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"Blue Dog" Jane Harman Supports "Robust Public Option"

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:27:31 PM EST
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While "progressive" blogger Ezra Klein (Ezra wrote this very good post so I give him a pass on this one) and Matt Yglesias may think this demonstrates "sociopathic indifference" to the issue of health care reform, I was happy to see Jane Harman state unequivocally to Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC that she was a a "Blue Dog" who supports a "robust public option."

Does that make her "Left of the Left" now?

Speaking for me only

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    "Blue Dog" Jane Harman Supports "Robust Public Option" | 45 comments (45 topical)

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    Harman's support for the Public Option (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by inclusiveheart on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:33:28 PM EST
    along with other's who may seem unlikely proponents, just goes to show that some people do in fact approach this healthcare issue as more of a math problem (as it should be) than as an ideological or philosophical question.

    Too bad... (none / 0) (#3)
    by ctrenta on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:35:32 PM EST

    she doesn't take the same calculated approach to health care when it comes to domestic surveillance. Whatever.

    [ Parent ]
    I don't agree with her on a lot of fronts, (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by inclusiveheart on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:43:26 PM EST
    but I do think she is mostly a by the numbers pragmatist even on the domestic surveillance issue.  I don't agree with her calculation necessarily, but I think she comes to the problem with a more analytical approach than a lot of people do.

    [ Parent ]
    Considering that one sixth (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:57:10 PM EST
    of the GNP is involved in a system that is destructively broken.....I'm glad some people care about the reality.

    [ Parent ]
    It makes Jane Harman sane (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by cawaltz on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:45:15 PM EST
    and smart enough to realize it isn't intelligent to diss 70% of the public going into an election year or a base that likely could mean the difference between getting elected or not.

    There are other possibilities... (none / 0) (#15)
    by oldpro on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:54:44 PM EST
    including maybe she's not planning to run again.  You can't imagine how freeing that is!

    [ Parent ]
    She's running. (none / 0) (#40)
    by rennies on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 05:29:09 PM EST
    She's my Congresswoman and her district includes some very liberal parts of LA, including Venice. She's often conservative, especially on labor and trade issues, but generally progressive on social issues.

    [ Parent ]
    Umm, can we take this as proof that (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by scribe on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:55:47 PM EST
    primaries work?

    As I recall it, she had to defend herself against one recently....

    Yup (none / 0) (#21)
    by andgarden on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:01:13 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    I am a life long Democrat . . . (5.00 / 2) (#29)
    by Doc Rock on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:30:25 PM EST
    . . . who, until I went to work for the government30 years ago had worked in the campaigns of many Democrats. I am at the point, however, where I find it harder to support the wishy washy Democrats any more than the other, so-called "major" party.

    I am looking for a party or candidate whom I can support as I see little support for the common man in either "major" party.

    This is why (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by Dalton Hoffine on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:39:45 PM EST
    It's important for us to not judge our representatives, or anyone in our life for that matter, as solidly 'good' or 'bad' or 'smart' or 'dumb' or whatever other dichotomy you prefer. A person can be intelligent/in the right on one issue and not so on others. Things are rarely black and white.

    That said, when the aggregate of one's positions isn't as good as another person's, we should elect that other person. Thusly why primaries are a healthy thing in our deomcracy.

    Harman interview (5.00 / 2) (#34)
    by residents77 on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 02:11:37 PM EST
    I live in Harman's district and was just reading a column she wrote in our local weekly, the Easy Reader (http://www.easyreadernews.com/current_issue/index.php, but it's not posted yet) in which she says she supports a strong public option.  She does mention that her 27-year-old son had his health insurance canceled after he had an operation, so maybe that explains her (frankly, rather baffling, given that she is Jane Harman) stance.

    I should have said "robust" (none / 0) (#35)
    by residents77 on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 02:16:45 PM EST
    not "strong"

    [ Parent ]
    makes sense... (none / 0) (#42)
    by of1000Kings on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 10:49:08 PM EST
    generally people only care about something once it affects someone they love...

    [ Parent ]
    Must be almost Friday (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by ruffian on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 03:19:36 PM EST
    I saw 'Harmon' and read 'Hamsher". I thought BTD was being funny calling her a Blue Dog.  Makes a lot more sense now.

    Primary threats are indeed wondrous things.

    Jane Harman is becoming a Leftie? (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Lightpond Blogger on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 11:19:36 PM EST
    Jane Harman is becoming a Leftie? I don't think so.

    Jane is being challenged by a true progressive - Marcy Winograd, a high school teacher and a co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Progressive Democrats of America.

    I think Harman's trying to manufacture some Democratic credentials.  As I noted in my blog, Jane Harman once described herself as "the best Republican in the Democratic party".

    Good with that (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by cawaltz on Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 02:19:05 AM EST
    The more democrats that realize they have to establish their democratic credentials the better.

    [ Parent ]
    Is Marcy running again? (none / 0) (#45)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 10:15:35 AM EST
    That's great.

    [ Parent ]
    Here's the thing about Ezra that obvious (none / 0) (#2)
    by andgarden on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:35:18 PM EST
    from that post you link: he has very little conception of the role he's personally playing in shaping the debate.

