DCCC Chair Steve Israel Relays Fears Over Candidate Recruitment If Dems Buckle On Medicare

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Steve Israel warned lawmakers on Friday that he would have trouble recruiting candidates for office if the party caved on Medicare during the debt ceiling negotiations.

The comments came during a closed-door caucus meeting. Multiple sources confirmed the remarks, describing them as "impassioned."

"He said recruits would not consider running if Democrats did not stand up for Medicare," one attendee told The Huffington Post. "He added that national polling showed a seismic shift against House Republicans after the [Paul] Ryan budget because of Medicare."

Israel's warning adds yet another political element to a debt-ceiling debate that is entering its 11th hour. House Democrats were surprised to wake up Thursday morning to reports that the White House was putting both Medicare and Social Security on the negotiating table. Previously, Democrats had pushed to have entitlement reforms be considered on a separate track, if considered at all.

During the caucus meeting, the attendee emailed, "there was great frustration that the Obama administration was discussing cutting Medicare and Social Security (there was a little less emphasis on Medicaid). The general sense was that protecting Medicare and Social Security was a defining Democratic value, and that agreeing to cuts would be a gift to Republicans if not political suicide."

Israel, who as DCCC chair is charged with getting members elected, brought up the electoral implications. Democratic lawmakers have tried to draw a distinction between cuts to Medicare benefits and those that could be applied to health care suppliers. But officials -- including, presumably, Israel -- have worried that any changes to Medicare would dull the criticisms Democrats have levied against Republicans for attempting to turn Medicare into a voucher program.

Comments

[bucknackt]

11:27 AM on 07/14/2011

I love Rep Nancy Pelosi but she is too polarizing to be on the ticket. Maybe Robert Reich & Joe Biden?

[bucknackt]

11:24 AM on 07/14/2011

@ blndgenie....I'm sorry, did you have anything relevant to add to the conversation???

[Ramon Noches]

11:56 PM on 07/11/2011

Years ago when I was a teenager, there was a dangerous game called "Chicken." The game required to cars to approach each other at high speeds, head-on; the first to avoid collision became the "Chicken.” While the game affected only two lives, the debt ceiling political game of "Chicken" could immediately affect millions, perhaps even billions of people worldwide. Looking back at previous presidents, Ronald Reagan increased the debt ceiling 17 times. Now we need only to increase the debt ceiling just once and work out other issues later. I place the blame squarely on the Republicans who march with orders from a few "Tea Party" Congressmen telling them not to give in. Their argument is no tax cuts for the rich, and seemingly, to disregard whatever hardships the less affluent 98 percent must face. They claim people elected them to cut costs. I have two problems with their agenda; first, the rich have enjoyed tax cuts and loopholes for ten years without any increases in Jobs. Second, I cannot visualize a majority of the Tea Party folks among the top two percent of our most wealthy. How can these folks support an agenda that does not serve their best interest? Even now many "Tea Party" members have turned on the Republicans because what they voted for and what they could be getting are not the same. Both parties need to take everything off the agenda and pass the ceiling as a separate issue.

[dawlishgal]

09:27 AM on 07/11/2011

From what I have heard from calls to offices of my elected officials, the national Democratic party has been forcing individual officials to keep quiet about the lack of connection between social security and the causes of the deficit.....I keep getting told, 'the Party leaders are still working on the macro-messages" BUT the officials whose offices I have contacted have aides who tell me that these officials would LOVE to speak out.

What's the deal here? Why the lid on objections to Repulican crapola? What are our top leaders up to anyhow that we aren't hearing the real story from ANYBODY?

Call your Democratic senators and congressman, and ask why the silence? I would love to hear answers from others than my own.

[Debbie Wathen Clute]

10:31 PM on 07/10/2011

I H-A-T-E this freakin' H.- Post!

[Debbie Wathen Clute]

10:28 PM on 07/10/2011

Corporate owned!

[Debbie Wathen Clute]

10:27 PM on 07/10/2011

I must be saying somethin someone does not like. I cannot reply to anything on this forum.

