Historic: House passes health care reform, 220-215
For the first time in American history, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve a universal health insurance program. (TPM has an excellent description of what's actually in the bill.)
The vote was 220 in favor and 215 against (roll call). One Republican, Anh Cao (R-LA), joined 219 Democrats in voting for passage - including every Democratic member from Oregon. Here's the closing moments:
There was one distressing note. By a vote of 240 to 194 (roll call), the House approved the Stupak amendment, which would limit the rights of private individuals to purchase abortion coverage through private health insurance plans. (Learn more about the Stupak amendment at Reproductive Health Reality Watch.) At least none of Oregon's four Democratic members voted for that awful amendment. (Rep. Greg Walden, of course, voted for Stupak and against final passage.)
There's a lot of excellent coverage at Huffington Post.
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November 8, 2009 |
Kari Chisholm | Comments (5 so far)
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Schrader To Vote In Favor Of HR3962
As the US House of Representatives draws closer to a vote on HR3962, the House version of the health care reform bill, Representative Kurt Schrader has announced he will vote in favor of the bill. Schrader explained his decision in a statement on his website:
Today Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR) announced his support for H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. He released the following statement:
“I am proud to have cast a historic vote today to overhaul America’s failing healthcare system to improve the healthcare of all Americans. This bill prohibits exclusions based on preexisting conditions and ensures American families will no longer be one illness or job loss away from bankruptcy. It also protects America’s senior citizens by fixing the donut hole sooner and allowing more drug price-negotiation to ensure seniors are getting the best prices for their medication. For the first time in our nation’s history, we say that every American deserves access to affordable quality healthcare.
I also believe that controlling escalating healthcare costs is essential to getting our nation’s fiscal picture under control. As a small business owner, and father of five, who has struggled to deal with rapidly increasing healthcare expenses, I am extremely sensitive to the cost of healthcare in this nation.
Over the past several months I have held more than 50 meetings with constituents, business and community leaders and healthcare professionals throughout my district. As a result of this input, H.R. 3962 is much improved over the original House bill that was introduced over the summer. It makes healthcare coverage more affordable to individuals and businesses as well as constraining costs much more than the original legislation.
I have received assurance from House leadership and the Administration that additional cost containment measures will occur in the final conference agreement. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure the plan is more sustainable over the long-term. The status quo is not an option. I’m excited to have played a role today in moving this process forward and continuing to craft a plan that accomplishes our two main priorities: increasing the quality and accessibility of healthcare and reducing costs for Oregon families, small businesses and our nation as a whole.”
Kudos to Schrader for making the right decision. Let's hope that the bill passes.
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November 7, 2009 |
Nick Wirth | Comments (25 so far)
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Push Schrader off the fence: the trifecta
Update 1:00PM: David at HorsesAss has some interesting commentary on this as well.
Update: 11:15AM: It would appear that even though the main office line isn't being answered, the internal staff lines are. Rep. Schrader's Legislative Director is Chris Huckleberry. His office number is [redacted -editor. Main number is 202-225-5711.]. If nothing else, you should be able to leave a voice mail.
Update: 10:50AM: Well...well..well...here's an interesting turn of events. It seems that all of the Oregon Democratic delegation is answering their DC phones today, except Schrader's office. Wu, Blumenauer and DeFazio's offices all pick up when you call. Interesting constituent services, Congressman Schrader.
Update: 9:30AM: The voicemail at Schrader's DC office is full, and as it's Saturday they're not picking up the phones. You can send him an email here.
As we hit the home stretch on health care reform, the House is scheduled to vote later today on legislation which includes the public option. The vote is expected to be very close, and Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader has been officially undecided.
This morning, the Oregonian pushed for a "yes" vote, noting that the bill on the table is historic and the kind of legislation that transforms things in a huge way for the better:
As in the 1960s, the momentous change is accompanied today by much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth. Right up until the final votes on Medicare in 1965, congressional conservatives vigorously opposed it, warning that it would lead to "rationing" of health care and "socialized medicine."It did not, yet the same hoary arguments echo on Capitol Hill today as Republicans battle to block reform and hand President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies a stinging political defeat. Also seeking defeat are thousands of angry "Tea Party" protesters, gathered at the Capitol Mall at the behest of the right-wing talk-show hosts who reign over today's conservative flank.
In any close examination of motive, the noisy demonstrations defy logic and present a bizarre spectacle. Tens of thousands of Americans, outraged that Congress might change the country's completely dysfunctional health care system?
There must be something else going on here, but we'll leave that up to the social scientists and historians. Instead, it's more useful to focus on what's real in the health care debate.
