Maybe You Already Thought of This
July 18th, 2009 at 12:00 pm by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog
Maybe you already thought of this but current events in Washington are a great lesson in democracy.
It’s government action bracketed by two elections.
Barack Obama seeks the change he was elected to deliver in 2008 through cap and trade legislation and health care reform. He feels he has a mandate. He is making good on campaign promises, at least attempting to make good.
Meantime, members of Congress look ahead to the 2010 election and how it will affect them, not Obama. Rep. Baron Hill (d-Seymour) endorsed Obama early on and supported him on cap and trade. Now, with Republican Todd Young showing fundraising success in Hill’s 9th District and the GOP questioning campaign contributions to Hill on the eve of the cap and trade vote, he announces opposition to the current health care reform bill. The President needs to help him now.
Sen. Evan Bayh, enthusiastic in support of Obama at Indiana rallies last year, is suddenly his old, cautious self again. Republican Senator Richard Lugar beat him to the punch announcing support for Sonia Sotomayor. Bayh won’t take a public position on cap and trade or health care reform. The Democrat is on the ballot in 2010 and, though a prohibitive favorite for re-election, is taking no chances. He’s guy in the spotlight now.
The policy issues of 2009 will be campaign issues in 2010 and Barack Obama is not on the ballot. But, maybe you already though of that.
Tags: Barack Obama, Baron Hill, cap and trade, Evan Bayh, Health Care reform, Richard Lugar, Todd Young
I was just speaking with a friend about this issue of Dems having to pander to Republicans to stay in office in this state. She was saying she’d like to see Baron Hill challenge Bayh in the primary – guess that won’t work either! We progressive types are still very much a minority in Indiana, in spite of our efforts that turned Indiana a very pale blue last fall. I guess we’re stuck!