DCCC: Democrats have a 6 -point lead against most vulnerable Republicans

The latest Battleground Survey by Democracy Corps shows Democratic candidates are in strong position in the most competitive congressional districts that Republicans currently hold. These House Republican incumbents are increasingly underwater and voters siding with Democrats on the key debates that frame the 2012 election.

In the most vulnerable 27 House Republican-held districts, Democratic candidates have a 6-point lead (50 - 44 percent) in the generic Congressional ballot with Democratic challengers reaching the critical 50-percent threshold, according to the latest Battleground Survey by Democracy Corps.

• Republican incumbents’ job approval has eroded from a 15-point lead (39 – 24 percent) in March of 2011 to even (36-36 percent) today.

• A majority of voters (50-40 percent) say they cannot vote to re-elect their incumbent House Republican.

• Republicans have lost their advantage with seniors and now are nearly tied with Democrats among seniors in the generic Congressional ballot (45 – 47%). According to 2010 exit poling, Republicans won seniors by 21 points (38 – 59 percent).

Voters in these vulnerable House Republican-held seats prefer the Democrats plan to “ask the wealthiest to pay a great share of taxes to address our problems and the deficits” instead of the Republicans who “won’t vote for any tax increase” by 7 points (50 – 43 percent).

• In these top-tier districts of vulnerable Republicans, voters think Democrats will do a better job on health care and on Medicare than Republicans by 11 points (50 – 39 percent).

• Voters believe Democratic challengers are more likely to be on their side (46 – 39 percent) and bring the right kind of change (48 - 40 percent).

House Republican incumbents vote for the Republican (Ryan) budget, and its impact on seniors raised doubts with 66 percent of voters – making it the top-testing negative.

---

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DCCC going after Vern Buchanan

Vern Buchanan barely won his last two races in Sarasota is is considered by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) to be one of the most corrupt politicians in DC.
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Will FL Rep Vern Buchanan lose his NRCC job?

CREW describes Buchanan as one of most corrupt politicians in DC

In the latest test of House Republican’s zero tolerance policy on ethics, Friday’s New York Times revealed that federal investigations into NRCC Finance Chairman Vern Buchanan’s (FL-13) role in a potentially illegal campaign finance scheme are “widening” and “a federal grand jury in Tampa is hearing evidence in the case.” 

Will Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, and NRCC Chairman Sessions continue to allow Congressman Buchanan to lead the NRCC’s lackluster fundraising effort?

Buchanan is already under federal investigation for an “extensive and ongoing” campaign finance scheme to reimburse employees who contributed to his campaign and the Office of Congressional Ethics found that there “is substantial reason to believe” 

Buchanan violated the law by failing to report his positions at over a dozen companies.

The New York Times has now revealed that there is also “a deep link between his newly disclosed corporate interests and his own fund-raising operations, with donors affiliated with these groups donating more than $136,000 to his campaigns.”

“The chief House Republican fundraiser, Congressman Vern Buchanan, is under an expanding investigation for a campaign finance scheme and for failure to disclose his assets,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Ferguson added: 

Republicans have a campaign Finance Chairman who uses potentially illegal campaign finance tactics in charge of funding their re-election. Having Congressman Vern Buchanan as fundraising Chairman for the Republican Majority is just the latest test of Republicans’ ‘zero tolerance’ policy on ethics.

Buchanan is Under Investigation by The FBI, IRS, Federal Grand Jury and the House Ethics Committee. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service and a federal grand jury in Tampa are all investigating Vern Buchanan’s roll in scheme to reimburse his employees for contributions made to his congressional campaign. 

Additionally, The House Ethics Committee is examining Buchanan’s failing to disclose financial interests, income and management positions he held at 17 different businesses and organizations. [New York Times, 2/24/12] . . .

Florida Independent: FEC: Buchanan’s former dealership violated the law in an ‘extensive and ongoing scheme.’ “A federal court is imposing a $67,900 fine on a car dealership once owned by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, for what the Federal Election Commission calls an ‘extensive and ongoing scheme’ to funnel ‘secret, illegal contributions’ to Buchanan’s 2006 and 2008 campaigns.” [Florida Independent, 6/1/11]

Buchanan Heads the NRCC’s Fundraising Efforts. NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions appointed Buchanan as the NRCC’s Finance Vice Chair on January 14, 2011. [

sources: 

NRCC Press Release, 1/14/2011]

http://dccc.org/blog/entry/will_vern_buchanan_stay_as_nrcc_fundraising_head/

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FOD: Controversial Racist Pete Hoekstra Ad

Controversial Racist Pete Hoekstra Ad - watch more funny videos

Former Congressman and current Michigan Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra really crossed the line with this new commercial that ran during the Superbowl. 

