Liberals Open Fire on Harry Reid

Liberal Advocacy Groups Say Majority Leader Will Lose His Reelection Bid if There's No Public Option in Health Care Bill

(CBS)  This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter Stepahnie Condon.

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is feeling the heat from his liberal colleagues to include a government-run health insurance plan, or "public option," in the Senate health care bill.

Now, as Reid and other negotiators move closer to unveiling their health care plan, liberal advocacy groups are ratcheting up the pressure, saying they will run Reid out of Washington if he does not bring a public option to the Senate floor. With a tough re-election bid ahead of Reid next year, the liberal "Netroots" could potentially make good on their threat. Coming from a purple state, that puts Reid between a rock and a hard place -- and has some local progressive activists at least somewhat worried.

One television ad pressuring Reid to support the public option is already out: The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) is running a spot for at least five days in Las Vegas called "Is Harry Reid Strong Enough?"

"I'm your typical swing voter," Lee Slaughter, a Las Vegas nurse says in the ad. "I voted for Republicans for president, and I voted for President Obama. I also voted for Senator Harry Reid many times. But in 2010, I'll only be voting on one issue. I'm watching to see if Harry Reid is strong and effective enough as a leader to pass a public health insurance option into law."

FDL Action, the political action committee for the progressive group FireDogLake, is also planning to pressure the majority leader on the subject. The group has already targeted a handful of other moderate Democrats for not supporting a public option, like Arkansas Rep. Mike Ross, who has since come under a firestorm of scrutiny from all directions.

The message from the left is that a large Democratic majority in Congress is meaningless if the caucus is unwilling to support liberal causes.

"I'll take a Chuck Schumer-run Senate with 57 Democrats (bye bye Reid, Lieberman, and Lincoln) than a Harry Reid-run one with 75 Democrats," Markos Moulitsas Zúniga wrote last week on the liberal blog network Daily Kos.

Bob Fulkerson, the state director for the nonprofit Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, disagrees with that reasoning.

"Certainly we'd all like to see a barrage of progressive legislation get passed left and right, but even if we elected a more liberal senator than Reid -- likely impossible given Nevada's conservatism -- that would do nothing to change the dynamics of the Senate, where there's a number of conservative Democrats and Independents," Fulkerson told CBSNews.com. "And, would these lefty blogger types be happy with a right-wing senator to replace Reid who is openly hostile to all of our interests? Because that's where their strategy could lead."

Reid wouldn't necessarily hold up against a Republican opponent any stronger than a new Democratic candidate would, contends Ben Tribbett, executive director of the Accountability Now PAC. In fact, he said, having a relatively unknown Democrat in the race could be a good thing.

"There's an oft-quoted statistic that 98 percent of incumbents win re-election, but that's not the case with Senate incumbents in recent years," he told CBSNews.com. "People are able to mobilize earlier, and a lot of those incumbent advantages no longer exist."

Excluding senators who never draw strong challenges, he said, the chances for re-election are closer to 50-50. Furthermore, Tribbett said, a Republican candidate would be able to raise more money running against Reid than against another Democrat.

"Harry Reid's only chance to win this election is representing his own base and bringing a strong public option on the floor," he said.

Indeed, if liberals in Nevada do not get behind Reid next year, he could see his four-term Senate career come to an end. A recent Mason-Dixon poll showed the Nevada senator trailing two possible, relatively unknown, Republican challengers. Real estate developer Danny Tarkanian led Reid 48 percent to 43 percent in a hypothetical matchup, while those polled favored former GOP party official Sue Lowden over Reid by 49 percent to 39 percent.

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Fulkerson contends that national liberal advocates are not considering the clout Reid can bring to local progressive issues and are underestimating the number of conservative and moderate voters in the state.

"Why would Nevada want to give up the power of being represented by the Senate Majority Leader? [Reid] has skillfully used that power to kill coal plants, plug state budget holes, and to kill Yucca Mountain, among other things," he said. "If the looney left wants to get rid of Democrats like Reid for not being more like [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi, they should move here and help us transform our state from conservative/libertarian to more liberal/progressive."

How Much will the Public Option Matter in Nov. 2010?

Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of the Cook Political Report, said that health care will certainly play a role in the 2010 election but that it will most likely be overshadowed by the state of the economy. As for whether ads targeting Reid on the public option could sway voters, she said it is too early to tell. Furthermore, she said, there have been ads running in Nevada on both sides of the issue for months.

"Voters are bound to be affected by it to some degree," Duffy said.

Polling on health care has had mixed results. A survey of Nevadans conducted by Mason-Dixon & Research earlier this month showed 43 percent supported President Obama's health care reform plans while 49 percent were opposed to them. Twenty-five percent listed a public option as "the best" way to reduce the number of uninsured Americans and reduce long-term health care costs.

Meanwhile, a new Research 2000 poll commissioned by PCCC shows 54 percent of Nevadans in favor of a public option and 39 percent opposed to the idea. Thirty-one percent said they were less likely to vote for Reid next year if a public option is not a part of health care reform while 17 percent said that would make them more likely to vote for him.

