House negotiations with Blue Dogs breaks down

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

These Blue Dog Democrats remind me of my brother-in-law. He's a member of the family so I'm supposed to be nice to him (my sister tells me so) so I try to tolerate him to the extent that I can, but man, he doesn't make it easy. He can be a major asshole, just take my word for it.

With Democrats like these, who cares about the Republicans? Republicans are impotent and irrelevant anyway.

Talking Points Memo reports Scattered Dems Regrouping As Tensions Erupt:

Earlier today, Henry Waxman struck a deal with rural Democrats, concerned with Medicare reimbursement rates in their districts. It's unclear whether he thought that deal meant he'd shored up enough support for the bill that he no longer needed acquiescence of the Blue Dogs on his committee, but once that deal was struck he told them, basically, to play ball or go home. So they went home.

Blue Dogs? They sound like a bunch of pussies to me. I guess this is why everyone describes Democratic Party discipline "like herding cats" (old EDS ad).

Updated report House Talks Break Down–Will Waxman Steam Roll Blue Dogs?

Just about an hour ago, negotiations between Blue Dogs on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and chairman Henry Waxman broke down, perhaps irreconcilably.

Earlier today, Waxman lashed out at the conservative Democrats for trying to "eviscerate" house health care legislation, and threatened to bypass their concerns completely in order to get a timely floor vote on a healthy bill. That seems to have sent tempers flaring.

"It pretty much fell apart this afternoon," said key Blue Dog Mike Ross (D-AR), who called Waxman's rhetoric "not helpful," according to Congressional Quarterly.

"It's my understanding that will be the last meeting we have," Ross said.

Now the ball is in Waxman's court. Will he try to mark the bill up anyhow? Or will he freeze them out completely. Democratic leaders will host a caucus meeting on Monday to address all members' concerns about the bill–a sign, perhaps, that they aren't going to wait for this intra-panel tiff to be resolved. If that's the case, all eyes will return again to the Blue Dogs to see whether they'll revolt against the bill. Showdown!

Earlier mcjoan at Daily Kos reported Blue Dog's Obstruction Proving Very Lucative:

The Blue Dogs would have you believe that they're trying to slow the healthcare reform process down out of concern for their rural members' districts, out of a deep concern for the financial future of America…

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So seven Blue Dogs are having a hissy fit (and sounding exactly like the Republicans) on Energy and Commerce to drag this out, because they don't need "artificial deadlines." So what's in it for the Blue Dogs? Money, of course. Via Campaign for America's Future, we find out just how well the Blue Dogs are being rewarded for joining up with the Republican obstructionist effort.

The Blue Dog Political Action Committee has collected $1.1 million for the 2010 election cycle, more than any other leadership political action committee on Capitol Hill, according to CQ MoneyLine.

The total includes about $300,000 from health care interests, including $158,000 from doctors and other provider groups; $87,000 from makers of drugs and medical devices; and $50,000 from health insurance interests.

For the comparable period in the 2008 cycle, the PAC collected slightly less overall: $875,000, including $218,000 from health care political action committees.

Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona, co‑chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and other liberal lawmakers have criticized Blue Dogs for not backing a top priority for Obama.

"Whose interest do the Blue Dogs serve if they vote no?" Grijalva said. "They should check with uninsured families and other interests that go beyond K Street."

Whose interests do the Blue Dogs serve? Obviously, the moneyed interests in this debate. And that includes their millionaire constituents. Nineteen major organizations, including the AARP and American Public Health Association have pointed that out in a letter to House leadership. The bill as written, the letter says,

…provid[es] sliding-scale premium subsidies to families up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line. This is particularly important in rural and other areas where most residents have modest incomes and need assistance for coverage to be affordable.With family health premiums now averaging close to $13,000 per year, premiums alone constitute a significant portion of income even for people at the upper end of this standard. That is why this provision in the House bill is so important.

That would be rural areas that the Blue Dogs say that they're looking out for. TPM's Beutler adds

Right now, one of the key sticking points in House negotiations between Blue Dogs and health care leaders is the question of financing–how to pay for the bill? Leaders had initially endorsed a surtax on high income earners to cover about half the bill's cost–but, under pressure from Blue Dogs, they're now walking that back. The original proposal had been to initiate the tax on families making over $350,000 a year, or individuals making over $280,000 a year. But now, they say, they might limit the tax to millionaires only.

But that creates a cost hole that needs to be filled. And Blue Dogs have suggested extracting it from working- and middle-class Americans. The bill, as proposed, would have provided subsidies for people living under 400 percent of the poverty line to buy health insurance–and Blue Dogs are suggesting that the line be lowered to 300 percent.

Right now, the average national premium for family coverage is $12,600–or $1,050 per month. Presumably, over time, reform legislation would lower that cost, but in the interim, it will continue to cost nearly that much. House legislation would help more middle-class people cover that cost–unless Blue Dogs get their way.

If you're represented by a Blue Dog, and you're not a millionaire, you might want to give your representative a call and let him or her know that you'll be remembering their efforts on behalf of industry and rich people come November, 2010.