The Hill: Herseth Set to Roll over like a blue dog on Obamacare
Time for Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi to get a treat out for their favorite Blue Dog. Because she’s about to roll over and cast a vote for Obamacare:
Some centrist Democrats who voted against the House healthcare reform legislation say they may vote yes on the final bill if it closely mirrors the Senate-passed measure.
This is good news for House leaders, who are concerned that some liberals may defect on the final health bill that comes out of conference.
and…
That final product is being stitched together at the White House with significant input from President Barack Obama, who many Democrats criticized for not doing enough earlier to lay down clear markers and for sending what many interpreted to be muddled signals about whether he favored the Senate’s approach over the House’s.
Democrats who were initially undecided on the House healthcare bill before ultimately voting no include Reps. Harry Teague (N.M.), Michael McMahon (N.Y.), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.), Eric Massa (N.Y.) and Larry Kissell (N.C.).
Negotiators reached a significant breakthrough on Thursday morning on one of the more contentious issues. They agreed to include the Senate’s excise tax on so-called Cadillac health insurance plans, but with higher taxation thresholds that liberals and labor leaders demanded in order to lessen the impact that the tax would have on union workers.
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Comments
And this is a surprise?! No wonder she won’t meet with her constituents. She would have to explain her beliefs, and she can’t do that; she only votes after checking the way the wind (Pelosi) is blowing.
I’m sick of having a corrupt hack as our Congresswoman. This is ridiculous. The cute princess days are over.
You know my friend Bill will differ from me on this opinion, but I think Sandlin flips. And she is still so very cute, in a granddaughterly sort of way. I only wish every picture didn’t have her doing the open-mouthed-craggly smile.
Bill, I’m just sayin’
Well, let’s see. Nebraska got the cornhusker deal. Landrieu got the LA purchase. The unions got a pass. I think we SD’ans deserve a special deal too. How about is, Stephanie? How powerful are you in Congress? What can you give me? It looks like that is how gov’t works anymore, behind closed doors, under the table, in a smoke filled room (I’m beginning to wonder just what they are smoking too based on these deals), anything goes as long as they get this monstrosity of a bill foisted on us. I am SO ANGRY!
Have there been any polls in South Dakota on what we think? I just can’t see SHS voting for this when she is up for this term as it will just help the reps.
oldguy,
I’m convinced she doesn’t really care anymore. She’s got very credible challengers in her next race in what is shaping up as a very “down year” for Democrats.
If she votes the party line, she satisfies her money base (NARAL, Emily’s List, etc) and she gets to stay in DC as a lobbyist.
What does she really have to lose?
I agree that she has nothing to lose, and probably doesn’t care anymore. As long as she keeps the DC Dems happy, she is assured of more poliical perks in another job. I did email her and encourage all of you too, even though it probably won’t do any good. And now that the unions got a pass too on the tax on so-called cadillac plans, I am REALLY, REALLY ANGRY! The only good news I just heard is that Brown is up by 4 points in MA!
If Brown can pull this off, I’ll nominate him for Pres next time around! After all, O had no more, and probably less, political experience when the powers that be selected him to win!
Herseth-Sandlin is undecided. Hmmmm. I was listening to a call in show last fall just after the “vote”. I believe the caller was from Idaho. She said her representative could not decide until the last minute. Another Blue Dog. The caller said he was waiting for Pelosi to tell him it was ok to vote no. Does this sound familiar?
Then Herseth will lose the next election! Just like MA Dems!
Massachusetts: ‘Bottom has fallen out’ of Coakley’s polls; Dems prepare to explain defeat, protect Obama
By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
01/15/10 7:10 AM EST
Here in Massachusetts, as well as in Washington, a growing sense of gloom is setting in among Democrats about the fortunes of Democratic Senate candidate Martha Coakley. “I have heard that in the last two days the bottom has fallen out of her poll numbers,” says one well-connected Democratic strategist. In her own polling, Coakley is said to be around five points behind Republican Scott Brown. “If she’s not six or eight ahead going into the election, all the intensity is on the other side in terms of turnout,” the Democrat says. “So right now, she is destined to lose.”
Brown (R) 50 Coakley (D) 46 in MA Senate Poll!
PP-
You need to start a post on the biggest kick back in US History. The Unions just secured now $60 billion over the start up of this plan until 2017. They pay zero into the start up of this plan and reap benefits then in 2017. Where is the out rage. You have Labor getting there kick back along with the Corn Husker Kickback of $100,000,000. So now states like SD will be paying an additional money (we have a low union membership state)to make up for the unions (government is also exempt). So how much more is Main Street going to take? Bill and Co, where does the line in the sand happen? How is this remotely fair? They continue to buy off every group but my little company doesnt have the money to pay a lobiest so Im stuck paying the Cadillac Tax. THIS IS WRONG AND SEEMS ILLEGAL. This is not fair treatment under the tax code.
People wake up! I called Stephs office yesterday and voiced my dismay for the first time. Docs, Hospitals, Drug Industry, Lawyers, Nebraska and government workers and Unions all have there carved out no pay. Freakin Great! I think I’ll just quit work and join the food lines.
ymous: You have to at least give these guys credit for their brashness. Their are no limits to their corruption.
You may not have heard it here first but these are my predictions:
Herseth will vote for Health Care even if they don’t need her vote. Position in Administration
Dodd: Senior position in the Administration (maybe Secretary of Treasury. I can’t believe I’d then want to keep Geithner)
Dorgan: Lobbyist
These people have determined their electoral careers are over. They are now positioning themselves for their next step.
