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The Netroots Take the Gloves Off
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They pushed the public option back onto the table. Now, liberal activists are stepping up the pressure on Obama—and hitting wavering moderates with corruption charges.
The liberal activists and bloggers who helped keep the public option alive—pressuring Democratic leaders after it was declared virtually dead a month ago—are now stepping up their attacks against any senator in the Democratic caucus who might join a Republican filibuster. For good measure, many of them are also sharply criticizing President Obama for failing to pressure legislators for strong reforms. Their criticism of Obama has been echoed in milder terms by such outspoken reformers as Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY). Weiner said bluntly on MSNBC, “If the President calls [members], it’s tough to say no. We’ve been kind of left to do this on our own, and we need the full-throated support of the president at a time like this when we’re having a big national debate.” As a result of Obama’s absent leadership, the watered-down House version of the public option unveiled Thursday wasn’t fully competitive or affordable, he noted.
Now corruption allegations against potential supporters of a filibuster have ramped up the war within the Democratic Party. Jane Hamsher told the Daily Beast that one of her emerging themes is: “Is Barack Obama tough enough to stand up to corruption in his own party?”
Some cable TV talk shows are filled with liberal critics. MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show showcased more intra-party attacks by featuring influential bloggers Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake (twice) and Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com, who lobbed incendiary allegations of health-industry corruption involving Senators Evan Bayh and Joe Lieberman – and their wives.
Before Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced his support for a public option with an opt-out for states on Oct. 26, he and wavering Democrats were subjected to withering TV attack ads; polling sponsored by the 100,000-member Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) last week that disclosed a majority of Nevada voters regarded Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as “weak,”, and phone-banking sponsored by the Firedoglake PAC threatening Reid, up for reelection, with a primary challenger.
Now the targets have been expanded to those in the Democratic caucus who may join a filibuster. “This is out-and-out corruption,” Hamsher, a movie producer (Natural Born Killers) turned progressive blogger, told The Daily Beast. She charged that lucrative donations to the Bayh and Lieberman campaigns by health industries and the health-related corporate positions of their wives amounted to “legalized bribery.”
Whether it’s due to such public pressure or merely a change of heart, Bayh, for one, has already “clarified”–or altered–on Oct. 29 the stance he took just the day before, when he leaned toward supporting a filibuster. Then he told CBS’s Bob Schieffer he may block a bill from moving forward for a vote if he didn’t consider it “fiscally responsible.” But a day later his office released a statement, “Senator Bayh will support moving forward to a health care debate on the Senate floor, where he will work hard to address his concerns…” He later added that it would be “extremely unlikely” that he’d filibuster against the bill.
Adam Green, the 33-year-old co-founder of the PCCC, boasted in an e-mail sent to supporters: “Hours after a new poll showing Sen. Bayh's constituents want him to oppose a health-care filibuster…Bayh's office announced significant movement.”
Now corruption allegations against potential supporters of a filibuster have ramped up the war within the Democratic Party. Hamsher disclosed to the Daily Beast that one of her emerging themes is: “Is Barack Obama tough enough to stand up to corruption in his own party?”
Both Bayh and Lieberman have denied doing the bidding of health care industries, as well as any conflicts of interest because of their wives’ positions drawing lucrative paydays from corporate health interests. Susan Bayh has earned a reported $2 million dollars over the last six years as a member of the board of leading insurer WellPoint. Hadassah Lieberman formerly worked for two PR and lobbying firms, Hill & Knowlton and APCO, handling pharmaceutical and health care clients, as columnist Joe Conason of Salon reported, but was never a registered lobbyist. Lieberman’s spokesman declined to answer written and phoned inquiries from the Daily Beast.
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Art Levine, a contributing editor of The Washington Monthly, has written for Mother Jones, The American Prospect, The New Republic, The Atlantic, Slate.com, Salon.com, and numerous other publications. He also blogs regularly on labor, health, and other reform issues for In These Times and Huffington Post.
