Top Blue Dog Boasts: "We Held Bill Hostage," Killed Single Payer

[tblue37]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/07/top-blue-dog-b...
From The Huffington Post

Rep. Mike Ross on Thursday boasted about how his Blue Dog coalition "held the bill hostage in committee for 10 days" and prevented a single player plan.

The Arkansas Democrat said that the conservative group's opposition ensured "that we don't end up with some type of single payer system," Firedoglake reported.

We ensured that if there is a government option, it will be just that -- an option -- and it won't be mandated on anybody. If it had been based on Medicare rates, I can assure you that it would have eventually ended up resulting in a single payer-type system, because Medicare has really good rates, because they're negotiating for every senior in America. Private insurance companies could not have competed with that. And so we would have at the end of the day ended up with single payer. Now we've leveled the playing field, if there is a government option they'll have to go out again and negotiate with providers just like private insurance companies do. That was important to me to insure that we don't end up with some type of single payer system.

We need to start mounting serious primary challenges. They need to be afraid of doing such things, much less boasting about them.

[UTUSN]

1. K&R #1 n/t

[bkkyosemite]

2. Well he's from AR and that is one conservative area....he is a republican wonder how much he has

gotten from ole insurance industry.

[gatorboy]

6. Insurance Industry Is Generous To Blue Dogs

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

On June 19, Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas made clear that he and a group of other conservative Democrats known as the Blue Dogs were increasingly unhappy with the direction that health-care legislation was taking in the House.

"The committees' draft falls short," the former pharmacy owner said in a statement that day, citing, among other things, provisions that major health-care companies also strongly oppose.

Five days later, Ross was the guest of honor at a special "health-care industry reception," one of at least seven fundraisers for the Arkansas lawmaker held by health-care companies or their lobbyists this year, according to publicly available invitations.

[global1]

12. Ross Is A Dem. He's Currently In His 5th Term .....

the last election he won with 86%. He represents the 4th district in Arkansas which is primarily the whole southern part of the state. If there is anybody here from Arkansas - who challenged him the last time and are there possible candidates there that can unseat this guy? We need to move people like him out of Congress.

[bkkyosemite]

31. What I meant to say is he mise well be a republican because his actions are republican and wants

those votes from a very republican state.

[havocmom]

3. If yer dog won't behave and mind you, time for new dog

Adios, Blue Dog.

[asdjrocky]

4. Who needs pugs when you have blue dogs?

[stray cat]

5. However, he is not saying he is against a government option

[jannyk]

11. Just not one that costs less than Private Insurance....'cause

that would be UNFAIR!!

[SeattleGirl]

7. So, Rep. Ross, you are PROUD of fucking over the country?

Really? It's important to you that there is no single payer available? Guess that means you are proud that your actions will help continue to screw the people of this country over.

I cannot even put into words how disgusting I think your words and your actions are.

I cannot even describe how angry I am.

[dorkulon]

8. I believe someone deserves a deluge of pissed off e-mails and phone calls. nt

[Historic NY]

9. Does he have an opponent yet?

[gatorboy]

15. Ross had no Republican opponent in his last re-election.

Because his seat is considered safe for him. He generally keeps his seat every election with 75% - 87% of the vote.

[Historic NY]

41. Well perhaps he needs a primary challenger.

[WCGreen]

10. Heaven forbid we should pay medicare rates because they are

so inexpensive.

"Damn, I will not stand by and watch those poor fellers in the medisurnace conglomerates cut their costs just so taxpayers and average citizens can get a break. Where does the White House think we live in France or Canada?" cong Ross...

I showd them, damn straight.

And the mob goes wild.

"Thank you for not cutting our medical costs, congressman Ross, thank you for opening the door for more cost increases so that I can continue to struggle just like god and Jesus says I should..."

[jannyk]

13. If I remember rightly, Jesus didn't require...

..a deductible or a co-pay.

[jody]

14. LOL but Jesus had eternal life. n/t

[WCGreen]

16. Sure 'nuff did and we is gonna join him the the hear after....

[Nyquil Man]

17. As an Arkansan, I apologize.

We used to send people with integrity to Congress.

[Kaleko]

21. As a constituent of Ross, please send him a note

saying that he has been cursed with cancer of the tongue
by a powerful witch from Kaleeforniah who won't abide corporatist girlie men.

Thanks.

[dmosh42]

18. Pure bullshit....The Dems are scared of a vote being recorded...

Pelosi and those spineless chairmen of the committees are afraid of anything that will stop the bribes from the insurance crooks!

[Hepburn]

19. So, this shit stain runs again in November?

I am hoping there is a Dem primary prior to...cuz anyone who runs against the POS will get a donation from me.

[dhpgetsit]

20. He is simply doing his bidding

Putting Corporate profits before We the People.
But We are taking names.

[lame54]

22. when is this guy up for re-election?

[Eric J in MN]

24. Every 2 years. He's a Congressman. NT

NT

[lame54]

26. i wasn't sure if they staggered elections like the senate

[Eric J in MN]

23. What a slimeball. NT

NT

[GodlyDemocrat]

25. Mike Ross wouldn't be in office if it weren't for Bill Clinton

Ungrateful schmuck.

[Eric J in MN]

30. What did Bill Clinton do for him? NT

NT

[GodlyDemocrat]

38. He campaigned for him against Jay Dickey. This district contains Hope, AR

A very popular President having your back to win his hometown? Goes a long way ...

[dgibby]

27. Meet little Mikie.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=400345

[mmonk]

28. Yes, we certainly do.

[Deja Q]

29. Pity nobody can kill his benefits. He's a big BABY.

[tblue37]

32. Wow. I went to a baby shower and then to tutor--and I came

home to find my post had 31 recs. It seems to have hit a nerve. Of course, I am not surprised, because that's exactly the way I felt when I first saw the headline to this article on HuffPo--really pissed off!

[earthboundmisfit]

33. Can't find words

[Individualist]

34. The only thing worse than a neocon is a neocon enabler

"The Democratic Leadership Council's agenda is indistinguishable from the Republican Neoconservative agenda," - Dennis Kucinich

[Kingofalldems]

35. And DU's fake Democrat posts threads gloating about any setback

for Health Care reform.

[Captain Hilts]

36. Prez Obama had the support of Jim Cooper in the primaries and election. Cooper is THE

guy that stopped healthcare reform for a generation.

[TahitiNut]

37. Why do Democrats only neuter their yellow dogs???

Folks like Ross make me happy I'm not a Democrat. Being an independent liberal means never having to say I'm sorry.

[santamargarita]

39. And we boast they'll never be re-elected

[defendandprotect]

40. k i c k

[TheWraith]

42. Somebody needs to learn not to count his chickens before they've hatched.

That said, we can't effectively purge the party of all the moderate and conservative Dems. Period. Besides the fact that most of those districts will not elect a true liberal, there's the fact that trying to purge the moderates is what got the GOP where it is.

[snot]

43. Send this to everyone you know who lives in AK?

surely someone lives there.

sorry, my bad.

[Roland99]

44. Putting insurance companies over Americans. Sounds....Republican.

[fascisthunter]

45. remember folks... these corpocrats are a minority

the money and effort by these pricks won't be enough. Amp up the pressure and they will do our bidding.

PS - don't allow naysayers to dissuade you. If ya have to, place them on "ignore".