Labor Leader Warns Of "Price To Pay" For Dems Who Support Health Care Filibuster

One of the nation's most powerful union leaders warned conservative Democratic senators on Thursday that there would be a "price to pay" if they voted to sustain a Republican filibuster on health care legislation.

Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, said he could "honor all the Nelsons" in the Senate "whether Ben [of Nebraska] or Bill [of Florida]" if they chose to ultimately oppose a reform bill on philosophical grounds. "What I don't find acceptable," Stern told the Huffington Post, "is that we are going to use procedure to stop discussion."

There are 60 senators caucusing as Democrats, and that should mean something, Stern said. "If the Democrats have told people like ourselves, supporters for a long time, 'Just give us 60 votes. Give us the money, give us 60 votes and we will show you what we can do.' Well, it's show time," said Stern. It takes 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.

"The Democrats could close the door in the Senate and take a vote right there," he said. "The question really for them, which is much bigger than health care, is are they going to shoot themselves in the foot on bill after bill by allowing individual senators to all the sudden become king or queen for the day?"

Speaking in the halls of The Atlantic's First Draft of History conference, Stern predicted that a health care reform bill would make it to the president's desk before Thanksgiving. And when asked about recent reports that the SEIU would be willing to drop demands for a government-run insurance option -- provided that there were other means of reducing costs and expanding coverage -- he stressed that the union remained "fully committed" to the public plan.

"We just can't understand why it now can't happen," he said.

The SEIU chief also accused Republicans of trying to run out the clock on the reform debate -- a strategy that he described as more than just cynical politics. "They have no health care plan and they are letting people continue to suffer," he said.

"I think what Rep. [Alan] Grayson is right about is that the Republicans have no plan," Stern said, referring to the Florida Democrat who said earlier this week that the GOP approach to health care would result in more Americans dying.

"And while they have no plan, people are suffering and people are dying. That is an issue and they should be held accountable. And the insurance companies are even worse because people have been paying for their health care can't get it when they need it and then they suffer and die."

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Comments

[Deschris]

I don't give a sh**t if the health insurance companies go out of business.It's me or them.Ask yourselves what useful purpose they serve...They are not DOCTORS...they are FLEAS.Call me socialist but I would ban them outright.When people need to see their Doctor there should be no health care for profit company standing in their way. If they know they will be banned they will come around in a hurry,some money is better than no money at all.

This conservative right wing bunch of thugs are really out of control when you have priests praying for the president's death,priests that say universal health care is wrong.Could you imagine all that crap coming from the mouths of these vampires while they are exempt from taxes and continually fleece the poor for contributions.They are all going to hell if there is one.

[KIVPossum]

The Dems are two men up in a futbal match and still can't get the ball in the 18 yard line.

[Grannysue]

I totally agree with the article, maybe the Dems didn't get the memo that they have the MAJORITY, well if they didn't we can all send them one, and it won't be nice trust me.

[ChelseaC]

Let's hope the Dems grow a spine soon.Since these numbskulls had taken single payer off the table (which was weak and stupid--starting a negotiation with a compromise), the very least we should get is a REAL public option for ALL who want in-- if not there will be a price to pay as the union leaders stated.

[ilse]

Put pressure on blue dog democrats like Baucus, Lincoln, Nelson, Carper, Conrad, Liebermann. These are who stand in the way of us getting a public option. They are bought and paid for by the insurance companies and the only chance of a public option is to put "serious" pressure on them. Don't let them take our chance of getting a public option over their greed for money. They were not put in office to make themselves rich, they were put in office to serve us, the people. If pressure is not put on them, they will never agree to give us a public option.

[tapley]

The biggest problem is, they may not care. They may feel, if they lose a primary, they have made enough money or they will get hired on by the Insurance Companies, Big Phrma or lobbiest.

[toxicbrainpoison]

They need to represent the values of the constinuents that elected them, otherwise someone will be elected who WILL.

[Todd12345]

The outrage - I believe its there ! Everyone I know is about to explode on this issue . If this goes sideways I believe there will be riots - none the likes have ever been seen in the USA. It will only take a spark !

