What a difference a chairmanship makes
Once upon a time a man's word was his bond:
Congressman Jim Oberstar of Minnesota has said that he will not vote for the health care bill if it lacks the Stupak amendment: "I will not vote for a health care bill that doesn't have the House abortion language in it," Oberstar told Congressional Quarterly on February 24.
Oberstar told the News Tribune that no one single issue, like abortion, would cause him to vote against the health-care bill.
''Absolutist positions on one issue are not useful," he said, noting that discussions are still under way on adjusting the abortion language in the final bill that will follow the House passage of the Senate bill.
Other considerations include an analysis coming this week from the Congressional Budget Office on the bill's impact on the budget and the possible additions and changes that would come with the bill's final version.
''These are issues yet to be resolved," Oberstar said. "Most of us are waiting."
Another issue is whether there will be a public option.
''That will be resolved during the first part of the week," he said. "Many of us are waiting to see the outcome of that. If not a full public option, then how close to it do we come?"
''All has to be weighed together in my mind," he said, adding that the goal would be achieving a preponderance of benefits for the greatest number of people.
Is that that happening?
''I think the bill is headed in that direction," Oberstar said, but acknowledged: "We're not going to get everything we want."
Rep. Oberstar is chair of the Transportation Committee and a pretty powerful guy thereby. I figured it was no real surprise that the gentleman would have that chairmanship threatened by the speaker. But if he votes for this bill he will be portrayed as selling out babies for bike paths. I wouldn't want to run for re-election that way.
His phone number in DC is 202-225-6211. Here's his House website. Somebody should contact the new bishop in Duluth for an opinion as well.
Cross-posted and comments welcome at SCSU Scholars.
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