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July 20, 2009 07:26 PM UTC
70 Comments
At the core of the health care access debate is that millions of people cannot afford private health insurance and cannot afford access to regular (and preventive) health care. Even if Polis personally believes that there was a problem with the proposed funding mechanism, you would think he (and/or his staff) would be a little more sensitive to the realities of living in the middle class or below in these times. I was with a group of Democrats over the weekend and there is a lot of anger over this.
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after how he trounced the former State Senate Prez, NOBODY is going to challenge him.
Find a way to get his ear. Tell HIM how you feel, not me.
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but doesn’t actually give a shit what people think. I have never once seen him take criticism seriously or ask for real input. He decides what he’s going to do without asking anyone, and if he says anything at all afterwards it’s just to defend himself.
That doesn’t mean he will agree with the person critisizing him.
but I’ve never seen him modify an opinion or position even slightly in response to criticism. Which of course is how all politicians are, but wasn’t Polis’ main selling point that he was different?
If health care is sunk, and JP’s letter is partly to blame, he will face a very nasty primary. From my conversations, nothing is higher on Boulderite’s list of priorities than health care.
Criticism of a Democrat? But from what I read on this site, that’s impossible! Kudos for telling it like it is.
As a non-Boulder Democrat, I have to say that this confirms some old prejudices. Much like hard-line conservatives who work for the government (Colorado Springs, anyone?), Boulder Dems can often seem out of touch with most people’s reality.
although to be fair, a lot of them were dumb enough to vote for him in the primary.
“Jared Polis’ immense fortune means he can’t be corrupted by anyone!”
Except himself.
I didn’t say it was based on anything, it’s just the chip that many of us outside Boulder walk around with on our (collective) shoulder.
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you left out us hard-line conservatives in Colorado Springs who work on fat government contracts.
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I assume you don’t have a contract with the local governments. That would make me very nervous right now. But congratulations! It’s not a ‘fat’ contract, though. It’s a ‘big-boned’ contract.
have, statistically speaking, about a 100% chance of being with the military. Makes it pretty hard pacifists to find work.
self-aggrandizement and personal gain just wasn’t paying attention to his political career.
Every single time he’s taken any kind of leadership role (and here I’m not counting his many press releases where he claims to have led something that was already happening without him), he fucks it up, because ultimately all he really cares about is himself.
Look at Amendment 41, which every rational person agrees was a poorly-done disaster.
Look at his auto bailout plan, which was the last time he got cozy with the WSJ.
He’s a saboteur when it actually counts.
I mean, really – duh! This is Polis’ MO, he’s into self-aggrandizement not public policy. Progressives who backed him were warned that they could expect just this type of behavior. He doesn’t understand politics and his main concern is making sure everyone knows his name.
On the bright side he’ll surely get bored with politics soon enough and we can get someone in that seat who’s interested in policy and legislating.
I did and you all know it and I did. This guy is the same self-absorbed arrogant childish nothing that I have always said. The evidence keeps adding up. I was right, and I told you all so.
You weren’t the only one who said that.
If so, amen to Jared.
Kind of affirms our point, Karate Kid. You are a hardcore conservative and are applauding Polis.
I think Jared kicks ass on this one, too. Anything that scuttles this turd of a bill is a plus in my book.
Reform is needed. This isn’t reform, it’s a huge step backward and a monumental entitlement expansion that won’t ever be able to be unwound.
Polis now has the support of KK, LB and Barron X. Sxp is 100% correct on this one. Numerous early warning signs should not have been ignored.
Polis is a Blue Dog. Good for him.
At least if he believed that, we could call him a conservative or something. At least that would be something.
But no, he supports the large government programs as long as 33-year-old internet greeting card company executives don’t have to pay for them.
It’s been duly noted along with that of Ross Kaminsky. Thanks for proving our point.
I guess when Polis said he liked “Atlas Shrugged” folks should have paid attention? http://www.squarestate.net/dia…
Nobody could have predicted!
We R’s have such an unflinching fondness for Arlen Specter.
I predicted right after he announced and all during the primary. I’ve continued to predict. This behavior is absolutely no surprise to anyone who ever worked with or had to deal with this guy. No surprise whatsoever.