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DCCC Chair, Turns Sights To 97 Republicans And Unseating Paul Ryan

May 27, 2011

 Steve Israel, DCCC chairman

Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- In the wake of Tuesday night's upset victory in upstate New York's special election, the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is expanding his horizons, pinpointing nearly 100 House seats that could present favorable match-ups for Democrats in 2012. He is also refocusing attention on unseating House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

"We have an excellent Democratic candidate named Rob Zerban who got into the race largely because he couldn't tolerate Paul Ryan's leadership on a plan to terminate Medicare, while funding tax cuts for big oil companies," DCCC Chair Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) told The Huffington Post in a late-night interview Tuesday. "So that's one district where the political landscape may change."

"In addition to that, there are 97 congressional districts currently represented by a Republican that are more moderate than New York 26," he added. "So there are 97 Republican members of Congress who are probably losing a lot of sleep tonight."

Israel's forecast of a move favorable political landscape underscored just how quickly both parties moved to spin Kathy Hochul's surprise win in New York's 26th District, a traditional Republican post. Republicans claimed the special election to be an aberration, blaming their loss on the presence of a third-party candidate and the bizarre circumstances that led to a special election being held in the first place.

None of this would have happened had former Rep. Chris Lee (R-N.Y.) not sent half-naked pictures of himself to a woman in a flirtatious exchange over Craigslist.

Ryan, for his part, released a web video on Wednesday morning that insisted, "Washington has not been honest with you about Medicare" -- the primary issue in the NY26 election. Ryan later hit the cable circuit, telling MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that "having the ability to scare seniors is powerful."

"I personally don't think it will work," he added. "I think [voters] are going to reward leadership. I think they are going to reward people not for trying to scare people but for solving problems."

But the Democratic leadership made the factors that spurred Hochul's win difficult to ignore. Medicare -- more specifically, Ryan's plan to turn Medicare into a voucher system -- had been and effective spur for moving voters of all ages, demographics and ideological stripes in New York, Democrats said.

"I never feel sympathy for Newt Gingrich," Israel said, in reference to the criticism the former House Speaker endured for calling the Ryan plan "radical." "But I will say that when somebody on the far right calls House Republicans too far to the right, we knew we were on to something."

With all but four House Republicans having voted for Ryan's plan, Democrats said the GOP's House majority, not to mention Ryan's own seat, was in a bit more peril than previously imagined.

"[Hochul's win] shows how vulnerable every single Republican in Wisconsin is, but especially Paul Ryan himself," said Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Mike Tate.

Targeting Republicans on Medicare and the Ryan budget will only work for Democrats if they are united in insisting that drastic Medicare reform remains off the table. But on Tuesday night there was already concern that the White House wasn't willing to play politics with the entitlement program.

A statement from the president on Hochul's victory highlighted their shared belief in the "need to create jobs, grow our economy, and reduce the deficit." There was no mention of Medicare, and administration officials downplayed its significance in the special election.

Yet Israel was eager to present a united front in defending Medicare's fundamental structure.

"We always said we would have constructive discussions on strengthening Medicare, improving Medicare and reforming Medicare. But ending Medicare is non-negotiable," he said. "Our position has been consistent and it was the position validated by voters in the special election in New York."

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DCCC: Republicans want to end Medicare

The Congressional Research Service stated:

Individuals Would Not Be Able to Enroll in Current Medicare Program under the Ryan budget. The Congressional Research service (CRS) found that the Ryan budget ends Medicare: “Individuals who become eligible (based either on age or disability) for Medicare in 2022 and later years would not be able to enroll in the current Medicare program.

Instead, they would be given the option of enrolling in a private insurance plan through a newly established Medicare exchange.” [CRS Report, 4/13/11]

It gets worse.

LA Times Opinion: Seniors Would Pay $12,500 more to Start, Rising from There.

In April 2011, the Los Angeles Times published an opinion piece that mentioned that “by the Congressional Budget Office's estimate, Ryan's plan would cost the average new Medicare enrollee an extra $12,500 as soon as it goes into effect in 2022, with expenses rising from there.” [LA Times, 4/20/11]

Will privatizing Medicare save the government money? What this plan would do if put insurance companies back into the divers seat for medicare claims?