[cruisin1]

It's looking really bad. What's the point of having a super majority if the Democrats don't use it?

The party, and I'm sorry to say even Obama, will deserve to lose anything they lose if they don't pass a bill with a strong public option.

Unions support it. Majority of doctors and nurses support it. The American people support it.

And the future of our health care is dependent upon a handful of LAP DOG Democrats who answer to insurance companies?

Where is the outrage?

[rollingdivision]

Democrats must obey their union bosses.

[Agent420]

I'd rather have a union boss than an insurance company bean counter.

[ECBA88]

This is the message we all need to be sending to our Senators.

[jorge999]

The Senate needs to change the rules and DUMP THE 60 VOTE REQUIREMENT to overcome a filibuster!

[belltor]

WE just need to do away with the senate period.

They have become the body of obstructtion

[classicalmusicman]

While they're at it, they should get rid of the filibuster altogether. The Senate is already too biased toward small rural states, many of whom are suffering a brain drain to begin with. Getting 50 votes there is hard enough. Requiring 60 is absurd. Think of it. You have the presidency and House dominated by one party, and the Senate too, yet 40 bozos in the latter can bring everything to a halt. No country I'm aware of runs a democracy this way.

[SeattleKurt]

the other benefit of getting rid of the filibuster is that if there becomes a third or forth party it'll be easier to create a coalition in the senate. as it stands right now the filibuster is the democrat's fundraising tool to demand a supermajority to get reasonable regulation and healthcare passed. it is not reasonable nor undemocratic to need a supermajority to pass anything.

[SeattleKurt]

Oops

Meant to say, "It is neither reasonable nor democratic to need a supermajority to pass anything."

[rblackbird]

The conservative Democrats in the Senate, along with the scared-of-­their-own-­shadows political geniuses in the White House are showing themselves to be nothing but a bunch of wishy-washy weenies. For these fools, we organized, contributed and got out the vote?

Pass the damn bill, already, with the public option. The dismay of the insurers shows the righteousness of the public option.

For the Democrats who do not cooperate with the leadership, strip them of committee assignments and seniority and move their offices to the Senate parking garage.

Right on Andy Stern!

Representative Alan Grayson for President!

[jorge999]

"...For the Democrats who do not cooperate with the leadership, strip them of committee assignments and seniority and move their offices to the Senate parking garage..."

Absolutely! Even the repugs know how to enforce a little party discipline. it's past time for the dems to do it!

[cltclt]

Ditto to Blackbird and Jorge, no wonder the next target is on SEIU, they actually have guts. Most Independents only voted for President Obama because he promised to reform healthcare. Enough giving one or two people total say over the majority. That's why we won the majority. If you can't work with a majority, Independents will have no problem putting another Congress in place in the House and Senate.

[Chahua]

You better do what the unions tell you to or else,

[wdw505]

laughing

[ragtag]

Them and the insurance company lobbyists...

[wonketteRAWKS]

So SEIU will be happy getting health reorm with NO PUBLIC OPTION if that is the way Obama wants to go?

Single Payer Now!

[pbziegler]

Did you read Stern's statement above? Where does he say he's willing to let the public option go? He and SEIU have continued to be major forces working for the public option. Keep clear who are our friends and who are our enemies in this battle.

[cheeriogirl]

pb, you've obviously forgotten that the Repubs shout li es first, read after the fact ( if at all).

[wdw505]

who cares what they want and why?

[cltclt]

They turned out the vote and that's why people should care. If Republicans had all these great ideas they should have put them in place when they had the majority. They don't intend to do anything with healthcare but stall and Democrats should know that by this point. I'm inclined to believe the fix is in and maybe some Democrats don't want healthcare reform either.

[afgail]

If Bush Dog Democrats don't vote to end the Republican filibuster, they will trigger a firestorm. The ignition of which will have a blowback that will singe their back sides and create a crisis of confidence in this country. If they want to play hardball they should expect a few very well aimed bean balls. They might find the Bush Dog states federal funding streams cut off.