I still think he’s done a better job representing CD-2 so far than some are giving him credit for. If health care ends up getting scuttled because of his letter, or whatever consequences his letter might have, then it will be all anyone remembers about his first term. However, he has done more good than harm so far IMO:
Is he helping to screw over the most important bill of 2009, and possibly Obama’s 1st term? Time will tell. I still expect him to vote for the joint bill whenever it ends up coming up for a vote, and I still think he’s done a good job representing CD-2 for the reasons listed above.
I think you need to take off your tin foil hat on that one sxp.
That seems a bit much. I don’t think I would have accused you of anything similar if I disagreed with you about something.
I was just trying to say that you’re being paranoid calling the Kucinich amendment–or, rather, Polis’ support of the amendment–a “poison pill”.
I have given Jared a thumbs up when he has supported good policy and good bills this year. So Jared, I need to express my dissapointment with the position you have taken on this one.
But, to be fair, it is unrealistic to agree 100% of the time with every elected leader on every issue. Jared believes Health Care reform is important. Seems like he disagrees abit with some on the details on how to pay for it.
We will get there. Jared we need your help.
The last time this came up, I was being swept along until suddenly it came up that this thing about paying for health care by taxing the “wealthy” might (or might not… someone could clarify) apply to me! I’m barely making the mortgage payments on my very inexpensive ($100K) house, and though I am managing to make payroll for my two employees, it’s a month to month deal.
So I asked, and got no answer. Does my reality-based question just get in the way of the outrage machine? I’m starting to think that may be a possibility.
I’m about the most progressive person you can come up with on health care reform; but I also think the legislative process needs to be open for people to raise real concerns, without being pegged into the “pro-bill” or “sabateur” pegholes. This is partisan politics at its worst.
While coloradopols might have some insights into our state legislative process, they are missing the mark completely on DC.
I am working hard to pass healthcare reform, and trying to get the support of more Freshman Democrats for the sweeping reforms. By taking a leadership role in my class I not only further the cause of healthcare reform, but strengthen my relationship with my fellow Democrats and leadership.
We are working on a funding mechanism that will garner majority support from the House, and I’m confident we’ll get there as long as we can get the bill out of Energy and Commerce.
I’ve taken a very active role in working with leadership through the legislative process to pass this bill, and the analysis above is simply strange.
Jared Polis
that if what you say is true, you’re receiving the above criticism.
People who read this site and post on this site aren’t dumb, so apparently your message got lost between DC and CO.
It’s been written about all across the country, including the Wall Street Journal and the NY Times.
You turn your back on the middle and low income people of your district and all you can say is wow???? That Congressman is NOT good enough!
Are you going to tell all of us that are not millionaires that we
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Are you going to tell all the small businesses in Colorado, including the very small one my husband owns, that they
? Their small business could no longer afford health care premiums and lost it. What happens to my husband, who has asthma and extremely high blood pressure that is hard to get under control and who is in otherwise good physical shape, the next time he has an asthma attack or god forbid a stroke or heart attack?
What about my son and his family including four children? He has been out of work for over 2 months and has not been able to find anything, not even in a burger joint. He had to pawn some of his carpenter tools to pay rent because they pay over $500 a month for insurance and his wife only makes $14 a hour as a licensed medical assistant. Her employer is one of Boulders biggest Medical Centers and they do not pay one penny towards their employees health care.
What are you going to say to them when they have to choose again between paying rent, buying gas and groceries and paying for health care, go pawn the rest of your tools so you can never work as a carpenter again?!
We don’t need the kind of support that you and other Freshman Dems want, it does nothing for anyone but the rich. Stop worrying about being a leader among the Dems and start worrying about the people you are supposed to be representing.
who owe their offices to Barack Obama?
He was there for you. You’d better be there for him.
You want to help small business?
Fix the health care mess. Because it’s getting to be harder and harder to afford being a small business, and health care costs are the primary reason.
You need to quit being an obstructionist and get this done.
Jared Polis represents the second most Democratic district in the state, and Betsy Markey won in a district where Obama overwhelmingly lost, as is the case with many of the Dems on that letter. They don’t owe Barack Obama a goddamned thing.
That being said, he does need to communicate this issue a hell of a lot better because right now it does look like the rich guy complaining about how his own taxes might go up.
Not exactly. McCain won by 1 point in the 4th CD. John Salazar, by the way, won in a district Obama lost by 3 points. The other districts were much more lopsided in the directions you’d expect.