The insurance industry would get a big piece of the action. CEOs, who often make 300 times what the average worker makes, will be happy. So will the board of directors and the stock holders. Government workers eligible for pensions will be replaced with pension-less corporate serfs.

Could the government save money? Perhaps, because many of the costs associated with this plan will be placed on the backs of seniors. However, the overall cost of Medicare would probably double.

Consider that the average social security check is $1177 per month is year. By pushing Medicare onto the backs of seniors, the Republican party would succeed in killing both Medicare and Social Security. That has always been their plan. 

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We now know why they called these thugs "young guns"

Mar 17, 2011

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, former Republican Congressional candidate and National Republican Congressional Committee Young Gun Tom Ganley (OH-13) was indicted on seven counts including kidnapping a Cleveland woman.

Ganley was a top tier candidate for the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2010 and received support of then-Republican Leader John Boehner even after these allegations came to light.

Since this Congress began, House Republican leaders have been dealing with the emerging and unfolding criminal investigation into another NRCC Young Gun, Representative David Rivera (FL-25).

“Tom Ganley is just one of the candidates with dangerous histories and violent behavior that House Republicans backed in past elections and it’s only a matter of time until the troubling histories of the others come to light,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

“With the criminal investigation expanding into Representative David Rivera, it’s clear that Ganley isn’t the first – or the last – of the candidates Republican leaders promoted whose background and behavior sends a chilling message.”

Background

• Cuyahoga County grand jury files 7-count indictment against auto dealer Tom Ganley, accusing him of sexual assault on Cleveland woman. “A seven-count indictment accuses Tom Ganley, a high-profile auto dealer and onetime congressional candidate, of kidnapping a 39-year-old Cleveland woman and having sexual contact with her.” [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 3/15/11]

• Ganley Sued for Attempted Rape and Sexual Assault. Last week we learned that a woman has filed a suit against Ganley for sexual assault. Ganley allegedly met with the woman, who was interested in volunteering for his U.S. Senate campaign and talking about her car payments, when he propositioned and sexually assaulted her in his private office. [Plain Dealer, 9/30/10]

• Ganley received $18,500 from GOP Leadership. Ganley has received at least $18,500 in contributions from GOP leadership. [CQ Moneyline]

• NRCC: Tom Ganley Advances to Top Level of Young Guns Program [NRCC press release, 7/13/10]

• After the allegations of sexual harassment surfaced, Ganley was still due to welcome John Boehner at a campaign event in Akron. [TPMDC, 10/29/10]

• Republicans wary of Rivera scandal. “Florida Rep. David Rivera, under an ethical cloud and facing an expanding investigation into his finances, is in a political squeeze from Republicans in Washington and Miami just two months into his congressional tenure. Republicans are already privately floating the names of potential primary challengers to Rivera, and on Capitol Hill he’s found himself increasingly isolated as leaders try to distance themselves from his troubles back home.” [POLITICO, 3/15/11]

• NRCC chairman says embattled Florida Republican 'doing a very good job' . “David Rivera is a brand new member of our delegation from Miami who is doing a very good job in his duties up here," Sessions told The Ballot Box. "He's very active as a member of his freshman class. He's getting his job done and I think that he's seen in a very favorable light." [The Hill, 3/2/11]

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DCCC: House Republicans Vote to Keep Taxpayer Subsidies for Big Oil

Mar 01, 2011

 

Despite the need to cut spending and reduce the debt, today House Republicans voted against cutting taxpayer spending on subsidies for Big Oil companies.

 

Despite the need to cut spending and reduce the debt, today House Republicans voted against cutting taxpayer spending on subsidies for Big Oil companies making record profits.

Last week, House Republicans voted to slash education, research and public safety budgets that would lead to more than 700,000 jobs lost nationwide.
Once again, House Republicans are asking the middle class to make huge sacrifices -- but not their special interest friends.

Last week, House Republicans voted to slash education, research and public safety budgets that would lead to more than 700,000 jobs lost nationwide.

Last week, House Republicans voted to slash education, research and public safety budgets that would lead to more than 700,000 jobs lost nationwide.
Once again, House Republicans are asking the middle class to make huge sacrifices -- but not their special interest friends.

Once again, House Republicans are asking the middle class to make huge sacrifices -- but not their special interest friends.

