Lee Terry Challenged By Blue Dog Tom White
U.S. Representative Lee Terry is clearly not a good progressive choice for residents of the 2nd congressional district in Nebraska, with a regressive legislative score of 33 out of 100, and a progressive score of only 6. However, Terry’s regressive record in itself only sheds a half-light on the choice for voters in his district in the 2010 congressional election. Equally important is the character of Terry’s only opponent so far, Democrat .
Is Tom White a progressive politician? His campaign web site gives few clues as of yet. White’s status as a Democratic candidate doesn’t give us much of a clue, given the influence of the right wing Blue Dog caucus within the Democratic Party.
White’s campaign is currently in the phase of an exploratory committee, which means that he is remaining vague on the agenda his campaign will promote. White has no explicit discussion of issues to offer voters, though he does describe some aspects of his current political record as a member of the Nebraska State Legislature:
- funding for public schools
- government efficiency
- transparency
These are all fairly safe, general positions. Nothing to set White apart in particular.
On the issue of Health Care, however, Tom White comes into more clear focus. In an article that White links to himself, as if he’s proud of its contents, it’s explained that White has taken the position of opposing current health care reform legislation.
Why on earth would a Democratic candidate for Congress oppose the Democratic health care reform legislation? According to the article, White believes that the current public option proposal is unacceptable because it threatens insurance companies.
Tom White is campaigning with the idea that he won’t vote for any health care reform unless it protects insurance companies? Since when is the welfare of insurance companies the primary concern of the U.S. Congress?
It boggles my mind that Tom White is trying to challenge Lee Terry by adopting the very same pro-corporate, anti-reform position as Representative Terry has already taken for himself. On a strategic level, it’s stupid marketing, because it suggests to voters that it doesn’t matter whether they vote for White or Terry, when it comes to the most important issues of the day. If the two candidates are pretty much the same, why would anybody turn out to work for Tom White’s campaign?
On a more idealistic level, Tom White’s defense of profits over people is disappointing as well. It seems plain to see that White would become another Blue Dog Democrat, if elected, operating as a Republican while working as a Democrat-in-name.
If I were a voter in the 2nd congressional district in Nebraska, I wouldn’t give my support to Tom White. Instead, I’d join my neighbors in a search for a more progressive candidate to campaign against Lee Terry – either from within the Democratic Party, or from a third party.
Please don’t let Obama pass this peice of junk called health care. I want to keep my advantage plan.
Health care isn’t something to be passed or not passed by Congress, Vivian. It’s called medicine. Congress is considering health care reform, and no plan being supported by Democratic leadership would take away your insurance company bureaucrat plan.
Since when is Tom White a blue dog? The WH reported he wants to be elected to help
Nancy Pelosi with her agenda. Hardly a blue dog. He is a liberals liberal.
I for one am tired of Ben Nelson style politics where you talk one way and vote another.
Can you explain to me, cocklebur, how opposing health care reform on behalf of the needs of insurance companies is a liberal position?
Tom White also opposes climate change legislation. How does that fit with your depiction of him as a liberal? He said at a recent debate that if he’s elected, he’ll work with Republicans, not position himself against them.
Tom White is remarkably silent on most of the issues, but when he does speak, he sounds like a Blue Dog, not a liberal.
Those two positions are neither liberal or conservative. Nor are they adequate to label him as a blue dog. He has a track record of speaking out in support of liberal positions.
Example:Tom White made it clear in an Omaha World Herald article that wants to go to DC to support the Pelosi agenda. I doubt Pelosi is a blue dog.
Working with republicans is not a test of being a blue dog. Look at the Reagan years where he worked with the Dems to get legislation passed.
He is a liberal facing political reality hoping the label is what people will hear.
I doubt Tom White declared in the Omaha World Herald that he wanted to go “support the Pelosi agenda.”
Cocklebur, Nancy Pelosi’s record as Speaker of the House is one that’s criticized by liberals. Opposing climate legislation and health care reform certainly are not liberal positions. Yet, you claim that Tom White is a liberal. His positions on legislation are consistent with those taken by the Blue Dog Coalition. I fail to see how the facts of Tom White’s campaign fit your description of his candidacy.
The national press reported that Pelosi could not get the blue dogs to support the house health care bill. MSNBC, CNN and other national media reported that the blue dogs did vote no. Per the Omaha World Herald Tom White said he would have voted in favor of the health care bill passed by the house last November. That is not consistent with the blue dog position.
Health care is a liberal initiative and White supported it.
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Tom White added his support to the health care legislation after it was filled with a tremendous amount of pro-insurance garbage – just like the other Blue Dogs. The current health care reform legislation is no liberal initiative. White supported Ben Nelson’s efforts to move the legislation toward a pro-industry character. Pay attention to the details. They matter.
!. Watcher: What garbage? Be specific. Which bill? House or Senate?
2. Which BlueDogs?
3. Senator White said he supported the House bill in November 2009. The Senate had not voted yet.
4. WATCHER: Give me a list of the BLUE DOGS in the House. Also, why don’t you just ask Senator White if he agrees with either label. Maybe he is a Libertarian.
5. WATCHER: You rated Congressman Terry based on numerous criteria but rated Senator White on 3 or less. Your analysis is flawed from the start.