Our colleagues at the Savannah Morning News want Rep. John Barrow to stay true to his "Blue Dog" image and vote against the Democratic health-care plan.
We would simply add that, either way, the Georgia congressman will show his true colors.
The Democrat, whose 12th District includes part of the Augusta area, has been holding his cards close to the vest on this issue. Perhaps he's undecided. Perhaps he's looking for leverage, a la Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana or Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. Maybe he's hoping his vote won't matter in the end.
In any case, Barrow's vote has become the subject of some national political intrigue this week, as the issue has come to a head in the U.S. House.
We hope the congressman hasn't simply been waiting out the prevailing winds. This is one of the biggest issues to come before this or any other Congress. This is an issue of great importance to the fiscal viability of the country and the individual liberty of its citizens. We hope his and others' votes come down to principle -- and that his principles properly reflect his largely conservative district's, regardless of any pressure Democratic leaders may be applying.
We know John Barrow. We don't agree with him politically on a number of issues. But we know he has his head screwed on straight -- and that he knows he works for the people of the 12th District, not for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or even President Barack Obama. He's told us as much.
Even so, he may have to say it into the mirror: Barrow is among a handful of House Democrats that ultra-liberal MoveOn.org is threatening if they take down health care. The group claims to have raised over $1 million in funds it plans to use to find more liberal Democrats to run against Barrow and the others.
Georgians know how silly that is, and Barrow should too: Even if a far-left candidate took him on, it's unlikely 12th District voters would flock to him or her -- and even if Barrow lost, his Democratic challenger would find the left lane ending at the November election, throwing the district into Republican hands.
You can drive south of Augusta toward Savannah and it's rural and poor country for the most part. A few wealth properties here and there but just very poor people for the most part. They were poor when the stock market was booming and they're worse now. For sale signs on property everywhere. America's countryside is drying up and dying. Subsidized healthcare would be a boom to rural life. It would be the most significant thing to happen in the county since the REA's brought electricity back in the 1950's. It's surprising those poor people can't get pass their Republican bile and scream at Barrow to vote for their relief.
I called Congressman Barrow's Washington office today. One of his staffers told me that, as far as he knew, Congressman Barrow still intended to vote against the healthcare bill. I have met Congressman Barrow a couple of times. I don't agree with him on quite a few things but he is pretty strong in his support for veterans so I cut him a little slack. But if he voted for this tax and premium increasing budget busting Medicare robbing healthcare bill, even his support for veterans issues would will not be enough to save him in my view. The ultra liberals cannot hurt him in this district but the independents and moderate conservatives can.
Move On, Move On...you better be prepared to spend that whole $1 mil against Barrow. He'd better vote YES! He's a democrat, this is liberal GA and we want it. Be Like NIKE, JUST DO IT!! VOTE YES TO HEALTH CARE. This is liberal democrat country, and we plan to stay that way!! I guarantee it!! The money is here to elect if does, don't listen to these outsiders, they just trying to scare somebody. VOTE YES, YES, YES!!
dichotomy, if Barrow votes against this bill, he'd better be plan to change his party affiliation. I noticed he didn't run as a blue dog democrat...if he want to stay in office...he'd better vote YES, or be prepared to be a independent or Repub. thug!! Oh, and I am a Veteran too, so don't think yourself special..
I voted for Barrow in the last election. If he votes for the current legislation, I won't vote for him again. It's that simple. No sugar-coating it. A few words of warning... Beware anyone who demands action be taken immediately, urging franticly that if action isn't taken immediately that the sky will fall. Beware if it's a used car salesman, the last president or the current president. If you're going to do something, do whatever it takes to do it right and to do it right the first time. This health care bill "just ain't right."
The AC anonymous poison pen artists write, "We would simply add that, either way, the Georgia congressman will show his true colors." Here we have just one more AC article that pretends to be objective but begins with a thinly veiled threat if Rep. Barrow should (heaven forbid) vote the wrong way according to the Chronicle. GGpap
The geographic center of Mr. Barrow’s district is Phinizy Swamp. Richmond County runs sewage in one side of the swamp and natural plants serve to cleanse the sewage before it hits the clean part and onto the Savannah River. So far Mr. Barrow has been able to stay on the clean side of the Democratic Party, but the manure side of the swamp is spreading out its smell with this healthcare bill. He better be careful and stay away from the Pelosi-Reed untreated waste side of the swamp.