While they may be somewhat split on the issue, Nevada voters clearly care about health care reform. Nevada residents packed an auditorium on Monday night, leaving standing room only at a town hall meeting with Democrat Rep. Dina Titus to discuss health care.

While Fulkerson has reservations about the tactics of national progressives, he acknowledges health care will be a critical issue for Reid.

"I think if a good bill is passed, with a public option, Reid's standing with the base will skyrocket. I think it will also increase his standing with Independents," he said. "Nevada leads the nation in uninsured, and we rank among the worst states in per capita health care spending, so this is a really big issue here. The campaign [targeting Reid] does further raise expectations of liberal voters, who will feel demoralized if the public option is not part of the bill that Obama signs."

Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said the issue is a game-changer for Reid.

"Reid would be politically devastated back home if he's weak and caves on the public option," he said.

[askagain]

Massachusetts has a statewide universal health plan that it adopted under Governor Romney. A recent poll shows that around 70% of the doctors and 59% of the people like it. A major problem is that the costs have been going up 10% per year. Massachusetts found that adding everyone to a program has not lowered premiums or stopped premium increases.

[picchip]

JPMorgan Chase collection department pose as Los Angeles Police to Harass Customers!

Go to f-chase.com to listen to the voicemails left by Chase Collections department

[bobnjersey]

[JPMorgan Chase collection department pose as Los Angeles Police to Harass Customers! ]

don't answer the phone for numbers you don't know ... just like you wouldn't open the door for people you don't know.

[tryhonesty]

Ok. Let the two other RepubliCONS with their "high morals" Gibbons and Ensign with their "zippers down" run the state of Nevada and the United States further into the ground. The KKK, oh the GOP, with their white hoods (they have ruined a lot of good sheets) handle anything for the American people, yea right. The RepubliCONS would bankrupt a lemonade stand...I will take Senator Reid any day over any CON(r)...

[bryceo82]

Well played.

Calling all Republicans members of the KKK

Do you know what a bigot is?
Well, anytime you label an ENTIRE group and any of it's members with one blanketed statement: That makes you a bigot.

[rsmik]

In the state of NY, there is a public option available on a sliding scale based on salary and dependent status. So a single person with no dependents is qualified to pay over $300.00 a month for extremely limited, preventative health coverage, as long as they don't make more than 26k a year, which is pretty much poverty level in southern NY. With those kinds of limitations, it's more desirable to quit working and try to get welfare and Medicaid, so the country desperately needs real and viable public options based on real life scenarios.

[Samram001]

Daily Word ? Saturday, October 24, 2009

World Peace
Our expressions of love and compassion create a world at peace.
With every loving thought we hold, every kind word we express, we contribute to a world at peace. Each of us has the power to love and the ability to be patient and forgiving, no matter what is happening. Even in the appearance of turmoil and trouble, we can affirm: Peace, be still. We can still troubled waters with the power of our love.
As we go about our day, we express compassion wherever possible. As we pray, we see the divine good in our loved ones and we inspire others. Centered in the divine nature of our being and the oneness that we are, we are powerful. Our smallest acts combine with the actions of others to create a world at peace, a world that works for all.
"So that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."--John 17:26

[gboyd41]

vulgaris_vir: I think that if you actually look at it WE pay more than 50% in taxes. Think of income tax, state tax, sales tax, personal property tax, ect. And get ready to pay more.

[incog-nito]

Why is the public option still on the table? Simple. It's getting near the end of the year, and many people are getting their benefits renewal info from their employer. Most of them will see that their health care costs will jump up once again like it does every year. I know many instances where it is up over 10%, and over 20% in one case. At the same time, they will see their benefits being reduced. Many companies are dropping 90/10 coverage in favor of 80/20, meaning you will pay a bunch if you get really sick. And to add salt to wound, many people will find that they won't get pay increase at all. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that is can't keep going on forever without something breaking.

[rsmik]

80/20 group coverage fully funded by the employer was the standard well over 20 years ago, and there were no employee contributions, co-pays or HMOs; one could use any doctor or hospital they liked and could get any service they needed. What I have never heard of is 90/10, that sounds like an extravagance nowadays.

[incog-nito]

rsmik: The things you mentioned are for the most part no longer in existence. The costs have been gradually shifted to the worker. Employees pay high premiums, copays, deductibles, etc. that keep getting higher each year faster than inflation. Not only that people get surprise bills all the time when the insurer decides to pay a lot less than the provider charges. The 90/10 plan is simply an option for those willing to pay a little more, and now it's off the table. It would be nice that the things you mentioned still exists, but they don't. Employees are lucky that their employer even provides coverage at all.

[cbsblogger]

Start taxing these Wall Street banksters at 90% of their overpaid compensation and tax their corrupt financial products too, and then we use the return to rebuild America including health care.

Wall Street has been instrumental in the destruction of the USA in more ways than one. For one the smartest Americans are going for big bucks but low worth jobs there, instead of becoming scientists and engineers and innovators and creating a real economy.