The AARP of Oregon specifically targeted Congressman Schrader this morning in today's Statesman Journal:
Those of us here in Salem and across our state and nation urge Rep. Schrader to seize the moment and move us one step closer to enacting true reform that will at long last bring quality, affordable health care within reach of most Oregonians and Americans. These bills embody the essential elements of reform — affordability, comprehensiveness and choice.They are good for those of us on the sunny side of 50 because they enhance and protect our access to care. As AARP pointed out in its endorsement of the bills this week, they would strengthen and protect Medicare now and into the future, lower prescription costs for seniors stuck in the Part D "doughnut hole," attack systemic waste as well as abuse and fraud, cover preventive services, prevent insurers from discriminating on the basis of age or pre-existing conditions or dropping people after they become sick, and add benefits that will allow more ailing seniors and people with disabilities to remain at home.
But make no mistake, these bills are also good for Oregonians of all ages. Even after the good work in the last state legislative session extended coverage to children, four out of five adults who would otherwise qualify for coverage under the Oregon Health Plan remain uninsured for lack of funding. And a report released last month by Families USA says that among all states Oregon will have the largest percentage point increase in 2009 of working-age adults without health insurance due to rising unemployment.
Alright Oregon, let's raise some hell. Start burning up the phone lines.
Schrader's contact information:
Washington DC Office
1419 Longworth Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5711
Salem District Office
494 State Street, Suite 210
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 588-9100
Toll Free: 1-877-301-Kurt (5878)
Oregon City District Office
112 8th Street
Oregon City, OR 97045
Phone: (503) 557-1324
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November 7, 2009 |
Carla Axtman | Comments (41 so far)
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Small businesses in Oregon need health care reform
by Nancie Koerber of Central Point. Koerber started her career in sales more than 30 years ago. She has owned and operated a successful insurance agency, real estate brokerage and currently runs Champions Realtime Training in Central Point.
I've just returned from a three day trip to Washington DC with 134 other small business owners from 25 states. We represented the Main Street Alliance—more locally the Oregon Small Business Council—and were there specifically for one reason: "To be heard" by our lawmakers on the issue of reforming our runaway health insurance industry.
We wanted the following:
1. Costs that are affordable (tax credits, subsidies for employees)
2. Effective cost controls that promote quality, lower administrative costs, and long term financial sustainability
3. Coverage we can count on (Insurance market reforms)
4. Choice and competition (national exchange, public option)
5. Commitment that's shared (shared responsibility, larger employers pay their fair share)
Small businesses in America now make up at least 60 percent of jobs. Every small business should be able to afford quality health coverage. We're willing to contribute, but we can't do it alone. We need real choice and real competition.
We started the day (Nov 2) with a press conference at the Senate, then moved to the White House for an event with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Small Business Administration head Karen Hill to have a question and answer session. In the afternoon, we met with our respective senators and representatives. The three of us from Oregon lobbied Reps. Schrader and Walden. Then we moved onto the Senate to spend some time with Sens. Wyden and Merkley.
The most important thing I learned from the trip is that Capitol Hill is like an anthill crawling with little worker ants. Most of them were very high paid lobbyists. They get their voice heard by constantly being there and offering campaign contributions and fact-impaired data to persuade our leaders. It is imperative that we continue to have our voices heard.
If you have called your congressperson 10 times on health insurance reform, it is not enough. Your stories and your voice matter and make a major difference. Keep calling, writing and showing up at events. Those who oppose our values need to hear from us the most. It is our America, so lets not let them forget it.
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote today on reform.
Congressman Kurt Schrader
Phone: (202) 225-5711
Congressman Greg Walden
Phone: (202) 225-6730
Congressman David Wu
Phone: (202) 225-0855
Congressman Peter DeFazio
Phone: (202) 225-6416
Congressman Earl Blumenauer
Phone: (202) 225-4811
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November 7, 2009 |
guest column | Comments (6 so far)
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The skinny kid at the end of the bench:getting it together for YES on M66/67
We are like the skinny kid sitting on the end of the bench on a basketball team when it comes to playing the game against millions of dollars flowing into Oregon to defeat Oregon's tax measures on the January ballot. We are not like the other team all lined up in neat rows of brass buttons and red coats fat with money for media buys, disinformation campaigns or linked the Chamber of Commerce and Freedom Works. We are not the establishment. We are like the Biblical story of David and Goliath. But if we play on Goliath's terms, Goliath wins. The more the Republicans scream and hold us in contempt the better because our position is not to raise our voices because we can make Goliath lose.
