Monday, August 24, 2009
Congress / Politics / Woods Cooper Fires Back at Daily Kos
Posted by Jeff Woods on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 11:49 AM
According to the Daily Kos survey, which the blog conducted in association with the independent polling firm Research 2000, 61 percent of all Cooper's constituents and 80 percent of Democrats in his district favor creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase.
Cooper says he's not against the public option, although the bill he's sponsoring doesn't include one. If Cooper opposed the public option, that would make 47 percent of Democrats less likely to vote for his reelection, according to the poll.
"There is certainly an opening for a strong primary challenge," Kos writes. "Cooper isn't the lock many (including him) believe him to be. And why are the natives restless? His long record of obstructing health care reform surely ranks among the reasons. The public option polls strongly in Cooper's district, yet he doesn't seem to care. While he's supposed to represent his constituents, he seems more concerned with representing the insurance companies. It's more lucrative that way."Cooper has two options. He can stop obstructing and get aboard the public option, or he should start gearing up for a tough primary in 2010. Then he can determine if all that insurance money is really worth the hassle."
In a statement to Pith, Cooper accuses Daily Kos of cooking up the poll results to make him look bad. On top of that, he insists, he's actually for the public option, not against it. Here's his response:
"Private polls are inherently inaccurate, and most people disregard them. He who pays the piper calls the tune, and the Daily Kos got what it wanted. The whole premise of the poll is that I oppose a public option, and that is simply not true. I have repeatedly said that I'm FOR a public option, and that there are multiple ways to do it. I agree with Sen. Chuck Schumer's position on the issue, and the Daily Kos is not attacking him."The Daily Kos can assign a false position to me if it wants, but it's not accurate.
"In addition, I did find things to like about this poll! Only 23% want to replace me? That's great, since 34% VOTED to replace me in 2008. At this point, I might be gaining support.
"But the real reason you have to doubt a poll like this is the following: President Obama won my district with 56% of the vote. This poll shows his favorable number at 66%, up 10 points. While I would like to think that President Obama's numbers were that good, we all know that the polls have been bad for our President this month. The President has lost ground all over the country, but in the 5th district of Tennessee, he's up by 10? I wish it were true, but I doubt seriously that it is.
"I will continue my fight for health reform. We need to cover EVERYONE, and we need to do so responsibly so that we don't bankrupt the country. This has always been my position, this is the President's position, and I will continue to work with him to get the job done."
Comments (15)
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Excellent response by Congressman Cooper. Daily Kos as an "organization" is a self-centered, poll stuffing joke.
Daily Kos :: Huffington Post
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There was no polling question that insinuated that Jim Cooper was against the public option, nor did Kos make such an accusation in his blog post. Jim Cooper's statement misrepresents what Kos said, just like he misrepresents his position on healthcare.
After all, he SAYS he supports a public option, but he is not for the House bill that has one (HR3200). And yet, he continues to campaign in support of a bill that has no public option (Wyden-Bennett).
Cooper is wanting to have it both ways on healthcare and the only difference between now and all the times he's done this type of thing before is that people are paying attention.
It's time for a REAL Democrat to step up and challenge this DINO.
This is what happens when a Democrat falls out of line with the current party leadership for doing nothing than holding to one highly respectable position - that of fiscal responsibility. Granted, Cooper caved on TARP and the stimulus, but he at least talks a better and more fiscally grounded game than that represented by the Democratic Party leadership today. They have yet to propose any way to pay for government/socialized medicine...
Coop is a liar in this statement. The problem isn't how Cooper will ultimately vote. Given his past history, if the health care bill comes up for a vote, he'll probably vote against the bill initially and then vote for it in conference (so he can claim he voted both ways).
The problem isn't the final position, but his continued blocking of the bill. He is on no committee relevant to health care reform, nor is he a member of the Senate. The Democrats have 60 votes in the senate, and a public option can be passed through reconciliation (only requiring 50 votes). Yet Cooper opines on national TV that the votes aren't there in the Senate. Earlier, he said they weren't there in the House, but I guess they were.
Coop is to appear with Karl Rove this Saturday in Nashville at a forum on health care about controlling costs. Coop says we need to wait and read the bill. Coop called health care with a public option in 1994 "socialized medicine." Coop's stall and delay tactics have done nothing but stop the bill.
Oh yeah, and I guess his intention to vote against HR 3200 (as it currently stands) that he stated in the Tennessean a few weeks ago must also be the same as Chuck Schumer's position?!?
And I like how Coop's office has not issued a statement noting that he is 20% points less in popularity than his fellow Democrats (Obama and Bredesne), and that he is below 50% in his own district. Quite a dangerous place to be for Coop. 2010 primary challenge is in the works.
cegrover,
That would be a reasonable defense of Cooper, except that he ultimately voted for the bailouts. If Cooper was a principled cost-cutter, he would be against health care, TARP, and the stimulus. But he voted for the stimulus after he voted against it.
Cooper doesn't really care about costs. He likes to pretend he cares, and then votes for bailouts of Wall Street. But he blocks health care, which hurts those of us on Charlotte Pike, Broadway, Briley Pkwy, and all over his district.
