Ten House Dems have not ruled out switching their "no" votes to "yes" votes (AP)

[jefferson_dem]

Some House foes eye switch to 'yes' on health care

WASHINGTON – Ten House Democrats indicated in an Associated Press survey Monday they have not ruled out switching their "no" votes to "yes" on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, brightening the party's hopes in the face of unyielding Republican opposition.

The White House tried to smooth the way for them, showing its own openness to changes in the landmark legislation and making a point of saying the administration is not using parliamentary tricks or loopholes to find the needed support.

<SNIP>

Persuading lawmakers to change their votes is a tough sell. Elected officials are loath to vote two ways on a controversial issue, feeling such a switch draws more resentment than support overall. Democratic leaders stress that the legislative package soon to reach the House will be less expensive than the one that passed in November and will contain no government-run insurance program to compete with private insurers.

They hope those changes will give additional cover to party moderates thinking of switching from no to yes.

In interviews with the AP, at least 10 of the 39 Democrats — or their spokesmen — either declined to state their positions or said they were undecided about the revised legislation, making them likely targets for intense wooing by Pelosi and Obama. Three of them — Brian Baird of Washington, Bart Gordon of Tennessee and John Tanner of Tennessee — are not seeking re-election this fall.

The others are Rick Boucher of Virginia, Suzanne Kosmas of Florida, Frank Kratovil of Maryland, Michael McMahon of New York, Walt Minnick of Idaho, Scott Murphy of New York and Glenn Nye of Virginia. Several lawmakers' offices did not reply to the AP queries.

<SNIP>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100301/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul

[hedgehog]

1. !0 Blue dogs who thought the bill too liberal, or ten progressives

who thought the bill did too little or some combination?

:shrug:

[jefferson_dem]

2. Not sure.

I was thinking blue dogs. How many "purity progressives" voted no?

[flpoljunkie]

3. Blue Dogs ought to like this mostly Senate bill with Obama's fixes better.

Surely, no progressives would kill this bill and pass up a chance to insure over 30 million people--and then make it better down the road. Kucinich, that means you, too.

You don't need a public option, certainly not the weak one the House passed, if you really regulate insurance companies. If Wendell Potter and Bernie Sanders support this bill, then we Dems should all support this bill.

[w4rma]

5. No. We need a public option. (nt)

[jefferson_dem]

4. Blue dogs...

More details from AP in the OP.

[Bitwit1234]

6. Kratovil will not I bet. He presentments the heavily republican

section of the Maryland Panhandle. The vote republican all the time. Why I sure as hell don't know....but one thing they got Klobuchar to say she would vote for a public option.

I think all the fuss they are making about trying to find a democrat to run against her in the primary is finally turning her loose from those corporations, especially health insurance.

[DrToast]

7. These are people we probalby could have had the first time, but Pelosi let them vote 'no'

[customerserviceguy]

9. They needed just enough votes in the House

to toss this hot potato over to the Senate, where it was thought it would die. Had it not been for the deal cut by Ben Nelson, and the cave-in to Joe Lieberman, it might have died there.

Yes, they might pick up a few votes from those who have decided to throw in the towel, but there are a goodly number of 'yes' votes that really want to vote 'no' since Massachusetts. We are now witnessing the biggest game of political 'chicken' ever seen.

[O is 44]

8. I hope this is true....

listening to Rachel right now, the people behind the crazy town halls last summer are now targeting 18 conservative Dems in the house with anti healthcare reform ads.

[Clio the Leo]

10. current chatter lists number of "yes" votes at 192, solid ...

... we need 24 more.

http://twitter.com/HEALTH_NOTES/status/9853572794

[DrToast]

11. I find that pathetic if true...

What the hell is wrong with these people?

[Clio the Leo]

12. center right voters in their home districts. NT