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Art Levine, a contributing editor of The Washington Monthly, has written for Mother Jones, The American Prospect, The New Republic, The Atlantic, Slate.com, Salon.com, and numerous other publications. He also blogs regularly on labor, health, and other reform issues for In These Times and Huffington Post.
whipmawhopma
Reminiscent of the struggle between the Socialists and Communists on the Republican side of the Spanish Civil War.
rapierwits
I think the simile is more appropriate when applied to the republican fragmentation taking place around the NY 23rd. Scozzafava just dropped out, after all.
I reckon the best time to reform is when the party who has done the damage of the last decade is fighting to ideologically purify itself.
whipmawhopma
rapierwits - Nay. The NY District 23 brouhaha is more like the political dynamics to be found in a reading of Bored of the Rings.
The internal battle over the public option IS reminiscent of the struggle between the Socialists and Communists on the Republican side of the Spanish Civil War, with Franco and his Facists on the attack. There's a real lack of focus on who the enemy is.
I am disappointed that the Democratic Collective can't work together without trashing each other. I think the public option is a good idea, if it can be paid for.
rapierwits
"I do not belong to an organized political party... I am a Democrat"
-Will Rogers
It ain't a new development.
Though, of course, the path to victory does lie in teamwork.
wolverine1987
These are the democrats version of the crazies they talk about all the time on the right--tea party people on the other side, though of course to most of you, they are "principled" instead of nuts. But they are nuts
Johnnyappleseed
What does that have to do with this article?
KemCho
I love this slug fest! And Republicans think they are being opposed. If you do not agree with me - you are fool or corrupt, may be both!
nightdragon09
Hey look at all the stupid teabaggers in those pics!
Oh wait, nevermind... those are all liberal members of Daily Kos, MoveOn.org, the SEIU, etc.... you know, TRUE "grassroots" activists... so there's no way we could ever call them anything derogatory.
/sarcasm
RawhideRex
Difference being that none of them are holding up signs of Hilter....
ouch
staceyjda
Per the lack of Hitler in the signs--that's because you can only make out about four signs. Look at the people--all white and over the age of 21 (like those of us at the Taxed Enough Already parties). That means--according to the libtards--that the people in this photo are racists and you just know the Hitler signs are there somewhere. Cheers Mr. Rawhide Rex--like your name even if I don't agree w/your skewed sentiments. :-)
nightdragon09
Hey Rawhide Rex... about those "fascist right-wingers" holding signs comparing the president to Hitler that you all of a sudden so loath...
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=612
That would be YOUR side of the political aisle for the past 8 years... go ahead, try to spin your way out of that one! And while your at it, for extra credit... I DARE you to rummage through all 4 corners of the internet and come up with just ONE example of something more offensive at any of the "tea party" rallies than what has been documented for all to see at the link I gave you.
Just one... that's all I ask... and if your reply is a picture of Obama with a Hitler mustache, then boy do I pity you!
rapierwits
It's about damn time. This bigger than just healthcare. If we can start to root out conflicts of interest in both parties, we'll have a chance to take our country back from the crooks, shysters, skimmers, fixers, wingnuts, moonbats, corporate whores, the military industrial complex, bible thumpers, social darwinists, and all the damn puppet masters whose votes count more than ours!!!
Further, I think Ms. Hamsher has an implicitly salient point in that attacking corruption motivates the base for larger turnout among party members. More participation across the spectrum is an antidote for backroom deals...
stjam8
Take back our country, Call your legislators, Tell them to vote for H R 1826, Fair election Now Act.
wfleet
Now is the time to bestir rather than bemoan. These are the current key points.
Please stand up for a real Public Option which *anyone* can choose from the Exchange from day one.
NO TRIGGERS! Triggers are just further delay and further deaths.
7000 more Americans will die by Christmas. 19,000 more by Easter. 360,000 dead since 9-11 -- only for lack of health coverage. That's enough of a trigger.
Imagine writing all those consolation notes to the ruined families.
For the beloved community, I beg you,
...
...
