Senate Liberal Pushes for Health Care Reform on Democratic Terms

Strategic Insights -

Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, a West Virginia Democrat and leading Senate liberal on health issues, has announced that he will oppose a new Democratic proposal aimed at securing Republican support for a health system overhaul. This move comes after months in which the White House courted moderate Democrats and Republicans, relegating liberal lawmakers to the sidelines. However, the recent attention from the administration has emboldened liberals like Rockefeller, who now want a comprehensive overhaul on Democratic terms, rather than a compromise based on bipartisan negotiations.

Key Takeaways:

  • Senator Rockefeller, who has been a strong advocate for health care reform, has expressed concerns about the current bipartisan proposal, citing issues such as generous subsidies for working-class families and small businesses, as well as concerns about the public option.
  • Rockefeller has stated that he cannot vote for the current Senate package and is seeking changes, including more generous subsidies and addressing concerns about the public option.
  • The White House has reassured liberals that subsidies will be increased, but there is no assurance about the public option.
  • Liberal Democrats are now pushing for a comprehensive overhaul, more like the House bill, which is dominated by liberal Democrats.
  • Senate liberals are at a conundrum, recognizing that pushing for bills that better align with their views may splinter the party, but also aware that the White House is counting on their support for the final package.

Statistics:

  • Senator Rockefeller has been a member of the Senate for 25 years and has served as chairman of the health subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee.
  • The White House has signaled its support for major aspects of the scaled-down Baucus package, including the proposal for consumer-owned insurance cooperatives in the states.
  • The Baucus bill is expected to have a better chance of passage than bills from other Congressional panels because it does not include a public option, which Republicans and some moderate Democrats are ardently opposed to.
  • Senator Rockefeller's state of West Virginia has swung Republican in his quarter-century in the Senate, and polls show that President Obama remains suspect among working-class voters in the state.

Sources:

  • The New York Times: "Liberal in the Senate Is in a Showdown Over Health Care: Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, a leading liberal in the Senate, has emerged as a strong advocate for a comprehensive overhaul of the health care system on Democratic terms, and is pushing for changes that were left out of the current bipartisan plan.", published on September 10, 2009.
  • The New York Times: "Behind the Scenes, a Liberal Struggle Over Health Care", published on September 9, 2009.