Wall St.'s interests vs. Charlotte Pike's interests? Cooper chooses Wall St.
"Democrat falls out of line with the current party leadership for doing nothing than holding to one highly respectable position - that of fiscal responsibility. Granted, Cooper caved on TARP and the stimulus, but he at least talks a better and more fiscally grounded game than that represented by the Democratic Party leadership today"
He voted for the banker bailout/takeover bill, despite his phones and email being shutdown by his constituents in protest. This was most idiotic, fiscally irresponsible and treasonist bill ever passed. Cooper works for the global banking cartel not folks of TN
I would put my money on Daily Kos ! Hey Jim you got a problem in Tennessee. Its called Insurance Millions for your PAC.Its called Dissing your Voters who have year after year made sure you got voted back into office.
Rep Cooper, We NEED you to BACK Pres.Obama Health Care Bill and NOW!
NO CO-OP'S! A Little History Lesson
Young People. America needs your help.
More than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone.
Our last great economic catastrophe was called the Great Depression. Then as now it was caused by a reckless, and corrupt Republican administration and republican congress. FDR a Democrat, was then elected to save the nation and the American people from the unbridled GREED and profiteering, of the unregulated predatory self-interest of the banking industry and Wallstreet. Just like now.
FDR proposed a Government-run health insurance plan to go with Social Security. To assure all Americans high quality, easily accessible, affordable, National Healthcare security. Regardless of where you lived, worked, or your ability to pay. But the AMA riled against it. Using all manor of scare tactics, like Calling it SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!! :-0
So FDR established thousands of co-op's around the country in rural America. And all of them failed. The biggest of these co-op organizations would become the grandfather of the predatory monster that all of you know today as the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance industry. And the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare industry.
This former co-op would grow so powerful that it would corrupt every aspect of healthcare delivery in America. Even corrupting the Government of the United States.
This former co-op's name is BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD.
Do you see now why even the suggestion of co-op's is ridiculous. It makes me so ANGRY! Co-op's are not a substitute for a government-run public option.
They are trying to pull the wool over our eye's again. Senators, if you don't have the votes now, GET THEM! Or turn them over to us. WE WILL! DEAL WITH THEM. Why do you think we gave your party Control of the House, Control of the Senate, Control of the Whitehouse. The only option on the table that has any chance of fixing our healthcare crisis is a STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION.
An insurance mandate and subsidies without a strong government-run public option choice available on day one, would be worse than the healthcare catastrophe we have now. The insurance, and healthcare industry have been very successful at exploiting the good hearts of the American people. But Congress and the president must not let that happen this time. House Progressives and members of the Tri-caucus must continue to hold firm on their demand for a strong Government-run public option.
A healthcare reform bill with mandates and subsidies but without a STRONG government-run public option choice on day one, would be much worse than NO healthcare reform at all. So you must be strong and KILL IT! if you have too. And let the chips fall where they may. You can do insurance reform without mandates, subsidies, or taxpayer expense.
Actually, no tax payer funds should be use to subsidize any private for profit insurance plans. So, NO TAX PAYER SUBSIDIZES TO PRIVATE FOR PROFIT PLANS. Tax payer funds should only be used to subsidize the public plans. Healthcare reform should be 100% for the American people. Not another taxpayer bailout of the private for profit insurance industry, disguised as healthcare reform for the people.
God Bless You
Jacksmith — Working Class
Twitter search #welovetheNHS #NHS Check it out
(http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)
Senator Bernie Sanders on healthcare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbWw23XwO5o) CYBER WARRIORS!! - TAKE THIS VIRAL
"Coop is to appear with Karl Rove this Saturday in Nashville at a forum on health care about controlling costs"
Well, that's all I need to know. FAIL.
Figures that Cooper will be meeting with Karl Rove. I am so tired of his blocking of health care. His final position doesn't actually matter. We've already seen his true colors with that atrocious op-ed in the Tennessean a few weeks ago.
"Coop is to appear with Karl Rove this Saturday in Nashville at a forum on health care about controlling costs"
They both have the same bosses
Coop appears to be a joke. I read about him only just and he is nothing but a bad bad republican. He himself doesnt seem to know what he stands for. He still hasnt said that he is for public option. All he can say is he support Obama but wouldnt commit to the bill.
The guy shouldnt be re-elected. He is killing health care reform. Just look his statement from 1994 about "Socailized Medicine".
He votes for Wall Street and not main street. Kick this pos out.
According to Cooper
"He who pays the piper calls the tune."
Exactly. Who's calling Cooper's tune?
"I will continue my fight for health reform. We need to cover EVERYONE, and we need to do so responsibly so that we don't bankrupt the country." -- Cooper's defense
Fight? He's fighting against health reform!!! What does he imagine he's actually "fighting" for?
And his casual comment about bankrupting the country implies that if we offer health care coverage to all Americans -- LIKE EVERY OTHER MAJOR COUNTRY IN THE WORLD DOES! -- we'd spend more on health care than we already do today. This just proves he has no idea what he's talking about. Rich people don't want to pay for the health care of poor people. That's the bottom line for Cooper. It's that simple.