Our weapons are timing and speed. We can close the gap of understanding about the Measures 66 and 67 and we can do it by breaking Goliath's rhythm. We can't afford to go toe-to-toe against the conventional way the right wing groups conduct their NO on 66/67 campaign. We can't fight straight up because we know we will lose. We've got November, December and part of January to convince voters to vote YES on M66/67. We're going to be like the small ships at sea against a traditional naval fleet. We have the mobility to move like a P.T. boat while big ships slowly turn to avoid being shot. The ballots come out on January 8th and must be returned by January 26th.
If we fail to pass M66/67 Oregon will lose $1 billion dollars in funding. The economic damage to Oregon will devastate us. Businesses that rely upon sklilled and educated workers will leave the state because the already underfunded schools and colleges will be stripped down even further. I don't like 39 kids in a 6th grade class at Jackson Elementary this year. If the measures don't pass it will only get worse for our children. I don't like contemplating huge cuts in Head Start, police and fire services and reductions in senior services. I don't like 42 kids in a biology lab class at Ashland high school with not enough chairs or lab stations.
Even with the passage of measures 66 and 67 Oregon will still have the fifth-lowest corporate taxes in the country---lower than 45 other states. More than 97% of Oregon tax payers won't see any increase in their personal income taxes. The YES vote doesn't add any new money to our state programs it simply holds the line on the services provided right now.
Every time I buy a cup of coffee or get a hair cut I ask, "Have you heard about M66/67?" I tell the story and hand them a voter registration form if they are not registered to vote. Usually people don't even know about the measures but by the time I explain that most corporations and partnerships have been paying the $10 minimum that was set in 1931 I have a YES vote.
Down here in Jackson County our rag tag army of five invited several movers and shakers from many organizations to a meeting to share our game plan to defeat Goliath. Thirty-one people attended Wednesday night and signed on to pass the measures. We formed canvassing teams, phone bank teams, found 7 or 8 people willing to speak to others in an hour and 15 minute meeting. All of the people in the room are going back to their organizations to sign folks up to volunteer. We have three set canvassing dates for these organizations to join together and knock on doors. It certainly helped to have Representative Peter Buckley with us and a 10 minute conference call from the state field director from Defend Oregon among us. Today I spoke to a group of 50 folks at Rogue Community College and asked for their help.
All I'm saying is we can't wait for Defend Oregon or any other organization. We are the ones who can make the difference. Get 5 friends together and start working. Call Defend Oregon for handouts, charts and stuff if you think you'll need them. Use the strategies we all learned during the Obama campaign and don't wait around. We only have a few weeks to protect Oregon. Are you in?
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November 6, 2009 |
Paulie Brading | Comments (26 so far)
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WW Comes Out With Same Gore-Kitzhaber History I Reported
While Charlie Burr at BlueOregon accused me of stooping "to take the luster off" the Al Gore endorsement of Bradbury by reporting here on the genuine history of bad blood between Gore and Kitzhaber, over at Willamette Week, reporter Hank Stern admits that, journalistically, I simply beat him to a interesting background story.
In his article today, "Al Gore, John Kitzhaber & Not So Ancient History," Stern writes:
"I [Stern] had planned a follow-up ... for next week’s paper on the back story of how Gore fought Kitzhaber’s Oregon Health Plan when Gore was in the Senate. Former U.S. Rep. Les AuCoin (D-Ore.) beat us to the punch on Blue Oregon this morning by providing that history, which included a back-and-forth between Kitzhaber and Gore that had Kitzhaber endorsing heavy underdog Bill Bradley over Gore in the 2000 presidential primaries.
[At BlueOregon, Burr apologized for wrongly stating that I wrote as a Kitzhaber partisan (I have not endorsed a candidate) but he did not remove his post which ascribes tawdry motives to mine ("Subtext of Gore Endorsement: Gotcha Back, Kitz"). I merely provided historical context to the news event--just as Willamette Week planned to do first--although Burr was correct that I erred in the reported timing of Kitzhaber's endorsement of Bill Bradley.]
Another BlueOregon reader accused me of "stretching" the truth of the Gore-Kitz relationship to fit my "preferred" narrative--although I was there and he wasn't.
I'd like to believe that most BlueOregon readers can handle a political truth--that a single event can have multiple layers of meaning and complexity--just as well as WW readers can, even if some BlueOregon contributors and commenters evidentially cannot. And that BlueOregon readers regard such knowledge as edifying, not maligning.
