Rep. Scott Murphy Runs Most Aggressive Pro-Health Care Spot Of Cycle

The unwillingness of Democratic lawmakers to run on the passage of sweeping health care reform legislation has been an oft-noted feature of the 2010 campaign, mainly because the party's elders insisted that the law would prove to be an electoral boon.

But not everyone has shied away from touting the reforms that were passed. In North Dakota, Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) has put up a spot defending his vote after it was attacked and mis-characterized by his opponent. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle praised him for doing so, and even suggested that health care reform's political viability rested on whether or not Pomeroy won reelection.

Now, however, another Democratic lawmaker is making an even bolder play with respect to health care. Rep. Scott Murphy (D-N.Y.) who won his seat in New York's 20th district early in the Obama presidency, is up with a new ad attacking his opponent for wanting to repeal the law.

"Time for a reality check. Chris Gibson wants to repeal the health care law. Chris Gibson would let insurance companies go back to denying coverage for preexisting conditions; he would let them restore lifetime limits on coverage. Chris Gibson would eliminate mandatory coverage for preventive care like mammograms and colon screenings, and seniors would pay more for prescription drugs. Chris Gibson: he is for the insurance industry, not you.

The spot is a rarity in this cycle: a Democrat using health care reform not only as a sales pitch, but also as a bludgeon to hold over the head of his repeal-oriented challenger. And if Daschle viewed Pomeroy's effort as a linchpin to health care reform's political future, he and other reform advocates will be looking closely to see how Murphy's more aggressive ad plays in upstate New York.

Comments

[massjim]

10:18 AM on 10/15/2010

Why doesn't everyone understand healthcare reform? Even Nancy is confused, "We have to pass it to see what's in it". It was all debated and written on C-SPAN, with no back room deals with Big Pharma, right? Feel the change!

[0311SaltDog]

09:21 AM on 10/15/2010

What happened to all the lefties that were bragging about this historic healthcare legislation the passed? Why aren't they all running ads about how they voted yes for it??

[vulpecula762mm]

10:10 AM on 10/15/2010

Because they lack balls. This new law could very well save your life one day or the lives of your children.

Oorah?

[IHR]

09:13 PM on 10/14/2010

No one respect people who do not stand up for their beliefs.

[Stephen Anderson]

07:25 PM on 10/14/2010

Perfect

[miketothad]

04:19 PM on 10/14/2010

simple and effective.

[vulpecula762mm]

03:48 PM on 10/14/2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfaNHtKkffA

This is what we need

[rabprevent]

03:47 PM on 10/14/2010

Good for him!

More dems needs to step it up and make the public aware fo the truth about these self serving retugs!

[jwoww]

03:44 PM on 10/14/2010

they cant run from it so there is no reason not to defend their vote. if it going to hurt them the damage has already been done. at least the ones who are standing behind their vote have the guts to admit they were foolish. the others are just spineless

[vulpecula762mm]

03:43 PM on 10/14/2010

I cant be a member of the senate.

I would have it looking like Taiwan 8am day one as the first thing I would do after my morning whiskey, coffee and adderal..... would be to march across the isle and proceed to beat these plantation owning Jim Crow loving greedy stuck up twerps senseless with my my own belt

[danivers]

09:55 AM on 10/15/2010

You got my vote.

[vulpecula762mm]

10:02 AM on 10/15/2010

Cool. You can have a tax cut. I will take it from the Du Pont family to make up.

[mgray34]

03:41 PM on 10/14/2010

The Democratic Party are wimps. They're spineless, have no guts and no loyalty. One can appreciate the tenacity and audaciousness of the GOP. They are fully committed to their cause. If Democrats had half the spine and commitment, there would be no talk of the GOP regaining the house in November.

The DNC is like a person who has in his possesion, a can of Ant Spray, but is being overrun in his kitchen by an army of Ants. All they have to do press the button to unleash the spray, but for some reason they don't.

The Democrats have an array of accomplishments to beat over the Republican's heads this midterm, but they run away from them. You know why? The GOP message, no matter how false, has been effective. Even to THEIR ears. The Dems need to take a page out of that book. They need to go all in with their agenda and stop being so wishy washy.

I wish we had a viable 3rd party to vote for, but even with my disappointment for this party, it would be stupid of me to vote for the GOP where all they are concerned about is Corporate America, and the top 1% of citizens in this country. They have NO proven record to run on, yet here they are...

[vulpecula762mm]

10:06 AM on 10/15/2010

Agreed.

This is how my congress would look 8am day one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfaNHtKkffA

[peacefullittlebunny]

01:48 PM on 10/14/2010

U.S. to Let Insurers Raise Fees for Sick Children
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: October 13, 2010
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WASHINGTON — The Obama administration, aiming to encourage health insurance companies to offer child-only policies, said Wednesday that they could charge higher premiums for coverage of children with serious medical problems, if state law allowed it.
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Bill Erwin/Alliance for Health Reform
Jay Angoff, a health and human services official, said the new policy was aimed at making child-only policies more available.
Earlier this year, major insurers, faced with an unprofitable business, stopped issuing new child-only policies. They said that the Obama administration’s interpretation of the new health care law would allow families to buy such coverage at the last minute, when children became ill and were headed to the hospital.

In September, the administration said that insurers could establish open-enrollment periods — for example, one month a year — during which they would accept all children.

Now, on Wednesday, the administration, answering a question raised by many insurers, said they could charge higher premiums to sick children outside the open-enrollment period, if state laws allowed such underwriting, as many do.

Insurers “can adjust their rates based on health status until 2014, to the extent state law allows,” said Jay Angoff, director of the Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at the Department of Health and Human Services.

[June Conway Beeby]

01:33 PM on 10/14/2010

Human lemmings?

It is hard to comprehend why U.S, citizens are becoming political lemmings and heeding the advice of people who have no concern for anyone but themselves. Many people seem prepared to abandon Obama's humanistic democracy, and then leap off cliffs into the arms of just about anyone who beckons them, be they village idiots or the crowd that have already stolen their well-being from them and their wonderful country.

[Darrin Brown]

12:57 PM on 10/14/2010

Any Democrat who doesn't run on the accomplishments of this administration is simply allowing the Republicans to define their message. Health Care Reform was overwhelmingly wanted by the American people and we have it. Is it all it could have been? No, and for that I blame those Republicans who forced compromises in order to try to stop or cripple it. It's on the books now though and rather than repealing it, there should be a bipartisan effort to improve it.

Kudos to Pomeroy for having a pair!

[ibecametheman]

12:12 PM on 10/14/2010

I am shocked at the to see the lack of courage my the Dems to promote their courage and state the great accomplishments over the past 2 years. C'mon Dems!! get some nuts and stand up for our accomplishments!! C'Mon Obama - get some guts and stop hiding the great work you did on healthcare!!

[bwestleyj]

11:47 AM on 10/14/2010

This is GREAT news. According to the latest polls, most Americans really like the recently enacted provisions of HCR. The only one they are split on is the mandate. Dems still need to articulate that part of the message (along with the budget savings part) to get the true about it through to the people.