Proposed Co-Op Fails To Appease Republicans Who Insist It Is ‘Still Government-Run Health Care’
Proposed Co-Op Fails To Appease Republicans Who Insist It Is ‘Still Government-Run Health Care’
Yesterday, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told MSNBC that he wouldn’t be able to vote for a health care reform bill that gives him “everything he wants” unless “more than four Republicans” also support it. Grassley also told Iowa reporters that dropping the public option “might be an opportunity to get a bill,” adding that he’s “willing to look at a co-op as long as it functions traditionally, like co-ops do in the United States.”
But the reaction of prominent Republicans, conservatives, and the insurance industry to the idea of “a nonprofit health care cooperative as an alternative to a new government insurance plan” indicates that such a concession would not lead to the “overwhelming vote in the United States Senate” that Grassley says he wants. For instance, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) told the New York Times, “You can call it a co-op, which is another way of saying a government plan.”
On Fox News yesterday, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) agreed with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto’s claim that a co-op is really a “trojan horse”:
DEMINT: Whatever they call it Neil, this is a government takeover. They may try to call it a co-op. They can call it a public option, but you know they’re all on record saying they want a single payer government system, so any Republican now that helps them pass a bill is helping them pass a government takeover of health care. My hope is we can stop this and start over with some real reform. A number of us have been talking about ideas that we know would work, but unfortunately this administration and the Democrat majority, they really don’t want insurance reform at this point. What they want is more government control of our health care system.
“Any Republican senator who helps them pass something with a government stamp on it, the way they’re talking about, is, I think, just betraying the American people,” added DeMint. Watch it:
Health insurance lobbyist Karen Ignagni, one of the top opponents of a public option, was not receptive to a co-op either. “It may sound benign, but it may use administered prices,” Ignagni told the New York Times. “I’m not sure it solves any problems.” The Republican National Committee released a memo yesterday attacking the co-op, saying the public option “by any other name is still government-run health care.”
Substantially, the problem with the co-op idea is that it lacks “the main advantage of the public option,” which is “reimbursement rates for doctors and hospitals set by federal law” that are “central to the cost-saving promise of a government-run health plan and a potentially powerful competitive advantage.” This is one reason why Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), the creator of the co-op option, was unable to say this morning that a co-op will bring down the costs of health care.
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No more faux negotiations with faux legislators.
No bargaining, no conciliation, no concessions, no debate.
Just shove their irrelevant crap up their collective anus and get on with Health Care Reform.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:37 amAs the Republicans always like to say “appeasement doesn’t work.” We have the votes, we should just do this and be done with it. The Republicans will never support anything we come up with anyway.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:37 amThe quicker the Democrats get this through their heads the better we all are – the GOP does not want health care reform. I repeat, the GOP does not want health care reform. EVER. They could have done it when they had the reigns. They didn’t. ‘Nuff said.
The Democrats need to decide what they want, prepare it, and pass it. The chips will fall where the chips fall. Reconciliation, all the way, if necessary.
The GOP does not want health care reform – not before, not now, not later, not ever.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:39 amRepiggies will NEVER agree to any Democratic proposals…regardles of how much it’s watered down.
just ram REAL REFORMS down their collective throats.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:39 amRemember rethugs, ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!
Poodle jumps through hoop
August 18th, 2009 at 11:41 amTrainer shoots the poodle dead
Stop jumping through hoops!
Hmmm…Grassley is against a Co-Op, Rick Scott, the scumbag behind Conservatives For Patients Rights is against Co-Ops…
Is this a case of reverse psychology? Say you are against something for which you secretly want, get the democrats to insanely try to be bipartisan on a Co-Op, to make it appear that both sides came together in the end, knowing a Co-Op is not real health care reform?
August 18th, 2009 at 11:42 amSen. Grassley (R-Idiot) admits his gig is to stall or derail reform.
I find it telling that those in Congress speaking most loudly against government run health care have…
Government run Health Care!
August 18th, 2009 at 11:42 amUncle Ho says:
Repiggies will NEVER agree to any Democratic proposals…regardles of how much it’s watered down.
just ram REAL REFORMS down their collective throats.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:43 amRemember rethugs, ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!
“““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““`
I agree Uncle Ho, but lets not forget the many gutless democrats who were elected and re-elected to push for health care reform and a PUBLIC OPTION!
It is time for Baucus to stop talking to Grassley and see what the Blue Dogs want so they can get the matter to a vote even by reconciliation.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:44 amFox and the GOP will obstruct whatever the proposal is on the table.
The Administration is letting the GOP write their own obituary as they did during the election.