Background

• Last week, House Republicans voted to slash education, research and public safety budgets that would lead to more than 700,000 jobs lost nationwide.
  Once again, House Republicans are asking the middle class to make huge sacrifices -- but not their special interest friends.
  
  Today, House Republicans opposed a Motion to Recommit that would ensure no "tax benefit" could go to a "major integrated oil company." [HJ Res 44, Vote #153, 3/01/11]

• GOP spending plan would cost 700,000 jobs, new report says. "A Republican plan to sharply cut federal spending this year would destroy 700,000 jobs through 2012, according to an independent economic analysis set for release Monday." Mark Zandi was an economic advisor to Presidential candidate John McCain in his 2008 campaign. [Washington Post, 2/28/11; Wall Street Journal, 7/13/2007]

• The Democratic Steering & Policy Committee held a hearing yesterday on the issue noting that from 2005 to 2009, the largest oil companies have made $485 billion in profits. [climateprogress.org, 3/01/11]

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DCCC names GOP Hypocrite of the Week

The DCCC today named incoming Representative Joe Walsh (IL-08) the Hypocrite of the Week for his populist campaign against the status quo in Washington.

This weekend Joe Walsh  declared that government takes "care of too many in the middle class" and this weekend’s revelation that he hired a Wall Street lobbyist to be his Chief of Staff.


This weekend:  Walsh says that government takes "care of too many in the middle class" and he hired a chief of staff -- a Capitol Hill veteran who has lately been a financial services lobbyist.” [New York Times, 12/26/10]

"It’s looking like Representative-elect Joe Walsh sold out the middle class before he even got sworn into Congress," said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

When Joe Walsh says that government has done too much for the middle class it must warm the heart of his Wall Street staff and special interest donors – but it leaves Illinois families out in the cold. Walsh ran his campaign to stand up for the middle class and but has already sold them out and that is what makes Joe Walsh the hypocrite of the week.

Rightardia has pointed out that the GOP is a master of class warfare. Republicans  has convinced many people, who should know better, that codling the affluent is good for the middle class.  

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Huffington Post: Political Scientists Forecast Big Losses For Democrats In 2010 Midterm Elections

First Posted: 09- 6-10 02:54 PM | Updated: 09- 6-10 07:55 PM

With the midterm elections now just nine weeks away, a group of political scientists gathered for a conference in Washington D.C. this weekend forecast significant losses for the Democrats. Three of the five forecasts predicted that Republicans will gain majority control of the House of Representatives.

The annual meeting of the American Political Science Association (APSA), which featured nearly 5,000 participants and close to 900 panel and round table sessions, was about far more than election forecasting. Many attended a Saturday session in which five political scientists presented the latest results from their forecasting models, some of which have been in development for 30 years or more.

Democrats currently hold a 256 to 179 seat advantage, so Republicans need to win at least 39 seats to gain majority control. Three of the models, two of which draw on national polls measuring whether voters plan to support the Democrat or Republican candidate in their district, point to Republicans picking up between 49 and 52 seats in the House, more than enough to win majority control.

* Alan Abramowitz of Emory University forecast a Republican gain of 49 seats, based on current polling showing Republican with a roughly five percentage-point lead on the generic House ballot.

* Joe Bafumi of Dartmouth College presented his forecast of a 50-seat Republican gain, based on a model and paper co-authored with Robert Erikson of Columbia University and Chris Wlezien of Temple University (and summarized last month in the Huffington Post). Their model also rests heavily on national polling on U.S. House vote preferences.

* James Campbell of SUNY Buffalo predicted a gain of 50 to 52 seats for the Republicans, using a model that combines assessments of the number of "seats in peril" by the Cook Political Report with the recent job approval rating of president Barack Obama.

Two more models offered a less pessimistic outlook for the Democrats:

* Alfred Cuzan forecast a Republican gain of 27 to 30 seats based on a model, developed with University of West Florida colleague Charles Bundrick, that relies mostly on measures of economic growth and inflation rather than voter preference polling.

* Michael Lewis Beck of the University of Iowa predicted a Republic gain of just 22 seats. He collaborated with Charles Tien of CUNY Hunter College on a more than 30-year-old "referendum" model based on measurements earlier this year. Their model was the only one to exclude measurements of the current seat division between Democrats and Republicans.

Why so much variation in the forecasts? Another speaker, Gary Jacobson of the University of California San Diego, pointed out that the number of previous elections typically used by forecasters (typically between 16 and 32) is "not a very big number," while a great many "plausible" predictive measures exist.