In his article, the WW's Stern quotes Josh Kardon, chief of staff for Wyden, who was the Oregon delegation's point man in getting Kitzhaber's innovative Oregon Health Plan past Gore, whose bitter opposition strained relations with the then-governor.
Kardon said:
“Vice-President Gore was the single biggest impediment to securing the necessary federal waiver for the Oregon Health Plan. I know this because then-Congressman Wyden was tasked with getting administration approval given his background, seniority, and committee assignment, and I was the lead staff in the eventually-successful effort."
I honestly do not believe Kardon was stretching the truth to fit my preferred narrative.
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November 6, 2009 |
Les AuCoin | Comments (13 so far)
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OLCV prepares to step up their political game
It appears that the Oregon League of Conservation Voters is getting ready to take their political work to the next level.
First, the Oregonian has a Q&A with OLCV's new Executive Director, Jon Isaacs:
How are Oregon environmentalists doing politically?The environmental community does not get the respect it deserves from elected officials. When it comes time to making compromises, it's the environmental community that gets kicked out of the room. If you look at the values of Oregonians, it shouldn't be that way.
Are environmental groups uncomfortable with politics?
Being very involved with campaigns and partisan political races is something the environmental community is still figuring out how to do. The history is sit-ins, and protests outside the political arena. But if you're not playing in major political campaigns, partisan races, Democrat and Republican, you just don't exist in the political system.
In addition, Isaacs has been writing at the OLCV blog, noting that a coalition of more than 40 environmental organizations is preparing to throw down for Measures 66 and 67:
The Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) is a coalition of more than 40 environmental organizations representing advocates for wildlife, clean air & water, fish, renewable energy, parks, transportation, recycling, land use and consumer protection. OCN endorsed the Yes on 66 & 67 campaigns and made this the top priority for the coalition’s work during the next three months. The coalition will actively recommend a Yes vote ton these critical measures vand turn out its combined membership of more than 200,000 Oregonians to vote Yes in January. The campaign effort will be coordinated by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters.
OLCV has done work for campaigns and issues before, and has been effective. But this does seem like a more aggressive political approach than we've seen before.
This should be extremely interesting to watch.
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November 6, 2009 |
Carla Axtman | Comments (9 so far)
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Coast Guard Rescue 1705: A family grieves
I am watching the memorial service for Coast Guard Rescue 1705, being streamed from Air Station Sacramento, the home base for that lost C-130. As I watch,my son, Seaman Jesse Newman-Barnhart, is on board the USCG Midgett, returning to port in Seattle. Two days ago, he and the Midgett participated in a remembrance ceremony for the crew of Rescue 1705 off the coast of San Diego. They had arrived in port the day before, returning from patrol along the Pacific Coast of Central and South America. In a circumstance of such tragedy, that so many fellow Guardians could pay tribute to their lost comrades was bittersweet.I wish it could be so, but I doubt this will be the last time Jesse will have to say farewell to a comrade.
On October 29, 2009, while searching for a lost boater off the coast of southern California, a Coast Guard C-130 with a crew of seven struck a Marine Corps helicopter with two on-board. Both craft went down, and all nine Coasties and Marines were killed.
Members of Coast Guard Rescue 1705, Air Station Sacramento
Lt. Cmdr. Che J. Barnes, 35, Capay, Calif., aircraft commander.
Lt. Adam W. Bryant, 28, Crewe, Va., co-pilot.
Chief Petty Officer John F. Seidman, 43, Stockton, Calif., flight engineer.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Carl P. Grigonis, 35, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, navigator.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Monica L. Beacham, 29, Decaturville, Tenn., radio operator.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason "Jake" S. Moletzsky, 26, Norristown, Pa., air crew.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Danny R. Kreder II, 22, Elm Mott, Texas, drop master.
Marine Corps helicopter pilot and co-pilot
Maj. Samuel Leigh, 35, Kennebec, Maine.
1st Lt. Thomas Claiborne, 26, Douglas, Colo.
Continue reading "Coast Guard Rescue 1705: A family grieves"
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November 6, 2009 |
T.A. Barnhart | Comments (8 so far)
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Kitzhaber supporters work to downplay Gore visit for Bradbury
[Author's note: Les AuCoin wrote that in the comment section that he has not in fact endorsed Kitzhaber. So, egg, meet face. I apologize. However, the piece did read to me like it was designed to downplay Bradbury's role in earning the endorsement. I stand by the fact that Les' chronology and context around the Bradley endorsement in 2000 is off.]