It might not look pretty while “it” is being done, i.e. it being bi-partisan talk and bottom-up legislation, but in the end the grown up looking party will come out ahead.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:44 amBesides tax cuts for Hannity and Limbaugh–just what exactly do Republicans support?
August 18th, 2009 at 11:45 amUncle Fester @ 6 that sounds exactly right.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:45 amIt should be clear to the all the Democrats now, that the Republicans have no interest in any manner or form of health care reform, and any more effort to appease is wasted time and energy. The Republicans are acting out Sen. DeMints’ Waterloo strategy. Time to move on without them. Obama,Baucus & Sebelius are you listening?
August 18th, 2009 at 11:45 amHR3200 is byzantine and diluted enough; it won’t attract more than a couple votes in the House or more than 2-3 in the senate…as long as the GOP and the dogs are rejecting it, go for the kill.
HR 676 through extensive whipping and reconciliation.
Ram it Down!
August 18th, 2009 at 11:46 amDon’t be “co-opted.”
…and that the government of the insurance companies, by the insurance companies and for the insurance companies, shall not perish from the earth.
Singed,
August 18th, 2009 at 11:47 am– Republicans
– Yellow-bellied Democratic Senators
– Faux Noise
– CNN
– birthers, deathers, sreamers and teabaggers.
First of all, stop using Hollywood to make your points. Writing a news stream is not the same thing as writing a screenplay.
(Wait a second there…it’s Fox. News streams can BE screenplays to them. Never mind…)
Second of all, the Republican side has NO plan for reform, only to disrupt the current plans being created. If you give the decimated side enough players to make the sides even, and they still don’t want to play ball at all, then don’t play the game with them!
August 18th, 2009 at 11:47 amWhy attempt to appease the republicans when whatever bill is considered, no matter how watered down it is, it will still get zero republican votes. They still will say Obama is a socialist, communist, nazi no matter what consessions he makes. Forget them. Obama needs to step up and get these blue dogs in line and pass a bill with the goverment option.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:48 amI’m wondering what the White House is doing behind the scenes.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:48 amThey have the biggest donor database on the planet.
If they were to even threaten to mobilize said donors against blue dog obstructionists, maybe the insurance company donations would pale in comparison.
I suspect that we will do just that. What’s happening now is the patting of the dirt on the grave of the gop.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:50 amAbove the Clouds says:
Besides tax cuts for Hannity and Limbaugh–just what exactly do Republicans support?
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You asked so I will tell:
Republicans support:
August 18th, 2009 at 11:52 am1-Tax cuts for the wealthy
2-Corporate welfare
3-War
4-Out of control spending, when done by republicans
5-Ant-Gay anything
6-Anti-Pro-Choice
7-Death to all Muslims
8-Racism
9-Social welfare
10-Affordable health care
11-The failure of President Obama
12-Fascism
13-Fear tactics
14-Disrupting civil debate
15-Theocracy
Groucho Marx said it best: “whatever it is, I’m against it!” (Horse Feathers)
August 18th, 2009 at 11:54 amKent Conrad, are you hearing this!?! Your “alternative” won’t cut it with the Rethugs. With them, it’s “our way or the highway.”
August 18th, 2009 at 11:55 amQuick, name the democrats who have a spine.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:56 amFor God’s sake, let’s just say “screw ‘em” and get on with it. If the damn Blue Dogs would get a clue, use the reconciliation process, whatever it takes. Ted Kennedy will roll in on a gurney if need be – he’ll be there to vote “aye” This is a classic piece of political bullshit – infuriating.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:56 amIt’s time for President Obama to get tough with the bluedogs:
1-Remind them why they were elected as the majority party by the people.
2-Threaten not to campaign for them in 2010
3-The DLC should threaten to cut off any campaign funds to those who will not support a public option.
4-Remind fellow democrats who oppose a public option that doing such could very well lead to the demise of the democratic majority and possibly the Presidency.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:57 amOops…#9 on my republicans support list should read anti-social welfare…or anything that is for the good of the poor, the needy, the sick, the disabled, the elderly, the American family, the American worker…..
August 18th, 2009 at 12:00 pmThe “reform” the insurance cos are looking for is one which will give them a $500 per person/per month subsidy without imposing any new requirements on them or setting up any competitive options. That seems imminently fair to me.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:01 pmDEMINT: … A number of us have been talking about ideas that we know would work…
Like F’n what? Oh, that’s right you don’t have ANY IDEAS on real reform of any kind, your only F’n idea is making sure you keep getting PAID by the Insurance Ripoff Industry.
Fcuk the Republic Fascist Party
August 18th, 2009 at 12:04 pmUnka Fester:
August 18th, 2009 at 12:09 pmyou’re right, this is NOT my father’s or even my Democratic party. FDR must be hanging his head in shame.
