Why Eric Massa voted against the health care bill

[FLAprogressive]

(this is obviously from before the vote)

The congressman representing the 29th District explained Friday why he plans to vote against a health-care reform bill, even if the majority of his constituents support it.

After reading the nearly 2,000-page bill, U.S. Rep. Eric Massa, D-Corning, said he cannot support it because it would harm his constituents.

*snip*

"At the highest level, this bill will enshrine in law the monopolistic powers of the private health insurance industry, period. There's really no other way to look at it. I believe the private health insurance industry is part of the problem," Massa said.

http://www.stargazette.com/article/20091106/NEWS01/911060346/Massa+says+he+ll+vote+against+health+care+bill

----

Massa and Kucinich were the only "No" voters who voted against it because the bill did not contain a strong enough public option.....

[polichick]

1. Can't blame them - don't know if I could've voted for it either, for the same reason. nt

[undeterred]

2. But there are no Massa - bashing threads...

[FLAprogressive]

4. because DK is an easier target. Massa is making some noise though and will surely face some ire here

[NYC_SKP]

3. I say let's put him in a debate with, say, Alan Grayson and see who's more convincing.

CONGRESSMAN GRAYSON PROUDLY SUPPORTS AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA ACT
November 7, 2009 9:18 PM

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Alan Grayson voted tonight in favor of the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The bill (H.R. 3962) will deliver life, health, and peace of mind to the tens of millions of people in the United States who do not have health insurance.

Congressman Grayson said, “I promised from the start to vote for any bill that saves money and saves lives. This bill does both. This bill will help save the lives of the nearly 45,000 Americans who die every year because they do not have health insurance,” Congressman Grayson said.

Congressman Grayson never wavered in his support of health care reform. Leading up to the vote, he personally spoke with hundreds of constituents, to listen to their concerns and answer their questions. Since August, he has held three health care town halls, a health care telephone town hall meeting, and dozens of other open meetings; consulted with the members of his Health Care Advisory Board; and considered the overwhelming number of calls and emails from constituents.

Congressman Grayson said, “A lot of people say they love America. To them I say, ‘it’s not enough to love what’s in America. You cannot just love the Appalachian Mountains, the Mohave Desert, or the Gulf Coast. You need to love Americans as well. And loving people means taking care of them, sheltering the homeless, feeding the hungry, and healing the sick.’”

http://grayson.house.gov/2009/11/congressman-grayson-proudly-supports-affordable-health-care-for-america-act.shtml[/div

[ClarkUSA]

5. Massa is full of shit. He voted against it because he's from a very Republican part of upstate NY.

He barely won against the GOP incumbent and is in his first term. He doesn't want to ruin his internet $$$ appeal as an
alleged liberal even though he used to be a Republican prior to deciding to run for office. His explanation for his "No"
vote is a slick piece of CYA. He's simply insulating himself from a Hoffmanesque challenge next year while simultaneously
assuring his place as an Ed Show regular guest.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. You're pulling that out of your ass

[ClarkUSA]

15. How clownishly civil of you. nt

[sandnsea]

24. But I'm not

http://www.stargazette.com/article/20091106/NEWS01/911060346/Massa+says+he+ll+vote+against+health+care+bill

[FLAprogressive]

9. Massa is a strong supporter of single-payer

http://lauraflanders.firedoglake.com/2009/05/28/eric-massa-the-single-payer-moment/

[ClarkUSA]

17. Yes, I've seen him on The Ed Show but he's also a very wily ex-Republican from a red district. nt

[TheWraith]

13. Bullshit. He spent the summer telling his district they were wrong...

And also proclaiming he wouldn't vote for anything that didn't include a public option paying at Medicare rates. He didn't. End of story.

[ClarkUSA]

30. Of course he did, because he's smart enough to play both ends against the middle.

It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that a public option tied to Medicare rates was never going to fly and his declaration
is convenient in that his nay vote now spares him from conservative Republicans' and right-leaning independents' wrath at the
voting booth when he's up for re-election next year. Nice hat trick, that.

[TheWraith]

52. Do you really think that's going to stop the Republicans?

Seriously? Hell, he was forcefully advocating for a COMPLETE GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER of the healthcare system. Put that in a campaign ad and smoke it.

[sandnsea]

21. Exactly, the rest of his comments prove that

"This bill also, I believe, fails to address the fundamental question before the American people, and that is how do we control the costs of health care. It does not address interstate portability, as Medicare does. It does not address real medical malpractice insurance reform. It does not address the incredible waste and fraud that are currently in the system," he said."

So he throws out his bone to the far left, and then adds this to appease his right wing constituents.

Both sides against the middle.

http://www.stargazette.com/article/20091106/NEWS01/911060346/Massa+says+he+ll+vote+against+health+care+bill

[ClarkUSA]

34. "Both sides against the middle." That's right.