Wow. The Bradbury campaign must be pretty happy to see Kitzhaber supporters working overtime to take the luster off next week's Gore visit. It really underscores that it's in fact quite a coup for Bill.
Les AuCoin is a talented politician and Kitzhaber partisan, and I appreciate that he's preemptively trying to downplay pushback to his post. Here's how Les put it:
As I write these words, I can already hear howls of protests about them from my friend Bill’s gubernatorial supporters.
Let me see if I can take a crack at it since I like both candidates and have endorsed neither. Les is wrong about Kitzhaber's 2000 primary endorsement of the lagging candidacy of Bill Bradley:
Kitz back bill Bradley early and conspicously....
No. Kitzhaber backed Bradley right before the Washington primary in late February when it was all but certain Bradley would drop out. It struck me as a pretty petty and politically boneheaded move then and still does today. In point of fact, Bradley dropped out of the race a week after his predictable Washington state loss. Fun fact: John Kitzhaber was the only governor in the country to get behind Bradley.
So, there was nothing "early" about it and the only thing "conspicous" about the decision was that it made virtually no sense whatsoever. Unless, you ascribe Les' motivations. That strikes me as a weird pitch for a Kitzhaber supporter to make: Kitzhaber endorsed a candidate for the highest office in the land because of bad blood. Not very compelling to me as an undecided voter.
Continue reading "Kitzhaber supporters work to downplay Gore visit for Bradbury"
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November 6, 2009 |
Charlie Burr | Comments (14 so far)
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Subtext Of Gore's Endorsement: Gotcha Back, Kitz!
Oregonians with short memories may think Gore’s endorsement of Bradbury in Oregon’s Democratic gubernatorial primary is a singular act of political love for Oregon’s ex-secretary of state.
But that misses an intriguing subplot.
Gore’s move is the continuation of a decades long feud with Oregon ex-governor Kitzhaber, Bradbury’s leading primary opponent, dating back to Gore’s bitter battle against Kitz’ innovative Oregon Health Plan when Gore was a U.S. Senate.
John K. won that fight, but he never forgot his nemesis from Tennessee; when Gore ran as the presumptive favorite for president in 2000, Kitz backed Bill Bradley early and conspicuously. Twisting the knife, the Guv criticized the Clinton Administration — and implicitly Gore, the “green” VP — for inept handling of the NW salmon crisis. I'm not saying it was Kitz's sole rationale, but it was one.
After 20 years, the Bradbury candidacy gave Gore the opening to stick the knife back. Here, too, it may not be Gore's only rationale, but it is one.
As I write these words, I can already hear howls of protests about them from my friend Bill’s gubernatorial supporters. It’s true their man made common cause with Gore on climate change in the last several years. It’s true that he took “Inconvenient Truth” training at Gore’s ranch in Tennessee and has proselytized effectively about the issue. It’s also true that his green credentials are a factor in Gore’s endorsement.
But it’s equally true that Gore and Kitzhaber can barely stand each other. It’s also true that Kitz is one of the strongest environmentalists in any of the states; on NW salmon, alone, he went far beyond Gore in advocating the breaching of the Columbia River’s fish-killing dams. It’s also true that on green issues generally, differences between Kitzhaber and Bradbury are negligible.
I’ve known and liked each of these guys for years. I Just think informed consumers should know the subtext of a political event. This one’s a lulu.
Please join me over at The Les AuCoin Blog
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November 6, 2009 |
Les AuCoin | Comments (27 so far)
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OR GOV: Chris Dudley debuts his shiny placeholder website
Former Trailblazer Chris Dudley is thinking about running for Oregon Governor on the GOP side. He's got himself a website on training wheels that includes some nice photos, but nothing so far that gives us a real sense of the guy and what he's about.
I'm not so in to basketball, so the only thing I know about Dudley is his name and that he used to play in the NBA. Google showed me that Dudley has a foundation for people living with diabetes.
He's also a partner at Filligree Advisors, a "wealth design and management company".
Any readers with insight into Mr. Dudley, please weigh in.
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November 6, 2009 |
Carla Axtman | Comments (31 so far)
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A Coup for Bradbury: Gore Hosts Fundraiser
Vice-President Al Gore will be in Portland on November 19th and will hold a fundraising event for gubernatorial candidate Bill Bradbury. According to the Oregonian's Harry Esteve:
Bill Bradbury, Democratic candidate for governor, has scored the first big fund-raising coup of the race, booking former Vice President and Nobel prizewinner Al Gore for an event later this month.
More information can of course be found over at Mr. Bradbury's website.
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November 5, 2009 |
Jesse Cornett | Comments (21 so far)
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