News: Political Parties

USA: Moderate Democrats Hold Health Bill's Fate In Their Hands

A handful of moderate Senate Democrats will determine the fate of this year's health care overhaul, and they're sending strong signals that while they are willing to compromise, they're wary of a strong public option. "I've ruled out a government-funded and a government-operated plan," said Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), who faces a tough re-election fight next year. Added Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) "I don't believe Americans want a (new) government-run health care system." Democrats control 60 of the 100 Senate seats, enough to overcome procedural hurdles if they stick together. But they've been struggling to find consensus, because moderate senators, most from the South and Midwest, hear lots of skepticism from the folks back home.

The informal centrist roster includes Indiana's Sen. Evan Bayh and Nebraska's Sen. Ben Nelson - as well as Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut (an independent who caucuses with the Democrats), Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana and Sen. Kent Conrad and Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota. Their chief messages: Constituents are confused and wary of changes to the nation's health care system, and if a plan is perceived as too expensive and complex, there could be political consequences.

The moderates are up against powerful political forces. Democratic leaders in the House have pledged to include a strong public option in their bill, which will be debated next month. In the Senate, Health Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), estimates that a government-run option has at least 52 Democratic votes. Leaders talk of pushing a public option that would allow states to "opt out," but that's not generating enthusiasm among the moderates.

Polls illustrate why both the leaders and the skeptics think their positions are strong. A recent Pew Research Center survey found 55% of respondents preferred a government-run plan. However, the poll also found 47% opposed to health care proposals being discussed in Congress, compared with 34% supporting them.

In the House, 52 members of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of conservative Democrats, have reservations similar to those of moderate senators. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), has been negotiating with top Democrats to write compromise legislation.

Ghana: Akufo Addo Faction Happy At Mo Ibrahim Award Fiasco

The failure of ex-President John Kufuor (pictured) to win the prestigious Mo Ibrahim Award for quality African leadership this year has brought joy to the Akufo-Addo faction within the center-right New Patriotic Party.

A member of Mr. Akufo Addo's camp, who spoke to The Catalyst (Ghana) on condition of anonymity, said that while the award would've brought the NPP a campaign advantage in the 2012 elections, the Akufo-Addo faction is overjoyed over Mr. Kufuor's failure to get the award. It's because they believe that the award would have spelled doom for Mr. Akufo Addo (who lost the 2008 presidential election by less than 1% of the vote, to the center-left National Democratic Congress) in his "last stand" bid to become president. According to the anonymous source, former Mr. Kufuor would have used the money to promote his protégé Alan Kyeremanten’s presidential bid in order to move forward his agenda of getting a stranglehold on the party. “He would have financed the campaign of his main man, Alan Kyeremanten and Nana would have been finished. That is why we are happy he missed out,” he said.

Mr. Kufuor was reported to be leading on the list of possible winners for the Ibrahim Award this year; however, he had the shock of his life when the award committee announced that none of the ex-Presidents nominated for this year’s awards met the criteria. Mr. Kufuor himself was reportedly angry with Mr. Ibrahim, a billionaire telecoms magnate to whom he sold Westel at a give-away price. He was expecting the award as a reciprocal gesture from the man he saw as a friend. He was so sure of winning the award that he planned a press conference to accept the award, to be immediately followed with a night-long party, which did not materialize.