    THAT (5.00 / 4) (#4)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:35:52 PM EST
    I do not believe.

    [ Parent ]
    Then we have to ask what he really believes (none / 0) (#5)
    by andgarden on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:36:42 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Well we don't really (5.00 / 2) (#6)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:39:55 PM EST
    We can just write about what he does.

    [ Parent ]
    More like a pol than an advocate? (none / 0) (#7)
    by andgarden on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:42:55 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    For me (none / 0) (#14)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:52:37 PM EST
    the only reason I have bothered so much with him is because he is a voice who gets a lot of attention on the issue.

    It really is not personal.

    I wish him good luck. Seems like a nice person.

    [ Parent ]

    My point (none / 0) (#16)
    by andgarden on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:55:00 PM EST
    is that it's not entirely clear to me what he thinks he's doing.

    [ Parent ]
    He believes whatever his too clever by (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by inclusiveheart on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:45:40 PM EST
    half political calculations lead him to believe on any given day.  At least that's my take on it.

    [ Parent ]
    He believes in his genius (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:57:58 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    That;s no sin (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:06:37 PM EST
    I believe in mine.

    [ Parent ]
    loss of genius points (5.00 / 2) (#25)
    by Capt Howdy on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:15:31 PM EST
    for punctuation

    [ Parent ]
    Come on (none / 0) (#27)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:20:04 PM EST
    Einstein couldn't tie his shoes or remember a shopping list over four items long :)

    [ Parent ]
    I didn't say he was a sinner (none / 0) (#30)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:33:03 PM EST
    But you're old....you're an old genius.  Not some genius running around half-cocked :)  And you have a real job.  Not some job where you run around making half-cocked look good....errrm...well...uh

    [ Parent ]
    Lights camera action (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by mmc9431 on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:30:21 PM EST
    I think Ezra's been dazzled by the bright lights, the attention and the money.

    He's using the same PR textbook that Obama used. Build a base and reputation among those in the progressive community by bashing the Bush administration. (They made such an easy target!)

    Now that he's hit the national media, the trick is to not to be "too progressive". He doesn't want to risk being discarded as just another ranting leftist. I believe he's looking at the long term regarding his career. Being the voice of reason is a much safer position in corporate America.

    The strategy worked for Obama and from the looks of it, it seems to be working for Ezra too.

    [ Parent ]

    Hey may now realize that. (none / 0) (#11)
    by lilburro on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:48:10 PM EST
    he keeps referencing his "unhappy readers."  Perhaps his most recent post is evidence he's being pushed to the left.

    [ Parent ]
    We'll see (none / 0) (#12)
    by andgarden on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:48:58 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    The mighty Ezra :) (none / 0) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:58:31 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Isn't Jane Harman (none / 0) (#13)
    by Steve M on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 12:52:10 PM EST
    moderate on the national security issues moreso than the economic ones?

    Noooo (none / 0) (#22)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:05:57 PM EST
    She is "Left of the Left."

    [ Parent ]
    isnt pretty much everyone now (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by Capt Howdy on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:16:18 PM EST
    except for the 25% in crazytown?

    [ Parent ]
    Hee hee (none / 0) (#24)
    by Steve M on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:13:11 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    She's my Congress-critter (none / 0) (#32)
    by otherlisa on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 02:03:51 PM EST
    It's an interesting district, encompassing verrrry liberal Venice Beach and not as much so parts of the South Bay that have traditionally had a lot of aerospace and military type industry. I am guessing that on healthcare you would find a broad consensus here, unlike with some other industries.

    Harman is an interesting politico, for sure. She's always been good on the environment, but I remember questioning here, right before the Iraq invasion, about faulty intelligence and why were we doing this, exactly, and she freaked. I kid not. "I know things you don't know!!!" I believe were her words.

    I give her credit for a learning curve. I have the impression that revelations about the use of torture in interrogations and the stove-piped intelligence were actually shocking to her on some level.

    [ Parent ]

    gah (none / 0) (#33)
    by otherlisa on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 02:04:28 PM EST
    for "industries" read "issues." Or "policies." Just not "industries."

    [ Parent ]
    No, she's a conservative. (none / 0) (#41)
    by FreakyBeaky on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 08:29:29 PM EST
    As in "Even the conservative Jane Harman supports a robust public option."  I mean she's to the right of Lieberman.  :)

    [ Parent ]
    I don't know (none / 0) (#36)
    by Zorba on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 02:24:57 PM EST
    if Harman's stance quite makes her "Left of the Left" now, BTD.  Maybe "Somewhat to the Right of Left of the Left."  We'll have to develop new terminologies, especially for the Blue Dogs who climb on board the public option.

    It could mean a lot of things (none / 0) (#37)
    by cal1942 on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 02:37:02 PM EST
    Being generally business friendly and hawkish wouldn't rule out supporting government health insurance altogether.

    Unlike other Blue Dogs she may not be on the take. If she does receive financial support from the private health care/insurance lobby she may not think losing that support is a big deal in her circumstances.

    What planet is she on? (none / 0) (#39)
    by SOS on Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 03:39:43 PM EST
    The Public Option was dead two months ago.

    "Blue Dog" Jane Harman Supports "Robust Public Option" | 45 comments (45 topical)

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