With a vote looming on Saturday night, the whip in the House for the health care bill remains very close. According to the whip count at The Hill, 43 Democrats are no, leaning no, or undecided. With 258 House Democrats, if every Republican votes "no" then 41 Democratic defections will defeat the bill.
One new "no" vote that just appeared, and is not on the list at The Hill, is freshmen Democrat Larry Kissell. This is noteworthy, given that in 2006 and 2008, Larry Kissell raised $485,795 on Act Blue. Some of that was raised directly by the campaign, but most of it came in through blog-organized fundraising pages.
Larry Kissell is a terrible fundraiser, and has always struggled with it. His Republican challenger already has more cash on hand than he does, which is a real rarity for Democratic incumbents. It might be a nice bit of pressure tomorrow to call his campaign office tomorrow, letting him know that a vote against the health care bill will not only slow donations, but will result in thousands of people asking for refunds.
If you happen to have given money to Larry Kissell in the past, go ahead and contact his campaign office tonight, letting him know how you feel about his opposition to health care reform with a public option. The number is 1-877-428-4048, and the email is info@larrykissell.com.
In the last couple days, there have been several posts across the blogosphere citing what various candidates running for Congress have said on FISA and retroactive immunity for the telecoms. But so far, it's been all over the map. I'll try to corral all their statements into this diary, so you can see who the "good guys" are.
First, let's start off with the current House and Senate members who voted against this bill. They do deserve credit, as it's their jobs on the line.
Follow me below the fold to see the dozens of Democratic challengers who are standing up for the Constitution, and are against this FISA bill and retroactive immunity.
Democrats Work and WesPAC have launched a contest to determine which Congressional district General Wes Clark is going to visit this summer.
This won't be an ordinary visit. General Clark will travel to one Congressional district where a Democratic challenger is fighting to change the direction of our country to work side-by-side with area Democrats to make a positive impact through community service. We want you to tell us where we should put our values into action.
I'm John Autry, a Progressive Democratic Candidate for Congress in NC-08. I have been following the national immigration debate with interest. Here's what I believe in regard to immigration. I believe we are a country founded on immigration. I am proud of this history and believe our diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a nation. I believe we must address the issue of illegal immigration by enacting just and fair comprehensive reform at the federal level, and I intend to work toward this goal as the representative from NC-08. This reform should include a way for undocumented immigrants who work hard, and obey our laws once they arrive, to stay here legally, and earn a path to citizenship if they so desire. Bringing people out of the shadows will improve our security, and help immigrants living here integrate into American society.
In an email sent out to some Kissell supporters on October 07, 2006 by his campaign manager Leanne Powell with the subject heading "Please be on the look out for Hayes Commercial" was this paragraph clarifying Kissell's position on immigration (emphasis mine throughout):
"As for immigration Larry's position is more conservative the [sic] Congressman Hayes. Mr. Hayes supports the President's amnesty plan and protection of businesses that employ illegals. Larry says our immigration policy should be based in sound public policy not hate, that said, he believes that we have to secure our borders, deport illegals, prosecute those that bring them over the border and hold employers responsible that employ them. Larry believes that illegal aliens are just that-- illegal and to offer amnesty is to penalize the law abiding people waiting patiently and following the rules to be able to persue [sic] the American Dream."
"Kissell's immigration plan will use the vast technology resources of the newly formed Homeland Security Department to identify and track down illegal immigrants...."
I like Larry Kissell a lot, and I gave him money last cycle. Calling for the deporting and/or demonizing of immigrants though is problematic. It's morally atrocious and it's politically unsound for progressives and Democrats. Perhaps it'll work to get Kissell elected, and I hope he beats Robin Hayes, but our candidates shouldn't have this as a mandate.
Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters reject amnesty for phone companies that may have violated the law by selling customers' private information to the government, preferring to let courts decide the outcome. Again intensity favors opponents of amnesty, with 48% "strongly" opposed. Fewer than 1-in-3 (31%) support amnesty for the phone companies, with just 1-in-5 (22%) strongly supporting amnesty.
