News: Democrats

Blue Dog Says Dem Losses Would Strengthen Centrists' Policy Positions

Blue Dog Democrats might see their position strengthened if Democrats suffer broader electoral losses, one Blue Dog member suggested today. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) argued that an Election Day rebuke for Democratic candidates across the nation could lead some in the party to rethink their plans on healthcare reform and other issues. "It looks as though the anger that has been boiling up the last couple of months is going to lead to a pretty high turnout from Republicans and from people who are concerned about increased spending," Rep. Altmire said yesterday evening during an appearance on Fox Business Network. "And I do think that if the results show Republicans have a pretty good night, that probably is going to lead some Democrats to think that, going into next year, we need to take a second look at the way that we've done a lot of bills we've addressed up to this point," he added.

Many prognosticators are looking to governors' races in New Jersey and Virginia as well as a special election in New York's 23rd Congressional District for signs about the strength of the national Republican and Democratic parties. Democrats are hoping to hold on to the two governors' positions, while the GOP wants a conservative running under the Conservative Party banner retain the congressional district left by former Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.), who became secretary of the Army.

Dems Threaten To Kill Health Care Bill Over Abortion

The U.S. House of Representatives is barreling towards a health care vote, hoping to pass its bill by the end of the week, but there’s a potential stumbling block ahead: abortion. A group of socially conservative Democrats are threatening to vote against the bill because the subsidies it offers to help people buy insurance could be used to buy plans that cover abortion. “I will continue whipping my colleagues…until a clean vote against public funding for abortion is allowed,” said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who said that he can get 40 Democrats to vote against the bill with him — enough to derail it. A provision in the bill tasks insurers with making sure public money doesn’t fund abortions, but Rep. Stupak’s contingent says that’s just an accounting distinction. Pro-choice groups counter that doing more would effectively ban private insurance coverage for abortions.