Update below: Rep. Cao’s interview on CNN after the vote.
Before I head out for a week or so, I wanted to blog something about Rep. Joseph Cao (R-La). He represents a heavily democratic New Orleans district and was the lone republican to vote for the house bill that passed tonight (Nov. 7. 09). Those supporting health care reform definitely saw Cao as a great guy, I’m sure most haven’t even heard of him until his vote. This same night he also got a lot of backlash from conservatives thinking he should have followed the rest of his clueless party and vote no on health care reform.
Fortunately for the people in his district, Cao chose to be a representative and represent his constituents which heavily support health care reform and are heavily democratic. ABC has some insights on why Cao even voted for the legislation,
ABC News has learned that the White House is making an 11th-hour push to convince Cao to be the sole Republican to vote “yes” on the Democratic health care bill. Cao has been promising presidential support for additional financial aid for his New Orleans district. The sources say Cao has had several conversations with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and health care advisor Nancy-Ann Deparle
Congressional sources tell ABC News that Republican Whip Eric Cantor is also making a big push, trying to convince Cao to join all other House Republicans in voting no. Cantor has met with Cao several times today.
Cao is telling his colleagues that he is still undecided.
Cao’s New Orleans district is one of the most Democratic in America. He was elected in a something of a fluke last year, defeating William “Cold Cash” Jefferson, who is about to go to jail following his conviction on multiple corruption charges.
Coa is pro-life, so the only way he could be in play is if the Stupak amendment banning abortion funding passes.
One other thing: He claims to have actually read the bill … as you can see in this entertaining video put out by his office: Click Here.
But of course, doing good for his constituents isn’t good enough for some conservatives and Tea Baggers alike. They have been acting like anything but adults. From vandalizing his Wikipedia page,
To tweeting violent acts,
To blasting his facebook page with threats of getting him out of office and so forth,
Of course in between all this were those who support health care reform congratulating and thanking him for his vote. Here’s Cao’s statement on why he voted the way he did tonight,
Tonight, Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) voted in favor of the comprehensive health reform bill, H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.
Of his vote, Cao said: “Tonight, I voted to keep taxpayer dollars from funding abortion and to deliver access to affordable health care to the people of Louisiana.
Cao said: “I read the versions of the House [health reform] bill. I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose health care costs are exploding – if they are able to obtain health care at all. Louisianans needs real options for primary care, for mental health care, and for expanded health care for seniors and children.
The bill passed the House at a 220-215 vote.
Cao said: “Today, I obtained a commitment from President Obama that he and I will work together to address the critical health care issues of Louisiana including the FMAP crisis and community disaster loan forgiveness, as well as issues related to Charity and Methodist Hospitals. And, I call on my constituents to support me as I work with him on these issues.
Cao said: “I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people. My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents.
H.R. 3962 included the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which will keep in place current federal law on abortion funding and conscience protections for health care providers.
Cao said: “Before the Stupak-Pitts amendment was adopted as part of this health reform bill, the bill failed to explicitly include the longstanding policy prohibiting federal funding of elective abortion and plans which include elective abortion.”
According to a letter from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops dated November 7, 2009, “The [Stupak-Pitts] Amendment will not affect coverage of abortion in nonsubsidized health plans, and will not bar anyone from purchasing a supplemental abortion policy with their own funds.”
Cao said: “Thank to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, taxpayer dollars will not go to supporting elective abortions, and for thousands of my constituents, this was a top priority. By incorporating this amendment into the health reform bill, my colleagues and I made this bill better, and that is an achievement of which I will always be proud.”
Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, the archbishop of New Orleans, said: “I am grateful to Congressman Cao for his courage and determination to defend life. I appreciate his work to prevent abortion from being included in health care reform and for protecting conscience rights of health care professionals. I – and, I am sure, many in New Orleans would join me – [I] appreciate Congressman Cao’s commitment to the people of New Orleans.”
The bottom line on all this is that though, I commend and thank Cao for his vote, the bill would have passed without his vote. And to make that statement simpler for conservatives…health care reform would have passed in the house if he had voted against it. Conservatives are acting like his vote meant a lot. Though, I suppose they could be mad because the health care legislation passage is now technically a bipartisan bill. Now I’m sure he has received plenty of threats from conservatives on his phone already, that’s how conservatives and republicans handle losing (no surprise there!). I’m just hoping that when Limbaugh and Beck go on their daily rant that Cao keeps up the good fight and stands firmly by his vote. Simply put, unlike some conservatives and blue-dog democrats, Cao was doing his job, representing people in his district. Too bad we don’t have more representatives like that. Rep. Cao is ok in my book, quite simply, he got what he wanted. A health care bill that doesn’t fund abortions….though that abortion thing is another story to be debated on another day. Here’s Cao’s information if you’d like to complain or congratulate him,
http://twitter.com/AnhJosephCao
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anh-Joseph-Cao/89848636525




