Jacobson also noted the differences between the "fundamentalist" models of Cuzan/Bundrick and Lewis-Beck/Tien that assume that views of the the economy and the Obama administration drive voting.

Other models use vote preference questions which, as he put it, "add in the information that's already the product of these fundamentals" as well as "the other stuff that's going on" with voter preferences.

Lewis-Beck argued that the "the best models are based on theory ... things that we know [or] that we're pretty certain we know," which in this case means the belief that "people vote about the main direction of the economy, and they vote about big macro political issues."

Rightardia has seen some Democratic correspondence suggesting that Democratic activists need to hang in there to do the 'heavy lifting." Our view is to let the GOP have the mess they created back. 

It appears that the US House is lost. The best thing that Democrats can do is help deserving local Democratic candidates and shift resources to the Senate races. As long as the Democrats can hold onto 40 or more seats in the Senate, we can stymie GOP legislation and 'return the favor." Democrats shouldn't get mad, they should get even!


Obama wasted time trying to be bi-partisan. He should have spent more time doing the 'heavy lifting' like rescinding the Bush tax cuts which now in unlikely to happen. He should have one ugly early with budget reconciliations instead of spending a year on health care that polarized the nation.


Here we are on the eve of a national elections trying to hash out a peace agreement with Israel and the PLA, two bitter enemies. the PLA does not even represent the Palestinian people. Hamas won the elections in Palestine. What a waste of time!


Another reason we won't contribute any more money to the House is that we know the "Blue Dogs" will collaborate with the GOP if Republicans take the House. We think the best place to draw the line in the sand ins the US Senate.

If any one has a different view on where to put Democratic resources, we would like to hear from you.

Donate to the DSCC

See the rest of the story at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/06/political-scientists-fore_n_706643.html


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editor: Middle Class Warrior

DCCC--20, NRCC--9 in House Special Elections

POLITICO.com: Erika Lovley

Lost amid the Republican euphoria surrounding Tuesday’s elections is this inconvenient fact: The GOP just got its clock cleaned, again, in another high-stakes House special election.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, since Republicans have lost 20 of the past 29 House special elections, dating back to January 2003. And in perhaps the most worrisome aspect of the trend, the GOP lost its fifth consecutive competitive special election in Republican-friendly territory.

In New York’s historically Republican 23rd District, where Democrat Bill Owens prevailed Tuesday, the GOP squandered a 43 percent to 31 percent voter registration advantage over the Democratic Party. In New York’s 20th District, where Scott Murphy — like Owens, another unknown Democrat with no experience in elective office — won a March special election, the GOP blew a 65,000-voter registration edge.

In both of those 2009 New York races, however, the voter registration totals are misleading: Both seats have trended to the left in recent years. And the two contests were tight, decided by 4 percentage points or less.

But the bottom line — and that’s all that really matters — is that Democrats won those closely contested races, continuing a two-year streak of stealing seats right out from under the GOP’s nose. In the month before the election, the DCCC out-raised the NRCC by a 2:1 margin.

“The [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] has really found their groove in these races, and the [National Republican Congressional Committee] hasn’t learned one lesson in the past two years,” said Tom Bowen, who served as campaign manager for Illinois Democrat Bill Foster’s successful 2008 special election campaign.

See the rest of the story at: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29212.html

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Bill Clinton calls for contributions to the DCCC

From: President Bill Clinton
Sent: Monday, August 3rd, 2009 11:02am
To:
Subject: 1993

Friend --

It seems like the 1993 health care debate all over again. Back then, I led the charge for comprehensive health insurance reform. I fought tooth and nail to get it done, keenly aware that millions of Americans were living in fear that a serious illness or injury could spell economic disaster for their families. Americans needed health care reform then and we urgently need it now.

But, just as I did in 1993, President Obama has run into a buzz saw of special interest opposition to his top domestic policy priority -- health care reform. He is facing off against some of the most powerful special interests in Washington who've launched a furious campaign to preserve the status quo.

Simply put, they're at it again. That's why I'm calling on you to stand with President Obama and the DCCC in fighting for change right now. The DCCC is united in their Health Care Reform Now campaign and is trying to raise $250,000 in grassroots donations before their deadline at midnight tonight.

Deadline: Midnight Tonight

Contribute $35, $50 or more tonight before our deadline at MIDNIGHT and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

http://www.dccc.org/page/m2/1d63ddf3/1be52148/6b72d080/4e0d2a66/2547359136/VEsA/

Legislation that would lower health care costs for everyone, improve the quality of care, preserve choice and provide more coverage options for American families was introduced in the House last month - just as Speaker Pelosi promised.

