Liberal groups provide air cover to Democrats
WASHINGTON (CNN) - A coalition of unions, liberal interest groups and other organizations is providing air cover for 20 House Democrats who voted this past weekend in favor of the Democratic leadership's health care reform bill.
The umbrella group Health Care for America Now and one of its larger members, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, are spending $650,000 to run the ads for one week in each of the Democrats' congressional districts "thanking them for theirvote," said Jacki Schechner, spokeswoman for HCAN.
All but two of the Democrats were elected in 2006, 2008 or 2009 and several of them only won by slim margins. The two Democrats elected prior to 2006 included in this ad campaign are Rep. Tim Bishop of New York (2002) and Rep. Leonard Boswell of Iowa (1996). The National Republican Congressional Committee has already announced plans to target Democratic members over their vote in favor of the health care bill.
Schechner also said that another one of HCAN's members, Americans United for Change, will thank 10 more members in TV ads, bringing the total amount spent on this campaign to $1 million.
See the ad and the list of 20 Democrats.
View the ad here
List of the 20 Democrats in this campaign
· Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut
· Rep. Michael Arcuri of New York
· Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada
· Rep. Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire
· Rep. Mark Schauer of Michigan
· Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy of Ohio
· Rep. Debbie Halvorson of Illinois
· Rep. Bill Owens of New York
· Rep. Gary Peters of Michigan
· Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona
· Rep. Bill Foster of Illinois
· Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon
· Rep. Harry Mitchell of Arizona
· Rep. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico
· Rep. Jerry McNerney of California
· Rep. Steve Kagen of Wisconsin
· Rep. John Hall of New York
· Rep. Dan Maffei of New York
· Rep. Timothy Bishop of New York
· Rep. Leonard Boswell of Iowa
HCAN's Jacki Schechner on the new ad campaign, the Lieberman filibuster threat and the Senate fight ahead:
Follow Mark Preston on Twitter: @prestoncnn
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Anytime they vote for a poorly organized fiscal nighmare of a proposal they will be held accountable. Bill Owens you are already a marked man in your district. Your political career is a mockery as soon as you have started.
While the country was asleep....
the House-dems voted a 219...TRICK.without the TREAT
Under the House-dems the Nation's DEBT will keep on climbing up-
up-HILL
Lets call it hte House-dems 2000–page bad-bad-BILL
TRICK OR TREAT...? So help us...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Obama /Pelose Admin. is taking us down the wrong road as a country. The backlash is coming. Many who didnt care before cant wait to vote them out in 2010. We Know your names and will settle with you soon. See you socialists in 2010
paybacks, the chicago way of politics.
Is that change you can believe in?
The liberals need to understand that when this country goes broke, they will be included.
Instead of thanking people, think how much $1 million could go towards providing health care for people. What a waste.
Until we can bury "liberal" vs "conservatism" and learn to debate issues on their relative merits instead of dogmatic ideology, the United States of America will continue it's steady decline. When are we going to learn that we're being manipulated?
And Right Wing, corporate giant, billionaire David Koch funds the teabaggers, meaning, they are a group of corporate sheep. Thanks a lot, teabaggers for allowing corporations to be placed ahead of human beings. Educate yourself before you spew the lies you hear on Right Wing radio and talk shows.
Great Idea !!!!!!!!!!!
Those that voted no...............should loose their chairman position if they have one. That is for starters .......unless they get on board.
A coalition of unions, liberal interest groups and other organizations is providing air cover for 20 House Democrats ..........
Which party was controlled by special interests again?
I'm pretty sure I haven't seen the insurance companies running special ads to support members of the House and Senate.
Democrats seem to be bought and paid for.
The GOP can target away. I am glad it passed. I hope it passes in the Senate. You see I am one of those that needs health insurance at a reasonable rate. Something the insurance companies, just won't do, they are FOR PROFIT. And that is after those CEO salaries, air planes, and trips, not to mention lobby costs!
Use your head and do your own research and you will know President Obama is going to reduce our deficit which will pay for healthcare reform and the Republicans know this. Get your heads out of the sand, watch President Obama's travels, which the Republicans all complain about knowing his travels are directly related to reduction of our deficit.
