
The sad part of all of this is how badly the SCHIP bill has been misrepresented. If people would really look at those who benefit I think they would change their mind. Today a Representative from Tenn ws on the boob-tube spouting that SCHIP provides benefits for illegal immigrants, adults, etc . . . SCHIP is for WORKING Americans . . . W O R K I N G and the second part is important - A M E R I C A N S. he spouted non truth as most people do that don't really look at the facts and just repeat junk and talking points.
Take the time to call Congressman Bill and tell them what you think, I was told by the kind individual that I spoke with "We are keeping a running tally" and that tells me this may not be a done deal with his vote.
God Bless,
M
Personally, I feel that the people/voters of Georgia and Mississippi should take it upon
themselves to contact "their respective congressperson" since they are the voters who
contol or at least will have a say at the polls as to the re-election of those Dem turn-coats.
Tho I totally support and understand the outrage of how they initially voted w/respect to
the SCHIP law, I cannot(being in neither Georgia/Miss) have any direct or true influence
on getting them to change from a Nay to a Yea vote....Let the people of those States
do what needs to be done.
I say vote them out of office and put in a real Democrat that will fight for us and not Kiss Dumbya's Ass.
patthemonkey @ 1:
What John didn't mention in his response is that last year Blue America raised $545,000 for progressive candidates, helped elect a dozen new Democrats and is trying to hold them to their campaign promises this year. And this year we're raising more money and taking direct action-- like the newspaper ads reminding voters that their congressmember doesn't want to allow sick, needy children to get healthcare. This is the Blue America website with a list of all our current candidates and a slot for our PAC. We usually meet every Saturday at 11am (PT/2pm EST) at Firedoglake.com where we invite our candidates to speak openly with interested readers from C&L, DWT, Digby and FDL. Come by tomorrow.
DownWithTyranny @ 9:
Appears to be an organization that is working to assure that the best candidate(s) are
elected; but as I mentioned above in another posting, I have my own problems/concerns
with my supposedly respresentatives in D.C. and intend to do what I can on a local level
and find it rather difficult to donate/contribute to an organization that does not have even
one person listed from my State..and besides, the donations are not tax deductible.
Blue America is an apt name for it. If they get their way, the whole country will be sad...
I live in Baron Hill's district, and can attest to the fact that Hill routinely enables Bush and company. So this rare turnaround from Hill is good news indeed. The better solution would be if Hill could be replaced by a true progressive. Gretchen Clearwater ran a good campaign against Hill in 2006, but she lacked the campaign resources that Hill's tenure as a congressman provided. Moreover, Clearwater's efforts were undermined by Indiana's Democratic Party, who endorsed Hill in the Primary(!) and did everything they could to prevent a fair competition between Hill (a proud 'blue dog' democrat) and Clearwater (a proud progressive democrat). With money and encouragement, Clearwater may run again to unseat Hill. We can only hope.
Doggiebobo @ 7:
Ugh. Jim Marshall of the Georgia 8th District is my Congressman - although I've lived in the UK for years. I vote absentee and my last voting address in the US was in his district so I'm stuck with him. It sucks.
Here's my experience with Rep. Marshall. First of all, he likes to point out that he votes with his party "at least" 80% of the time. The downside is that when he doesn't vote with the Democrats, it's always on key issues, like stem cell research, or torture, or the war, where he sides with the asshats on the other side every single time. Marshall very, very narrowly held on to his seat in the last election, running in a Republican-leaning district in a very red state. In my opinion, if there's a bigger DINO in the House, I don't know who it is. Like I said, it sucks to be one of Jim Marshall's constituents.
After the torture vote not long before last year's election, I fired off an e-mail to Rep. Marshall asking for an explanation of why he voted with the Republicans. On that day, I had just received my absentee ballot and was seriously considering not voting for him, which would have meant not voting at all. One of his aides replied to my e-mail asking for my snail mail address, saying that Rep. Marshall wanted to send me a letter personally in order to explain his voting position, and his position on issues generally. I replied with my home address, explaining that although I was an ex-pat living in England, I was still a voter strongly interested in my country's politics. I guess since I no longer physically live in Marshall's district I'm of no interest to him though, because the promised explanatory letter never arrived.
