DeWine joins Dems on health amendments

[JI7]

<Ohio Sen. Mike DeWine broke ranks seven times with his fellow Republicans on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, voting for Democratic amendments to a bill on small-business health insurance.

The other 10 Republicans on the committee opposed the amendments, which failed on 10-10 votes. DeWine voted against 10 other amendments that failed 11-9, on party lines.

The seven Democratic amendments DeWine voted for were on issues affecting women's health, infant health, clinical trials, autism and disease prevention. They were offered by Sens. Tom Harkin (Iowa), Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), Patty Murray (Wash.) and Chris Dodd (Conn.).

"We weren't supersurprised because Senator Harkin and Senator DeWine have a history of working together on prevention," Harkin spokeswoman Allison Dobson said.

However, a Democratic Senate aide said Ohio chapters of national healthcare advocacy groups pressured DeWine, who faces a tough election race against Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). DeWine's office did not return calls.

The committee approved the GOP bill 11-9 on a party-line vote.>

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/031606/dewine.html

[babylonsister]

1. This is a big one, for DeWine to go to the opposite of the dark side.

"Light" - "Sun-lit" - "Democratic" side? :7

[Rose Siding]

6. He was allowed to posture for voters on a cmte vote that didn't matter

-to the outcome. And he got the headline he needed.

Bright side? Maybe he tossed and turned all night, since doing the right thing is such a foreign experience for him.

[Erika]

2. DeWine is trying to distance himself from W'' policies

The GOP, the party who abandons their president, with good reason. Hopefully in 2006, all these people will be flushed.

[OnyxCollie]

3. DeWine is my POS senator.

He's doing everything he can to help Chimpy save us from our civil liberties.

[rucky]

4. So what? Note how all the Dem amendments still failed.

the committees know how the votes are going to go down before amendments are even introduced. you can bet that DeWine wouldn't cast any swing votes.

[JI7]

5. that's why it's important to get a Democratic Majority

[depakid]

7. Dishonest political ploy, nothing else

Had the Republican position been in the slightest jeopardy, DeWine would not have been allowed to vote that way.

One of the oldest tricks in the book. And since the majority of Ohians have proven over the years to be so dense to Republican games, many of them will doubtlessly fall for it again.

[thereismore]

8. afraid of Brown. nt

[rucky]

9. Blackwell's trying to act like a Dem, too.

what a bunch of tools.