[quapawsix]

If the doctors quit then let them the doctor's coming from our trading partners in India and China will be glad to come here and fill the jobs American doctors won't fill.

[quapawsix]

Let me see if I get this right wasn't read by the politicians country is near bankrupt and little chance of success! What are we waiting for?

[csurfer]

Congress is in the process of trying to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, signed by a president that also hasn't read it, and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's nearly broke.

What possibly could go wrong?

[bobnjersey]

[What possibly could go wrong? ]

what's new about any of this?

are you speaking of specific individuals ... or of the positions/process themselves.

[fariborzzak]

Celebrities War.

[R_C_Jackman]

An important argument for the repeal of the antitrust exemption is that insurance regulation will be simplified. We won't need a ton of lawyers to interpret it. We won't have to worry about differences from state to state. There will be increased competition and lower costs.

[kesac4650]

Harry Reid has already gotten Nevada exempted from the Healthcare Bill. He has already cut and run from what he is trying to force on the rest of us.

[chelokee]

www.yoeddie.com

[noloyalisti]

The liberals cannot keep worrying about who might take this DINOs place. If we ever really want change to stand up to the rich, greedy corporations that run the government, we have to dump people like Reid. He is what big business craves: a weak kneed, waffly, wimpy dweeb. They can be played like a fiddle.

[canislupus16]

Good points made by the "pragmatic" Democratic element cited in this story, i.e., with Reid gone, perhaps the door opens for a less palatable majority leader or Senate as a whole. An analogy might be Nader's candadacy in 2000 v. Gore and Bush. A Nader wing/constituency, as small as it was, took enough Florida votes away to make that state's vote close enough for, ultimately, a Republican Supreme Court to hand the decision (as opposed to election) to Bush. Gore won Florida's election and electoral votes, and the Presidency along with it, as we now know, but Nader made it possible for the election to decided by the Supreme Court.

That said, I'm tired of the tradeoffs that render elections and other important decisions meaningless. The "public" wants a "public option" by a large majority, according to polls, and I'm one of them. It's time for Reid to do the right thing but I'm not holding my breath. I have never thought him to a good or effective Senate majority "leader" in any sense of the word - Reid is pretty mamby-pamby and I never get a sense of confidence when he opens his mouth.

Everybody - everybody being the public, news reporters, and especially the talking heads - keeps talking about a so-called magic number 60 in the Senate, but it hasn't meant squat. The way the Senate operates, a more important number is a scant 51, enough to decide which party chairs the committees and some procedural votes, which ultimately decide what legislation sees the floor and has even a CHANCE to be voted one way or the other.

[KeepAmericaFree]

Here is another link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT25AWMaWVY&feature=channel

[djB513]

The reason our health care costs are so high is because of the greed and profit margins of the inurance companies. I will admit that illegals increase our costs as American Citizens, but this is minor compared to the pure greed exhibited by the insurance industry. Let's take this one step at a time.

by N-Y-Joe-11 October 23, 2009 12:39 PM EDT
by djB513 October 23, 2009 10:31 AM EDT

Anyone who thinks Illegals will not be covered by this, needs to read some rulings by the supreme court.
________________

excellent analysis by the way.....If terrorist captured on foreign soil are awarded all the rights of a U.S. citizen, as the Supreme Court Liberal Activists ruled, then certainly an un-documented alien would receive services, under the same premise....There is also a "patient's bill of rights" which guarantees services for anyone regarless of their ability to pay, so Illegal Aliens are already covered and WILL receive health services on our dime.

[rsmik]

That "Patient's Bill of Rights" has nothing to do with the hospital's Right to Bill. They will give you all the care you need if you can't pay, and then send you a bill, dunning letters and collection agency notices until you pay up.

[djB513]

GOOGLE VIDEO IS NOT NEWS GENIUS, PLEASE PRVOIDE A LINK TO SOMEONE ACTUALLY REPORTING THIS NEWS. IN REGARDS TO THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE BILLS. YES, THERE ARE SEVERAL BILLS FLOATING AROUND. I AM GLAD YOU KNOW THE "FACTS" ON ONE OF THEM.

by KeepAmericaFree October 23, 2009 12:33 PM EDT
djB513, since you don't like to look things up yourself, here are a couple of links which may help you

Cut in Medicare: http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&source=hp&q=Senate%20vote%20on%20health%20care%20video&rlz=1R2ADFA_enUS340&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#hl=en&emb=0&q=Senate+committee+hearing+cbo

Healthcare bill cost are not accurate: http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&source=hp&q=Senate%20vote%20on%20health%20care%20video&rlz=1R2ADFA_enUS340&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#q=Senate+questions+cbo&hl=en&emb=0

I'm sure if you look you will also find the CBO stating that under the senate bill, 60% of the funding will come from payroll taxes on those making less than 200k. Sorry, I actually watched the senate discussion and vote.

:)

[KeepAmericaFree]

I guess your right. Watching actual senators discussing this before the vote wouldn't be right. Funny, how you are so defensive when facts are brought up. :)