In other words, exactly what we have right now.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:10 pmThere is no appeasing the willfully ignorant.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:10 pmIt’s quite simple, really. You don’t support a public option? Fine. Then just give the American people the same coverage that Congress has. See how simple?
August 18th, 2009 at 12:12 pmRich H. says:
Democrats have a spine?
August 18th, 2009 at 12:12 pmCould have fooled me. I haven’t seen any evidence for YEARS!
How to deal with this? Two words, Simple Majority. Just do the deal and let the Republicants Deal With IT!!!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:14 pmSolum potestis prohibere ignes silvarum.
Really, I am so damn sick and tired of Democrats who make it their highest priority to reach a deal with these clowns — and to stick it to their own party. Rahm Emmanuel, Max Baucus, Kent Conrad crave for more the approval of the Republicans than attending to the promises and expectations created by their party.
They tell us to go piss up a rope while they coddle Grassley, DeMint, etc.
Glad we could give you a majority so you could have those powerful Committee Chairs, Max and Kent!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:15 pmUncle Ho,
I came up with two, Franken and Dean.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:17 pmI know how we could convince every single republican in the Senate and the House to support Obamas health proposal–Take their taxpayer funded congressional health care plans away from them. I absolutely guarantee that if this was done health care reform would pass quickly, unanimoulsy with almost zero debate. In other words put them in the position of the 43 million Americans they are trying to screw out of health care and they would get religion fast.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:17 pmSo did Kent Conrad actually thank the Democrats around the country who gave Senate Democrats a majority and made Sen Conrad a Committee Chair and all the more powerful?
It’s stunning that he would benefit from all of our efforts and then a) cater to Republicans and b) undercut Democrats from whose many efforts he benefits.
That’s some kind of gratitude for ya!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:20 pmThis is getting REAL old. I said it on another thread, and so have a lot of people here – the repugs will NEVER support anything that comes from Obama – they care about their own party ONLY, and don’t give a rats ass about anything or anyone else. Unless they can cut taxes for their “base”, get more tort reform to protect their corporate friends, suck up to their buddies on Fox, and do everything they can to bring Obama down, they will not be happy. Fcuk ‘em. Damnit dems – get a spine!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:20 pmIs it possible we could have more tone deaf Democratic members of Congress? Certainly not all of them. Include the President with those that are. Which of them in their right mind really believes there is bipartisan discussions regarding health care reform? When are the Democrats just going to take control of this issue? The Republicans did and do oppose Social Security. FDR just passed it. Republicans did and do oppose Medicare and LBJ passed it. The Republicans passed Medicare D but that was/is a pharmaceutical boondoggle and should be revised with negotiation for prices inserted. The Democrats should abandon all pretense of negotiating with the Republicans of whom NONE (maybe 1 or 2) will vote for it! Start with single payer and go from there. Use the Reconciliation tactic the Republicans used so successfully and get the goddamn thing passed. Reid should bench Baucus, Conrad and any other Democratic Senator that does not fall into line. Either lead or get the hell out of the way. There is enough obstruction coming from the right and none is needed from the left.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:23 pmScrw Republicans. We do not need their votes. Pass the legislation we sent you there to pass. Prosecute some of the rethugs and the perp walk will have a humongous change in their attitude and some will even become cooperative. Believe me. Watching the perp walk of their buddies will make them different people.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:23 pmRich H.
As always, there are some exceptions to the rule.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:27 pmAdd Finegold and Kucinich to that mix.
I’m astounded how completely tone deaf the WH and democratic leaders and members of both houses have been on this issue..It is CLEAR to everyone it seems, except them, that the republican machine will NOT vote for ANYTHING that comes from Obama….period…..ever…….Get over it, deal with it and move on….
August 18th, 2009 at 12:27 pmHELLO? Democrats?? MOVE ON!
You are going to get NOWHERE with the Rushpublics…they want NO changes. PERIOD! Hello? Figure it out!
And just a reminder…the richest get richer…people are dying every day without healthcare…people are filing for bankruptcy every day due to health issues…people are losing their coverage every single day! MOVE ON!
Go here and express your support:
http://www.bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2009/08/fire_up_the_ema.html
or here: http://www.senate.gov/
or here: http://www.house.gov/
August 18th, 2009 at 12:30 pmI called the White House comment line yesterday and left a comment. It was: Please pass Health Care WITH public Option. The noisy people on the right are not the majority that voted for you. They would oppose ANYTHING you put up for vote. WE DO NOT WANT BI-PARTISANSHIP. The fundamental differences between smart Dems and ignorant Rep’s is a fatal flaw when it comes to being bi-partisan. The two parties are at complete odds so there is no middle ground. We want Health Care Reform (the majority) and they want to kill Health Care Reform.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:31 pmThe Presidents numbers are dropping because we on the far left DO NOT APPROVE of his bending over backwards and once he stops trying the futile attempt of bi-partisanship, we will approve more of his methods. I hope he stops beating his head against a repub wall soon
The Democrats need to decide what they want, prepare it, and pass it. The chips will fall where the chips fall.