[* The numbers are from the Harvard Study which shows that 45,000 people a year similar in all other ways (weight, gender, age, disease, etc) die simply because of lack of health coverage -- which 45 million people cannot afford in this nation until they are destitute. The Study was published in the American Journal of Public Health, but as that's subscription only, you can find info here http://tinyurl.com/l7cy8u ]
bobj72
The Internal (Democratic) battle over Health Care Reform is typical for "Authentically Independent Thinking Democratic Politician's." Their priorities are first "The Will Of The People" and "What's in the best Interest of their constituency." And secondly "What's in their Personal Political Interest.
After all, even during and since the "Rousing Town Hall Meetings of August", the "Public Option", in fact remains quite popular with "Bill & Betty America!"
Note;
Survey USA - Arguably one of the top Opinion Survey organizations in the country. Reported Aug. 21, 2009 the following regarding the HEALTH CARE PUBLIC OPTION. The survey was conducted for AARP and was a broad base, random national survey, NO AARP members were designated to be surveyed.
The survey results;
77% FAVOR THE "PUBLIC OPTION"
In a separate survey of Medical Doctors - their view on the "PUBLIC OPTION." The survey results;
DOCTORS FAVOR OF THE PUBLIC OPTION; 63% -VS- UNFAVORABLE; 27%
Lordnine
The whole Lobbyist system is legalized bribery.
AlanD2
Of course, Lordnine. Elections are expensive. People who pay the bills get their money back in legislation. So what's new?
The only solution I see is a Constitutional amendment that requires government funding for all elections. Never happen, of course...
stjam8
Never, say never, If everyone started calling and emailing their elected officials everyday and demanded change , we would be hard to ignore. Tell them we demand that they vote for H R 1826. Apathy will allow big business to keep the status quo.
wfleet
Exposure *does* help. I didn't really know til this week about Mrs. Bayh and Mrs. Lieberman. Wendell the courageous whistleblower Potter ( http://prwatch.org/user/35267 } who was a Cigna bigshot says that the Wealthcare Industry started *the day after* they defeated the Clinton Bill i the '90s buying up the Congresspersons and their relatives in preparation for this next (limp) fight which they knew would come.
As Senator Ron Wyden warns, we must insist on a Public Option which *everyone* can choose from the Exchange -- not just the super-sick and the very poor. It's the only way to get leverage against the Vampire Wealthcare Corps for the Public Option.
idicula1979
I have to say I am shocked at how the debate has shifted especially when you factor in all the ugliness and ridiculousness that the republicans throught at it, but failed to stick, but I would say the critical moment for President Obama is comming he can not just sit on the sidelines.
stjam8
The republicans seemed shocked as well! They felt pretty confident they had killed Health care reform in August. But instead those who are willing to identify themselves as republicans went from 25% to 20%. Yet they keep doing the same ugly tactics. What is the definition of doing the same thing and expect different results? lol
idicula1979
Instead of through, I meant throw. And yes I am a dumbass.
Curiouser
Art Levine. Noted. Doesn't pay any attention to elections, poll numbers or public opinion. Plays pure politics. Got it.
octavio
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
(1) Pass the government run single payer Public Health Care
Bill as soon as possible.After it passes make it effective
immediately.Otherwise the people in the stinky USA
Health Care Industry will keep screwing the tax payers.
(2) Prosecute Bayh,Lieberman and their wives for being
Health Care Industry Whores.To these crooks their
pocket books are more important than the USA citizens.
These crooks are traitors,they do not care about the USA.
(3) Prosecute all lobbysts for corrupting the USA politicians.
We need to stop these crooks and their large corporations.
These crooks are destroying the USA.
(4) Barack Obama needs to grow bigger balls and do some-
thing about these problems.This is one of the reasons why
we elected him.The President,the Justice Department with
the FBI,CIA et cetera need to investigate and prosecute;
confiscate the crook's money and give it to the USA Treasure,and put the crooks in a maximun security jail for the
rest of their lives.