I live in CD4 and Obama damn near took our district. I know for a fact that he won in Larimer County and I also know that a large contingent turned out, larger than normal, to vote for him in smaller areas such as where I live, which helped immensely down ticket and in particular, helped Markey.
Markey won by 12. Obviously the historic nature of the election brought out turnout for people who wanted to vote for Obama, but Markey still won by double digits.
And having an enthused and inspired voting public certainly helped her, no?
Barack Obama’s name on the ticket helped out all Democrats, and Markey was certainly no exception.
But I think that Republicans and independents who had previously voted for Musgrave when she ran against Angie Paccione and Stan Matsunaka (who both came close, especially Angie in 2006–in fact you could probably give a lot of credit to her, because she came closer than any other Dem there until Markey) gave the edge to Marley in 2008. They were so fed up with Musgrave’s general musgraveness that they probably would have given the extra push necessary to any Democratic candidate who was on the ticket. It’s a testament to Betsy Markey’s skill as a campaigner that she won by a the kind of margin that Hank Brown and Wayne Allard used to get.
So I think it’s flawed to say that Markey owes any more to Obama than any other Democratic representative in congress. She earned a big mandate from CD-4 through her hard work and excellent campaigning and political skills.
Don’t take that to mean I don’t think she should support the President. I do, and I believe she has to the extent that she’s been able to.
Anyway, I don’t want to get totally off-topic, so I’ll leave it there.
And I don’t believe I said that Markey owes more to Obama than other Democratic representatives in Congress. Did I? I don’t think I did.
I did say that I agree with Ralphie in that Obama’s incredible grassroots organization assisted her campaign in ways that cannot be discounted or underestimated. And let me just say, clearly, right now, that I very much would appreciate it if she would show her appreciation for that, and Polis also, by doing everything they can to get healthcare passed, not derailed.
Someone has certainly missed the mark completely. It could be everyone here, since we are all a bunch of local hicks. Or it could be you.
If it comes out of committee with the current funding mechanism, will you vote to support it on the floor?
It’s OK (even, wonderful) for a nobody like me to make fun of people and talk down to them. It’s always deserved and sometimes funny! HOWEVER, you are not me. It’s not a good idea to strike such a patronizing tone in a public statement:
The problems with this statement are many, especially coming from someone who’s been in big, bad DC for less than 1 year. Especially from someone who’s not hit 40 years old yet. Especially from someone who claims to want to represent the lil’people (didn’t you claim that?). Especially when people other than CO bumpkins are making similar observations.
Work on it!
You did not propose a funding mechanism. You proposed eliminating the funding required to make this work – with no proposed alternative. You didn’t even say “don’t tax me – tax that group.” You just said “don’t tax me.”
Speaking as someone who’s taxes would go up under the proposed funding – do it. Someone’s got to pay for this and if my taxes go up a bit in good years to pay for it – I’m ok with that.
In Jared’s letter to Pelosi, he does indirectly present an alternative by continually referencing the much lower corporate tax rate. If you’re Jared’s friend you can comfort yourself with that, there’s not much else.
I think we should be clear about the nature of this problem. It’s not Jared’s commitment to health care reform, I believe he will vote for the final bill even if the funding mechanism doesn’t change – he should do this, and try to influence it in or at least in reconciliation with the Senate.
The problem is that by breaking with the initiative to pass the bill so publicly instead of trying to amend and negotiate, he’s given cover for the Blue Dogs and moderate Republicans to oppose the bill. It’s not about the details, it’s how it plays in a 30 second news clip. That’s why Jared, if he is smart, will take the lead passing the bill now! Figure out a way to get Cranberg off his back. I don’t know if his future now depends on it, but it might. He does not want to be the man who killed health care.
Polis doesn’t take genuine criticism seriously for a second.
Observe how not just the site but every commenter (except the extreme right-wingers) is utterly clueless about the process of being rich and awesome and in DC.
Observe how nothing gets in the way of his ego. He doesn’t merely disagree with commenters, he ignores anyone who questions his assumptions or tactics. Since that’s everyone in this case, he won’t respond to a single actual point.
He’s an egomaniac. And ultimately, a coward.
Where does Governor Ritter stand on the Obama Health Care plan. I have heard nothing from him.
