Markos Moulitsas To Kucinich: You'll Be Primaried If You Kill Reform

Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas warned on Tuesday night that if Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) plays a role in killing health care reform, a Democratic primary challenger would almost certainly await him in the next election.

In an appearance on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Moulitsas conveyed pointed frustration with the Ohio Democrat's pledge to oppose reform on grounds that it doesn't go far enough. He said Kucinich was practicing a "very Ralph Nader-esque approach" to politics.

"The fact is this is a good first step and he is elected not to run for president, which he seems to do every four years," he said. "[Kucinich] is not elected to grandstand and to give us this ideal utopian society. He is elected to represent the people of his district and he is not representing the uninsured constituents in his district by pretending to take the high ground here."

Pressed by fill-in host Lawrence O'Donnell as to whether a Kucinich would get a Democratic challenger for his seat if he didn't support health care legislation -- and in the process kill it -- Moulitsas replied, "Yeah, absolutely."

"What he is doing is undermining this reform," he added. "He is making common cause with Republicans. And I think that is a perfect excuse and a rational one for a primary challenge."

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Moulitsas's remarks illustrate a growing alarm among Democrats that a progressive lawmaker could prevent reform. Kucinich has stressed repeatedly that he will not support the bill as is because in his view it would fail to do enough to reform the private insurance industry. Of course, the congressman is not the only House Democrat opposing the legislation. Conservative Democrats have worried about its costs. Pro-life Democrats have questioned the abortion language. But the Ohio Democrat does appear to be the lone progressive in the caucus willing to follow through with a principled objection.

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With respect to leveling electoral threats, Moulitsas has the capacity to draw funding and attention to individual races that can cause serious headaches -- even when it's a progressive being targeted.

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Comments

[katyann]

It is so dishonest to declaim the lack of principles among politicians and then deride Kucinich for consistently standing up for the logic of Medicare for All.

[jurassicpork]

Oh, please. Markos? A former Republican? Why are we listening to him? Looks like he's strayed off the reservation just like Larry Johnson did. Markos going after Kucinich with his ceremonial threats is more of a referendum on Markos' ego than it is on Kucinich's liberal bona fides.

Markos needs to get over himself and to stop inflating his self-importance. This isn't a typical GOP filibuster for its own sake. There's a method to Kucinich opposing this bill and for Markos to fall in love with a HCR bill without a public option or single payer proves that he's not only drunk Obama's Koolaid but had mainlined it in an IV.

Just try posting something critical of Obama on DKos and watch the flying monkeys turn the orange skies black. It's a like another version of Redstate.org or Little Green Footballs.

[superstition]

People everywhere have drunk the Kool-Aid. Kucinich is one of the few who won't.

[SlappHappy]

Markos is a mole. Health care for profit is evil and will NEVER work. Not ever. Kucinich is the last principled politician in America.

[bmull]

As Dennis has said--as Obama himself repeatedly says--the insurance companies are the problem. Their practices are offensive, but their biggest problem is they can't negotiate effectively with providers. Nothing in Obama's health plan addresses that. You've got to get some alternative to private insurance into the marketplace for reform to succeed. There are a number of ways to do it, including a robust public option, Medicare buy-in, or other more complex methods. I support Dennis for refusing to vote for bogus reform. It is not a first step. It's a waste of time and money.

Oh and Markos... tea hits

[PeterFisk]

Kos has been assimilated by the Corporate Borg.

Until very recently, he himself was still saying "kill the bill" if it has a mandate without a public option: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/15/814776/-Remove-mandate,-or-kill-this-bill

Well. The "reform" still has a mandate without without a public option. But now Kos is vilifying people for having the same position he himself stated a few weeks ago. What the hell is going on?

[jspkim]

Thanks for the link.

Markos did a good job explaining why this bill should be killed.
How he went 180 from his previous position is mind boggling.

[PeterFisk]

I've come to believe that when people exhibit this kind of head-scratchingly inconsistent behavior -- as Kos is -- we need to take a very close look at their motives.

