The Health care Victory...

We proctorybably just had the most important vote of this Congress at least as far as the 2010 elections are concerned. The health insurance government takeover bill passed 220-215. One Republican from New Orleans voted for the bill. He represents a district McCain and Bush got 23 and 24% of the vote in respectively. He's obviously voting for political survival. He made a serious mistake. I think the circumstances of his election are such that he is unlikely to survive anyway and it would have been far better if he stayed home and voted on principle. (He beat the $90,000-in-a-freezer congressman in an election delayed due to Hurricane Ike that had very low turnout). It hurts we can't have absolute unanimity--all 7 of the Cap-and-Trade Republicans still in Congress voted right this time.

Far more important though are the 39 Democrats who voted against the takeover bill. They are also voting their political interests. 37 of them represent districts Bush won in 2004. One of the two who does not is Artur Davis from Alabama who is running for Governor and he voted consistently with the wishes of the statewide Alabama electorate--heavy McCain and Bush. The other "no" Democrat from an Obama and Kerry district is Dennis Kucinich who probably voted for it because it is not more radical than it is, i.e., it does not directly impose a single-payer system.

Obama carried 8 of the districts held by "no" vote Democrats, but McCain managed at least 45% in the six that Bush carried. In a more normal political cycle, these districts would be expected to go Republican again. (Two of them already have, one casting over 60% for Republican Governor-elect Bob McDonnell last Tuesday and another New Jersey district going handily for Chris Christie as well).

The 39 Democrats may have helped themselves in 2010, but the vast majority remain in deep trouble. Pelosi probably gave them a license to vote "no", to protect their re-election prospects. She handed out as many licenses as she thought she could and still pass the bill. But they are still are voting for the leadership of the most unpopular politician in America. The charade of voting against her bill will not save a lot of them.

In addition, there are about 55 Democrats who represent McCain or Bush districts or who tookover Republican seats in 2006 or 2008 and who voted for the takeover. These Democrats are more vulnerable now than they were yesterday. In addition there about twenty Democrats representing districts that neither Bush or McCain carried but were close enough that in the environment we have now could be vulnerable. Adding these categories of districts together yields well over 100 vulnerable or potentially vulnerable Democrat seats.

Below are the 40 Members of Congress who crossed partylines and the presidential vote in their districts.

--I thought this was important information to post. It gives me hope that we have not seen the end to our freedoms concerning health care and other major issues in the United States. We still have the hope of the Senate, but even if we fail there we have 2010 and 2012 to get back on track. Yes it is a down day, but I see rays of light piercing through the clouds. We have a voice and we have a nation that is waking up to a new reality and leadership that they are not enamored with any longer. This is going to set the stage for electing leadership that truly represents the Nation not a socialist agenda.