Another story on the Jim Idon’tknowski problem in the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune (much better than the Globe’s report) adds some significant new information to the SCHIP situation.
- It is definitely possible that the winner of the MA-05 race will be seated in time to vote on the override attempt. The election is on October 16, and the vote is currently scheduled for October 18. Says the Eagle-Tribune:
There is precedent for new House members to be seated within two days of a special election. Congressman Stephen Lynch, a Boston Democrat, won a special election on Oct. 16, 2001, and was sworn in Oct. 18, 2001.
If they did it then, I don’t see why they couldn’t do it now.
- The Idon’tknowski campaign is so terrified of this issue that they’re getting incoherent about it.
Dustin Olson, Ogonowski’s campaign manager, declined to say how Ogonowski would vote.
“This is a partisan trap they’re trying to draw us into,” Olson said.
A partisan trap?? That’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen a campaign manager say. No, Dustin — it’s called doing the job. A big part of the job of Members of Congress is to vote on important issues. (Perhaps no one mentioned that at Karl Rove’s training camp?) If Ogo is unwilling to disclose how he’d vote on an issue of this magnitude, where his vote could in fact be the deciding one, he is not worthy of the job.
- Further reflecting the confusion within Team Idon’tknowski:
The Eagle-Tribune previously reported Ogonowski would vote to uphold the Bush veto. However, Olson said campaign spokesman Barney Keller may have misspoken in conversations with Eagle-Tribune reporters.
Whoops.
- Finally, the Eagle-Tribune shows the Globe how it’s done.
Olson said Ogonowski supports SCHIP expansion but thinks the bill Congress passed makes it too easy for illegal immigrants to get Medicaid benefits and deprive “disadvantaged kids” of benefits they deserve.
The bill Congress passed requires people seeking Medicaid benefits paid for by SCHIP to provide a Social Security number instead of a passport or citizenship documents as currently required. Ogonowski wants the bill rewritten to keep the current standard in place.
Not bad. I’d prefer it a little stronger, but at least the Eagle-Trib reporter (Edward Mason) comes right out and says that the bill requires something. You wouldn’t know that to listen to Barney Keller, or to read the Globe story.
Hasn’t shown he has a clue. His rhetoric is a dull rehash of stale right wing ideas out of step with lots of members of his own party.
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“Idon’tknowski” is perfect.
maybe he’ll follow the money when he votes. the largest contribution to the Ogonowski campaign was $5,000 from Tom Cole’s PAC. Cole (R-OK) voted “no” SCHIP. going into office with no firm stance on SCHIP makes him highly susceptible to persuasion by his power major benefactor.
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a few comments: the ogo campaign likes to try to paint Tsongas as a Washington insider and a special interest suck-up. Well, as national republican committee chair, Cole is about as insider as you can get. Additionally, Ogonowski accepted $6,000 from other Washington DC PACs. He may not be an insider now, but he sure likes to accept favors from them. He is well on his way to joining the ranks.
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Second, Ogonowski is no stranger to special interest and out-of-state money. That he has received fewer gifts than Tsongas in any category is more a sign of his lack of general appeal to the electorate than to his being some sort of political saint.
If Tsongas gets in then she would be highly susceptible to persuasion from her benefactors. Like say Raytheon, the U.S.-CUBA DEMOCRACY PAC, UNITED TRANSPORTATION UNION PAC of Ohio, JOHNSON & JOHNSON PAC, and on and on
Tsongas has clearly stated her position on the key issues, including SCHIP. Ogonowski, on the other hand, can’t seem to commit to action on anything. Except trying to get elected. He’s putty.
is that Jim O appears to be using the Deval play book? Not to mention I disagree with your assertion.
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And, if I state what my position is it doesn’t matter if I take a shit load of money from special interest? Really?
on issues while a candidate. Marriage equality was one of them. That was a first for the nation. You can’t get more gutsy than that. Your comparison is laughable.
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I don’t understand your second paragraph.
And Deval said “I need to think about that” or “I need more information” on other things. Casinos come to mind.
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My point is that Tsongas has taken more special interest money then Jim yet you try to make it that Jim will be subservient to the special interest while Tsongas is free and clear. That’s just stupid.
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Look, I don’t even have a dog in this fight. I’m not a republican and I don’t live in the district.
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However, if I were to have a vote I would use Jim’s acceptance of PAC money as a deciding factor while ignoring the PAC money that Nikki is accepting. That’s just one sided, phony-analysis of the situation. Or perhaps confirmation bias.
one shouldn’t look at the contributions accepted by both candidates. However, Tsongas isn’t pointing fingers at Og for his accepting such contributions. Rather, it is Ogonowski that is pointing fingers, while he himself accepts such contributions. It is a clear case of “hey! look over there!” or do as I say, not as I do. Further, I am less inclined to believe that Tsongas will be beholden to special interests because she has stated her positions up front on many issues. In contrast, Ogonowski has accepted lots of PAC money and remained almost completely mum. This for me raises red flags.
she actually is kinda pointing the finger at him. From a press release today:
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i have not been keeping up with all the press releases. not by a long shot. but it was my impression that the og campaign began the finger pointing (washington insider, beholden to special interests, etc.). if i am correct, then what you posted would in essence be a defensive reply to an offensive attack. please correct me if i’m wrong.
The whole release is about fundraising, pointing out how far Tsongas is ahead of Idon’tknowski, and talking about the source of the funds. The PAC thing isn’t a major focus, but is probably intended as a push-back against Idon’tknowski’s “regular guy” “non-insider” persona.
I don’tknowgonowski. Just a preference. BTW, in Italian it could be Non-Lo-So-gonowski, in case you were curious.
There isn’t time to do that before it expires.
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Furthermore, it’s a bipartisan bill! The Senate Republicans had a huge hand in it, they even were the ones pushing higher cigarette taxes to pay for it.
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On the House side, the only reason why the Republicans weren’t invited in the writing process was because they said, from the start, they were going to do everything they could to stop it from happening – a fact they lived up to, using parliamentary procedures to stall it. The House Dems were supposed to invite them to the bill-crafting party?
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No, Oganowski’s hopeful house friends had their chance on writing a bill that pleased them. The Senate Republicans stepped up to the plate and didn’t play politics with kids, the House Repuglicans failed that basic test. So there shan’t be another rewrite of this bill. That would stop hundreds of thousands of innocent kids from getting health care they need.
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(Shame on Oganowski.)
I confess. Personal issues have not allowed me to devote time to looking into this SCHIP issue. Yes it’s about insuring kids but when an issue reachs a certain threshold and starts to get into mainstream media the Machiavellian meter starts to register. Insure kids how. What other Satanic clauses, attachments and or provisions for implantable GPS tracking devices are included.