Last week the Democratic Representative from Ohio's 16th District voted for the Stupak amendment but against the health care bill itself. His name is John Boccieri and last year, while campaigning, he stated several times that he is for health care reform. Yet, when the time came to vote, he let down the Democrats who had worked for him and helped him get elected.
Now, there is no doubt that Ohio's 16th District is marginally Republican. McCain carried it by about 2% of the vote. It is also true that he will be facing a very aggressive and potentially well funded Republican. Given both of those factors, though, his vote for the Stupak amendment but against the health care bill is both morally obtuse and politically stupid.
The people who backed him are dismayed and disappointed. The people who oppose him are still opposing him. In short, he didn't really pick up votes by opposing the health care bill and it probably has cost him both workers and contributors.
In any event, the letter I sent him via his Facebook account appears below:
John:
I was deeply disappointed in your health care vote. This is a very personal issue for me since I have three children who will be greatly helped by the passage of the House bill. You see, they have preexisting conditions or work for an employer who doesn't provide health insurance. I know a lot of people in the same situation. By voting against the House bill, you did, in essence, vote against my children and the children of other people I know.
Not only do I think that your vote was bad policy, it is also bad politics. There is a billboard that I pass by every day. It accuses you of being Nancy Pelosi's puppet. It went up before the health care vote and, surprise, surprise, it is still up even though you voted against the health care bill. Do you really think that the people who funded that billboard are going to support you now that you voted against the health care bill? If you do, you are sadly mistaken.
Not only did you vote against the health care bill, you voted for the Stupak amendment. I can understand that vote. I am assuming that for you that vote was a moral issue. If that is true, then tell me why making health care more accessible isn't also a moral issue?
I have talked to other Democrats who are also deeply disappointed in your vote. For many of us this vote was very important and you let us down.