Loretta Sanchez: A Blue Dog Barks Back on the Public Option

As Jane wrote yesterday, the Blue Dogs in the House of Representatives just did their part in trying to sabotage healthcare reform, forcing the Democratic leadership to delay introducing their proposed bill.

But some of their members aren’t sticking with the pack. This afternoon, Marisa posted a video of Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) saying she believed a public option was the best way to achieve the Blue Dogs’ feigned stated goal of containing healthcare costs.

Sanchez isn’t alone. The Hill reported (and Scarecrow wrote here) yesterday on another letter circulating in Congress:

A band of 22 New Democrat and Blue Dog lawmakers say they support a “robust” government-run health plan, boosting chances of moving healthcare reform with a public insurance plan through the House.

… “We have a broader coalition to pass this than what was assumed before,” said Rep. Lois Capps (Calif.), a New Democrat who circulated the letter supporting a public option with Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)….

The 20 New Democrats on the letter represent nearly one-third of the 68-member caucus. It is signed by two Blue Dogs and three members who are both New Dems and Blue Dogs.

Capps is one of several New Democrats who think the group’s leaders have given House leadership an inaccurate picture of where the centrist, business-friendly caucus stands on healthcare.

This rebellion on behalf of the real center of American politics needs to be pushed further into the media conversation — and Sanchez’s argument on cost controls is an effective wedge that can be used. It neatly splits the Blue Dogs’ carefully maintained PR image as budget hawks from the reality of their pro-corporate actions.

It’s time to make them choose which is more important — providing affordable healthcare to more Americans, or protecting the profits of the big insurance companies? And if that sounds like the dreaded "class welfare," well, maybe it’s time for some of that, too.

Related posts:

1. Democratic Staffer: Blue Dogs are “Hell Nos” on Public Option
2. Blue Dogs Win Big for Health Insurance Industry; Public Option Now Less Robust
3. Come Saturday Morning: The Blue Dogs That Won’t Hunt Together
4. Public Option Expert Jacob Hacker on Why the Blue Dogs are Blowing Smoke
5. 24 Blue Dogs Have Said They Support a Public Option