For weeks, I watched bloggers and message board pundits predict that Frank Kratovil would fall in line with the Democrats and blindly support the costly universal health care bill. In fairness, I kept my mouth shut because I couldn't gage where the Congressman would come down on this issue. While I remained hopeful he'd reject the House version of the bill, I couldn't definitively get a read on his stance. Now, the suspense has ended. Kratovil will not support the House bill when it comes to vote this weekend.
Make no mistake, Kratovil needed to steer clear of his party on this issue. In Maryland's First Congressional District, voters expect an independent voice. For years, we enjoyed that with Wayne Gilchrest. In a divisive debate such as this, it wouldn't have been a smart political move to support such lousy legislation.
Kratovil described his decision as follows: "As health care reform legislation takes shape, I’m concerned with specific policy aspects of the bill, including cost, impact on the deficit, and the impact that the employer mandate and surtax would have on small businesses and job creation. While I recognize the need to reform our health care system, I will not be able to support a bill that does not adequately address these goals".
As the 2010 election nears, Kratovil has now taken several stances that put him at odds with the Democratic Party. Still, I expect a creep like Andy Harris to continue his dishonest attacks on Kratovil's record. And to those Democrats now squawking that the Congressman lost a vote due to his independence, I wonder how much you'd prefer a right-wing partisan like Harris.
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1 comments:
Bud,
Although I disagree with your, and Kratovil's stance on the Health Care legislation, you make a valid point about partisanship. Over a series of votes Kratovil has shown himself to be an independent thinker and has voted both for and against his party's position. During the same period Harris' voting record in the State Senate, shows him to tow the party line without exception in an almost knee-jerk fashion.
Given the First Congressional District's demonstrated preference for moderate non-partisan representation, this vote has probably sealed a victory for Kratovil in next year's election.
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