Monday, November 9, 2009
Health And Speaking of Brian Baird...
Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Take a good look at this snippet of map, from a larger map put together by The New York Times.
It's a reminder that in the historic House vote on health insurance reform over the weekend, only one Democratic Congressman from Washington State voted no: Brian Baird. The other Democrats in our delgation—Jay Inslee, Rick Larsen, Jim McDermott, Norm Dicks, and Adam Smith—all voted yes. Joining Baird in voting no were the delegation's Republicans: Doc Hastings, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, and Dave Reichert.
Baird, you may recall, is the congressman who surrendered to the teabaggers earlier this year. (Before un-surrendering and un-cancelling his town hall meetings.) You may also recall that health care is not the only issue on which Baird has been all over the place—remember the Iraq war?
Still, there's something perplexing thing about Baird's vote against the bill. According to another New York Times chart, his district would have been fertile ground for a "yes" vote. There are just eight representatives who come from congressional districts that Obama won in 2008, and who still voted "no" on health insurance reform (a central promise of Obama's campaign). Of those eight representatives, Baird sits in one of the more strongly pro-Obama districts:
And, the chart shows, Baird had a huge margin of victory in 2008: 28 percent. (No doubt due in part to excitement over Obama helping down-ticket Democrats.)
Scan your eyes upward on the chart, and you'll see that unlike, say, Scott Murphy in New York, Baird is not really a guy who should be worried about a "yes" vote on health insurance reform tipping the scales against him. If anything, Baird should have been thanking Obama for driving up his 2008 margin of victory, and showing that thanks by voting "yes."
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3
Frankly, I don't think it passing is such a great thing. There's no public option, not only did they manage to ban government subsidized abortion they also screwed women paying for their own insurance out of coverage, and non-citizens can buy this plan even without govt assistance. It also creates a huge windfall for insurance companies by making 'affordable' a relative definition.
4
Kucinich voted against it because it contains a federal mandate for individuals to buy private health insurance or face fines, and because it contains no provisions for states to pursue single-payer options. Basically, this "reform" strengthens the industries that broke the system to begin with (insurance and pharma). It also funnels wealth from poor people to those same corporations.
5
Whoops, non-citizens can't buy this plan even without subsidy....and these are the people who are likely growing, processing, and cooking our food....because it really makes sense for those people not to get treated for communicable diseases that they can pass on to "Real Amuricans".
7
Maybe, fanboy -- just maybe -- Brian Baird knows his district a touch better than you? Lewis County is one of the most conservative areas of the state, and Clark County is relatively conservative as well, for Western Washington.
As if this vote wasn't calculated from on high anyhow. Caucuses let certain members take votes away from the partyline if they think it will help them keep the seat.
As if this vote wasn't calculated from on high anyhow. Caucuses let certain members take votes away from the partyline if they think it will help them keep the seat.
8
yucca flower @3: There's no public option, (in the House bill).
Whoa. Care to back up that statement?
Whoa. Care to back up that statement?
10
balogna @9, yes, I am confessing my ignorance. Please post a link about there being no public option in the House bill.
12
I don't know Brian Baird and can't speak for his character, but are you seriously chiding him for voting against the "party line"? Where or not I agree with his vote, I value an independent free-thinking representative much more than a sheep that votes with the rest of the party.
14
There's something wrong with his judgement. He could create a strong challenger in the next primary.
15
well knowing he's a douchebag, it's time for Olympia or chehalis Democrats to announce that someone is actually opposing him. This person should get about 500 donations in two weeks and instead of all of us moaning on the internet then we could actually send ten dollars each to this person. And build a groundswell. Believe me, this bill will come back from conference and he'll get to vote on it again and by that time he needs to know either he votes yes or he has a primary challenger. Brendan Williams, where are you?????????
Time to deal with it instead of just complaining.
Time to deal with it instead of just complaining.
16
Think it through, Eli.
Baird saw an opportunity to throw a symbolic bone to his right-leaning constituents and voted no on a liberal bill that was going to pass with or without him. This move probably won him another 5% in the next election.
This is EXACTLY the kind of game Democrats in rural areas need to play to hold their seats so they can vote in the right direction when it actually counts.
Please - enough with the starry-eyed idealism, we need to be smart.
Baird saw an opportunity to throw a symbolic bone to his right-leaning constituents and voted no on a liberal bill that was going to pass with or without him. This move probably won him another 5% in the next election.
This is EXACTLY the kind of game Democrats in rural areas need to play to hold their seats so they can vote in the right direction when it actually counts.
Please - enough with the starry-eyed idealism, we need to be smart.
18
Did none of you read Baird's statement on his website? http://www.baird.house.gov/index.php?opt…
At least he had a real reason and frankly, I believe him. I'm sorry. Health care reform is not going to get fixed and once again, women and poor people bear the burden.
Did you also not hear Baird's explanation about why he voted against the resolution giving Israel carte blanche to continue punishing the people of Gaza for voting? He is one of two Congressional representatives who have actually been to Gaza.
I don't support everything he does, but he isn't a douchebag, unlike Reichart who obviously doesn't give a damn about his district.
At least he had a real reason and frankly, I believe him. I'm sorry. Health care reform is not going to get fixed and once again, women and poor people bear the burden.
Did you also not hear Baird's explanation about why he voted against the resolution giving Israel carte blanche to continue punishing the people of Gaza for voting? He is one of two Congressional representatives who have actually been to Gaza.
I don't support everything he does, but he isn't a douchebag, unlike Reichart who obviously doesn't give a damn about his district.
19
Did none of you read Baird's statement on his website? http://www.baird.house.gov/index.php?opt…
At least he had a real reason and frankly, I believe him. I'm sorry. Health care reform is not going to get fixed and once again, women and poor people bear the burden.
Did you also not hear Baird's explanation about why he voted against the resolution giving Israel carte blanche to continue punishing the people of Gaza for voting? He is one of two Congressional representatives who have actually been to Gaza.
I don't support everything he does, but he isn't a douchebag, unlike Reichart who obviously doesn't give a damn about his district.
At least he had a real reason and frankly, I believe him. I'm sorry. Health care reform is not going to get fixed and once again, women and poor people bear the burden.
Did you also not hear Baird's explanation about why he voted against the resolution giving Israel carte blanche to continue punishing the people of Gaza for voting? He is one of two Congressional representatives who have actually been to Gaza.
I don't support everything he does, but he isn't a douchebag, unlike Reichart who obviously doesn't give a damn about his district.
21
NYTimes forgot to color the 9th district blue on the chart. It just shows up as white on the map. If blue, would further isolate Baird's decision.
23
@20: that's the part of Portland that doesn't want to pay ANY taxes so lives in WA and does all their shopping in OR. I've been there and it ain't pretty (sorry Chris Down in the Couv).
24
Obama didn't really drive up Baird's margin of victory, anyway. Baird ran far ahead of Obama because of his large personal vote and his margin increased to 64-36 from 63-37 in 2006. Baird is to the point in his career that he doesn't need to cast symbolic votes to keep his seat, so I'd wager his vote was genuine.
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