Bernie Sanders Demands Democrats Commit To Stopping Health Care Filibuster

[kpete]

Source: Huffington Post

Bernie Sanders Demands Democrats Commit To Stopping Health Care Filibuster
Posted by Sam Stein, Huffington Post on July 1, 2009 at 3:16 PM.

One of the Senate's most vocal progressives is demanding that the Democratic Party commit to voting against filibustering health care legislation now that, with the impending arrival of Al Franken, the party has 60 caucusing members.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), called on the White House and Democratic leadership in Congress to ensure that party members agree unanimously to support cloture on legislation that would revamp the nation's health care system. Democratic senators on the fence, he added, could still oppose the bill. But at the very least they should be required to let the legislation come to an up-or-down vote.

"I think that with Al Franken coming on board, you have effectively 60 Democrats in the caucus, 58 and two Independents," Sanders said in an interview with the Huffington Post. "I think the strategy should be to say, it doesn't take 60 votes to pass a piece of legislation. It takes 60 votes to stop a filibuster. I think the strategy should be that every Democrat, no matter whether or not they ultimately end up voting for the final bill, is to say we are going to vote together to stop a Republican filibuster. And if somebody who votes for that ends up saying, 'I'm not gonna vote for this bill, it's too radical, blah, blah, blah, that's fine.'"

"I think the idea of going to conservative Republicans, who are essentially representing the insurance companies and the drug companies, and watering down this bill substantially, rather than demanding we get 60 votes to stop the filibuster, I think that is a very wrong political strategy," Sanders added.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/01/bernie-sanders...

[bemildred]

1. Attaboy Bernie. Make them sweat.

Let the will of the people rule for a change.

[endarkenment]

2. Make them go on the record. No weasel room, Nowhere to hide.

Then we will see who has to nerve to vote against healthcare for everyone.

[KansDem]

3. UP OR DOWN VOTE!!!

Thank you , Sen Sanders, for telling it the way IT SHOULD BE!!!

...it doesn't take 60 votes to pass a piece of legislation. It takes 60 votes to stop a filibuster.

Eat dog lime, GOP!!!

[jody]

4. IMO senators should vote based on their constituents needs and not party. n/t

[bemildred]

5. Those things are not always different.

I recognize your point, but without party unity, addressing constituents needs can be difficult. The real problem in US politics is that corporations count way the heck more as "constituents" than ordinary, human citizens do.

[jody]

10. IMO corporatists are the real power behind presidents and a majority in the House & Senate. nt

[bemildred]

11. I agree, we have a corporate oligarchy that runs things to suit itself.

Most politicians are bought and paid for.

[DarthDem]

6. I Wonder About Kennedy's and Byrd's Health (for the Vote)

I was most concerned about the Nelson Brothers, but looks like Ben reversed his public-option opposition after a nicely timed and effective DFA campaign. Landrieu is being targeted next. If we get them on board, and Pryor, then I think we have all the faux-Dems in the Senate covered. THEN I'm concerned about Kennedy and Byrd's health. Obviously they will not miss this vote, and I guess I'll just have to be comforted by that.

[mascarax]

7. Aren't there still 10 Dem Senators who don't support public option?

Bill Press updated his list to add Feinstein.
I honestly don't see Landrieu changing - but she definitely should be targeted.

www.billpress.com - & he has links to write each of them:

Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC)
Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

[DarthDem]

9. Good List - - Thanks

Naturally the legendary Nelson Brother from Florida is on there, but he's weak-willed and will usually fall in line. I think the targeting is already working on Landrieu. When I said Pryor above, I meant Lincoln - - I knew one of the AR "Dems" was an obstacle, but mixed up which one.

I have no idea what DiFi's problem is other than the fact that she's so pro-corporate. She can probably be won over. Same for Baucus and probably Carper.

Cantwell and Wyden???? Great liberals both. Their opposition *has* to be based on some higher-minded principle, like opposing a public option because they want full, government-run healthcare. If so, this means that they'll eventually vote for the public option. I suspect Conrad is in this category too.

I have no idea what Kay Hagan's issue with this is since she's brand new.

All in all, that's not an insurmountable list of hurdles to clear, especially since (if I read correctly) anything voted on after October 15 only needs 51 votes in the Senate to pass.

[sandyd921]

12. I haven't seen any evidence

that Cantwell, Wyden, or Conrad are for single payer. I believe Wyden has been for a health insurance exchange comprised entirely of private insurers and Conrad is the one who suggested the non-starter idea of community-run health care cooperatives, a total non-starter for many reasons.

Personally I think that the obstacle that has to be overcome for all of these people is that health care financial interests have been padding their campaign war chests. In fact the corporate take-over of our political system is the biggest issue for the American people.

[DarthDem]

14. Here's Cantwell's Stance Explained

. . . in a well-written local op-ed. Sounds like she's opposing the public option because it doesn't have enough votes to pass, which, as the article points out, is a paradoxical and illogical position.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/whats-up-with-maria-...


I imagine she'll come around.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. She better.

I was supporting her primary opponent last time until she...wait for it...hired(bought) him!

[JerseygirlCT]

19. Sounds like Lieberman's there, too

Though not a Dem.

[mascarax]

8. Yes, Bernie is the best

If only more were like him. Al, please go hang out with Bernie.

[sandyd921]

13. Hip, hip hooray for Bernie!

I am definitely a committed member of Bernie's fan club. He's one of the few real champions for the people we have left in this country.

[corpseratemedia]

15. if she doesn't support the public option, Kay Hagan needs to be recalled n/t

[No Elephants]

17. As a general rule, I may forgive Dems voting Pub on a bill, but not a Dem voting Pub on cloture.

Health care, however, is just too important.

The DNC, the White House and popular Dems whose services are desired during campaign season need to coordinate on both cloture votes and health care and make those things crystal clear.

If Dems cannot manage to invoke cloture and pass health care with a Dem in the White House, a strong Dem majority in the House and 60 Dems plus progressives in the Senate, we need to re-think snickering about the alleged demise of the Republican Party.

[JerseygirlCT]

18. He's so right - will the leadership agree?

Who will step up and help Bernie demand this? Reid?

[Stuart G]

20. Kick...very important

Bernie is right on..

"I think the idea of going to conservative Republicans, who are essentially representing the insurance companies and the drug companies, and watering down this bill substantially, rather than demanding we get 60 votes to stop the filibuster, I think that is a very wrong political strategy,".

This does not take a rocket scientist to figure out..

[Honeycombe8]

21. I heard his interview, and he's right. I wonder how many Dems in Congress will listen

to him? I suspect he's regarded as somewhat of an oddity, altho I'm not sure about that.

[sarcasmo]

22. Bernie is the best, go get mmmm Bernie.

[David Zephyr]

23. Bernie has this perfect. Call them on it now. Early on.

K&R.