[Patty Stamper]

We need to look at who's lining his wallet..

[ivquatch]

They should make Kos the democratic whip. It's like they're paying him to do this! What a tool.

[deuce33]

Markos is an idiot!! The filing deadline for federal candidates in Ohio for the 2010 election was February 18. Why anyone feeds into this bullcrap is beyond me.

[goldman2067]

Markos, the FILING deadline was a month ago.

You need to take your little band of ruffians and go find another country to try to turn into your socialist paradise.

[David Hansen]

You're a clown, Markos. Going after Kucinich shows you're nothing but a self-serving mouthpiece for yourself. Shut up & go after someone who deserves it, you twit.

[epcraig]

Every other Democratic authority has tried to bring down Kucinich.
Kos might as well.

[Paul Miño]

Join the Facebook group to support Kucinich.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=398722840277

[ivquatch]

Forfeit you privacy! Join Facebook :)

[-StormCrow-]

Funny thing is...President Obama's recent public addresses make it sound like the bill will reign in the out of control insurance companies. It would be a great oratory if he was actually selling a non profit, real public option.

But, all his comments against the insurance companies buttress what Kucinich and many of us are saying. Yet Obama then offers us up for the insurance industry to further engorge their coffers on?

There will likely be no way to improve this lobbiest encrusted bill. Republicans will gain control due to it's failure to protect us from the rackets running health care.

All the extra money flowing to the insurance industry via the mandate will buy them more politicians and gullible Americans.

[jspkim]

This bill is beyond bad.

Does that makes sense to you that it mandates that people buy health insurance from the same health insurers who are responsible for this health care crisis we are facing?

[Brent Abrahamson]

I have to say that I am listening to Ed Schultz, and I am very disappointed. He is singling out Dennis Kucinuch, and he is asking everyone to call their Democratic Congress person to implore them to accept the Senate version of the Health Insurance Bill.

I understand the emotions on both sides, but I believe if we want a (as the new buzz word has become) game-changer, then the U. S. Senate MUST have a public option put back into the bill through reconciliation. Then the House can vote on faith. God help the Senate if they agree and then fail to vote!

Dennis Kucinich is NOT the problem. He may just be seen as heroic if he forces the Senate into the public option. I believe if he has that guarantee for a vote, he will vote on faith for the Senate Bill.

I will NOT condemn a person who has consistently stood for the people over the corporations.

[EmiliaRomagna]

The bill has to pass the House before it can be tweaked on reconciliation. If he kills the bill in the House, there will be no reconciliation and the whole of the Democratic Party, including Kucinich will be out on their a$$es.

At the moment, he's the Republicans' greatest asset. There's no way the Senate is going to put a public option back into this bill, until it passes the House and goes for reconciliation. To do that, Kucinich has to vote FOR the bill as it stands in order that it might get improved.

I find it more than coincidental that the three politicians who have come within a hair's breadth of killing this whole reform - Lieberman, Dean and Kucinich - were all failed Democratic Presidential candidates. A little bit of revenge and a lot of ego went into their actions.

[Brent Abrahamson]

I am aware of the Parliamentary procedure and I'm sure Kucinich is too. While there are things in the Senate Bill that are good, nothing stops the insurance companies from circumventing them. Yes, they will have to take people despite pre-existing conditions. But only at a higher premium which will still be out of reach for many people. This time, though, they can't even go without insurance because they would, by law, be required to have it.

The insurance companies will receive a whole bunch of new clients, captive clients. Perhaps I'm mistaken but I don't believe citizens are required to by anything else from private businesses.

The public option is the only check we have left against the insurance companies. If we don't get that, then the bill should be scrapped and medicare for all should be advanced. It can be done, but it takes cojones; these seem to be in short supply.

[goldman2067]

Ed Schultz is so dumb he shot his own hunting dog you know. Google it.

[Ken Brucker]

wow, that has to be the best reason to ignore Ed Schultz ever