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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Health How Much Pressure Is Congressman Brian Baird Feeling Right Now?

Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 2:25 PM

Not enough, clearly, since he's still "undecided" on whether he'll vote for the Democrats' health care reform bill.

Baird, the retiring Democrat from Washington's 3rd Congressional District, recently had a long meeting with Obama in the Oval Office—his first Oval Office sit-down in his entire, 12-year Washington career. He's also being inundated by phone calls from voters telling him which way he should be leaning on the bill.

When I called Baird's D.C. office just now to try to get through to his spokesperson, I got a busy signal. Over, and over, and over again. Then I tried his Olympia office, where staffer Kelly Love answered and then immediately put me on hold because another line was ringing. “I can’t get off the lines here with all the health care calls,” Love told me. (Though it took her a while to get that out, because she kept having to put me on hold to answer another call.)

These calls are pouring in from all over the country, Love said, as people try to let Baird know that it's important he vote yes (or, depending on where they're calling from, no) on health care reform. The magic number is 216 House votes, and whatever happens Baird will be an essential part of the math.

Care to join the effort? Baird's contact info is all right here, and here are the main numbers:

D.C.: (202) 225-3536
Vancouver: (360) 695-6292
Olympia: (360) 352-9768

Let us know if you get through—and what you hear—in the comments.

Comments (6) RSS

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There is no magic number, as Chris Cazilla's piece in the Sunday Washington Post (already online) says in 5 Myths about Health-Care Reform.

There is only a majority vote, and it's driving the tea baggers crazy today.

Still - PHONE. Because they (the bad guys who want America to be non-competitive) are ...

Posted by Will in Seattle

on March 18, 2010 at 2:30 PM

Here's the heart of a letter that a family member sent to their U.S. Representative, a Democrat who voted no the first time around and has announced he's still a no:

I appreciate the challenge you face getting re-elected. But there are moments when we have to put our country and our economy's long-term health ahead of our own short-term political considerations. Health reform is one of those moments. It's time to bite the bullet and pass the bill.

I should also point out that the fate of your party and your president hangs on your vote. Do you want Barack Obama to be the next FDR or the next Jimmy Carter? It's up to you. The Republicans are united in trying to drag this nation down the toilet just so long as it brings them back to power. As a Democrat, I'm reminded of what Benjamin Franklin once said when our founders weren't risking cushy congressional seats but were rather risking their lives: "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."

And Baird doesn't even have the excuse of trying to get re-elected.

Posted by cressona on March 18, 2010 at 3:08 PM

At this point, skip calling, look like an actual constituent and drop by his office and tell them in person he needs to support Health Care reform in general and this bill in particular, even if he needs to preface or end that support with an air of its shortcomings.

His offices are conveniently located in Vancouver and Olympia.

O.O. Howard House
750 Anderson Street, Suite B
Vancouver, WA 98661
Phone: (360) 695-6292
Fax: (360) 695-6197

120 Union Avenue
Suite 105
Olympia, WA 98501
Phone: (360) 352-9768
Fax: (360) 352-9241

Don't have time or transportation to do this yourself? Get a friend in Portland to hop across the boarder.

Posted by The Time To Step In The Right Direction Is NOW on March 18, 2010 at 3:26 PM

There is no magic number ...There is only a majority vote

Well technically isn't there a magic number that creates a majority?

Posted by stinkbug on March 18, 2010 at 3:33 PM

I called last week!

Posted by arts&letters on March 18, 2010 at 4:06 PM

I called the Olympia office. No sweat. Told them my name, where I lived, and that I wanted Baird to vote for the healthcare bill. I was told that the message would be passed on for me.

Posted by Lacking Creativity