Is the Governor standing behind the President on this one or ducking for cover?
But thanks for playing.
..given that he represents ALL of Colorado as the lone governor.
I just love this new, kinder, gentler you. 🙂
Let me see Governor Ritter recommended to the Legislature that they take no action on health care because he said we should wait for the Congress to take up health care reform
Many Governors have come out in support of the President’s Health care plan. Other Governors have opposed it. The Health care plan will effect the State of Colorado, its citizens and its budget.
I am sure the President would welcome Ritter’s support as he did that of Governor Rendell.
Glad that Jamba and MOTHR who spend so much of their time on line are so poorly informed. Kinder gentler and uninformed. HeHeHe
Now has Ritter taken a stand one way or the other on the Obama Health Care Plan? Does anyone know?
But really, nice try, you one tune Tommy.
“There’s a concern about whether they have fully figured out a revenue stream that would cover the costs, and that if they don’t have all the dollars accounted for it will fall on the states …” (Kevin Sack And Robert Pear, “Governors Fear Medicaid Costs In Health Plan,” The New York Times, 7/20/09)
Excuse me, my liberal friends, but just what is it about the FACTS of what Polis said that you disagree with?
You may be all for socialism, but Polis simply lays out the numbers and explains why he thinks there’s a better chance that the original Dem bill will cost you your job than will improve your health insurance situation.
My take on Polis’ letter is here, if you’re interested:
http://rossputin.com/blog/inde…
While I’m absolutely opposed to single-payer socialized medicine, I have a very hard time understanding liberals who are so blinded by their desire to socialize everything that they can’t listen to a sensible economic argument by one of their own.
While CD-2 is almost certainly a safe re-election for Polis, lots of other districts around the nation aren’t so safe for their Democratic incumbents. It’s people like you who are bashing Polis because you don’t accept deviation from leftist dogmatic perfection even though the alternative (in other districts) might be a Republican that will cause Democrats to do very poorly in 2010. I just hope the Dems don’t destroy the country before then.
I think Jared Polis is wrong about many things, including his support for so-called health care “reform”. But his point about a huge jump in tax rates which apply to many thousands of small businesses and his points about competitiveness seem so fact-based and non-partisan that your criticism of them seems very poorly thought-out. Not that I’m surprised that the Colorado Pols crowd would be guilty of muddled thinking.
…(which, I suspect, you are not) you could read the comments in the earlier thread to which Pols linked above.
We’ve got a number of posters here who file Schedule Cs and S-Corp filings for their small businesses… It’s not terribly difficult to look beyond Rep. Polis’s analysis to the larger picture – small businesses would be much more able to afford health care under the new system, and could hire better workers as a result.
I don’t disagree with Jared on the problem – that C corporations aren’t going to be putting in under the current plan, and that, as a result, rich individuals – some operating as S-Corp or sole proprietorships – are affected more deeply than perhaps necessary.
But I disagree on his apparent conclusion: that no health reform is better than imperfect health reform. (And yes, Jared’s ‘No’ vote in committee is IMHO his definitive word until he answers the question I posted above…)
We really don’t get enough of your “analysis” in the Post.
that taxes are on profit? How on earth can a slight increase in taxes impact anyone’s existing job? Speaking as the owner of an S corp I think your argument is bogus.
is that he’s on the goddamn committee. There are three committees working on health care bills, he’s on one of them. If he thought his idea was in any way constructive, he would have convinced his fellow committee Democrats. Like he claims to have done to pass the Kucinich amendment.
Instead he’s going outside the process, and the only reasonable conclusion to make is because he wants to help kill the bill on a technicality.
Is it to appeal to conservative Democrats and Republicans? No, they hate him anyway.
The only logical conclusion is that he doesn’t want to pay a single cent for something that won’t help him get higher office.
That Polis is no fucking help?
He’s a rich guy who doesn’t understand the problems that the rest of us have getting insurance. Or that medical bills are the #1 cause of bankruptcy in the US.
He’s got his, he could give a shit less about mine.
I don’t care if Polis’ district is “safe” or not. If health care doesn’t get done, how long does he think the American people are going to sit still for broken promises by Democrats?
I hope he’s gonna have fun being in the minority party.
Boulder’s first Republican of the 21st century.