GGpap, your 3:20a post has just two glaring discrepancies in it. 1) this isn't an article, but an editorial on the opinion page. No expectations of objectivity. 2) I'd be surprised if your momma named you GGpap. Doesn't that make you an "anonymous poison pen" artist?
While John Barrow is a Democrat and represents a lot of Savannah Democrats, he has never come across as a Deemocrat. I'd be very surprised if the radical left scares him.
Rep. John Barrow is a member of the Democrat Party. He endorsed Sen. Barack Obama not Sen. John McCain in the 2008 presidential campaign. The Augusta Chronicle has been pressuring (threatening if you will) John Barrow in two recent pieces: in this editorial today on March 19 and in another piece by Larry Peterson of Morris News Service on March 17 titled "Rep. Barrow could face health care vote backlash, poll says".
The Augusta Chronicle does not have John Barrow's best political interest at heart nor the interests of those who elected Congressman Barrow. Republicans, Tea Party fanatics, and chest thumping "conservatives" will not vote for John Barrow in November whether or not he votes for this particular legislation.
John Barrow has consistently voted with red state Republicans to fund America's extant, endless wars. At this juncture I personally don't care whether health care reform passes or not. If divisiveness and fiscal calamity are required for Americans to be forced to end their immoral, unjust, illegal, counterproductive, costly wars abroad, I say "bring it on!" As long as United States mistakenly thinks it is winning the war on terror by killing and killing and killing the bloodshed will continue. Health care is an oxymoron within the context of malignant militarism and perpetual war.
Georgia democrats are not radical like those who are running this country right now. That is why Barrow votes the way he does. He is a southern, conservative democrat.
In any case, how he plans to vote for healthcare doesn't matter because Pelosi plans to push the bill through without a vote. Barrow and the rest of the House of Representatives are now, officially irrelevant.
Yesterday Barrow voted to support the "deem and pass" legislation that will subvert an "up or down" vote on the health care bill. This is enough to begin the search for a new representative.
justus, please tell me how a minority should represent an district where a 'majority' is required to win?
Thank you for your post, JesusIsComing. I am disappointed in any Representative who supports that "deem and pass" subterfuge on a massive and important bill such as this health insurance reform bill.
Compared to Pelosi & Obama and their cronies I'd have to say he is. I don't see him as a radical and at this point that makes him conservative to me....kinda sad.
southernguy, you wanna hassle brad for his grammar? i don't either, but it seems like you have selective grammar snooty-itis.
i don't know barrow's district's make-up, but augusta is majority democrat and richmond county is majority democrat. it would be hard to tell that from the daily. OR the weekly, as a matter of fact.
other demographics would be a surprise for those who only know augusta by its papers, too, i bet.
Barrow will be beaten if he votes for this. He may be beaten no matter what, but for certain if he supports this.
Brad
i actually wish we could talk about policies rather than the horse race all the time.
FYI, the "colleagues" at the Savannah Morning News that ACES cite at the beginning of this editorial as "want(ing) Rep. John Barrow to stay true to his 'Blue Dog' image and vote against the Democratic health-care plan" are also employees of Morris Communications Co. or one of its subsidiaries. The majority of John Barrow's base in Augusta and Savannah want him to vote for the health care bill. I'm told by Barrow's staff that there are others besides myself in Augusta and Savannah who are opposed to continued funding of U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
right. the colleagues are almost coworkers. same daddy, anyway.
i'm still in awe of the work the savannah morning news has done with or to the troy davis case.
With Barrow as its Representative, the 12th District is already in "Republican hands".
Rep Barrow should vote with his party. If this vote costs him his position, is that not the kind of leadership we need. The hipocracy of keeping a job over doing what the people who voted him in want is what is destroying this republic. And by the way, yes for sure, a majority of the Democrats who voted Rep Barrow into office do want him to vote for this reform bill. Your high stats against this bill include all those who voted 'against' him to begin with. Go for it Mr. Barrow, I think there are more conciencious democrats out there who would appreciate your vote than the AC suggests.
People in one congressman's office told me that Elvis is still alive. Also, I read a poll somewhere conducted by someone that suggests most people in the 12th district live in the 12th district. Think about that one. Someone else told me something too. And, I continue to hear other things.
Barrows's picture looks a lot like Mary Dits' pic.
Won't debate the Barrow issue. We got about 48hours and then we will know. If he votes no and it passes (which I expect it to any way) we'll be waiting, all we need is a canidate who represents the views of the people in his district and he's out. I will personally support his opponent with my vote, time and $$. If he wants to be a "Blue Dog" he'd better start looking for a "Blue Dog" District".
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