GMTA:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6964858&mesg_id=6965138

[sandnsea]

35. DeFazio does it too

Heresy to say around here, but he does. He did it on the bailout. That's why I recognized it.

He's got enough cover on health care though. Oregon is used to progress on health care, we already have subsidized insurance. That's probably why we don't have quite as much freaking out here, although there is still some and definitely more than I would like. Stupid people in this teeny town, almost none of them own businesses big enough to meet the mandates, all will benefit from the tax credits - freaking out about the increased taxes and regulations. I don't know what is wrong with them.

[ClarkUSA]

47. Yes, I faintly recall DeFazio's doubletalk.

<<Stupid people in this teeny town, almost none of them own businesses big enough to meet the mandates, all will benefit
from the tax credits - freaking out about the increased taxes and regulations. I don't know what is wrong with them.>>

I know. There's alot of Pavlovian reflexive response on the part of low-information voters to the GOP ringing their "big government
out to get ya" bell. You're right about "stupid people" -- unfortunately.

[ProSense]

6. Massa is from a district won by McCain and has been walking on eggshells

Eric Massa(N.Y. 29)

[FLAprogressive]

8. Massa is also a member of the Progressive Caucus and wants to withdraw from Afghanistan

a blue dog he ain't.

[ProSense]

10. He's still walking on eggshells. n/t

[FLAprogressive]

11. he's a single-payer advocate

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2009/11/07

[ProSense]

16. He campaigned against the House bill because it raised the deficit

He had no intention of voting for the bill because he basically squeaked by his opponent the last election.

[FLAprogressive]

33. So he must be one of those stealth republican single-payer advocates, right?

[ProSense]

40. Kucinich's amendment had 13 Republican votes. n/t

[AllentownJake]

44. Holy Shit

Dennis Kucinuch is about to leave the party and join the GOP!

Anthony Wiener introduced an amendment to ban medicare...that bastard.

[bigtree]

12. I'm sure those conservatives loved THIS appeal to them from Rep. Massa

Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY): '2951 days in Afghanistan is enough'

November 5, 2009

Last night, November 4th, I spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives to mark the 2,950th day of the war in Afghanistan and formalized my call to draw this conflict to a conclusion. As a freshman member of Congress that served in the United States Navy for 24 years, it has been my honor to serve on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee, and because of my background and experience, I think it's my duty to speak out on this issue.

To date, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, the American taxpayer has spent or committed $3,000,000,000 to fund this war. That breaks down to:

• $101,694,915.25 per day for 2,950 days;
• $986.84 per person since our population is roughly 304 million;
• $3,947.36 for each American family of four.

And the greatest cost of this war is of course the 912 American troops killed, and 4,198 wounded. This of course does not include the thousands of internal wounds that our troops must bear for the rest of their lives.

My fellow Americans, the time to bring this war to a conclusion is now and we must stand with a clear voice and demand it. The war in Afghanistan has lasted five times longer than World War I and twice as long as World War II. When 1/3 of Hamid Karzai's ballots were thrown out for voting fraud and Abdullah Abdullah declined the runoff election due to the rampant corruption in the system, the world saw what we already knew - it is simply impossible to impose a democracy on a nation that does not want it.

If terrorist threats to our Nation reemerge from Afghanistan, we will strike, but we are not an occupying force.

If you agree with me on this issue, I need your help to promote this diary and I ask that you forward this to your friends as well. Let's tell the Leadership of the House and the White House that enough is enough. Our military has done everything they've been asked and it is time to conclude this war.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-eric-jj-massa/2951-days-in-afghanistan_b_347304.html

[ClarkUSA]

14. To my knowledge, upstate NY conservatives don't read HuffPo, as Massa well knows. nt

[AllentownJake]

20. I'm pretty sure his General Election opponent

has an opposition research team

:rofl:

[ClarkUSA]

36. His expected GOP opponent wanted the House bill defeated and Massa has obliged him.

Massa barely won his first term in an historically GOP district so of course he was never going to vote for the House bill.

[AllentownJake]

43. The comment was about Afghanistan and Huffington Post

You do understand that both parties pay good money to people to read and highlight everything anyone running for congress has ever done or said.

In fact both parties pay good money to do it on their own candidates so there are no surprises.

[ClarkUSA]

48. Um, I know.

You do understand that Massa has very carefully couched his pretty words about single-payer in terms of a fiscal
conservative, right? So that when his opponent does ever quote him, Massa will sound perfectly in tune with his
conservative constituents, many of whom have no clue what single-payer is but for whom bashing insurance
company profits is always a winner. And his vote provides him further cover.

He barely won against the GOP incumbent and is in his first term. He doesn't want to ruin his internet $$$ appeal as an
alleged liberal even though he used to be a Republican prior to deciding to run for office. His explanation for his "No"
vote is a slick piece of CYA. He's simply insulating himself from a Hoffmanesque challenge next year while simultaneously
assuring his place as an Ed Show regular guest.

