by Randy Shannon

November 4, 2010

As AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka has said, this election was about jobs. This election was also about health care and the progressive change that was promised but not delivered. The voters punished the corporate Democrats who helped block legislation to help working people, the unemployed, and those without health care.

The Republicans promised jobs. We won’t be satisfied until they deliver. Let’s start with extending unemployment benefits, Child Nutrition programs, and tax cuts for working families, and blocking cuts to social security in the lame duck Congress that starts November 14th.

Of the 88 co-sponsors of HR 676, the Medicare for All bill in the 111th Congress, 81 ran for another term in Congress. One ran for Governor of Hawaii. 79 of the 81 were re-elected to Congress by large margins. The candidate for Governor also won. Hawaii and Vermont now have Governors who support single payer health care.

The Blue Dog Democrats, like Jason Altmire, who worked in committee to water down the healthcare bill and block the public option lost over half of their seats. 28 of 54 Blue Dogs were defeated. 4th CD Congressman Altmire who worked in committee to gut the health care bill and then voted against it was re-elected by a margin of less than 2%.

All of the Democrats who voted against extending unemployment benefits for victims of the recession caused by the criminal bankers were defeated.

Of the 69 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) 66 were re-elected to Congress. Progressive Democrats of America works closely with the Congressional Progressive Caucus on legislation and elections.

Continue reading Medicare for All Co-sponsors Returned to Congress by Big Margins →