Senior Dem Says Target Dems Could Flip on Healthcare
FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: John Adler (NJ-03); Jason Altmire (PA-04); John Barrow (GA-12); John Boccieri (OH-16); Dan Boren (OK-05); Rick Boucher (VA-09); Allen Boyd (FL-02); Bobby Bright (AL-02); Ben Chandler (KY-06); Travis Childers (MS-01); Lincoln Davis (TN-04); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL); Tim Holden (PA-17); Larry Kissell (NC-08); Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24); Frank Kratovil (MD-01); Betsy Markey (CO-04); Jim Matheson (UT-02); Mike McIntyre (NC-07); Michael McMahon (NY-13); Walt Minnick (ID-01); Scott Murphy (NY-20); Glenn Nye (VA-02); Collin Peterson (MN-07); Mike Ross (AR-04); Heath Shuler (NC-11); Ike Skelton (MO-04); Gene Taylor (MS-04); and Harry Teague (NM-02).
Senior Dem Says Chet Edwards Could Flip on Healthcare
Democrat Leadership Says Previous ‘No’ Votes are Waffling, Secret Deal Has Been Hatched
Washington- Senior Democrats have Chet Edwards in the crosshairs for a potential cave-in as they negotiate a secret backroom deal to force their healthcare debacle through Congress. As Democrat negotiators attempt to water down abortion provisions from the bill’s House version and rank-and-file Democrats threaten to take a stand, party leaders are counting on Edwards – a previous ‘no’ vote – to put a new name in the ‘yes’ column:
“A group of Members led by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), the Catholic church and other organizations opposed to abortion rights are firmly against allowing abortion coverage in new, federally subsidized insurance markets, while a group of abortion-rights supporters is vowing to kill any bill with Stupak’s language included. That leaves House leaders in a jam…”
“Diana DeGette, a chief deputy whip, said they may be able to pass a bill even if Stupak and a number of other Democrats jump ship.”
“‘There are also a lot of people who voted against the bill the first time in the House who will vote for the final agreement,’ she said.” (Steven T. Dennis, “Abortion Debate Still Lurking Under health Bill,” Roll Call, 1/13/10)
“Just as we suspected, it looks like it’s only a matter of time before Chet Edwards caves into his party’s demands and rubber stamps their bloated healthcare debacle,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Edwards has plenty of empty rhetoric about being a ‘conservative Democrat’, but it appears that he may be considering flip-flopping in favor of his party’s latest big-spending boondoggle after all. Unfortunately, while Edwards is earning brownie points with Democrat leaders for his healthcare charade, Texans are stuck footing the bill for another government takeover that experts say does nothing to lower the costs of healthcare while raising taxes and increasing an already exploding federal deficit.”
It’s time for Edwards to speak up. Will he side with Nancy Pelosi and the rest of his Democrat friends in Washington? Or will he take a stand against his party’s runaway spending spree? Unfortunately for Texas taxpayers, Chet Edwards picks his party 97.3% of the time (Source: Washington Post).
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