MoveOn.org targets conservative Democrats on health care

Democratic loyalists are fighting with conservative Democrats_over the airwaves.



MoveOn.org, considered sympathetic to liberal Democratic causes, plans to run radio ads beginning Wednesday aimed at pressuring three party House of Representatives members. Reps. John Barrow, D-Ga., Jim Matheson, D-Utah and Charlie Melancon, D-La., were among five Democrast who Friday voted against a health care plan authored by House Democratic leaders.



The plan won House Energy and Commerce Committee approval, as 31 Democrats voted yes. All committee Republicans and the five Democrats voted no. Two other House committees have also passed health care overhaul legislation, and House Democratic leaders will merge the three versions into one bill. They hope for a full House vote by mid-September.



And MoveOn.org wants dissident Democrats to know they should think about their votes.



“Americans cannot afford to wait any longer for health care reform. The Blue Dogs who voted against the health care bill will have to go home and explain why they sided with insurance industry instead of voting to fix our broken health care system,” said Justin Ruben, Executive Director of MoveOn.org. “MoveOn’s 5 million members expect the Democrats in Congress to deliver on the promise of change that got them elected."



The ad starts by saying that in the local congressional district, "a patient lost insurance coverage (today) for medical care she needs," and "hospital bills will eat up another family's savings."



"Instead of helping (local) families get more affordable, quality health care," the ad says, "Congressman (Barrow/Matheson/Melancon) sided with the special interests and insurance companies."



To hear the ads: http://pol.moveon.org/blue_dog_ads/

http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washington/2009/08/moveonorg-targets-conservative-democrats-on-health-care.html

Republicans should have their feet held to the fire as well.