Bart Gordon

Bart Gordon a “Yes” on Health Care Reform

On March 18, 2010, in Health Care, National Politics, by Mary Mancini

I just confirmed with his office in Washington – Congressman Bart Gordon has just announced that he will vote for the health care bill.

UPDATE: The haters may be blowing up his phone so please contact Congressman Gordon one more time to say “Thanks.”

UPDATE on all Democrats: Huffpo

UPDATE II: The Daily News Journal has the deets:

“The health care bill being considered by Congress now accomplishes three things: one, it reduces health care costs for families and small businesses; two, it improves access to affordable care, regardless of pre-existing conditions; three, it lowers our budget deficit. That’s why I am supporting it.”

My Thoughts on Bart Gordon. And Progressives in Tennessee.

On December 14, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

She who defines it, owns it.

In light of today’s announcement from Bart Gordon, yet another Congressional Democrat to announce he will not seek re-election, here’s the QOTD from Aunt B:

“As for us, we could try to be Democrats, actual Democrats, who stand for something other than being like the Republicans, but not.”

Why is this important? Aunt B’s answer is almost right:

“Because here’s the question Democrats have to answer: You’ve been running ever-increasingly conservative candidates. You’ve been supporting ever-increasingly conservative legislation. If the Republicans do gain control of the legislature and redistrict you out of Tennessee politics for the next generation, will we be able to tell the difference?”

Well, yeah, we will. There is a big difference between someone who votes with the Democratic Caucus 90% and someone who votes with the Democratic Caucus 0% of the time. But I digress.

Why is it really important for us to try and be “Democrats, actual Democrats, who stand for something other than being like the Republicans, but not?”

Because Democrats have been running ever-increasingly conservative candidates strictly on the social issues that divide Democrats. Because they’ve been supporting ever-increasingly conservative legislation on social issues that divide Democrats. And they’ve been losing.

The rational is that Tennessee is a “conservative” state. But whose definition of conservative are they using here? They’re using the extreme right-wing talk radio Conservative definition of conservative. And not only that, but they’re using the the extreme right-wing talk radio definition of the word and applying to every Tennessean instead of the 25-30% to whom it actually applies.

And, dude, let me tell ya, those twenty-five percenters ain’t never gonna vote for a candidate with a “D” beside their name anyhow. So what are you doing?

Tennessee is a populist state. Tennessee is a rational state. Tennessee has a centuries-old tradition of championing the rights of boot-strap pulling working people who want to earn an honest day’s pay and provide for their families. And if that isn’t enough, these hard-working people also want to lend a helping hand to their neighbor along the way. Tennesseans are a pro-family, responsible, freedom-loving people. They want things to be fair, equal, just and safe.

What part of that screams “conservative” to you?! Zero.

Progressives aren’t in the minority in Tennessee. Progressive values are the values that matter most to Tennesseans. Progressive priorities are the priorities of Tennesseans.

It’s funny to read the thread underneath the “Bart Gordon Resigns” post at Post Politics. Not funny “ha-ha” funny but funny as in the transparency of what certain “anonymous” commenters are trying to accomplish. “Blame the liberals! They wanted the blue dogs out!,” they’re yelling, as if, as Eleanor A. astutely observes, “EVERY candidate who hadn’t come out increasingly rightward on social issues – and who had nothing to offer on jobs, finances, education – hadn’t had his hat handed to him.”

Tennessee Republicans want nothing better than for Tennessee Democrats to continue to run to the right using the extremist positions on social issues. And they think they can bully us into doing so. Let’s hope not.

Tagged with: Bart Gordon • Betsy Phillips • Progressive Values • State Politics • Tennessee • Tiny Cat Pants

Tallying the Uninsured Dead

On November 6, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

While the anti-health care reform crowd gathered at the Bachmann Tea Party Overdrive in Washington yesterday to try and stop progress, and the Congressional Budget office issued a report critical of the Republican health care plan saying that it would reduce the federal deficit by $36 million less than the Democratic plan, only one lone Congressman was illustrating the ethical obligation we have to enact health care reform.

On the House floor this week, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) read off the estimated number of people represented in Republican congressional districts who will die next year due to a lack of health insurance.

Here are Grayson’s numbers for congressional districts across the South.

