Brunner Politely Kicks My Ass, Lets Me Live to Tell About It

Earlier today, I called out Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner for what I perceived to be a rather quick change of position on whether-or-not the House should pass the Senate health care bill. Her response in February came at a time when everyone was afraid to take a stand on anything. Getting simple responses from candidates was a challenge and I was surprised at the time that Brunner was so straightforward in her response. When I received an email from her campaign today calling on the House to act courageously, I was surprised to see her supporting a bill she opposed just a few weeks ago. Well, turns out I got some of it wrong - at least the interpretation of her remarks both then and now. Brunner has not changed her position on what she believes should be in the final bill and I was not trying to suggest she had. Instead, I felt she made a reversal in saying the bill should be voting down. She contends this is not quite the case. I understand her argument, but I'm not sure I completely understand it. (I realize this makes no sense at all)

My biggest mistake was not calling her campaign for comment before posting. It was sloppy. Really sloppy. I don't typically make mistakes like this without making at least one phone call. Today, I made none. Uh, dumb.

To this point, Secretary Brunner has been gracious enough to not submit me to the special brand of torture she reserves for the Chairman of the DSCC. I've yet to receive a nasty phone call or email and haven't been submitted to the "Velvet Inferno™" the way others experienced the wrath of Keyser Soze. I did, however, receive this thoughtful response (below) from her this evening that better explains her position on the procedure. I promise to call her before popping off next time. (Same goes for Lee.)

Here is the Secretary's response:

On December 30, 2009, I commented at length on the Senate passed version of the health care reform bill.

At that time I stated I could not support it without significant changes, especially when it comes to women's reproductive health care and the excise tax on what were often referred to as “Cadillac plans” (such as superior plans negotiated as part of a collective bargaining process in exchange for lower earnings).  The bill will be passed by the House and move into reconciliation.  I have stated that the reconciliation process should be made more open and transparent, and this remains the same.  Nevertheless, we need health care reform, and we need it now. 



On February 4, 2010, I spoke with Ohio Daily Blog on the heels of the Scott Brown win in Massachusetts for what had been Ted Kennedy’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Anthony asked me if the House should respond to that election outcome by immediately passing the Senate version of health care reform without any further changes. I said "No," and pointed out the need to address objectionable provisions in the Senate bill such as unnecessarily burdened coverage for reproductive services for women and an excise tax on "Cadillac" group health plans that would have the effect of taxing health insurance benefits bargained for by union workers.  I also made my comments at that time in favor of a more open reconciliation process.



Much has transpired since the beginning of February, and the pending vote in the House is not what was asked about last month. President Obama convened a bipartisan health care summit on February 25th at which leaders of both political parties had the opportunity to air their positions on all issues in the health care debate. He then unveiled a White House health care plan that drew from the Senate bill, the House bill, and even Republican ideas on health care reform.



The House vote expected this week combines voting on the existing Senate bill with moving to important amendments derived from the President's health care plan. Changes to the bill are expected to include delaying the excise tax on "Cadillac" group health plans and raising the threshold for that tax. (I do not believe there should be any tax that would affect working Americans who have bargained for better health care at the expense of their take home pay. In the Senate I will fight to make sure no excise tax has this effect at any time.) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has confirmed that the final legislation will eliminate 80% of the excise tax and will replace the lost revenue with a Medicare payroll tax on unearned income. In addition, the House will remove objectionable provisions such as the Medicaid funding break for Nebraska. The White House has made it clear that the final bill should not include any earmarks or provisions that would favor a single state or district, and Speaker Pelosi has likewise ruled out wheeling and dealing or handouts to gain votes for the health care reform plan this week. 



The President's plan and the final health care bill will also take the key step of closing the "doughnut hole" in prescription coverage that is a trap for seniors. These are major changes from the Senate-passed version that was the topic of discussion on February 4th. 



I am chagrined at any prospect that the final version of the health care bill could include objectionable language from the Senate bill that would require women to separately obtain insurance to cover abortion services if they are buying insurance coverage from government-sponsored insurance exchanges.  I am aware that some members of Congress believe that this language is not strong enough. I find it highly objectionable.  I could not vote for the bill if the Stupak-Pitts abortion amendment were added to it from the former House bill.  It is my understanding that it will not.  I will fight tirelessly in the Senate to free women from infringements on reproductive health care and choice in caring for their own bodies.  I am saddened and discouraged that Democrats in the Senate allowed women’s health care to be a bargaining chip to secure passage of a Senate bill for better health care for all Americans.  This is why we need more women in the Senate. 



I have been and will continue to be a proponent of single payer insurance coverage.  I also know that a failure to compromise makes “perfect the enemy of the good” or even the semi-good at this point.  My decision to support the health care bill as proposed by President Obama and to urge that it move to passage was not one reached easily or with alacrity.  Too many people are suffering, too many Republicans have already jumped off the cliff of "no" and are not coming back, and too many Democrats are wavering.  It will take Democrats coming together with courage to pass health care reform against the tides of misinformation, fear, bigotry and stagnation.



In the eighteenth century, when the Senate was debating the location of the Capitol, a member of the Senate told his colleagues that "the confidence of the people is departing from us, owing to our unreasonable delays," according to President John F. Kennedy in his book, Profiles in Courage, at p. 2 (HarperCollins 2003).  It’s no wonder that today the Tea Party movement thrives when the issue has now moved to matters of life and death such as health care.  Delay engendered by intense lobbying by moneyed health care and insurance interests has bred the distrust that has paralyzed Congress and divided the American public from its government.  President Kennedy stated, the “use of compromise” is the “sense of things possible,” at p. 4.  He said that “the choice constantly lies between two blunders,” quoting John Morley, “and legislation, under the democratic way of life and the Federal system of Government, requires compromise between the desires of each individual and group and those around them,” at p. 4. In short, sometimes courage requires compromise.



We don’t yet know the final version of the health care reform bill, but we do know that millions are suffering.  The Stupak-Pitts amendment was untenable, and it is not in the Senate version of the bill.  The Nelson amendment shouldn’t survive.  Neither should any excise tax on health insurance plans for policy holders.  Health care reform must move forward under this eroding political climate before the doors close altogether on it with no Republican support and wavering Democratic support. That’s why the woman in Strongsville yesterday called out for courage and the President agreed.  We owe this improvement that is within our grasp to millions of American people.  I will be a tireless champion of fighting for women’s health care equality and protecting rights of workers when I am elected to the Senate.  It is my great hope that the principles in which I believe and will continue to fight for, like reproductive health care freedom for women and fairness to working Americans, will be protected in the version that passes. We must pass health care now, or we will see the suffering increase with even less political will to address it.