Blue Dog Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL) holds Town Hall on Health Care

[csziggy]

Boyd gets mixed responses at forum
Boyd says he won't be bossed

By Bill Cotterell • Florida Capital Bureau • November 13, 2009

U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd was cheered Thursday for his vote against national health care and jeered by Tallahassee voters who doubt he will defy House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Obama when it really counts. The Big Bend lawmaker showed his congressional card to more than 500 fired-up constituents at Christian Heritage Church, insisting that how he votes with it is not bought by campaign money from industry lobbyists or bossed by the Democratic leadership. Many listeners hooted, laughed or shouted their skepticism as Boyd laconically paced the broad stage under a barrage of barbed questions that strayed from health care to offshore oil drilling, the "cap and trade" environmental legislation, the $787 billion federal stimulus package, illegal aliens, abortion and liability lawsuit reforms.

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Joe Mott, a retired math professor from Florida State University, objected to coverage mandates in the House bill. Like many in the audience, he asked Boyd why there should be fines or even jail time for those who won't get insurance, even with federal subsidies. "That's definitely an aspect of socialism," Mott said. Boyd replied that "there's a series of steps over time" to protect people who can't afford or find coverage. He said those who can get insurance but refuse to will become burdens on the taxpayers if they are injured or suffer a long-term disease. "That's probably not going to be part of the bill" when it emerges from House-Senate negotiations, Boyd added.

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James Boyette, who said he voted for Obama, told Boyd "you're on the wrong side of this issue in history." But he shook his hand and added, "I know you'll make just as many happy as you make sad, no matter how you vote." Proponent Candace Swain said patients are "eaten up by co-payments" and other fees for a prolonged ailment. She said opponents like to talk about "some bureaucrat getting their hands on our health care — well, I don't want corporate hands on my health care."

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Pam Olsen thanked Boyd for voting against the package but chastised him for opposing an amendment by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., forbidding abortion coverage for participants in the national plan. Boyd said the long-standing prohibition of federal funding for abortion was already in the bill and that "the Stupak amendment over-reached" in forbidding women in a national plan to use their own money for abortion.

More: http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20091113/NEWS01/911130330/1010/Boyd-gets-mixed-responses-at-forum

Emphasis added by me.

[Mrburra]

1. democrats

Democrats that go against party leadership should get consequences, from the people and the leadership. By supporting Republicans that are opposin the healthcare bill it does to show that this members are not out to help the people but help themselves.

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. Dennis Kucinich votes with the Democratic Caucus less often that Boyd does:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/house/party-voters/

Does that mean that Kucinich should face stronger consequences than Boyd does?