Retiring Democrat Congressmen Aren’t Automatic “Aye” Votes for ObamaCare

The Hill:

Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) stressed Sunday that the votes of retiring Dems such as himself aren’t necessarily in the bag.

Appearing across from Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.) on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Baird heartily agreed in principle with the need to reform healthcare but expressed reservations about the current bills. He responded “yes” when host Candy Crowley asked if he would vote against the current proposals even if it meant that healthcare reform went down.

Later, Baird continues:

“There’s no question that we need to reform the current system,” Baird said. “The question is, is this the best way we can do reform?”

“The complexity I think worries a lot of people … because they build on an existing complicated system, a hodgepodge,” Baird said.

The Washington congressman shrugged off the idea that his vote would be influenced by a “take one for the team” pressure on retiring lawmakers.

“It has no impact on me whatsoever,” Baird said. “At the end of the day saying do it for political reasons or don’t do it for political reasons makes no difference to me.”

I agree, the current system needs work. But ObamaCare does little or nothing to address the real problems, and does a lot to create more problems. And I am speaking as a person with a disability, which also serves as a pre-existing condition.