Tuesday’s political round-up

May 29, 2007

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:

* Barack Obama will unveil his healthcare plan in a speech in Iowa City today, proposing a system that would provide universal coverage by 2012, paid for by employers and the expiration of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. The AP reports, “Obama’s plan retains the private insurance system but injects additional money into the system to pay for expanding coverage. It would also create a National Health Insurance Exchange to monitor insurance companies in offering the coverage. Those who can’t afford coverage would get a subsidy on a sliding scale depending on their income, and virtually all businesses would have to share in the cost of coverage for their workers. The plan that would be offered would be similar to the one covering members of Congress.”

* In what may soon be a trend, Fred Thompson peeled off a major congressional supporter of Mitt Romney, getting Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee to switch her endorsement. In January, Blackburn was named a senior advisor to Romney’s exploratory committee.

* If you missed Bill Richardson on Meet the Press on Sunday, the Richardson campaign is probably glad you did. It didn’t go particularly well, and Russert had the New Mexico governor on the defensive pretty much the whole hour. (On the other hand, if you’re going to have a bad MTP experience, the day before Memorial Day, when the show’s ratings are lower, is good timing.)

* Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) generally isn’t considered a major 2008 target, but an Insider Advantage poll conducted last week suggested the conservative incumbent might be vulnerable. In a hypothetical match-up against former Gov. Roy Barnes (D), Chambliss led by only two points, 42% to 40%. Barnes has not shown interest in the race, but he was used as a baseline sample for a well-known statewide Democrat.

* Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas), who won Tom DeLay’s old seat last year, will reportedly not run for the U.S. Senate next year against Republican John Cornyn. He will, however, seek re-election to his House seat.

Damn. That sucks about Richardson. I had been thinking white liberals would turn to him as the Hispanic to assuage their guilt when they eventually get cold feet and balk at nominating a black or a woman. It may still be true, or we may just have to get used to the idea of a “President Romney.” So, so sad.

  • Richardson has an excellent resume, but his skills on the campaign trail are best suited to one-on-one retail-politicking (which calls on the same sort of communication required for diplomacy, at which he is so adept). That style works well in a sparsely-populated state such as New Mexico, but it is not a winning strategy on a national level. Richardson will not be our next president; however, I can’t think of a better candidate for Secretary of State!

  • Hm. Not too impressed with Obama’s healthcare plan if it does rely on employers and private plans.

    We need to eliminate both those aspects if we’re to have a stable, robust system. As long as the system is piecemeal – this type of coverage for the employed, this type for the unemployed and retired, this other type for the poor – the system’s unstable. As long as we’re funding profits for insurers and pharmaceuticals, the system’s unsustainable.

  • I’ll try this once more here, and if you do a seperate post about Cindy Sheehan today, I’ll reprint it there too-

    I’m sorry to hear Cindy Sheehan still can find no meaning in the loss of her son Casey. My older brother is an officer in the Army and Casey Sheehan was one of four men in his unit killed during his tour in Iraq. The other day he sent me a Memorial Day Rememberance for them all, which he was moved to do by God.

    Spc. Chad H. Drake, 23, of Garland, Texas.

    Spc. Justin W. Johnson, 22, of Rome, Georgia.

    Spc. Casey Sheehan, 24, of Vacaville, California.

    Army 1st Sgt. Ernest E. Utt, 38, of Hammond, Illinois.

    *****
    It’s hard for a liberal blogger like me to find the right reply- but here is what I said- this is how I find meaning in this war and all its deaths, and if Cindy Sheehan is reading this, I hope it offers her some comfort-
    *****

    Thanks for this. It chokes me up. As much as I feel the invasion of Iraq was a horrible mistake, I do not feel our soldiers who die there do so in vain. They die upholding civilian rule and government by the will of our people, and this maintains the continuity of our nation. By carrying out their orders, they are in fact defending America by proving that they will give everything for those ideals, even if the orders themselves make absolutely no sense. It’s we the people who owe them. We owe more attention, more thought, more personal involvement in how the policies of this nation are shaped. We will self-correct, because the genius of our founders has given us the mechanisms to do so. It’s all there in the Constitution. I’m sorry for your personal pain and I’m grateful for your service- not as your brother, but as an American like any other. I will say a prayer for these four great men you knew. I will remember the blessings of liberty and use them to be the best citizen I know how to be.

  • Oh man, I DID see the Richardson fiasco. He seemed intimidated, anxious, and slow. Like he had difficulty remembering things he “should” say instead of answering with some semblance of authority and/or experience.

    It was hard to watch.

  • Bill Richardson is a most formidable political operative. I tremendously support his sense of fairness and progressivism. I do, however, agree with #2 above. I don’t see him as president, but I do see him as an instrumental part of any future Democratic presidency. His abilities are sorely needed at the national level. -Kevo

  • Any health care plan that keeps insurance companies in the mix is a non-starter as far as I’m concerned. It is absolutely ridiculous to have a cobbled-together system to please all the leeches, when true socialized medicine spends half as much as we do per capita. Yet not a single candidate (that I know of, except probably Kucinich) is advocating socialized medicine. I wish California would just secede so we could invite the likes of DK to immigrate and run for president.

  • Senator Barack Obama’s voting record on health issues can be found at: Senator Barack Obama’s Voting Record

    Senator Barack Obama’s history of speeches on health care can be found at: Senator Barack Obama’s Record of Speeches

    Senator Barack Obama’s ratings from special interest groups on health issues can be found at: Senator Barack Obama’s Interest Group Ratings

    Project Vote Smart produces the National Political Awareness Test (NPAT), which essentially asks each candidate “Are you willing to tell citizens your positions on the issues you will most likely face on their behalf?” You can find Senator Barack Obama’s responses to the NPAT at: Senator Barack Obama’s NPAT

    For more information on Senator Barack Obama’s position on health issues please visit Project Vote Smart or call our hotline at 1-888-VOTE-SMART.

  • #4 Haik Bedrosian moved me to tears…This has been somewhat weepy Memorial Day for me. I don’t have a loved one in this mess….but I feel for those who do. To think of all the young men and women who have died and/or been maimed…is heartbreaking. I wished I believed in Hell cause I would then feel some satisfation that W would go there…maybe I should start believing.

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