SEIU Tells Anti-Health Care Democrats That There Will Be A Price To Pay-- Does Blanche Lincoln Have Something To Worry About?

Bad Democrat, good Democrat

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is one of the most powerful of the reactionary engines in America, right up there with the Republican Party, Fox News and Hate Talk Radio. According to this morning's Politico the Chamber's top lobbyist sent a letter thanking 12 Finance Committee members who voted against both public option amendments, i.e., all the Republicans, of course, plus one conservative, anti-family Democrat, Blanche Lincoln. The Chamber pledged to continue funding their careers.

In the past labor unions have contributed $580,495 to Lincoln;s campaigns and so far this year they have given her, cluelessly, $36,100. Put health care reform aside for a moment and recall that Lincoln is the only Democrat who vowed-- at a Chamber of Commerce meeting coincidentally-- to cross the aisle and vote with the Republicans to filibuster Employee Free Choice, thus guaranteeing that the Labor's #1 priority will never even be voted on. Last time Lincoln had to face Arkansas voters-- 2004-- the Chamber of Commerce donated over $160,000 to members of Congress. Their two biggest investments, in either house-- were for the most reactionary Chamber water carriers in the Senate, Jim DeMint of South Carolina ($15,000) and Richard Burr of North Carolina ($10,000). But #3 was Blanche Lincoln ($7,600), more than Ben Nelson, more than Jim Bunning, more than Chuck Grassley, more than Orrin Hatch, more than Arlen Specter, John Thune... even more than Chamber of Commerce love-child Dan Boren.

This year the SEIU's PAC has already given Lincoln $5,000-- same as what they gave anti-worker fanatic Chuck Grassley (who returned their check). Lincoln didn't have the decency to return their check-- and is hoping for more. Yesterday SEIU president Andy Stern warned conservative Democrats like Lincoln that there would be a "price to pay" if they joined in the Republican filibuster against health care reform. It is widely agreed that the only Democrats contemplating such a move are Ben Nelson, who is, in effect, a lobbyist for the Insurance Industry, and, of course, Blanche Lincoln, who has always put her donors demands above her constituents best interests.

Stern said if members like Nelson decide to vote against the bill, he could live with that. But filibustering it to prevent it from being voted against is beyond the pale. "If the Democrats have told people like ourselves, supporters for a long time, 'Just give us 60 votes. Give us the money, give us 60 votes and we will show you what we can do.' Well, it's show time."

SEIU has had people on the ground in Arkansas looking at possible opponents for Lincoln. So far the only Democrat to step up is a neo-Confederate maniac who is actually-- as hard as this is to believe-- even more right-wing than Lincoln! The 6 or 8 or 25 Republicans in the race are like a circus side show. That leaves the two independents, Trevor Drown and Green Party nominee John Gray.

It isn't likely that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be sending any love letters or donations to Alan Grayson for moving the discussion along and making people understand that Americans are dying every single day because of the mean-spirited-- and bought-and-paid-for-- Republican obstructionism in regard to health care reform. Stern, however, singled him out for praise:

"They have no health care plan and they are letting people continue to suffer," he said.

"I think what Rep. [Alan] Grayson is right about is that the Republicans have no plan," Stern said, referring to the Florida Democrat who said earlier this week that the GOP approach to health care would result in more Americans dying.

"And while they have no plan, people are suffering and people are dying. That is an issue and they should be held accountable. And the insurance companies are even worse because people have been paying for their health care can't get it when they need it and then they suffer and die."

Although Grayson asked Georgia Republican Tom Price, the crackpot who filed-- and then dropped-- the resolution of censure against him, to be his campaign finance chairman, Blue America isn't taking any chance and we've already managed to collect over $25,000 for him from over 775 netroots donors. Wanna join in and let a real American hero know we have his back? You can do it here.

At the same time, we're also collecting more to keep our TV ads running across Arkansas. Take at them and see if you want to help warn voters that their senator could single-handedly scuttle health care for them and for all of us.