Here Princess!!!! Here Princess, come and get your Milk Bone from momma Nancy!!!! Hurry up snuckum’s!!!!
SDMike
Go Blake!!!!!
I called Herseth’s office this morning. According to her minion there, there is no final bill yet so she doesn’t know how she will vote!! I told him to pass on to her that if she has any ethical standards at all she could not vote for a “bill” such as this so filled with fraud, corruption, bribery, lies, bailouts, union kickbacks. But I also believe that her ethics were left back in SD and she will do whatever is in hers and Pelosi’s interests politically. She was once a fresh face in SD politics, perky, bright, apparently honest at that time. No more apparently. Maybe never was and had us fooled. I really can’t figure out DC politics and how they can get away with it. Please, everyone call Herseth’s office and voice their concerns, politely or impolitely makes no difference IMO.
I just met Blake Curd. Mrs Sandlin get your resume polished up. I just met the man who will and should be representing SD. He is doing this because this is the right thing to do. He will not be a career politician, he is a surgeon and will return to SD.
Levson you better dream up some more tales. You will be looking for work too. It will be interesting if Sandlin will move back to SD, my guess is no.
I have voted for SHS evrything buy once gainst Bill J. and still like her but have to say if she votes for this bill the end will be near. And no she will NOT move back “home” to South Dakota.
You guys are a riot. She votes exactly the way you want her to and you’re still hanging her out to dry. What a tough crowd. Why anyone would even want to try to represent half of you is beyond me.
Bill: Your right (only time I agreed with him), the good smart ones are smart enough to realize that they don’t want the job (my one questionable issue about Blake – why), so we always end up settling for second best or the second string group. The smart ones stay out of the fray!! I also believe that there is some thing in the water or kool-aide in Washingto DC that makes them even dumber – anyone raised in South Dakota (especially rural South Dakota) has some outstanding convictions and morals, but once they drink the kool-aide its like they get a lobotomy
SDMike
Bill, read the title. the article says that she may reverse her vote which isn’t voting the way we want her to. Bigger problem, how in the world after all this, she doesn’t know how she’ll vote… Which says she’s waiting to see how it will turn out and whether her vote is even needed. She’s playing both sides of the fence and not being honest.
Bill, we are a tough crowd by nature. You are too. It is the nature of bloggers. We expect to see commitment, communication of rationale, and consistency of thought (even if on the surface the votes might be inconsistant).
Let me hit on three which makes us question her claim of Blue Dog on being fiscally responsible.
1) She voted against TARP during an election year but supported the worst parts of TARP (automaker bailout and mortgage modification program).
2) She supported the “Obama Stimulus” which has been a bailout of special interest groups and a near waste of money.
3) She has never made a definitive statement of her views on Health Care reform. She voted against the first version when her vote wasn’t needed but leaves herself open to voting for what is being gerrymandered to be an even worse bill fiscally. In other words, there is a criteria that trumps fiscally responsible. Not much of a Blue Dog.
…and yet you fall all over yourselves for a goofball like Sarah Palin who can’t find her own ass with both hands.
Ok Bill, slow down and stay focused on the ball. When all else fails and you know your wrong and George Bush is now gone we misdirect to the new whipping girl Sarah Palin. Bill Bob won the prize on the thread. I was waiiting to see how long it would take to have someone invoke Hitler, Bush or Palin.
Your new prize is a Cadillac Tax on your health plan yayyy. But wait, are you a union worker or a government worker? If so it’s FREEEEEEEEEEEE yayyyyy
I didn’t invoke either Hitler or Bush. I just don’t see how you can rake someone like Stephanie over the coals and then go all ga-ga over Sarah Palin. Just an observation.
Bill, the quote was how long it would take to invoke Hitler, Bush or Palin. You invoked Palin. He did not say AND. I have found most of the people who bash Palin do so only on how stupid she is according to them. I would rather people would tell us what she stands for that they are against. I know you are in favor of bigger government, more spending and more intrusion into your life by the government. So naturally you would oppose Palin.
I think Steph is tired of knowing she can never move into the Georgetown colonial mansion, that her hubby promised when she was a lovestruck undergrad, as long as she is a humble elected official from SD. She won’t have to worry about public perception when she is raking it in as a lobbyist. You go girl. Time to get paid!
At what age do we stop calling her princess and start calling her the queen?
Libs like Fleming can’t defend their own, so they pick on Palin. Guess what. Palin has more sense and street smarts than Herseth ever will.
Another throwaway line, 4:28.
How about that fancy schmantz Coakley in Massachusetts, a true idiot if there ever was one.
Or the guy who made it to VP…the biggest buffoon of them all.
No, Bill I don’t see what you mean. You have shown nothing. You have nothing substantive to say about your disagreement with her other than the fact you are a socialist (you have said so yourself) and she is not. And like most socialists you are an elitist and anyone who does not see things as you do is a moron in your opinion.
Interestingly, I really do not know a lot about Palin, but I have her book and am looking forward to reading it. I can say, when I have seen her, she makes more sense than most people, you included.
I hope Stephanie does vote for health care reform this time. I was very angry at her last time when she voted against it. Hopefully she’s realized that her loyal supporters want her to support it and she shouldn’t worry what conservatives think.
Herseth the Pelosi LAP DOG voting for this union-engineered, corrupt, budget-busting nightmare?? she’ll never win again if she does. she’ll be DONE.