Oh, he's a wily one. Nice pretty shiny words with a vote to match. He's playing to win re-election, nothing more,
nothing less. He's a very smart man who has learned to triangulate without any coaching from Dick Morris.

[AllentownJake]

50. So what you are saying

is he's a politician...like the President, Sec. of State, Grayson and the rest of them.

[bigtree]

28. that's pretty weak

He's known for his liberal positions. It's just not credible that he's using those to appeal to conservatives in his district. This vote of his on the health insurance bill wasn't predicated on any conservative argument either.

[ClarkUSA]

38. No, it's very clever on Massa's part. nt

[bigtree]

42. heh

I guess you can characterize his vote any way you want. Pretty slippery politics for his critics here to try and twist his vote into an appeal to republicans. Nothing on the face of his stated rationale for his position and vote supports any of that hogwash.

[ClarkUSA]

46. I knew Massa before he ever decided to run for office and contributed to his first failed campaign.

I also contributed to his second, barely-won race against Randy Kuhl, a hard right wing nut. I have attended gatherings with him.
I'm not a critic at all. I just call bullshit when I hear it. It's obvious to me what he's doing. Like I said, he's no dummy. His expected
GOP opponent is campaigning on defeating the House bill. Massa is just using pretty words to appease the gullible Kucinich left while
his vote satisfies his conservative constituents.

[bigtree]

49. that doesn't make any sense at all

The republicans who run against him won't make the same distinctions you're making here. It's a ridiculous notion, on it's face, that he's appealing to what you imagine is a 'Kucinich left' to cozy up to the conservative right. It's just silly.

Honestly, you don't seem to be able respect that most folks think for themselves and aren't part of any Kucinich posse just because we've defended him on this vote. I suppose it serves whatever you've contrived as Massa's and Kucinich's motives to put everyone who agrees with their position in some little box. Most folks are much more complex and rational than that. It's really sad to see so many smears of these Democratic politicians, but it's just as despicable to smear the folks who support the positions they've taken on these flawed bills. So, we're 'gullible' because we agree with their positions (or disagree with your own)? That's just slippery politics on your part, ClarkUSA. People who express their views here deserve better.

[ClarkUSA]

51. It does to me (and to other people on this thread who are known for their sensibility).

FWIW, ProSense was named by Thom Hartmann last week for an excellent OP.

<<The republicans who run against him won't make the same distinctions you're making here.>>

Here's more of my perspective on this matter:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6964858&mesg_id=6965455

You're entitled to your opinion, of course. As I am to mine.

As for those "flawed bills," Kucinich voted against the stimulus bill, the climate bill, and now he's voted against the HCR bill. He's a
useless Democrat in terms of moving legislation forward into conference, much less passing legislation into law, so it's my sincere
hope that he gets primaried by a pro-choice Democrat and loses. In the private sector, he can keep doing the same thing he does
in Congress: talk and get nothing accomplished.

[ProSense]

19. Why is that hard? The right has taken to criticizing Obama on Afghanistan. n/t

[AllentownJake]

22. I fondly remember watching Dick Cheney

pushing for a withdrawal two weeks ago

:rofl:

[ProSense]

27. I know you're waiting for the implosion,

Don't hold you breathe. The House passed a major health care bill yesterday.

[AllentownJake]

I'm not waiting for anything

As soon as it hits August 2010 I shut my mouth and join the cheer leading brigade, but I like to comment on stupidity till than.

[bigtree]

29. Don't be foolish

If you believe that out of Afghanistan is a conservative position then you're as ignorant as you are boring.

[ProSense]

37. It doesn't have to be out of Afghanistan, it will be whatever spin they need to use. n/t

[bigtree]

45. like your appeal and effort here?

You spin like you're defending the bill . . . but we KNOW you're sincere in this effort because___

[AllentownJake]

18. I thought all was well now in upper NY after the special election

[ProSense]

23. You thought wrong. n/t

[AllentownJake]

26. No,

everyone told me that all was well because we are winning in NY last week despite the NJ and VA races.

[Cleita]

25. He's so right and so is Dennis. That's why I can't understand all the

cheerleading. I'm hoping there still is a chance that when it goes to conference wiser heads will prevail.

[JackRiddler]

31. If we all work at it hard enough, maybe we can turn this unmistakably clear statement...

into a tactical cover for his secret right-winginess.

Because there's just no way that his true, realistic statement rejecting the bill could be stating his actual reason for doing so.

It must be that he's secretly a Republican hostage!

[FLAprogressive]

32. +1

[sandnsea]

39. What about these statements

http://www.stargazette.com/article/20091106/NEWS01/911060346/Massa+says+he+ll+vote+against+health+care+bill

Maybe you want to consider everything the man says before you decide on his motives.

[ClarkUSA]

41. It's pretty words calculated to appease the left while his vote satisfies his district's voters...

And it neutralizes his expected GOP opponent, who has been campaigning on defeating the House bill. Massa is no dummy.