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Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., who won her first term with less than 50 percent of the vote, faces a rocky road to re-election in November.
Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Sun Archives
- For a divided Congress, a full platen (1-3-2010)
- Dina Titus backing House health care plan after changes (11-4-2009)
- Titus outlines concerns with health care bill (8-5-2009)
- Dina Titus to host health care town hall meeting (10-16-2009)
- Reid’s secrecy on health care reform provokes frustration, admiration (7-29-2009)
- Dems' reservations show how tough health care reform struggle is (7-27-2009)
- Titus joins chorus of dissent on health care overhaul (7-23-2009)
There is a reason why Democratic Rep. Dina Titus and her House colleagues say Republicans may be the opposition, but the Senate is the enemy.
As the House and Senate work to resolve differences in the health care reform legislation and craft a final bill, Titus and her Democratic colleagues are in a potentially uncomfortable spot.
Titus and Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley want to support President Barack Obama’s top domestic policy priority of health care reform. With nearly 500,000 uninsured Nevadans, and insured residents who face rising health care costs, they want changes.
But their opposition to key provisions in the Senate bill that were absent from the House bill they supported are leaving them with a difficult decision: Can they live with the Senate version or do they withhold their votes for a better deal?
Erik Herzik, chairman of the political science department at UNR, said Titus, in particular, is “in a tough spot.”
Although Berkley serves in the politically safe Las Vegas district that routinely re-elects her by a robust majority, Titus won her first term with less than 50 percent of the vote, and her 3rd Congressional District is more evenly divided among Democrats, Republicans and independents.
In Titus’ election this fall, Herzik notes, “she’s running against a doctor.”
Former Republican state Sen. Joe Heck, a medical doctor, and Republican businessman Rob Lauer will face off in a primary.
“No matter what she does,” Herzik said, “she’s going to get hammered.”
Shelley Berkley
The House and Senate bills differ on contentious issues: abortion coverage, the ability for illegal immigrants to buy health care and the public option plan. But for Titus and Berkley, the proposed taxes to pay for subsidies to help households buy insurance might prove to be the thorniest issue.
Both lawmakers strongly opposed a proposed tax on so-called Cadillac health plans — high-end health insurance policies enjoyed by corporate executives and many unions. In the fall, Berkley and Titus signed a letter opposing the tax.
Unions oppose the Cadillac tax after workers fought for better health policies rather than higher wages. The Culinary Union in Las Vegas, which represents maids and other hotel workers, decided to for go wages for better benefits in crucial negotiations several years ago.
“To turn around and tax that now violates the contractual relationship between labor and management,” Berkley said in the fall, “and goes back on a promise President Obama made that he would not increase taxes on the middle class.”
Titus, too, raised a red flag at the time. “Taxing insurance companies for high-cost insurance plans will only serve to place a greater burden on middle-class families,” she said.
The House bill has no Cadillac-plan tax, but the Senate raises nearly $150 billion by taxing plans valued at more than $8,000 for an individual or $23,000 for a family.
Whether Berkley and Titus can live with that tax remains to be seen.
“I’m just going to look and see what comes out in the final version,” Titus said last week.
Titus said the threshold for the Cadillac tax could be raised during negotiations so it spares Las Vegas workers.
“I’m going to remain optimistic there’s some negotiating room,” she said. “I’m hopeful it’s not going to be as drastic as the Senate.”
Another tax provision could prove difficult for Titus.
She withheld her support for the House bill during a committee vote because she opposed its proposed tax on incomes above $280,000 for individuals or $350,000 for couples. At the time, Titus worried that the tax would unfairly snare small-business owners in her district, sympathizing with mom-and-pop owners of restaurants, hair salons and other shops who have been hard hit by the recession.
The House eventually changed the proposal to a millionaire’s tax — a tax on incomes above $1 million for families or $500,000 for individuals — and won Titus’ support.
Now, however, the Senate bill proposes a tax on those earning more than $200,000 a year, or $250,000 for couples filing jointly. The tax would be on Medicare earnings.
When asked last week whether that was a make-or-break issue for her, Titus said, “I want to see what the compromise is. I’m not sure it’s going to come out the same formula as it is in the Senate.”
Neither the House nor Senate has much room for negotiating. The House passed its bill with 220 votes — two more than needed. The Senate had exactly the 60 votes needed. With Democrats facing unified Republican opposition to the legislation, the debate is really among Democrats.
