Sep 17
SHS opens can on fellow Dems
By Denise Ross
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-SD, shed her usually genteel tone during a conference call with reporters Thursday when she was asked about criticism that moderate Blue Dog Dems (of which she is one) were being unduly influenced on the ongoing health care debate by campaign contributions from the health insurance industry.
“Ridiculous!” she said, adding that she had recently delivered a verbal beat-down to her fellow House Dems, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, during a recent closed-door caucus meeting.
I don’t appreciate any of my colleagues bringing that kind of argument into this debate, she said. It’s so disappointing to hear this, from fellow Democrats in particular.
SHS said that Blue Dogs claim among their ranks some of the most strident critics of the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries.
Time would be far better spent, she said, hashing out a health care reform plan that would serve the country into the future than throwing rocks at fellow congressionals and “questioning people’s motives.”
Meanwhile, she noted that the Blue Dogs have received less than 2.5 % of the group’s campaign contributions from the health insurance industry. As for SHS herself, it’s difficult to say for sure after only a cursory search of the Internets. But the Center for Responsive Politics offers a rough idea, but only a rough idea.
During her 2008 campaign cycle, SHS’s second highest contributing group (at $74,000) was “health professionals,” which are presumably not health insurance companies and no doubt includes a mix of doctors, nurses and others who have varied views on health care reform.
The category of “insurance” - presumably health and otherwise - comes in at 10th place with $40,000 in contributions. That’s a bit more than 2.5 % of her $1.5 million campaign budget. “Hospitals/nursing homes” come in at 17th with a bit less than $29,000.
Lawyers top the SHS list at $87,000.
The numbers aren’t as interesting as the drama. She says she let them have it, and I believe her. Oh, for a YouTube video of this one.
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Well it sure seems like the Blue Dogs are in the pockets of the health insruance industry since they seem to be doing everything they can to help them continue to bankrupt their customers.
The primary product of Blue Dog Democrats is blue dog crap.
Whatever heat the blue dogs with the yellow Republican streak down their backs get from real Demcrats is deserved.
Stephanie deserves some good talking to herself. She rattles like an empty wagon spinning out sparking lightweight generalities that burn up time and space.