Goodies Galore: Here's How to Cajole Roland Burris Into Voting for the Heath Care Bill

For a short time last January, it appeared that the Illinois legislature, the state's new governor, Pat Quinn, and the Democrats in the U.S. Senate might actually do the right thing and deny our local laughingstock, Roland Burris, the Senate seat formerly held by President Barack Obama. No such luck. By February Burris was in his seat with plans to stay, and I offered the new president some advice on how to dislodge Burris while placating him and his supporters.

At the time, President Obama seemed to be misstepping on finding a secretary of commerce -- his first two choices, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew before they could be confirmed.

I joked, sort of, in a post in late February, that the new president should offer that cabinet post to Burris

But no, Obama ignored me, Burris managed to hang on, and now it looks like the lame-duck senator -- he recognized that there was no way he could win in 2010 so he announced he'd retire -- may have the last laugh.

He has announced that he will not vote for the president's health care bill unless there is a public option. He's been the invisible senator -- except when news of the continuing Ethics Committee investigation crops up -- until now. He's a key part of a story in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal, identifying the six senators who must be kept in the fold if the president is to get his health care plan. (In the print edition, his photo helps illustrates the story.)

So, here's another stab at a solution. Behind closed doors, Burris must be offered something in exchange for voting for the bill, which will almost certainly not contain a public option. Here's some possibilities:

--A cabinet position -- there must be someone who could be launched for the good of national health care.

--Help in paying his huge legal bills resulting from his fight for that Senate seat

--Help in neutralizing the Ethics Committee, which is still deliberating Burris' case in the wake of the release of tapes of a conversation between Burris and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother Rob, in which Burris seems to be offering to write a check to the now indicted/impeached Blago in exchange for the seat. See my previous post.

--An ambassadorship. Obama, to the disappointment of career Foreign Service officers, has been no better than his predecessors in resisting the tradition of appointing fundraisers and friends instead of professionals. Burris was not a bundler for Obama, so he doesn't qualify on that count, but the health care bill is awfully important.

--The Nobel Peace Prize. Someone needs to get in touch with the Norwegians who selected President Obama last week and see if, to keep the peace in Washington, they might whisper in Burris's ear that they'll see what they can do about getting the junior senator nominated in Feb. 2010. Whether he wins or not, he can still have "Nominated for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize" carved on his much-ridiculed tombstone that carries the title "Trailblazer" and leaves space for other accolades.

--President of the County Board -- maybe the Daleys can help.

--Mayor of Chicago?

--Governor of Illinois?

--So many cool potential openings and opportunities.

I'm out of ideas -- so please respond if you have any others.

 

 

Comments

[doubleaseven]

Instead of hailing Burris' courage in taking a moral stand the author resorts to cheap humor to drag the Senator into the gutter where she is.

The Corporate Tools like Blue Digs, have declared bankruptcy, moral bankruptcy. They rode Obama's coat tails only pretending to subscribe to his agenda, now they show their penchant for reelection even at the cost of public good by sabotaging the main plank in the Party platform. Even here they are being stupid because the people looking for a conservative will elect a pedigreed Red Dog over a Blue Mutt.

Either the author is a showcase of what we know of as Chicago Politics, or she is pitching her humor less humor, which will bring a guffaw only at a Teabagger party. In making Roland Burris the butt of her cheap humor, she has shown where she has her head firmly lodged.

[mjwca]

How about class clown? His grandstanding stinks to high heaven. The only question is how much he can get. He is, after all, an Illinois politician - long on self aggransizement and greed, short on ethics and actual convicitions.

[Fred Wallin]

Without a public option there is no bill that is worth anything, so I personally applaud Senator Burris and only hope the President takes the same stand!

[wizened]

because I don't believe he has a shred of integrety or credibility. My guess is he wants them to call off the investigation or to have his legal bills taken care of. His is not the kind of leadership we need.

[Miles Mogulescu - Huffpost Blogger]

Or maybe this is Burris' one chance in his life to be a true politrical hero--by standing in the doorway of a bad health care bill that would mandate that every uninsured American buy private insurance that wouldn't save them from bankruptcy if they actually got sick, with no way to control the unaffordable prices charged by the monopolistic insurance industry. We need health care reform, but passing bad health care reform could turn a generation of voters against the Democratic party. Progressive Democrats in the House have said they'll vote agaainst a health care bill without a robust public option--I hope they mean it. What's wrong with Burris standing with them?

[LTH]

Put a public option in the bill. 76% of the country want it.

[Carol Felsenthal - Huffpost Blogger]

I just received my first email newsletter from Roland Burris:

Here are the paragraphs about a public option:

"A public option would save billions of dollars a year, stop companies from denying coverage to those who need it most, and reduce the burden on American businesses and families. This would improve health outcomes and make quality care more affordable for everyone.

"A public option would not result in rationed care or "death panels" of any description. It would not force anyone to change their doctor and would not provide benefits to illegal immigrants. As your Senator, I refuse to vote for any measure that would change our system in this way. But I also refuse to vote for anything less than the real, meaningful reform a public option would provide."

[wizened]

The country may want a public option but is Burris the person to drive the debate? And you can be certain he has an ulterior motive. Don't be fooled.

[Carol Felsenthal - Huffpost Blogger]

Are you kidding? Fool by Burris?

[trainunderwater]

This is hilarious. Maybe they should offer him the honorary title of King of the United States.

[cgallaway]

How about handcuffs? Or an "accidental" bump down the stairs....from what this lying sack of crap has done, it could be considered "justice"

[wizened]

How about Majority Leader?