There is no room for Rep. Bill Owens to take a powder on the health care vote since fellow upstate Democrat Michael Arcuri of Utica has flipped to the no side.
Members of Congress worried about electoral blowback from a yes vote is making it difficult for Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer to hold the herd together....The original health bill barely passed in 2009, and now the House will be asked to approved the Senate version as a prelude to promised reconcilliation that will add items to the final product to placate the left.
Representitive Owens was mute on the bill during last year's campaign until the last moment. He voted for the bill shortly after taking office.
The bill is expected to be an issue trotted out by whomever of the three Republicans who run against Owens.
Meanwhile, Mr. Arcuri....who barely won in 2008, did the calculus and decided the bill is a loser politically.
Sometimes leadership will allow a member like Owens who is in a close race to vote no for local political expediency. Not so on this issue...There are no more votes to spare.
For Mr. Owens, its hard to say if the increasingly blue North Country electorate will see a yes vote as a plus for minus.
Ten people who could decide health care reform - Carrie Budoff Brown and Patrick O'Connor - POLITICO.com
14 comments:
i think arcuri is making a big mistake by switching his vote. he's already voted for the original house bill, which gives his opponents all the ammo they need to hammer away at him. switching to no on the senate bill is just going to make him look indecisive and weak and depress his supporters. it's not like he's going to make his opponents any angrier.
Newby-#435 in seniority Owens will have to follow Pelosi's dictates; he's an Obamian Pelosian. He owes her and the $$$$ powerbrokers that got him his seat and plentiful perks. If she has the votes to pass it without him, she'll let him stray off the reservation to demonstrate his "independence." If he does so without her blessing, he'll (and we'll) pay a hefty price.
have any of you nay sayers actually gone out in the market to but insurance? apparently not-either you are extremely well off or your employer is paying for it. an HMO family plan through blue cross is now over $2,700.00 per month. you think the current system is good? my gosh you people are smoking something.
The ironic part of this is that Mr.Owens would not have been able to vote for this had it not been for the so-called conservative Mike Long and his puppet Hoffman. She may have been for gay marriage and pro-choice , but she would have voted against this bill. Score one for idealogues, not.
If Owens can't vote on his own accord then I guess this concludes his allegiance to Washington and not to the people he represents. Independent? I think not!
She being Scozzafava
1:08 seems to hit the nail right on the head.
You posted in part: "Mr. Arcuri ... who barely won in 2008, did the calculus and decided the bill is a loser politically."
Arcuri like Owens, or any other DEM cannot get weakkneed now... the bill will in the long benefit and please the public... just like SS and Medicare and the GI Bill have...
We need to settle down and work for the public... not this sustained political BS...
Do what is right not politically "right or left!!!"
Owens should of waited to get something for his vote(like the gentleman from Florida) Now we'll get it crammed down our throat.
Klemit, maybe Arcuri thought things over and came to his senses. Only great believers in government, like Dannie, think this bill is a winner. And Dan never saw an expenditure he didn't like. This is just another in a long line. It will take this nation half way to bankruptcy, if we aren't there already. If the silver spoon class, the Dan types who already have health care for themselves and their families for free, think this is going to save money in the long run they will be very surprised, both at costs and at the quality of care. But I'm in a public employee union so I don't care, I'll be getting special deals on my rates. It's you dumbass taxpayers who will pay the full bill. Like Dannie and the chosen class, I'm entitled. Free stuff. That's what this nation is all about. We can try to pay for it some other way. Go Bama go.
This country needs health care reform. Small businesses, children, the uninsured, and retirees will benefit almost immediately. Over the years, costs of health care will go down as more competition is brought into the system. And the deficit will be reduced. I'm a public employee and I care. Call your congressman and tell him to vote for health care reform.
ny23 in md. Areu you kidding? They are talking cutting medicare, Where? Businesses have access to health care for employees but it is just too expensive. There is plenty of competition in the system now and don't think the govt could run this any better than they run eg post office,Soc secutity, etc.
Where is the tort reform for the ridiculous lawsuits. How about letting insuranc co. underwrite indiviguals for insurance. Eg. you as a public employee could sign up for your benefit and perhaps smoke 3 ppacks of cigs a day or weigh 300 lbs at 5'2. I could be 25 fit and run everyday. We are both charged the same and once on it you are set forever. Get a life ins policy like that and the life co. would be out of business.Thoughts?
Doesn't NYS have a health care for businesses? there is also child health plus, also medicaid.
We do need health care reform, 6:37
We do not need this. It will finish us.
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