Republicans argue the bill will lead to a government takeover of health care, and will bring more taxes and poorer coverage. They say the process should be slowed to allow more time for debate.
Nevadans remain mixed on the health care issue, opposed to the current legislation in Congress, but wanting changes.
Democrats have devoted precious months to the issue, and most analysts agree that failure to produce a final bill at this point would worsen the party’s standing among voters.
November’s election is poised to be a difficult one for Democrats as the national mood shifts away from the enthusiasm that swept Obama into office. Failure to pass a bill would reaffirm to voters that Washington is dysfunctional, and the party in power would likely pay a steeper price in November, analysts think.
Democrats have a challenging task before them in selling the bill. Some of that is apparent as Titus and Berkley argue that the final legislation may contain too many beneficial elements to vote against it.
Under both versions of the bill, the insurance industry would be banned from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions and Americans would be required to carry insurance — with subsidies given to help low- and moderate-income households afford it. Eventually, 31 million uninsured Americans would be covered.
“It’s really going to look at what that balance is,” Titus spokesman Andrew Stoddard said.
Studies show that health care costs continue to rise and employer coverage is expected to deteriorate if nothing is done.
Berkley spokesman David Cherry said the congresswoman thinks that outlook is unsustainable for Nevada families.
“These are living, breathing people who need health insurance,” Cherry said. “That’s going to overcome some concerns for her. She’s going to weigh it, and in all likelihood at the end of the day is going vote for it.”
ANY legislator who voted yea for this criminal and unconstitutional health care reform bill can expect to be voted OUT of office! It's a given!
Waiting for the Jesse Ventura show on the health care bill. I just want to see a real American in office. Can a person without certain ties win office. Probably not, sad but true.
Nevadans deserve access to quality health care.
I have yet to meet a person who has even read the whole bill(s).
Demand quality health care access in Nevada.
Don't wait for the Feds to "give it" to us.
CURTIS for Governor of Nevada
In one of her very first votes, Ms. Taxus voted to raise taxes on poor and low income families so that middle class families can get "free" tax paid for health insurance for their children.
She voted for Cash for Clunkers and Cash for Corporations.
Now of course she is voting for this boondoggle Obamacare that a majority of Nevadans are against.
She nuts.
the bill seems to be horribly compromised
Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley and Democratic Rep. Dina Titus are concerned: "But their opposition to key provisions in the Senate bill that were absent from the House bill they supported are leaving them with a difficult decision: Can they live with the Senate version or do they withhold their votes for a better deal?"
--------------------------
This is the inept insureance BLUNDER bill created by Plantation Master Harry Reid and 59 other DEMOCRAT Senators.
Except for lying, cheating, stealing from our grand children, and robbing old people, Harry did a good job of producing an incoherent inept PAYOLA bill for Fatcat Unions, Special interests (MOVEON.ORG), Insurance Companies, Hospitals, Pharmaceuticals, Trial lawyers, and Lobbyist.
Berkley and Titus haven't read the bill. Who voted for theses two. Can't wait to get rid of them. Both of them are followers not leaders.
It is obvious that the two, Titus and Berkley are running scared because of the two are up for re-election and the people are mad as hell now at them!
I personally don't expect to see any liberal democrat re-elected or even elected to any office!
This year will be the year of the Independent American Party of Nevada to take the reins of government and lead by example not by the corrupt values of the democrats nor the republicans.
It is interesting that the Independent American Party is growing daily due to the people being fed up with the crap they politicians such as Reid (both), Titus, Berkely and Brager (D) are dishing out to us!
We are not going to swallow this crap anymore and now they will be voted out this year, completely!
The liberalism will end once and for all and with that the corruption of the democratic racial party!
I know I will not vote for anyone who has voted yes on either of these health care bills. I do think Titus should hold out and maybe she can get a Ben Nelson Bribe from Harry Reid that might just benefit Nevada.
This bill has nothing to do with health care. It does not address any of the problems with insurance, pre-existing conditions or allow the purchase of insurance across state lines. This bill is tax and control bill that will raise taxes and control behavior using the health care system. The bill is filled with taxes, fines and in the case of the House jail for not having insurance. No member of Congress Republican or Democrat can tell any of us what's in the bill because they haven't read it or is the final bill completed. All changes in the bill are secret and a final vote will occur with out any of the members reading or understanding the final product. This bill should die and both members of the House from Nevada should vote no and start over again.
