207? Undecided Rep. Nick Rahall boasts of new federal funding for local health care non-profit

by: Chris Bowers

Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 15:15

As I noted in the post just before this one, Mike Doyle become the 206th “yes” or “lean yes” vote according to David Dayen’s whip count. Now, it seems like we might have #207.

One of the supposedly undecided members who voted for the bill last time, Representative Nick Rahall (D-WV), sent out a press release yesterday boasting about $1.8 million in federal funding for a local health care non-profit:

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (WV) announced today that the Community Health Systems, Inc. (CHS) DBA AccesHealth has been awarded $1.8 million in federal funds for operational expenses which will help citizens of Raleigh, Fayette, and Wyoming counties continue to receive quality accessible healthcare at affordable costs.

“Rural health centers like Community Health Systems extend medical services into isolated areas where the need for medical care is great and resources are often scarce,” said Rahall. “This funding will help enhance the range of much-needed healthcare services available to the residents of Raleigh, Fayette and Wyoming Counties where accessibility to good healthcare remains a challenge to many residents.”

Community Health Systems, Inc. is a Federally Qualified Health Center and a non-profit organization providing comprehensive primary health care to the citizens of Raleigh, Fayette, and Wyoming Counties and surrounding areas.

A timely announcement for a worthy program in Rahall’s district. Might want to start putting Rahall in the “lean yes” category after this. He isn’t even among the Democrats being targeted by HCAN.

Also, expect Fox News to start decrying this move shortly. How dare Rahall get quality, low-cost, primary care for rural West Virginians! A truly unethical thing to do.

Chris Bowers :: 207? Undecided Rep. Nick Rahall boasts of new federal funding for local health care non-profit

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207? Undecided Rep. Nick Rahall boasts of new federal funding for local health care non-profit | 6 comments

If extra funding for a local CHC is what it takes (4.00 / 1)

then I would like to see more “bribes” like this all over the country. Local Congresspersons should be actively negotiating to get clinics in their districts. That’s a LOT better than having them push for more highway funds. If CHC’s take over some of the role that highway funding has had for political self-promotion, I would be thrilled.

ec=-8.50 soc=-8.41 (3,967 Watts)

by: Mark Wallace @ Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 14:46:46 PM CDT

by: you @ soon

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OK, so gaming this out: (4.00 / 1)

We need 9 of 16 undecided votes, counting Rahall as a yes.

Costello, Cuellar, Doyle, and Ortiz are not considered politically vulnerable this year. If they have not firmly dug in their heals on the pro-life issue yet, I doubt they will. I also think we’ll get Foster, who owes his political career to some very generous help from Barack Obama in 2008. So that takes us to needing 4 votes.

I don’t think we’ll get any of the undecided “no to yes” votes: Barrow, Childers, Davis, Matheson, or Teague. They are all just too conservative or in too much electoral hot water in reddish districts.

That leaves us needing 4 of the remaining 6 “yes to yes” votes: Carney, Ellsworth, Kirkpatrick, Mitchell, Pomeroy, and Space. I really don’t see it as too much of a lift, given that all of them voted for the public option bill in November. Ellsworth is running for Senate in reddish-purple Indiana. The other 5 are very similar, all with mid-level challenges in reddish districts. These people should be able to figure out that standing for HCR is better than being “for HCR before they were against it,” John Kerry style. I would not be surprised if we landed 5 of these 6 or even all 6. Pomeroy and Ellsworth, in that order, seem likeliest to bail.

We may have a little more margin than that (Arcuri might wise up and maybe Berry after his committee vote). I like our chances overall, but it will be by the skin of our teeth.

by: spiderdem @ Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 15:21:53 PM CDT

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Nice overview and analysis n/t (0.00 / 0)

by: lifeofreilly @ Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 15:25:20 PM CDT

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Ortiz will be a no (0.00 / 0)

because of abortion. He is VERY pro-life. I seriously doubt that he is a “gettable” vote.

by: ben_nelsons_hair @ Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 15:27:16 PM CDT

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Yeah but (0.00 / 0)

you are “Ben Nelson’s hair.” What else are you going to say?

My question would be, if he is so pro-life, why hasn’t he staked out his position yet? Because he has a very needful base in his district that doesn’t want to see him taking anti-populist positions. Cuellar’s in the same boat. If he were going to stand on principle on abortion, I think he would have already done it.

by: spiderdem @ Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 15:31:07 PM CDT

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