Washington (CNN) – A freshman Democratic senator said Sunday that he will support his party’s efforts to pass health care reform legislation even if that means losing his seat in next year’s midterm elections.
“If you get to the final point and you are a critical vote for health care reform and every piece of evidence tells you if you support the bill you will lose your job, would you cast the vote and lose your job?” CNN’s John King asked Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado on Sunday’s State of the Union.
“Yes,” Bennet bluntly and simply replied.
Bennet was appointed by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter to replace Sen. Ken Salazar, who stepped down from the Senate to serve as President Obama’s Interior Secretary. Bennet, who was superintendent of the Denver public school system prior to his appointment, will have to seek election to the seat for the first time in 2010.
Related: West is tough terrain for Democrats
From CNN Politics
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This is a bad idea. It is socialist and tax burdem. So, hopefully goodbye and good riddens.
Thank you!
putting people of the country first the republicans dont want to spend money on health care they need that cash for there next war either iran or in south america
Seriously? What this says is he doesn't care what his constituents think, he's voting with his party... That's not what he was elected for.
Bennet knows that the health insurance industry will spend millions to make sure he is not elected. We are all going to see increased health insurance premiums to pay for their anti reform media blitz.
I am a registered voter in Colorado and you WILL have my vote. Thank you for supporting this necessary legislation. I have lived overseas and experienced basic healthcare for all citizens, don't believe the naysayers. There are no exhaustive waits (no more than I have found in my local emergency room), no complicated forms, just equal and fair basic coverage for all. If you want to pay for additional cover that is your option, a lot of people take it, but you do not have to do so. The doctors in Australia who stitched me up in emergency, examined me in the local dr. office, and performed xrays were all competent and professional. At the end of each visit the only concern was my health and follow up not my credit rating or payment schedule. Stop for one moment and imagine this change, here in America. I am beside myself with anticipation.
CASE closed. Bennett just said it. Democrats will lose the election in 2010 and 2012!
Thank the Lord there is a righteous one among them. Don't be sewed by the political system any more than you have all ready, Sir.
Any way none of the elected leaders except the Supreme Court Justices should stay" Until death do them part!" It's time for Senator Robert Byrd to go home after the Heath Care Law is signed.
Steve in Charleston: You do remember that Senators are or at least were supposed to represent their STATE at the Federal level. So if this particular senator is doing something other than what the people of his state want done then he is not doing the job of senator as outlined in the Constitution.
When votes are taken, each congressman and senator should be required to announce before voting the amount of money he has received from insurance companies.
In short, this Democrat is stating that he considers himself noble for using his position to inflict his own personal wants that run contrary to the demands of his constituents.
There's nothing noble or honorable about being a self-centered socialist jerk. And baby, that's all this guy really is.
The Democrats in congress and the administration are not going to lose their jobs because they passed health care reform. They are going to lose their jobs because they passed the wrong bill at the wrong time. This is a rediculous expensive bill that does not reduce the cost of health care so it does not solve the greatest problem with health care in America.
Oh, and by the way we still have an economy on life support and unemployment above 10%. This bill does not add jobs and it does not help the economy. It's a bad idea at the worst time.
has anyone seen a republican alternative no they only use hate and division!
Thank you Senator Bennet!! You still have my vote. Screw the repubs!!
Cuba provides 100% of their citizens healthcare, but I'd bet we Americans would not like their standards compared to ours. C'mon, let's all be like Cuba and the former communist nations and provide everything you need - all at the Government's choosing. NOT!
Haren: You actually believe this or any other senator has actually taken the time to read the whole bill? Do you know how many pages it is and how long that would take? Do you realize they change and add to it all the time. Fat chance anyone has actually read the bill in it's entirety.
The purpose of having elected officials, is for the elected official to REPRESENT the constituents. If the constituents don't wont reform, he is obligated to abide by with those wishes. I know that some of the people on this board are saying that it is noble that he stands up for himself. Unfortunatley, in his current position, he doesn't represent himself, he represents those that voted him into office.
If elected officials can simply do whatever they want, whenever they want, why even hold elections?
I am a Coloradoan and he represents me. Can't please everyone and everyone is not a republican.
When the government, in this case a particular senator, willing refuses to represent the will of the people, they have set themselves above the people as rulers and tyrants.
The Senate and Congress are agressively trying to overturn the will of the people as stated in the 10th Ammendment. They are trying to strip the states and people of their rights and in doing so they will set themselves above the people.
The unbelievable is now possible.
Now if the other 99 would go, we would be in good shape.
Thank you Senator! Saving people's life is always worth losing a job. Unless you are a heartless, evil, selfish, war criminal Republican.
Hypothetical question: Guessing that when this reform succeeds, he will be returned to office.
Representing your people didn't seem to matter to the conservatives when they ran a carpet-bagger candidate in NYS-23! The man couldn't even vote in that district ... and didn't know squat about "the people" he wanted to represent. When it comes to real principals – and the people who have them ... the GOP just attack and complain ... none of their elected are allowed to think for themselves... much less vote other than told to.
What a worthless man. Going against the people he represents. Pathetic! I hope he's tossed along with the rest of those socialist politicians that are trying to cram Obamacare down the throats of Americans, Americans that want jobs, not Obamacare.
What happened to our representative form of government? He is ready to vote for what the DNC has been bought and paid for by with the realization that his voters will kick him out!!!! What is wrong with the left? Do they really hate voters that much? They really don't care about Americans or our opinions forget voting them out in some socialist countries the end of office is a little more permanent.
Ron – why should they have the same health care as us? They're elected officials, and as such they shouldn't be burdened like us, right?
I just hate this argument that members of Congress should be forced to have the same health care as us. It just doesn't make any sense – it would be like asking someone who works for Ford to drive a Ford vehicle, or someone who works at Microsoft to use a Windows computer, or a chef to eat the food he prepares. Those are all just completely unreasonable expectations. Wouldn't it be the same as asking members of Congress to follow the national speed limit when they drive, to annually pay their taxes, etc.? They aren't required to do this stuff, are they? Of course not.
Oh, wait a second, they are required to follow the laws they pass, so it actually DOES make COMPLETE sense to have the Congress hamstrung to the fiasco they're forcing down our throats. Good call Ron.