One of the key blue dog blockers on the Commerce committee is non other than Charlie Melancon of Louisiana. He is one of the seven Democrats blocking reform from leaving the committee. If he would support the bill, we would be able to get it out of the committee. Instead, he thinks he can succeed in winning the Senate race in Louisiana by running against Obama and touting that he helped "kill" the Obama healthcare plan. We should write his office and tell him that he will get NO netroots support for his Senate run if he continues this type of behavior. Here is where you can write: http://www.melancon.house.gov/...
I am tired of these Democrats thinking they can win elections by bashing and "breaking" the President of their own party. Democrats tried to do it to Clinton in 1994 and those who did so were not rewarded for their actions, but were soundly defeated. For example, Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper was one of the key opponents of the Clinton healthcare plan that helped kill it. In 1994 he ran for Senate in Tennessee and was clobbered by a 60%-39% margin by Republican Fred Thompson. Same with Dave McCurdy in Oklahoma. He helped block Clinton's healthcare plan and lost by a 55%-39% margin to Jim Inholfe in the Senate race that year. If Melancon wants to follow this same path, we should offer him no assistance.
There needs to be retribution for those Democrats who block healthcare reform to further their own political agenda. If Charlie Melancon knows that he will get no liberal support for his Senate run in 2010, I think he will change his position pretty darn quickly. Lets make sure Charlie Melancon knows what we can do to his career if he continues blocking reform.