Intraparty battles between Democrats?

It’s been open season on the right for primary challengers, with bids to unseat incumbents like John McCain and establishment favorites for open seats like Charlie Crist. But despite heightened tensions on the left between progressive and conservative Democrats, there has been little to no corresponding electoral pressure from the base to keep members in line—until now.

A major primary battle is developing in Arkansas between one of the Senate’s most prominent conservative Democrats, Blanche Lincoln, and progressive-backed Bill Halter, the state’s lieutenant governor.

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First “Public Option” Amendment Defeated

From left to right, the U.S. Senators pictured are:  Max Baucus (D-Montana), Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas), Kent Conrad (D- North Dakota), [Second row] Bill Nelson (D-Florida), and Tom Carper (D-Delaware).  What these five democrats have in common is that they joined the Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee and defeated the Public Option Amendment authored by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virgina).  The amendment failed by a vote of 13 to 8.

Of the two public options amendments being considered by the Senate Finance Committee, Rockefeller’s was considered the most robust.  Interestingly, ” the more liberal amendment offered by Rockefeller is also more fiscally responsible according to the Congressional Budget Office” (more here).  Let see.  Helps more people, and is more cost effective – Good reasons to vote against it!

I think I have had enough.  Worse than us not getting reasonable health care, if we don’t start getting off of our butts, Michael Moore is going to stop making his movies (WashPo).  So in the interest of saving our chances of getting reasonable health care, and preserving our rights to good political comedy, I am recommending that we form a PAC that should be titled something like “Ousting the Enemies From Within”.  We need to collect funds and deliver them to the primary opponents of the above pictured Senators.  It is time to get serious, but have some fun, at the same time…

the more liberal amendment offered by Rockefeller is also more fiscally responsible, according the Congressional Budget Office

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/29/first-public-option-amend_n_303228.html