Let's see now, why would they feel compelled to "provide cover"? Oh yeah, because it's a terrible bill that will ruin our health care and the public doesn't want it.
Oh, and why does this "public option" not kick in until 2013? Oh yeah, because Obama thinks he will have already been re-elected(fat chance) before the people realize that they have been completely bamboozled by the democrats on this.
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.
Thanks for all the fish democrats! Now we have no fishermen.
How many tax dollars did Obama spent Saturday to purchase the 20 Dems and one Repub vote to pass the House healthcare bill?
When Blogo tried to sell a Senate seat he was removed from office, Obama bought 21 House votes and not a word said. Why?
Ummm... the Congressional Budget Office has the bill clocked in as reducing our deficit, which flies in the face of the statement that this will bankrupt us.
There is specific language banning the use of any federal subsudies for abortions... which flies in the face of the thought of the government paying for abortions.
There are specifically no sorts of "death panels" or anyone else deciding who gets to live or die... there is no change from the current system, where a panel of people decide if you get covered for what you need.
There are difficulties with this sort of legislation, such as the language which "frowns upon" putting limits to how much medical malpractice lawsuits can pay out and how much money lawyers get paid. However, arguments such as those above are disingenuous and stop us from having a true debate on the issues.
Oh... almost forgot. The polls on THIS VERY WEBSITE have the current health package clocking in 48% approval with 42% disapproval. Sooo... it is also disingenuous to say that the people do not want it.
gee just add the aclu and trial lawyers and you get a clear picture of there support...
The Democrats in the House who VOTED FOR Healthcare should be thanked!
As usual the GOP is against any social program that will help Americans! The GOP was ALSO against the following:
Social Security (they said it was socialism)
Medicare
Medicaid
SCHIP
CIVIL RIGHTS
Unemployment Benefits
Desegregation
Minimum wage
The Blue DOG Democrats will be challenged in the primaries with REAL Democrats! OUT WITH THE DOGS!
"Owens campaigned in NY23 that he did not support the public option and within 1 hour of being sworn in he reversed and pledged support for it ... I hope WHIPLASH is covered by Blue Cross ..."
And, Owens already has to campaign for reelection to that seat in 2010!!!
His vote in favor of the public option--when the majority said "NO" --and he campaigned saying that he did not support it--will guarantee that he is NOT reelcted.
Hoffman-–a complete unknown until 2 weeks ago-–only lost
NY-23 by 3 points.
Owens is just keeping the seat warm, until the 2010 elections!!
Unions in the US are like terrorist cells. They will destroy this country from the inside. They run on GREED
Congress gets good marks for actually getting something *done*
Yes, the end of the Health Insurance Racketeering Industry is almost at an end. It start with the overinflated hospital bill ($90,000.00), which is benefit paid by the insurance company if they approve it ($9,000.00) which is followed by your co-pay if you have decent "insurance" ($900.00). Anybody see a pattern here? Come on all you wingnuts, open that fabulous windows calculator (you'll find it under accessories in case you've probably never knew it existed). It's racketeering, it's almost as bad as the mob but they don't break your legs, (if you're covered) they usually set them. This bill will leave them to court you, NOT the other way around! So what's the problem?!
The bill passed by the House is scary. First (i've only read the first 50 pages) it says that insurers cannot increase premiums, deny care, drop care or refuse due to pre-existing conditions....BUT then it goes on to say regarding what the government can do if it's own costs cant be covered..." the Secretary shall make such adjustments as are necessary to eliminate such deficit, including reducing benefits, increasing premiums, or establishing waiting lists."
No matter what party you're in, you should be afraid that the Sec'y of HHS has this much control. What happens when party affiliations change?? They're already holding companies to a standard that the government is not obligated to.
This bill is Cr@p.
~I'm pretty sure I haven't seen the insurance companies running special ads to support members of the House and Senate.~
Really? You haven't noticed? They've been spending 1.5 million dollars per week on advertising to kill health reform.