Spratt Votes For Obamacare
U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-South Carolina) voted in favor of a controversial $1.2 trillion socialized medicine proposal on Saturday, one of a handful of Democratic swing votes that helped ensure passage of the gargantuan bill, which is backed by President Barack Obama.
Prior to casting his vote, Spratt had given confusing, conflicting statements regarding his position on the legislation to his constituents – who overwhelming oppose it, according to polling data shared with FITS.
Spratt’s constituents also strenuously voiced their objections to the bill during a series of town hall meetings earlier this year (here and here) – public hearings at which the Congressman appeared dazed and confused.
With the fourteen-term incumbent facing a tough challenge from Republican State Senator Mick Mulvaney in 2010, there is mounting speculation that Spratt will not run for reelection.
Saturday’s “aye” vote on Obamacare would certainly seem to support that theory, although Spratt did vote in favor of an amendment to the massive bill that placed some restrictions on federal funding for abortions – a move that some view as an effort to position himself as less radical to South Carolina voters.
As expected, all four South Carolina Republican Congressmen voted against the bill, while House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn – South Carolina’s only other Democrat in Washington – voted in favor of it.
The measure passed by a narrow 220-215 margin, meaning that if Spratt and just two of his colleagues had voted the other way, the bill would have failed.
UPDATE: Curiously, at 8:00 a.m. on the morning after this historic vote, the largest paper in Spratt’s district – the left-leaning Rock Hill Herald (owned by McClatchy) – has absolutely no reference to how Spratt voted. The paper does, however, have a puff piece on the so-called “Silent Majority” of South Carolinians who it claims support government-run health care.
Comments
By Mike on November 8th, 2009 at 9:23 am
I cant wait to vote against Spratt come 2010. This man has lost his way. Too busy being an insider.
By Liberty For Me on November 8th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Spratt!!!…Hopefully the sound being made by him slamming to the ground at his next election run.
By SSL on November 8th, 2009 at 9:35 am
This week Mick M is getting the largest political check I have ever written.
Screw Spratt…I am done with him.
By Red Bank Bar on November 8th, 2009 at 9:38 am
fitz, once again on the wrong side of history and progress.
By Designated Driver on November 8th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Puff piece is right. Huffing and puffing Pelosi and trial lawyers, who are no doubt happy – the more you spend on health care, the more they skim off the top in lawsuits
By David Rogers on November 8th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Way to go ,John.
Thank You
By Gillon on November 8th, 2009 at 11:03 am
I would take a so-called “dazed and confused” John Spratt over the likes of a “perpetually ignorant and embarassing” Joe Wilson any day.
By Sandy on November 8th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Spratt is a lying weasel.He didn’t have the guts to tell his constituents the truth on how he planned to vote on health care redistribution or on cap and tax. He had his staff lying for him up until 5:00 pm Saturday. He is Pelosi’s puppet and needs to be run out of office in 2010.
By Frequent Flyer on November 8th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Oh no…you have outed the Rock Hill Herald…but their daily number of sales have been plummeting not unlike The State. The more these liberal apologists speak out against what the people want the lower the subscription and rack sales go.
By Ron on November 8th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Thanks Will,
So if the polling data indicate his constituents overwhelmingly oppose this Obamacare, WHO OWNS SPRATT?
By rick on November 8th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Clyburn and Spratt, their opponents are? Campaign contribution access for their opponents? Poor guys are products of a failed school system and need help in their listening skills.
By bj on November 8th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
What sore losers! The people of SC won and we thank John Spratt for his vote and his courage.
“G.O.P. used to stand for Grand Old Party. Now it stands for grandstand, oppose and pretend. They grandstand with phony claims about non-existent death panels. They oppose any real reform and with this substitute they pretend to offer a solution while really doing nothing.”
By ethel krabitz on November 8th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
get rid of him, get rid of ALL OF THEM!!
By Big Johnson on November 8th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Thank goodness for the two representatives (Spratt and Clyburn) in this state that are voting for the needs of their constituents instead of the party ideology of status quo and do nothing. These issues are important and difficult and I’m glad that these two are standing up for what is right.
By countryboy on November 8th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
This seals it for me. I will never vote for John Spratt again and have voted for him every time he has run. I have put Spratt signs in my yard every time he ran. I have even put signs out around the county for him in his earlier runs… but no more. He is right up Nancy Pelosi’s skanky butt now and just as liberal as that witch. This is a prime example for the need for term limits.
By OhNoNotAgain on November 9th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Could you share with some of the details of the polls you’ve been shown?
Is it a poll of the entire Fifth District. Because they love him in Dillon County. Darlington. Chesterfield. Chester. Marlboro.
Or is it just a poll of York County, a bunch of snobby wannabe, over-important jerks who think that they own the Fifth District and it goes as they go. It’s been proved time and time again that they are actually correct. Because he keeps winning, even in York County. And I can say whatever I want about York County, because I live here, see it every day.
By OhNoNotAgain on November 9th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Forgot to add, it’s funny how there’s a LOT of speculation that he won’t run again. But it seems to be coming only from press releases from the RNCC and here.
By Isaac Bickerstaff on November 9th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Have you seen how close York is to NC? Spratt might as well be a Tarheel. I pray that we can find a real Sandlapper to run against this socialist carpetbagger. This is going to be the biggest election since the last election.
By Spratt Country on November 9th, 2009 at 10:51 am
John Spratt has done more for the 5th District and South Carolina than anyone ever could imagine. For 27 years, Spratt has gone to Washington fighting for us, and we reward him every two years by sending him back. 2010 will not be any differemt. It will be closer than years past, but he’ll beat Mulvaney without a problem.
Thank you, John Spratt, for continuing to do what will benefit your constituents the most. These crazy blue hairs might not get it, but the majority of your district thanks you.
By York County Native on November 9th, 2009 at 11:20 am
1) Spratt is running for re-election. Any allusion to the contrary isn’t based on credible information. If it isn’t coming from staff, former staff, or his close circle of longtime, fiercely loyal supporters in York County, it’s not reliable info.
2) The above-reference to Spratt’s proximity to the NC stateline and him being a carpetbagger and the need for a “real Sandlapper” is absurd when you consider that Spratt’s ancestor, Thomas “Kanahwa” Spratt was the first colonial settler in York County about 260 years ago and that Mulvaney was born in northern Virginia, has lived in NC for most of his adult life and only moved to Indian Land in the last few years when he found it to be in his professional and political interests.
By virginia carolina on November 9th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Congressman Spratt and James Clyburn are the only two South Carolinians in Congress who are widely respected and the rest of the lot are all a national joke. That includes Lindsay Graham, who has his better moments, and is not an undeducated buffoon.
By OnNoNotAgain on November 10th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
BTW, Isaac. York, the town, is CLOSE to North Carolina.
Indian Land, the area where Mr. Mulvaney lives, BORDERS North Carolina, where Mr. Mulvaney lived a lot very recently.
I’ve seen the claim, Spratt was born in Charlotte.
I think MM lived there a lot more recently than Spratt.
Heck, my kid was born in Pineville. But other than the overnight in the hospital, he hasn’t spent any time overnight there since.