So much focus on Kucinich...

[Ardent15]

For someone who is supposedly "ineffectual" and "grandstanding", he sure is getting a lot of attention from the DLC types and Democratic partisans, with people saying "Primary him!"

What harm could a single Congressman from Ohio due?

[AllentownJake]

1. Don't know but yes votes for the original votes are turning to nays as they

complain.

[The Magistrate]

2. It Will Be A Narrow Vote, Sir

Every vote counts.

[Fumesucker]

3. Scapegoats are always neccessary..

And the more incoherent the policy the more the scapegoats are needed.

[Swamp Rat]

4. Stop paying attention and shut up!

[Cha]

5. dennis is putting the spotlight on himself.

[SargeUNN]

6. Dennis is Ok and we need to just chill some

I have talked with Dennis several times and most of the time I agree with him. On this vote I disagree with him but still respect him and refuse to brand him as anything less than a good guy. We can disagree without being vicious in our disagreement. Please folks remember we all want the same things mostly, just different ideas of how to get there.

[laughingliberal]

12. Wow! Are you lost?

That was civil, reasonable, and mature. That's not gonna work.

Seriously, thank you for that.

[anonymous171]

7. It's just like how progressives, despite being the "leftist fringe" somehow always derail

DLC candidates and policies. How such a small unimportant minority can have such a huge impact on the legislative process is beyond me.

[Greyhound]

8. OMFG! OMG!

It's all Nader's Kucinich's fault!

The world is ruined because that "dark-sided, evul little man" ruined our only hope!

[laughingliberal]

13. ROFL!! nt

[Cleita]

9. You put your finger right on it.

They are afraid of him. I hope the 2010 election replaces them with more Dennises who will primary them out.

[upi402]

10. Proclaim truth tellers as "outgroup"

Propaganda 101. Here's the will of the people and Kucinich is one of the few who stand up for us;

A New York Times/CBS poll found that 65% of respondents want a public health care option, while only 26% opposed such a plan.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/25/poll-public-option-favore_n_299669.html

............................................

found that 72 percent of those questioned supported a government-administered insurance plan -- something like Medicare

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/poll-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-support-public-insurance-option.php

...................................................

EVEN SCOTT BROWN VOTERS WANT THE PUBLIC OPTION, WANT DEMOCRATS TO BE BOLDER

VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT THE PUBLIC OPTION

* 82% of Obama voters who voted for Brown
* 86% of Obama voters who stayed home

http://act.boldprogressives.org/cms/sign/mapollresults

[Echo In Light]

16. +1

[Donnachaidh]

29. +100000 k&r. n/t

[LostInAnomie]

11. He's only relevant numerically.

If he wasn't so fond of voting with Republicans when the votes are tight, no one would give a shit.

[anonymous171]

15. Kucinich is in the house of representatives.

That means that he is one of 435 voting members.

[cascadiance]

22. So did you also want to keep impeachment from being voted on?

Republicans voted WITH Dennis to bring impeachment of Bush to the House floor, but Democrats voted to table it indefinitely...

So, did you think Democrats were doing the right thing then too in shutting DOWN impeachment? Many of these Democrats have noone to blame but themselves, when they're too willing to be "bipartisan" or not take risks.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/11/kucinich.impeach.vote/index.html

And that's the time (like that time earlier) that the Republicans will do an end around on them and trap them in to an indefensible position, like Dems are now with trying to support a so-called "bipartisan" Senate HCR bill which is very low in support from Americans who want something better than this or in the case of Republicans want nothing at all. Just watch, the Republicans will play the Democrats and trap them for being pansies again!

[Taverner]

14. Honestly - - and this is just me speaking - they need to find out what he wants

I know I know, but when a politician does that, they usually want something.

Knowing Dennis, its probably a Public Option - and that all seems possible in reconciliation

Probable, no. Possible, yes.

[Greyhound]

20. What he wants is exactly the same thing he has wanted for who knows how many years.

Remember Conyers/Kucinich HR 676?

You know, the bill that does give every citizen health care, saves the nation hundreds of millions while doing it, and provides for the displacement of the former insurance industry workers.

The bill that took over two years to get through Pelosi & Co.'s (Democratic Party leadership) obstacles to even get the CBO to score it, and guess what came back? Way cheaper than any of the half-measure we are allowed to talk about and provides a substantial boost to the economy, to boot.

Hmm, less money, better outcomes, covers everyone (dental, vision, and mental, BTW), realigns one of he most dysfunctional economic sectors in America, improves American companies competitiveness... it's easy to see why he's such a mysterious force for chaos.
:eyes:

He signed on to the original 'public option' and only withdrew when, it too, was turned into a toothless spectre.

What he wants is HEALTH CARE!, not corporate welfare dressed up as 'insurance reform'.

[Taverner]

21. Yes but if he really wants that he's in the wrong job

But seriously, Obama and Pelosi should talk turkey with him

I know there would be a way to get him to vote for the bill, given the right options in reconciliation

[Greyhound]

26. Of course there is, but I think it is far more about political power games, than any

unwillingness or unreasonableness on Dennis' part. He's making noise and getting attention (RW still controls media, so he's on the God-Box) and they want to shut him up.

Unfortunately, the tools they have to do that don't work on him, he will only compromise for real compromise, not the appearance of compromise or a good job for a relative, so they're at a loss as to what to do with him.

[Taverner]

27. I dunno - if he wanted to make a REAL difference

He could say "I will vote for it, as long as there is a Public Option"

Yes, this would have to be in reconciliation, but what if he led the reconciliation with that on top?

[druidity33]

34. Dennis would vote yes IF...

they fixed the State Single Payer amendment so that Insurance Companies can't sue the States that implement Single Payer. Is that too much to ask?

:shrug:

[Taverner]

35. No not at all

I'm just hoping Kucinich is in a negotiating mood, and not a martyr one...

[ProSense]

17. Oh, what harm could Lieberman do? What harm could

voting the Republican position do.

The hypocrisy is astounding.

[Ardent15]

18. Senate and House of Representatives=not the same

Nice try, though.

[ProSense]

19. A vote to kill a bill is the same in the House or Senate.

A vote is a vote.

Excuses are excuses.

[AllentownJake]

24. Yep and Luis is waffling

Better get your team on the phone to Illinois.

Dennis already said no, so you might want to go after a vote you might actually be able to get.

[anonymous171]

25. Lieberman is a senator. nt

[rucky]

23. I used to trust him.

I still agree with his policy views, but I'm not sure about his tactics anymore.

[flvegan]

28. He makes the spineless "Dems" some here so cherish look bad.

When someone is that much better, you have to try to tear him down so your guy doesn't look like such a worthless shill.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

30. Kucinich-bashing is a favorite DLC pastime

You see, when I was a teenager, people who challenged the status quo and colored outside the lines were assassinated.

Now they're just ridiculed and blamed for everything that goes wrong for the Democrats (cf. Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney).

[L0oniX]

31. +1

[PHIMG]

32. he exposes how D.C and the leadership of the Democatic party operate

he went on MSNBC and destroyed the Democratic leadership's b.s. talking points. if he had skeletons in his closet there would be a well timed ethics investigation right about now, but insteads we get Markos calling for a primary challenge, and a legion of DLC sockpuppets trashing him.

[saltpoint]

33. Not much, from the evidence. He's more vocal than others, that's all.

I think the grandstanding charge sticks. He's a good man but he is not an effective legislator.

[Kaleva]

36. Same with Stupak