Rep. Zack Space (D-OH18) was the only Ohio Democrat to vote against the The Affordable Health Care for America Act March 21, 2010. As an Ohioan, I was puzzled by his decision and wondered what his motivation might be, flying under the radar as it were.
Mr. Space ran for the seat vacated by Bob Ney. Ney was involved, and the first to fall, in the Jack Abramoff Lobbying Scandal. Ney pled guilty to corruption charges and resigned his Congressional position November, 2006. Space is up for reelection in 2010.
Space represents Ohio’s 18th Congressional District, and is considered a Blue Dog Democrat. The 18th Congressional District is comprised of 16 counties (13 full and 3 partial). As recently as November 2009, Space was called out by the American Federation of State, County, and Municiple Employees (AFSCME) for ignoring the circumstances and needs of his constituents.
- In 2008, 1,400 families in the 18th Congressional District filed for health-care related bankruptcies.
- 8,100 seniors in the 18th Congressional District are forced to pay the full cost of their prescription drugs.
- 65,000 uninsured individuals live in the 18th Congressional District.
- 11,700 small businesses in the 18th Contressional District would benefit from the small business tax credit.
- 12,300 indivduals in the 18th Congressional District would no longer be denied health insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
Scare tactics from the big insurance companies and their allies in Congress won’t change the fact that millions of families will benefit from reform, or that the plan is paid for in full and will reduce the national deficit.
So, why did Zack blink? IMO Space was being pressured (subtley of course) by his far right constituents and sold his soul for his seat in Washington. And, some of this stuff is pretty damn scary:
As a result, Zack is already suffering the consequences of his decision to not do the right thing.
March 19, 2010 Zack, What Would Nixon Do? by David Lore.
March 21, 2010
SPACE SPLITS FROM DEMS ON HEALTH CARE REFORM
“Congress: Space says he will vote ‘no’ on health care bill”
Although we don’t know at this hour whether the health reform bill will clear the House this weekend, Congressman Space’s decision — announced this evening — to vote against the measure has to be a major disappointment for Licking County progressives who have supported him over these past four years. On this vote at least, we’re back to being represented by two members – Space and Tiberi – of the Party of No.
Now I recognize that disappointment goes with the game of politics and, for sure, we’ve already had our share of disappointments with President Obama and the Democratic Congress. And Zack Space has shown courage in the past, primarily in supporting the original House version of the health reform bill as well as the administration’s “cap-and-trade” energy and environmental package.
And maybe the congressman in this case was let off the hook by Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leadership once they realized they had the 216 votes they needed to move health reform to final passage in the House. Such a pass makes sense if the votes are there and the party leadership is now focusing on protecting those Democratic House members in Republican-leaning districts such as the 18th of Ohio.
Still, all that being said, the Congressman in my estimation caved in the face of Republican and Tea Party pressure and that cannot just be excused as the political price that had to be paid to retain control of the seat. Speaking as one who has spent hours and days canvassing for Congressman Space and up to this time held him in high regard, I now have to say I just don’t know where he draws the line when under pressure between principle and politics.
How does Zack Space balance the importance of re-election against the need to extend health coverage to more than 30 million Americans and to at least begin to reform our cruel and broken system of health insurance protection?
From this point on, it’s not just Independents that Congressman Space will have to convince over the next eight months that he’s the man to return to office. Democrats and progressives who have made phone calls for him, canvassed neighborhoods, donated money and defended him against the Irrational Right in the past must now be looking for reasons to do so again. But the bottom line is Space made a bad decision this weekend, and that means my active support can no longer be a foregone conclusion.
by David Lore
March 23, 2010 Rep. Space Loses Support Over No Vote On Health Care Reform by Dave Harding.
My guess is Rep. Zack Space (D-OH18) will lose his seat in November 2010. Both sides believe he flipped, and keeping his seat in November will be an uphill battle.
boomer, a fine article. I think Space is about to discover that “playing his cards right” and sacrificing principle for political expediency is going to blow up in his face. I hope we can still believe that bad morals are never good politics, in the long run. If that stops being true we’re really in trouble!
Thanks kes. The more I read about him, the less I like him. then again, I have Pat Tiberi as my Rep. and PT has done absolutely nada for me since he’s been in Washington.
And then, there’s my guy Senator Sherrod Brown; love, love, love the man! 🙂
Remember when the vote was in the 220s and went back down to 216?
I wonder if he was one of those who did vote yes…
I honestly don’t think, with a few exceptions, principled politics exists any more. For many years, here in Canada (and the UK), nobody has known what any of the parties stand for. Attack politics does nothing but mask the issues that a party stands for and should campaign on.
An interesting article Boomer (and I’m glad you finally fought your way through WordPress 🙂 ) – and I’d be just as interested to hear what ‘your man in Ohio’ rationalizes!!
Woof,
Take a listen. Zack had this to say the day before the vote.
The audio was a little hard to follow in places, Boomer, but it seems to me that he joined the wrong party! And goes to what I was saying about parties not clearly articulating what they stand for and what principles govern their thought processes. To argue that a downturn in the economy is the wrong time to bring this Bill forward just beggars belief – what part of ‘saves billions/trillions’ didn’t he understand? I have some sympathy for being fiscally conservative – you cannot introduce massive expenditure social programmes unless they are sustainable – but it’s been clearly shown that ‘do-nothing’ will cost your country even more and make you less competitive with the rest of the world (arguing from a completely economic POV). In the parlance of the Brits – he was nobbled 🙄 . So what do you think his chances of re-election are 🙂
Zero to none.
Space is the incumbent, but there are 4 Republicans in the May primary. Everyone of them is chomping at the bit to run against him.
boomer, good post. I like to hear about they local races and read what people are thinking around the country.
Zack Space’s district sounds similar to mine. My Rep Gabby Giffords belongs to the Blue Dog Caucus also, however she did vote for the bill. Here is what I don’t understand about his actions. He already voted for the original house bill and that will be used against anyway, whether he voted for the final bill or not. Now he has both the left and right against his choice. Who is going to want to work and vote for him?
My thoughts exactly bito. The Left worked very hard to get him elected in the first place and it was rather hippo-crtical of him to flip from his original vote. On the other hand, the Right is criticizing him for waiting until the last minute to make up his mind.
I doubt anyone will want to rally to his cause. He has pi$$ed off the 18th District in Ohio – regardless of on which side of the aisle one sits.
Yeah, having already voted in November, it makes no sense!