Alabama District 1, Joe Bonner: 114 dead
Alabama District 3, Mike Rogers: 88 dead
Alabama District 4, Robert Aderholt: 114 dead
Alabama District 6, Spencer Bachus: 69 dead
Arkansas District 3, John Boozman: 151 dead
Florida District 1, Jeff Miller: 130 dead
Florida District 4, Ander Crenshaw: 116 dead
Florida District 5, Ginny Brown-Waite: 200 dead
Florida District 6, Cliff Stearns: 152 dead
Florida District 7, John Mica: 143 dead
Florida District 9, Gus Bilirakis: 129 dead
Florida District 10, Bill Young: 138 dead
Florida District 12, Adam Putnam: 133 dead
Florida District 13, Vern Buchanan: 160 dead
Florida District 14, Connie Mack: 159 dead
Florida District 15, Bill Posey: 152 dead
Florida District 16, Thomas Rooney: 165 dead
Florida District 18, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: 199 dead
Florida District 21, Lincoln Diaz-Balart: 195 dead
Florida District 25, Mario Diaz-Balart: 195 dead
Georgia District 1, Jack Kingston: 123 dead
Georgia District 3, Lynn Westmoreland: 102 dead
Georgia District 6, Tom Price: 100 dead
Georgia District 7, John Linder: 156 dead
Georgia District 9, Nathan Deal: 159 dead
Georgia District 10, Paul Broun: 120 dead
Georgia District 11, Phil Gingrey: 113 dead
Kentucky District 1, Ed Whitfield: 113 dead
Kentucky District 2, Brett Guthrie: 102 dead
Kentucky District 4, Geoff Davis: 83 dead
Kentucky District 5, Harold Rogers: 130 dead
Louisiana District 1, Steve Scalise: 111 dead
Louisiana District 2, Joseph Cao: 98 dead
Louisiana District 4, John Fleming: [garbled on video]
Louisiana District 5, Rodney Alexander: 132 dead
Louisiana District 6, Bill Cassidy: 105 dead
Louisiana District 7, Charles Boustany: 112 dead
Mississippi District 3, Gregg Harper: 117 dead
North Carolina District 3, Walter Jones: 100 dead
North Carolina District 5, Virginia Foxx: 97 dead
North Carolina District 6, Howard Coble: 103 dead
North Carolina District 9, Sue Myrick: 82 dead
North Carolina District 10, Patrick McHenry: 101 dead
South Carolina District 1, Henry Brown: 157 dead
South Carolina District 2. Joe Wilson: 118 dead
South Carolina District 3, Gresham Barrett: 112 dead
South Carolina District 4, Bob Inglis: 133 dead
Tennessee District 1, Phil Roe: 110 dead
Tennessee District 2, John Duncan: 85 dead
Tennessee District 3, Zach Wamp: 94 dead
Tennessee District 7, Marsha Blackburn: 71 dead
Texas District 1, Louie Gohmert: 155 dead
Texas District 2, Ted Poe: 126 dead
Texas District 3, Sam Johnson, 144 dead
Texas District 4, Ralph Hall: 134 dead
Texas District 5, Jeb Hensarling: 151 dead
Texas District 6, Joe Barton: 136 dead
Texas District 7, John Culberson: 103 dead
Texas District 8, Kevin Brady: 132 dead
Texas District 10, Mike McCaul: 127 dead
Texas District 11, Michael Conaway: 164 dead
Texas District 12, Kay Granger: 156 dead
Texas District 13, Mack Thornberry: 144 dead
Texas District 14, Ron Paul: 146 dead
Texas District 19, Randy Neugebauer: 132 dead
Texas District 21, Lamar Smith: 119 dead
Texas District 22, Pete Olson: 150 dead
Texas District 24, Kenny Marchant: 138 dead
Texas District 26, Michael Burgess: 162 dead
Texas District 31, John Carter: 124 dead
Texas District 32, Pete Sessions: 209 dead
Virginia District 1, Robert Whitman: 68 dead
Virginia District 4, Randy Forbes: 93 dead
Virginia District 6, Bob Goodlatte: 99 dead
Virginia District 7, Eric Cantor: 76 dead
Virginia District 10, Frank Wolf: 81 dead
West Virginia District 2, Shelly Moore Capito: 102 dead

Too bad he didn’t calculate the numbers for Bart Gordon’s district since Congressman Gordon has decided to base his voting decisions not on any kind of shared values like “providing health security for all Tennesseans” or “Tennesseans shouldn’t have to risk their homes, life-savings, and the ideal that is the American Dream because of mounting medical bills brought on by being denied life-saving treatment by bottom-line focused insurance companies” but on the lies spread by the talk radio wing of the Republican party.

(Hat Tip: The Institute for Southern Studies)

Tagged with: Alan Grayson • Bart Gordon • Health Care • health in • Tennessee

August 22: Murfreesboro Rally for Health Insurance Reform NOW

On August 17, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

Announcement:

The time is now to stand up for Affordable Health Care, and you can make a national impact in Murfreesboro TN!

Join supporters of the President, partners in Labor, and average Tennesseans that know we need reform now.

While the opposition spread lies about health care reform and tries to shout down the majority of supporters, we will rally outside Congressman Bart Gordon’s office to make a clear demonstration of support.

Bring homemade signs and invite friends, neighbors, and family. We can’t wait for change this year!

Murfreesboro Rally for Health Insurance Reform NOW
Time: August 22, 2009 from 11:30am to 1pm
Location: The Office of Congressman Bart Gordon, 305 West Main Street Murfreesboro, TN 37130 (Map)

Tagged with: Bart Gordon • Healthcare Reform

LIBERADIO(!)

with Mary Mancini & Freddie O'Connell

Bart Gordon a “Yes” on Health Care Reform

My Thoughts on Bart Gordon. And Progressives in Tennessee.

Tallying the Uninsured Dead

August 22: Murfreesboro Rally for Health Insurance Reform NOW

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