But a U.S. health care system that makes quality care affordable for everyone is going to take a lot of hard work from all of us.

Your immediate response is essential because Republicans are waging a fierce assault on President Obama's health care initiative and on Democratic Members of Congress fighting to reform health care now.

Contribute $35, $50 or more tonight before our deadline at MIDNIGHT and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

Republicans have made a political calculation that they'd rather attack Congressional Democrats with sound bites and misleading characterizations of the President's health care reform plan than work on behalf of the American people.

It's up to us to prevent the Republican Party and their special interest backers from doing whatever they can to prevent this historic opportunity to make quality health care affordable and accessible to all.

Please make your next contribution to the DCCC a generous one...and please be sure to give before midnight tonight.

Thank you,
Bill Clinton

Watch DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen discuss health care on MSNBC's Countdown With Keith Olbermann with guest host Howard Dean:




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So you think the GOP will retake Congress in 2010?

Think again. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had its strongest monthly fundraising performance in June, and now has more cash-on-hand that outstanding debt.

Aided by a fundraiser headlined by President Obama, the DCCC raised $7.15 million – twice as much as the NRCC’s fundraising haul during the month. It now has $9.73 million cash-on-hand, and owes $6 million in outstanding debt.

For its part, the NRCC raised $3.1 million in the month, and banked $4.16 million at the end of June. It still owes $3.25 million in debt.

For the year, the DCCC has raised $30.84 million, while the NRCC has brought in $17.55 million.

Source: http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/0709/DCCC_doubles_NRCC_in_fundraising.html

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Nancy Pelosi: Make millionaires pay for health car

Editor's Note:  Supply Side economics had a bad effect on the middle class during the Reagan administration and the middle class declined. We then had eight more years of Supply Side economics that provided substantial tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. This doubled the national debt and led to a further decline of middle class incomes. 

The Democrats need to reverse 20 years of the conservative counter-revolution by taxing the wealthy at a level that balances the budget and also pays for health care. Turn about is fair play. The Democrats need to stop coddling the affluent like the GOP has been doing.

7/20/09 4:07 AM EDT

Trying to sell a historic health bill to a balky caucus, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told POLITICO in an interview that she wants to soften a proposed surcharge on the wealthy so it applies only to families that make $1 million or more. 

The change could help solidify the Blue Dog Democrats. Their support is  key to meeting the speaker’s goal of having health care reform pass the House by the August recess.

The bill now moving through the House would raise taxes for individuals with annual adjusted gross incomes of $280,000, or families that make $350,000 or more.

“I’d like it to go higher than it is,” Pelosi said Friday.

The speaker would like the trigger raised to $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for families, “so it’s a millionaire’s tax,” she said. “When someone hears, ‘2,’ they think, ‘Oh, I could be there,’ because they don’t know the $280,000 is for one person.

Pelosi said she is open to other changes — that she is taking an “agnostic” approach to getting a bill, rather than working from a “theology” of reform. Pelosi said,"Does it lower costs, improve quality?”

Pelosi said she has felt a certain “serenity” ever since she became speaker and says she’s “ready for all of this.” Ticking off the year’s remarkable agenda, she praised the stamina of her members, chairs and leaders, calling the Democratic team a “partnership.”

Pelosi said White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, a former chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee who has tight relationships throughout the House, is “doing an excellent job.”

“He’s great, and I knew he would be,” she said. “The only thing is, I certainly would still like to have him here. There’s no question about that. But I’m so proud of him. I take some level of pride in his success, having appointed him to the DCCC, only in his second term, and as a member of the Ways and Means Committee.”

“It’s such a big day for us,” she said. “I don’t’ think anybody would have ever thought that would be happening on schedule, the way it is. So it’s pretty exciting. It’s historic.”

She’s arguably the second most powerful person in government, yet obliged to court fickle members, vote by vote. Some friends said the nail-biter vote for Obama’s climate-change plan was the most difficult thing she’d ever done. But she said health care would probably be “the most exciting.”

“Every single person in America is an expert on his or her health care,” she said. “The differences among members are regional, they’re generational, they’re ethnic — concerns that are really not necessarily political, partisan. We want this to work for the country. So we have to listen to everybody.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25144.html#ixzz0LnqnKY9i

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