( 5 ) Money is the god of all these crooked politicians.Bribe
takers need to be prosecuted.
(6 ) Prosecute Bush/Cheney
( 7 ) Et cetera.
( 8 ) Stop electing lawyers into government.98% of all lawyers
are crooks.Fisrt they will steal your money.Second they
will suck your blood.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------
ukeman
Hmmm; seems like there's a lot going on.
After all, "you can fool some of the people..."
I'm all for ass kicking on the fools dancing on the deck of the titanic.
As for the tea bagging masterminds; throw em overboard come 2010 as well.
democracyforall
let's discard the passion that's off the beaten path, when it comes to healthcare, we don't need partisan rancor.....healthcare affects everyone.
no one has yet said how much this is going to cost the average person in taxes and premiums and what quality of services are covered, until we know, there's no debate.
Juniusforte
I think these double dealers should be pressured by whatever means to respect the wish of their constituents. And who won the election anyway? The Dems should armtwist, push, and threaten to get what they want and what their constituents want. Enough selling out. This is the time for change. Yes they can. Liebermann you are through!
pricklypear
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/11/01/disclosure_as_liberal_ coercion_98971.html
Liberal thuggery.
pricklypear
Liberals Using Disclosure to Intimidate
By George Will
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/11/01/disclosure_as_liber al_coercion_98971.html
magoo363
Wait, is this article over the petition that referred to blatant lies that referred to a country that didn't exist and statistics that were totally made up about that country? Yeah, in that case I think they might want to know who was signing those petitions because they were signing something to pass it off as "real" in an attempt to influence actual law.
pricklypear
"On Tuesday, Washington residents will vote in a referendum that has national significance because of a controversy about disclosing the names and addresses of those who signed petitions to trigger the referendum. Disclosure threatens the right to privacy, which is under assault by a spreading movement -- call it thuggish liberalism -- that uses intimidation to suppress political participation". - George Will, (Washington Post Op Ed)
How would you like it if the shoe were on the other foot? Not much, I bet.
magoo363
The petition was pushed by people that also ran ads that referred to the country of "Scandinavia", quadrupling suicide rates, skyrocketing drug rates when supposedly the same type of law was passed in this fictitious country. When these types ads and then follow up petitions are pushed we might want to know who is pushing them. I don't care which foot it is on, this type of action is wrong.
pricklypear
Libs like to think they are the good guys. They look so kindly don't they? Sweet little pip squeaks holding the signs. Silver haired and bearded. They could be Santie Clauz if they weren't so self-consciously thin. My personal perspective says otherwise.
Rescuedog
And of course - unlike last summer with the tea party and town hall protests - no one will complain about these demonstrators being "astroturf" despite the pre-printed signs and organizational back-up.
DoctorB
Hamsher, DFA, MoveOn, & their compatriots in the "netroots nation" are absolutely right to demand that elected officials respond to the wishes & best interests of the American people. There is nothing wrong with pointing out the conflicts of interest when large campaign donations & lucrative jobs for family members are used as bribes by the insurance companies. Those companies' relentless pursuit of profits is already condemning millions of Americans to illness, suffering, disability, & premature death. Our elected officials need to be reminded that they were not elected to do the bidding of Aetna, Cigna, Wellpoint, et. al.
wfleet
There is something uniquely sickening about putting "profit" and "health care" into the same paradigm. Cutthroat profit is for washing machines, flat screens, cars, toasters, not for stricken people. This isn't a partisan issue. It's a human issue.
7000 Americans will die by Christmas. 19,000 will die by Easter. 360,000 have died since 9-11 -- for no other determining reason than a lack of health coverage. ( http://tinyurl.com/l7cy8u ) The beloved community shudders.
ExiledintheUSA
Maybe someday the American citizens will make an effort to take back the country from the corporations. At the moment it appears they would rather surrender to their interests.
When government becomes distructive of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, it is the right of the people, to alter or abolish it, to institute new government... (That pesky - Declaration of Independence
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