CNN has posted a list of House Democrats that have responded to their questions about their votes on Reconciliation. 15 Democrats are listed as being "Firm No".
CNN House Democrats
While many on the list aren't a surprise, one name in particular jumped out of the list - Congressman Luis Gutierrez of the Illinois 4th.
Congressman Gutierrez
In case you don't know Illinois Congressional Districts, Illinois 4th is both north and south of Chicago, close to the city. I'd expect that this would be a Democratic stronghold. Apparently it isn't.
I called the Congressman's office. His staffer told me that the Congressman believes that the current HCR bills are insufficient for two reasons. The first is that there is no public option. The second is that the Congressman believes that provisions should be made for non-residents to be able to take part.
At the moment, they have not whipped 217 votes in the House for reconciliation.
Dennis Kucinich has taken alot of heat on this site for not supporting the bill because of no public option. I've not yet heard mention of Congressman Gutierrez, holding out for a stated same reason.
His second reason sounds like a good reason for the US to take up Immigration reform, so that the non-residents that are his constituency can be in the plan like everyone else.
Frank Kratovil in Maryland 1st is a head-scratcher too, but I don't have the lowdown on what his problem is. My sister still lives in Baltimore, and she hates him.
My Rep is of course everyone's least favorite athlete-turned-politician, NC 11th's Heath Shuler. I called him today too to give him hell. Boy, what a disorganized office he is running.
Cheers.