Monday, February 15, 2010

Evan Bayh Bails on the Dems

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Senator Evan Bayh realized that casting an affirmative vote for Obamacare was just too much of an anchor when it comes to reelection:

Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh will not seek re-election this year, a decision that hands Republicans a prime pickup opportunity in the middle of the country.

"After all these years, my passion for service to my fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so by serving in Congress has waned," Bayh will say, according to prepared remarks obtained by the Fix. He will make the decision formal at a press conference later today.

In his statement, Bayh cited the lack of bipartisan comity as one of the main reasons for the decision. "There is too much partisanship and not enough progress -- too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem-solving," Bayh will say. "Even at a time of enormous challenge, the peoples' business is not being done." He specifically cited the recent vote that killed the creation of a debt commission as evidence of the partisan gridlock.
Bayh says that he believes he would have won another term but there's no way he leaves the Dems in the lurch with only one day to get a replacement without going through the caucus process. Obamacare is the focal point of the great anger this nation is feeling right now. If Obama had put one on-hundredth of energy into creating jobs and fixing the economy as he did Obamacare, we'd be in better shape than we are now. Instead, the administration pushed for any deal despite the fact that America despises the very idea and the Democrats worked behind closed doors while making shady deals with individual senators and unions while leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves.

Bayh's vote for Obamacare is the most prevalent reason he's not seeking another term regardless if he admits it or not. He would most-likely have lost as it's shaping up to be a year in which the GOP can take back the Senate and make huge gains in the House. What an incredible development considering where they were in November 2008.

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