EckerNet.Com

A craptasticly awful health care has passed both the Senate and the House, but now they must reconcile the two version before they can send something to the President.  That\’s assuming of course they don\’t decide that since they\’ve ignored most of their campaign promises they\’ll start ignoring the rules (i.e. the law) too.  There is our chance to still prevent this bill from becoming law and making our very life dependent on the government….the same government that brought you the IRS, the US Postal Service, TSA, etc etc etc etc

Sometimes it\’s a bit overwhelming when one considers the enormity of such a task, so it helps to break things down.  Basically three Democrats that voted for this POS would have to flip their votes in order to defeat the bill this time around.  So where does one start?  Fortunately the Kline campaign has done the hard work for us.  They\’ve identified 37 Democrats who could be easily persuaded to vote against it due to one or more features of the bill.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING OF ABORTIONS:
If the House-passed Stupak-Pitts language is weakened in the final agreement, the votes of the following pro-life House Democrats could be in play:

• Jerry Costello (Ill.) – 202.225.5661
• Kathleen Dahlkemper (Pa.) – 202.225.5406
• Joe Donnelly (Ind.) – 202.225.3915
• Steve Driehaus (Ohio) – 202.225.2216
• Brad Ellsworth (Ind.) – 202.225.4636
• Marcy Kaptur (Ohio) – 202.225.4146
• Dale Kildee (Mich.) – 202.225.3611
• Daniel Lipinski (Ill.) – 202.225.5741
• Jim Oberstar (Minn.) – 202.225.6211
• Bart Stupak (Mich.) – 202.225.4735
• Charlie Wilson (Ohio) – 202.225.5705

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE:
Will these House members, each of whom has a significant Medicare Advantage population in their district, vote for a final bill that cuts Medicare benefits for the seniors they represent?

• Harry Mitchell (Ariz.) – 202.225.2190
• Gabrielle Giffords (Ariz.) – 202.225.2542
• Dennis Cardoza (Calif.) – 202.225.6131
• Adam Schiff (Calif.) – 202.225.4176
• Dennis Moore (Kansas) – 202.225.2865
• Jim Oberstar (Minn.) – 202.225.6211
• Daniel Maffei (N.Y.) – 202.225.3701
• Steve Dreihaus (Ohio) – 202.225.2216
• Marcy Kaptur (Ohio) – 202.225.4146
• Zach Space (Ohio) – 202.225.6265
• Kurt Schrader (Ore.) – 202.225.5711
• Kathleen Dahlkamper (Pa.) – 202.225.5406
• Chris Carney (Pa.) – 202.225.3731
• Henry Cuellar (Texas) – 202.225.1640
• Adam Smith (Wash.) – 202.225.8901
• Alan Mollohan (W.V.) – 202.225.4172
• Ron Kind (Wis.) – 202.225.5506
• Steve Kagen (Wis.) – 202.225.5665

BUDGET IMPACT:
Potential House vote switchers from states that, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, are being forced to cut education funding but which will also be saddled with millions of dollars in new Medicaid costs are:

• Arizona: Gabrielle Giffords (202.225.2542); Harry Mitchell (202.225.2190)
• California: Dennis Cardoza (202.225.6131), Adam Schiff (202.225.4176)
• Connecticut: James Himes (202.225.5541)
• Georgia: Sanford Bishop (202.225.3631)
• Illinois: Melissa Bean (202.225.3711); Jerry Costello (202.225.5661); Deborah Halvorson (202.225.3635); Daniel Lipinski (202.225.5741)
• Iowa: Leonard Boswell (202.225.3806)
• Kansas: Dennis Moore (202.225.2865)
• Maine: Michael Michaud (202.225.6306)
• Michigan: Dale Kildee (202.225.3611); Bart Stupak (202.225.4735)
• Minnesota: Jim Oberstar (202.225.6211)
• New York: Michael Arcuri (202.225.3665); Daniel Maffei (202.225.3701)
• North Carolina: Bob Ethridge (202.225.4531)
• Oregon: Kurt Schrader (202.225.5711)
• Pennsylvania: Chris Carney (202.225.3731); Kathleen Dahlkamper (202.225.5406); Paul Kanjorski (202.225.6511)
• Virginia: Gerry Connolly (202.225.1492); Tom Perriello (202.225.4711)
• Washington: Adam Smith (202.225.8901)
• West Virginia: Alan Mollohan (202.225.4172); Nick Rahall (202.225.3452)
• Wisconsin: Steve Kagen (202.225.5665); Ron Kind (202.225.5506)

You\’ll note that Minnesota representative Jim Oberstar is included in all three of those bills making him an especially good candidate.  FYI, that was your hint to begin making calls to Oberstar\’s office, particularly if you are one of his constituents.

With the polls now showing Brown leading Coakley in Massachusetts, Democrats across the nation already have to be getting a little uneasy about their election chances, so they may be especially amiable to this sort of convincing.

[Crossposted at True North]