The 39 Democrats who voted against passage of the House health care reform bill will be as indelibly remembered politically as the 29 Senate Democrats who foolishly voted in 2002 to support the Iraq War.

Both were were political choices, not choices made in the best interest of the American people. And both votes were about viewpoints foundational to the Democratic party, and to the essence of being a Democrat.

(See the list of 39 DINOs at Who Voted NO on the House Health Care Bill?)

Hillary Clinton lost the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination because she fatefully cast her 2002 vote to support George Bush's and Dick Cheney's oil-based attack and occupation of Iraq. John Kerry had no credibility on the Iraq War during the 2004 presidential race since he also voted YES on the Iraq War.

Yet, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, who was among the 23 senators who wisely voted NO on the Iraq War, prophetically called it "the best vote I have cast in the United States Senate since I was elected in 1962."

Likewise, the 39 House Democrats who voted NO on the sole issue that has united all Democratic presidents for more than 75 years, health care reform, will be remembered for their lack of good judgement, and especially for their lack of compassion and support for everyday Americans.

I've carefully reviewed and researched the 39 Democratic naysayers, and found two common attributes: the group is almost entirely white and male:

• 38 of 39 are white; one, Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama, is African-American.
• 36 of 39 are men, representing 17.8% of all House Democratic men.
• 3 of 39 are women, representing only 5.4% of all House Democratic women.

To my surprise,the following were NOT common denominators among the 39 House naysayers of health care reform:

• 30 of 52 pro-business Blue Dog Democrats voted for the House health care bill.
• Only 17 of 39 NO Democratic votes came from Southern state representatives.
• Age was not a factor. House Democrats voting NO ranged from ages 39 (Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota) to 77 (Ike Skelton of Missouri).

I've compiled these 39 names so you don't forget them. Remember these 39 DINO's for their lack of courage, lack of wisdom, and lack of compassion.

I'm not suggesting that we don't vote them back into Congress if there aren't better alternatives. But I am strongly suggesting that they never be considered for higher office. They have neither earned nor deserve our trust.

Read Who Voted NO on the House Health Care Bill?

Essential Reading

• Key Provisions of the House Health Care Bill
• White House Statement of Support for House Health Care Bill

(Photo of Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas, vocal leader of Blue Dog Democrat oppostion to the House health care reform bill: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

After reviewing details of the revised House health care reform bill, I agree with Dr. Howard Dean's sentiment that "The House bill is actually very good."

(See Key Provisions of the House Health Care Bill for a one-page summary of the House health care reform bill.)

Commented Dean, former Democratic party chair and a longtime physician, last week on MSNBC:

"The fact is, this is real reform. That's all I really care about, is real reform. ... It's not the kind of reform that I would have loved, but this is pretty good stuff, and it really is going to make a difference."

AARP, representing senior citizens, and the AMA, representing physicians, both endorse the House's revised, post-negotiations "America's Affordable Health Choices Act," H.R.3200.

And the Congressional Budget Office states that the revised House bill would "slightly reduce federal budget deficits." President Obama hailed the House bill as " 'a historic step forward' and said it met two important criteria: 'It is fully paid for and will reduce the deficit in the long term,'" per the New York Times.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have wisely committed to a quick vote over this weekend, before the week-long Congressional break for Veterans Day. President Obama plans a rare trip to Capitol Hill tomorrow, to push moderate, pro-business Blue Dog Democrats to vote for the bill.

Democrats need at least 218 House votes to pass legislation. After the November 3, 2009 elections in which Democrats won two seats, the House currently counts 258 Democrats and 177 Republicans. No Republicans are expected to vote for health care reform under the Obama administration.

Get informed at my one-page Key Provisions of the House Health Care Bill. Then email or call your Congressman or Congresswoman TODAY to tell them to vote for "America's Affordable Health Choices Act," H.R.3200.

Democrats took a drubbing yesterday in two key governor's races in states which President Obama won just one year ago... and yet Press Secretary Gibbs said the President was "not watching the returns."

Instead, top advisor Axelrod haughtily sniffed to CNN that "Obama is more likely to watch Tuesday night's Chicago Bulls game."

(Question: Is Obama watching basketball rather than devastating election returns akin to Nero fiddling while Rome burned?)

A perfect symbolism of the whole problem for Democrats these days: the President isn't listening to the American people. Or apparently watching, either.

Instead, on fiscal matters, Obama holes up with sycophant economists Tim Geithner, Larry Summers, and Christina Romer, an oddball clutch of ivory-tower elites who seem to possess little heartfelt grasp of this economy's devastating effect on most Americans.

Meanwhile, this trio's Wall Street friends, who caused the near-cataclysmic collapse of the U.S. economy, get richer and richer while the rest of America endures crippling economic hardship.

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One of the best things Democrats may have going for their 2010 electoral chances is Republicans.

Take New York's 23rd Congressional district special election set for tomorrow: a month ago, the race in this historicallly Republican rural district included:

• A Democrat given scant chance to win
• A seasoned Republican state legislator endorsed by the local Republican party, RNC chair Michael Steele, House Republican leader John Boehner, and Republican opinion leader Newt Gingrich
• A third party candidate supported by the radically ultra-conservative crowd, including self-righteous wingnuts Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman.

The third party candidate, Doug Hoffman, chose Fox News' Glenn Beck Show last week on which to gush:

• "HOFFMAN: I'm not cool with ACORN or the working families' party, or people that vote like democrats and run on Republican lines.

• BECK: How do you -- I mean you have Sarah Palin that endorsed you. Was that a surprise to you?

• HOFFMAN: Yes, it was. It was also a big honor."

Like pre-schoolers gleeful at the prospect of getting their way at any cost, the conservative smashmouth gang absurdly nitpicked and exaggerated the record of Republican Dierdre Scozzafava, who Frank Rich noted in his New York Times column has a "voting record slightly to the right of her fellow Republicans in the (state) Assembly." She departs from partisan conservative orthodoxy on only a few social issues, including pro-choice and gay rights stances.

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