Mike Ross

LITTLE ROCK — MIKE ROSS is making a name for himself. A few years ago, Informed Reader would be forgiven for asking, "Mike who?"-especially if he didn't live in South Arkansas. But this year, the congressman from the Fourth District of Arkansas has been featured all over the news. He's one of those Blue Dog Dems in Washington. And because of his spot on the House of Representatives' subcommittee on health, he's been in the spotlight of late as he and his fellow Blue Dogs try to do what they can to keep health-care reform halfway sane.

If you judge a person by the enemies he keeps, Mike Ross must be doing a whale of a job. Just take a look at the email making the rounds on the Internet. The subject line isn't exactly subtle:

TARGET: Mike Ross.

Not just Target: Mike Ross, but allcaps TARGET. With all the junk flying around the web, together with all those pictures from your Aunt Hilda, the updates from your fantasy league, and the invitations from that great guy in Nigeria who's going to share lots of cash with you if you'll just send him your Social Security number, you've got to introduce your topic nowadays in ALL CAPS, lest it find its sure way to Delete Land all too quickly.

This outfit with the TARGET: Mike Ross email, like the ever-present Nigerian, wants cash. (How surprising.) It's called Change Congress (who could be against that?) and it wants enough money to start running a commercial in these here hills featuring-oh, goodie-Keith Olbermann. You may remember Keith Olbermann. He was on ESPN all those years before he disappeared.

Rumor has it that he's got a new gig on some network called MSNBC. But it's just a rumor. According to the ratings, few people have actually seen his show. But the former SportsCenter star must have a studio somewhere because there's this commercial on YouTube featuring Mr. Olbermann as he criticizes Mike Ross. If only Change Congress had enough money, they could tell you:

That Mike Ross is responsible for keeping you from having the Public Option. You know, the government health-care insurance that will cover millions more people without costing one dime more. The Pub. Op. is also a fine way for people not covered at work to get health insurance, but for some reason it wouldn't encourage employers to dump their current private plans. Why, it's pretty near a darned perfect solution to all of our health-care problems. The way Hadacol used to be.

What could be wrong with Mike Ross? Why doesn't he choke this sucker down hook, line and stethoscope? Is it because Mike Ross might have some actual experience with health care, dealing with insurance companies, and all that government paperwork? Specifically at a pharmacy he once owned in Prescott, Arkansas?

Here's something else the commercial could tell you if only Change Congress got another check from you: Did you know that 55 percent of Arkies supported the Public Option, that wonder drug?

That's according to an outfit called Research 2000. For the record, the poll was conducted in 2009. But really . . . . In a state carried by John McCain not even a year ago, 55 percent of us Arkies support Obamacare? Who'd have guessed?

A WEEK or so ago, about when dove season first started, we happened to be in Mike Ross' district at a catfish fry. The talk around the fryer was that if Mike Ross voted for Obamacare, he'd lose every vote in that little community.

No, that's not exactly Scientific Polling, but we still have a hard time believing that 55 percent of us here in the Natural State favor this Public Option thing. Didn't we hear that 87 percent of the people in this country were satisfied with their health insurance? How explain those two polls without pulling a hamstring?

This commercial also tells you that Mike Ross took in more than $900,000 from special interests opposed to Obamacare. Of course, nowhere in the ad are we told how much money those pushing the Public Option have given pols on their side of the issue.

Tort reform, anybody? No, that's not mentioned in the ad, either. But then again, the trial lawyers would hate to have their clients' awards limited, which means their contingency fees would be, too. So tort reform is a nonstarter in this Congress.

Whether Mike Ross and his Blue Dog colleagues will be regarded as leaders or just more bricks in the wall we'll leave to time and roll-call votes. One thing we do know: Politicians just marking time for the next available opening on the ballot aren't usually criticized on (kind of) national TV by the likes of Keith Olbermann. It's only when elected leaders take a stand will one side or the other come out with TARGET emails and requests for cash.

So maybe Mike Ross is doing something right. We wouldn't put it past him.