Opposition to amnesty is also widespread, cutting across ideology and geography. Majorities of liberals, moderates, and conservatives agree that courts should decide the outcomes of these legal actions (liberals:67% let courts decide, 28% give amnesty; moderates: 59% let courts decide, 28% give amnesty; conservatives: 52% let courts decide, 37% give amnesty). Large majorities in every part of the country also reject amnesty: 60% in the West (29% give amnesty), 61% in the Northeast (32% give amnesty), 59% in the Midwest (33% give amnesty), and 57% in the South (30% give amnesty). Seventy percent (70%) of Democrats and 61% of independents say let the courts decide. Republicans are evenly split (45% give amnesty, 44% let the courts decide) with equal intensity on both sides of the divide.
And again, spread across the ideological and partisan spectrum, people want individual warrants.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters oppose allowing courts to issue blanket warrants for wiretapping American citizens that would not have to name any specific individual, with a near majority (49%) "strongly" opposing blanket warrants. Fewer than 1-in-3 (31%) support blanket warrants.
It's unbelievable, but in the greatest country in the world there are 9 million children that are without health insurance, and almost 90 percent of them are from working families. Two of them are my own grandchildren.
In response, both the House and Senate passed an expansion with bipartisan support of SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program), the popular bill that provides millions of kids with health care. This expansion will provide coverage to an additional 4 million uninsured children.
In a recent Washington Post poll, 72% of Americans support the SCHIP expansion bill. There is broad and bipartisan support in Congress for reauthorizing S-CHIP. Which makes me wonder, who does not support children's health care?
Hmmm…do any compassionate conservatives come to mind?
President Bush has vetoed the SCHIP expansion bill!!! At the same time that Mr. Bush has requested an additional $200 Billion for Iraq, pushing the price tag for that fiasco to $600 Billion dollars and counting…
The SCHIP expansion would cost 35 Billion over 5 years…think of it this way, every day we spend enough money on the occupation of Iraq to insure 200,000 kids for a year!!
This is wrong in so many ways…
The president and members of his so-called "family values" party would leave children whose parents do not make enough to be able to afford health insurance without access or coverage. An accident or illness could cripple that family with debt from medical bills.
Besides, providing health insurance and preventive treatment is more cost effective for all of us. A recent study (Brigham Young University) put the cost of emergency room treatment at $2,000, much higher than it would cost for regular medical care & visits.
Keeping our children healthy is not just the morally correct thing to do; it's an investment in our future!
Mr. Bush argues that he must issue this veto because this is an attempt to provide health care for all American.
You're darn right it is! That's exactly what we need, access to health care for all Americans. No more bankruptcy, or lost homes, over the inability to pay medical bills, no more ignoring illness or pain because you can't afford care! Most all other developed nations believe that their citizens have a right to health care. I agree, and I plan to make the push for health care for all Americans and make it a priority when I get to Congress.
I'm starting to collect candidate statements on the FISA fight in reaction to Bush's call for amnesty for the phone companies that broke the law and spied on Americans and the expansion of powers Congress is considering making permanent.
This past Saturday, Ambassador Joe Wilson came to Charlotte, NC to support Larry Kissell in his second bid to unseat Robin Hayes in North Carolina's 8th Congressional District.
I had not had the pleasure of meeting Joe Wilson prior to Saturday's event and was honestly expecting the man to be just a wee bit of a stuffed shirt. I found instead, a man who is generous, patient and funny. He did not leave the event until he had met each person who desired an introduction, stood for pictures with all waiting in line and signed every spare scrap of paper, every book and every Creative Loafing shoved in front of him. That's quite a chore when the total attendance is over 200 people.
This past Saturday, Ambassador Joe Wilson came to Charlotte, NC to support Larry Kissell in his second bid to unseat Robin Hayes in North Carolina's 8th Congressional District.