That's my Congressman. He votes with the Dems on "safe" issues that both sides are largely in agreement on, but on anything with the slightest whiff of controversy he's always going to vote with the Republicans because that's the only way he'll be re-elected. Jim Marshall doesn't care about the country's best interests; he cares about hanging on to his job and if placating Republican voters is what it takes, that's what he'll do. Any appeal to his better angels will be ignored.
It's so much bullshit.
Maybe she should'nt have had the kid, or went to college, its not their fault.. "Sick Kids" my ass, this will give her incentive not to let the kid set around all day playing video games and eating Mickey D's........
I have NEVER seen a particular product, government, policy, law, or individual that is the perfect solution nor has its disadvantages or even negative issues. With that being said, I look at the overall benefit of the aforementioned areas of product, government, policy, law etc and attempt to assess whether it is accomplishing a larger goal or providing a larger success for an issue.
SCHIP is helping in many facets. first and foremost helping children. I love pro-life folk that their philosophy ends after the child is born. Secondly it is SAVING local and Federal Govt $$$$ in the long-term in Emergency Care and future illness. And it is a descent thing to do for children. I am not for hand outs and I actually have issues with modern day well-fare. I have my own ideas how to help it, but on SCHIP, can it be evolved and maintained better? Sure, but you show me ANY business, policy, or product that can't be done a little better and I will prove you wrong.
My point is that SCHIP is providing a sound solution to an ever increasing problem and it is funny how the President voted for it one and repeatedly vocalized support for this program and now he is against it??????
God Bless - From a Southern Christian
Greetings from little red Bloomington fellow Hoosier! Hill has turned out to be even more of a disappointment than I could have ever imagined. He seems more or less committed to rolling over for the Bush regime. What he didn't count on was that we, his constituents, would be paying attention to what he does. He played dumb on FISA and acted baffled at all the heat he received for giving the Bush regime a free ticket. I just hope enough local Democrats wake up next time and vote for Clearwater in force. Sodrel is indeed as bad of a bigoted, far right loony toon Republican as you can get who ran his campaign mostly on attacking gays. It's sad that Hill seems determined to support the same right wing policies just without the hateful demagoguery. I know whose sign I'll have in my front yard and it won't be Hill's or Sodrel's.
The problem with Hoosier Democrats is the only way you can tell the difference between them and a Republican is that at least they're polite when they spit in the voters face.
Michelle James rocks
Let me get this straight. To help SCHIP requires that people smoke tobacco. Think about that for a second. This is not the way to fund SCHIP. Nor is it any way to help the almost 500,000 poor Central American people in the cigar industry who will lose their only livelihood. How about their children? How about half the cigar stores (whose owners also have families) who will be put out of business? I guess their children will need an insurance program since their dad won't be able to get the kid any due to being out of business.
Based on SCHIP supporters logic, we should get rid of all anti-smoking legislation. After all, more smokers equals more insured kids right?
Use your sense people. I have no love whatsoever for this administration (I am an absolute non-partisan) but this tax is stupid and absolutely unfair.
This is wonderful news - it keeps the pressure on the others too.
*
" Baron Hill is changing his vote and coming down on the side of helping sick kids."
Yeah? Believe it when the asshole votes to override the veto and not one minute previous. We've played this game before, boys.
Shame that congress could not have put this much effort into the impeachment of Bush , stop the crimes of Bush's spying on Americans, and the illegal war on Iraq...
It's funny how the AJC, will promote this long ass story demonizing a democratic leader (and it is for just cause this time), when they support and congregate around the worst gang of republican thugs in congress, senate and the governorship, this country has ever known as they are liars, cheats and thieves and dont give a dame about anything that does not serve their own greedy self serving needs.
This beautful state is overflowing with these human fleas to the point we will never be able to clean it up. There is not enough raid in this country to do that state justice.
As much as the republicans do against the better interest of that state, as well as this country, you will not see criticism about them from this paper.
If we are ( and i do believe we will be), successful in cleaning these bastards out of most of the country, we will go back and get these nasty dogs later and May be clean up what would be a great news paper for the good people of that state.
What's the problem? I struck a nerve did I not?
[...] John Amato wrote an interesting post today on Blue Americaâ
[...] of the Firedoglake blog, as well as Howie Klein’s Blue America Act Blue, Digby’s Hullabaloo, and Open Left, and many more, ads and robocalls are putting the shame to these four… well, [...]
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