Guess he got the message:
Frank Kratovil and Tom Perriello, who as freshmen congressmen would be expected to back the party leadership, both say proposals for expanding coverage to the uninsured are un acceptable in their current form and should focus more on cost savings.
Mr Kratovil, who was hanged in effigy by a healthcare protester at a town hall meeting in his state of Maryland, said he would have voted against legislation if it had come to a vote last month.
Tom Perriello, another new representative from neighbouring Virginia, also says he is not yet ready to support the current proposals in the House of Representatives, partly because he is “still getting feedback from?.?.?.?constituents”.
Neither man has ruled out voting for a revised package.
Obviously I can’t forsee Perriello’s motives on this, but the feedback at the town halls thus far is rattling more than a few Democratic representatives.
So which do we have here in the 5th? A principled centrist who votes his conscience? Or a politician who knows he’s a mismatch for his district, and would love to vote for the best version of the worst bill that will pass muster with a constituency who may-or-may-not lose interest over the next 15 months — but can’t?
Cap-and-trade and the Pence Amendment were two strikes against Perriello. ObamaCare is swiftly coming around as the third.