Thank Titus for allowing the DMV to sell your personal information for commercial uses. She has such terrible judgment, how is she in DC?
Do Democrats really think that their supporters will rush to the voting booth to vote for a party with Reid and Reid at the top of the ticket? Titus is done. If things get ugly enough Berkley will be sweating.
Berkley should win but it might be a surprise lost for the Democrats.
I would be sweating, too.
Especially with her extreme pro-Israel stand and much of her Democratic base is oppose to that stand.
"This bill has nothing to do with health care."
WHAT?
"Berkley & Titus haven't even read this bill."
HMMM... Aren't they like, working on "this bill"?
"Created by Plantation Master Harry Reid!"
RIIIIIGHT. (snicker snicker, wink-wink)
"Waiting for the Jessie Ventura Show on health
Care Bill."
OMG.
We're so doomed.
davidcurtis, I beleive, has a valid point;
"The bill seems to be horribly compromised."
Titus is toast. She'll vote for this monstrosity. She already voted for cap-and-tax. And soon she'll be voting for amnesty. This is not Nevada and she is a fraud. Anyone but Dina.
Yes Titus and Berkley, health care reform is desperately needed in this country. It must be a high priority of Congress.
Unfortunately, the legislation crafted by both houses falls far short of what is needed. If passed, it will have a profoundly horrible affect on citizens forever. It is not health care reform. If it was so good for us why did Reid and his fellow crooks have to bribe other senators to obtain their vote?
Start over again, and deal with small pieces of hcr incrementally, AFTER the economy is fixed and people once again have jobs!
Dina Titus is emblematic of everything that has come to pass in Nevada. She voted for massive tax increases on Nevadans over the declared will of the people. She voted for the Porkulus bill. She voted for Cash for Clunkers, Cash for Homebuyers, The Stimulus, Cap and Trade and Health Care. Let's retire her before she can mooch off the federal pension system.
I did not like Berkley's comment about taxing union benefits. It bothers me because she shows so much concern for a pathetic group and doesn't make the the connection that there are many middle class nonunion Nevadans that will be taxed by the stupid health plan despite the presidents promise to not add any new taxes on people making less than $250,000.
I get it Shelley, the unions donate millions to the democrats but remember, there are more nonunion people out here.
DT has to make up her mind if she is serving O, Gried, or the people who voted her in. Period. You have to stand for something or fall for nothing.
Apparently many of the taxes are also not indexed for inflation. So as American incomes rise (because of greater productivity and because of inflation) more and more people will pay the tax.
Some of you people should not be posting as you are exposing yourselves as idiots.
Can someone please explain to me how there are "500,000 uninsured Nevadans"?
I don't think that persons who are illegally in this country should be classified as "Nevadans". If you don't add the illegals then you definitely can't get a half a million uninsured.
Also, I'll just ignore the fact that many of those "uninsured" actually don't want insurance even though they can afford. That would be an inconvenient truth, and we can't have that.
Fubar
"I'll just ignore the fact that many of those "uninsured" actually don't want insurance even though they can afford."
Even more inconvenient are those that can afford it but can't get it.
Putz
tvegas,
I guess you just inconvieniently ignored the illegals part.
Plus, I'm in favorite of people being able to get health care - make policies portable and enact tort reform - then insurance companies will have to cover you. The government does not to shove their version of it at us.
Douche
Why doesn't Titus support the people of her state. We were the ones who sent her to Washington to represent us, not just to vote her party! As a lifelong democrat until recently, I can say that the democrats are out of control and have completely forgotten what their mission is. We want health care reform but the bill in the senate is NOT it! They are rushing this total disaster just so Obama can add it to his legacy, and in doing so will reap what they've sewn. Shame on the democrats! And shame on Harry Reid!
Bill Clinto feels your pain.
Harry Reid and John Ensign feel your shame!
I want the public option. There, I said it. Although I'm not happy with the current bill as it is written, it is an improvement and a major step in beginning the reform process. There, I said it. This has become a reform process and not actual reform. I support Dina Titus because she has been a strong representative and imporved the quality of life for us in Nevada.
What bothers me the most is that neither Titus or Berkley were concerned over our 17% unemployment... How many of us would rather be unemployed but able to have cheap health insurance or a decent paying job?? I don't know about you, but I have a mortgage and bills to think about and unemployment benefits aren't enough to cover alot of mortgages, not even mentioning food, and the other normal bills....
Dina Taxes, nuff said!