[zetacplus]

02:46 PM on 07/10/2011

If the dems get rolled over in these talks they better pack their bags because they will be going home for good next year.

[Shiloy Taylor]

12:05 PM on 07/10/2011

C'mon dems....don't give in!!!!!!!!!!

[jtwalk45]

10:29 AM on 07/10/2011

if the democrats cut services to the old,poor,sick and middle class.
that will end the democratic party,they will never recover and our country will not have a shield against big corporations and we will be a THIRD WORLD NATION

[wowisdabomb]

10:02 AM on 07/10/2011

Either, Obama is a horrible politician that can not see the betrayal of cutting Medicare, Social Security, while renewing BUSH TAX CUTS to for the rich..

Or.. Obama is a GOP plant, and that would explain why the GOP candidates are a bunch of clueless clown circus...because Obama is the perfect tool to gut social programs, and gut the Democratic ideals that have been the bedrock of generations.

[creed840]

09:17 AM on 07/10/2011

"he would have trouble recruiting candidates for office if the party caved on Medicare during the debt ceiling negotiations."

He got that right. I hope his party is paying attention. We are!

[marijam]

02:49 AM on 07/10/2011

The party will be destroyed if Obama is allowed to go through with cuts of any kind to social security and medicare.

[alfo]

09:25 AM on 07/10/2011

So is the teapublican't party destroyed over the Ryan plan??

[healthcarenow]

04:31 PM on 07/10/2011

yes, they just don't know it yet.

[Whitemellon]

01:54 AM on 07/10/2011

I agree with Joanne. We need to primary another democrat. For Obama to continue the wars and talk about slicing up social security and Medicare is insane. He is incapable of dealing with the monied interest. I am working but I live in a condo in south Florida where all of my neighbors survive on SS. They barely get by. We need to go back and set up the tax structure like it was in the 50's and 60's when the country prospered. We did not have this giant divide between the wealthy and what use to be the middle class but is looking more like the underclass. We need a real Democrat in the White house. Enough of the Ivy league elites who's education has sucked out their ability to be compassionate.

[wowisdabomb]

10:04 AM on 07/10/2011

Third party would guarantee Obama demise... I know at least a dozen hard core democrats that have decide to not vote again for this President. When I ask them if they would rather see a crazy tea party in the WH, they almost all say, how could it be any worse?

They got a point.

[healthcarenow]

04:36 PM on 07/10/2011

oh get a grip, there's always naysayers who want to start jumping ship; this is a battle, that's what we're fighting; the President is very smart and very cool. The GOP is scared to death, backed into a corner by Ryan plan, Tea party, and their own benefactors admitting they aren't satisfied with the field...why do you think Rove is spending money so early?...and it isn't for any one of the candidates. Buckle up.

[healthcarenow]

04:39 PM on 07/10/2011

"Enough of the Ivy league elites who's education has sucked out their ability to be compassion­ate. "...........where did you get that? take a deep breath.

[original joanie]

11:22 PM on 07/09/2011

Someone posted below that Obama has already changed medicare but it hasn't been felt yet. I believe that's true. He has removed medicare advantage and there are doctors who take medicare advantage but not medicare. I don't know why.

However, I've felt it already. I normally put money aside in a tax deferred healthcare shelter to cover medical expenses not covered by insurance. It is a substantial amount. I have a particular medical issue which does not flare up every year. When it does, it is expensive. I normally put away about $1500. One year (out of several), I was free of any medical need. So, that $1500 had to be spent on glasses, a cane, bandaids (I use a lot of them for this particular problem), and over the counter meds. I spent it rather than lose it which is what happens if you don't get sick. They keep your money. It is not returned to you taxed. It is kept by either the employer or the government - I don't know which. Starting this year, any money put into a healthcare account MUST BE SPENT ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ONLY. So, it is a real lottery. If I get sick, I'll use it. If I don't get sick, I give $1500 away. Thank you Obama. Thank you. I'm still buying the bandaids and the drug store glasses, over-the-counter meds but they don't count. I JUST GIVE $1500 AWAY. Unless, of course, I use it which sometimes I do.