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Michael Livingston's Blog

Michael Livingston's Blog

Purple in Pennsylvania

Chicago tactics from the Dems

Last week my pa2010.com colleague Beth Hegedus reported on efforts to strike the names of one or more Republican opponents to Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-13) from the primary ballot. The Philadelphia Daily News has since reported on the successful effort, apparently involving a politically connected Democratic lawyer, to strike a challenger to Congressman Bob Brady (D-1) from the ballot as well.

Why would two Democrats, with a huge financial advantage and almost no chance of losing this fall, behave in this manner?

I don’t know, but I suspect it shows how jittery Democrats are in the wake of the supposedly “historic” health care bill. Every candidate who runs unopposed means that much more money and attention for those who have opposition. If people like Schwartz and Brady, who (especially Schwartz) raise piles of money, can share all or most of it with others that is a substantial advantage.

Apparently the Democratic insiders don’t believe their official line that health care marks the high-water mark of GOP reaction and the beginnings of a liberal comeback. And with good reason. The health care bill is wildly unpopular, passed by a dubious procedure and is the subject of a lawsuit by numerous state attorneys general.

While its details are confusing, the bill’s  basic outline—a transfer of money from middle class (especially older) voters to poorer or working class people and, more immediately, to insurance companies—is understandable to everyone. Under these conditions, assuming the bill is “irreversible,” or that people will like it more as it gets pushed down their throats, defies common sense.

Indeed, not even the Democrats themselves appear to believe it—which may be one reason they are taking no chances.

share001btn Chicago tactics from the Dems

March 24, 2010 at 6:39 pm

--Michael Livingston

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comments [12] | post a comment

  1. Frank

    Mar 24th, 2010

    We’re now the USSA and the Party of Obama runs the show. YES WE SHALL! YES WE SHALL!

  2. Dems all lose i 2010

    Mar 24th, 2010

    In My Opinion Bob Brady is a Low Class Thug and Swartz is a Jane Hanoi Jane Fonda Lover

  3. TB

    Mar 24th, 2010

    Livingston, you don’t appreciate hard ball politics? Petition challenges are childs play compared to the redistricting your party’s state House majority instituted in this Commonwealth after the 2000 census. Don’t you remember how you kidnapped Frank Mascara from the 20th so he had to run in a primary against his fellow Democrat John Murtha in the 12th? Remember Livingston? You Republicans have such short memories. This is hard ball politics. Petition challenges are just the tip of the iceberg. Just you wait until it is time to redraw the Commonwealth’s congressional districts. This is just the jab before the body blow. Brace yourself.

  4. Tom

    Mar 24th, 2010

    TB, don’t Democrats have to actually have power to control the redistricting? The PA supreme court is already packed with republicans, as is the Senate. The GOP will most likely take back the state house and Corbett will be governor. So yeah, I’m bracing myself. You want my state to become the next New Jersey. It’s not going to happen anytime soon, pal. Your smug comments are laughable.

  5. TB

    Mar 24th, 2010

    We have a 500k+ advanatge in voter registration. We can and will hold the State House. When Tom Corbett’s suit against the healthcare bill gets thrown out he will we have expended a great deal of political capital on a fruitless cause. By being the only state AG in the Northeast to make the argument that the mandate in the healthcare bill is a violation of states’ rights he is making himself look more like a son of the Confederacy than a son of our Commonwealth. Since Pennsylvania’s current constitution was put into place not a single state Attorney General has used the office as a stepping stone to the governor’s mansion. He does not inspire. I could go on and on about why Corbett will not be our next Governor but I will spare you the misery.

    And no I do not want OUR Commonwealth to become New Jersey. I detest New Jersey and its culture. By the way, didn’t New Jersey recently elect a Republican governor? It’ll be a mark of shame on the GOP of Pennsylvania when a state like New Jersey elected a Republican governor and your beloved Corbett goes down to defeat. What will your Chairmen Mr. Steele think of Gleason and the PA GOP?

    We have you on the run now and we’re not going to let up.

  6. EK

    Mar 25th, 2010

    Livingston: The more serious transfer of wealth is from the young to… well everyone else. We’re the ones getting screwed by having to buy into a system that won’t help us.

  7. Ed H.

    Mar 25th, 2010

    I don’t know why the Repubs think November is all wrapped up. Recent Gallup polling shows that most people are in favor of the health care reform bill. Plus, banking and Wall Street reform bills may be upcoming… That won’t be good press for the GOP.

  8. M2

    Mar 25th, 2010

    It is a sad day in America, when Allyson Schwartz and Bob Brady can take the rights away from Pennsylvanians to have their votes count. Here is my vote. No to Allyson Schwartz.

  9. Adam

    Mar 25th, 2010

    Good point Ed. The first Gallup had support for the Health Care Bill at 49-40 nationally, which makes it a safe assumption that the numbers are probably higher in PA. Moreover, provisions in the Health Care Reform LAW have all polled better than the overall legislation, thanks to the GOP misinformation machine.

    Also, reconciliation is commonly used by both parties. What’s “dubious” is having an oppositioin party that would rather play politics and try to kill meaningful reforms than work with the majority to compromise.

    I know the Republican playbook says to ignore the facts (like polling or the history of reconciliation), pick some new facts and repeat them over and over, but I don’t think it’s going to work this time. In fact, it hasn’t worked in a while. Nice try Livingston.

  10. MontcoLiberal

    Mar 25th, 2010

    Gee, this is getting more like reading the stenography at the Norristown Times Herald every day.

    I’m with Adam, Mr. Livingston. Quit living in your Rush Limbaugh made up, fantasy world of Republican bulls%@t and get down here in the trenches with the people to try to solve some problems.

  11. David Diano

    Mar 25th, 2010

    EK-
    How much was spent raising and educating you?

    Now you don’t want to chip into the pool for health insurance? Try not to have any pre-existing conditions.

    (your education money appears to have been wasted)

  12. 95 South

    Mar 27th, 2010

    Dave, I am not in favor of the Health Care Takeover, but I hope that your pre-exisitng disease of Liberalism will be covered, and hopefully, they can find a cure.

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