I say it and get voted off the page heh.
The Republicans are irrelevant to this conversation. Get the Democrats together decide what it is you want and pass the darn thing. sitting around and blaming the people you can easily outvote is silly. Take the moderate democrats and work with them to create a bill that is all left and left of center, then PASS it.
Or continue to bounce your head off of a wall that isn’t going to move.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:31 pmYou’re a known troll. Even you got a chance at the beginning.
People are upset but not seeing the bigger picture. This thing will be done and it will be done without the republicans.
This lull during the August recess is just to let the right drive the last nail in their own casket.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:42 pmYou’re a known troll.
Can we change that? I was thinking Elf, Orc, Minotaur. troll is so blah anymore. No color or flavor.
This thing will be done and it will be done without the republicans.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:46 pmReally!!!!! Cause that’s what I’ve been saying since the first topic I wrote in about it, glad to see you are finally along and it’s no longer a trolling tactic, but now reality and a smart thing to do.
From Kaiser health news,
“America’s Health Insurance Plans reported spending $3.9 million, compared with $3.7 million for the first half of 2008. ‘Our central focus is on comprehensive health care reform,’ said AHIP spokesman Robert Zirkelbach. ‘The numbers reflect that there’s a lot more focus on health care this year.’” (Palmer and Ackley, 7/20).
The lobbying firm winner is Patton Boggs, which took home $18.5 million in the first half of 2009 in revenues, Politico reports. The Podesta Group, run by Tony Podesta — brother to Obama transition team head John Podesta — took $11.6 million .
August 18th, 2009 at 12:46 pmWOW .
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2009/July/21/Money.aspx
Disapprove of the facts , Fred ?
August 18th, 2009 at 12:50 pmIf the democrats fail to maker a stand for the public option they will recieve NO political cover at all , as they have a super majority in congress !
August 18th, 2009 at 12:54 pmThe best governmnet money can buy !
That’s fine. The who intent of the co-ops is to win over the Blue Dogs. I’ll take it … Screw the Repubs.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:57 pmIt doesn’t matter what the dems do. It’s the reps that will take a fall for this if it does fail.
Funny to see some fool associate failure with dems. Almost every American knows that it’s the republicans who fail, at everything.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:59 pmNow how about Habeas corpus , posse comitatus , immunity for torturers and wiretappers ,domestic spying ,signing statements , expanding wars, permanent occupation of Iraq ,and billions to the corporations handed out by the very people who deregulated the market in the first place .
August 18th, 2009 at 12:59 pmThe dems do not need a single republican vote to reform health care Fred ,but don’t let the facts you disapprove of get in the way of your cheerleading .
August 18th, 2009 at 1:01 pmThe dems do not need a single republican vote to reform health care Fred ,but don’t let the facts you disapprove of get in the way of your cheerleading .
But…But. if you stop looking at the Boogieman under the bed people will start to expect results.
August 18th, 2009 at 1:03 pmFrom the Podesta groups website ,
August 18th, 2009 at 1:05 pmhttp://www.podesta.com/biopages/SharonCohen.htm
Maybe it’s a great left wing conspiracy to destroy the right. Let them oppose what 80% of Americans want long enough…..
August 18th, 2009 at 1:07 pmI love how the right wing trolls trot out thier crystal balls. Wonder where those darned wmd’s went?
You guys can’t predict sunrise.
August 18th, 2009 at 1:09 pmIf you want to dispute the facts I posted I will be pleased to consider , but if you disapprove of the facts being posted here on TP I suggest you are no better than the teabaggers you revile .
August 18th, 2009 at 1:10 pmhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/09/flashback-obama-promises_n_254833.html
August 18th, 2009 at 1:13 pmfreeman, your personal distortions do not qualify as “facts”
August 18th, 2009 at 1:18 pmTundra says@ 45:
August 18th, 2009 at 1:19 pmFor once, I have to agree with you.
I can’t quite figure out what excatly the White House is thinking here. There seems to be two competing ideas here and a conflict as to message. The President ran on supporting a robust Public Health Option as the core requisite for reform.
Now, we have Health Sec. Sebilius stating that Co-Ops would be acceptable. That is not what the American People want. There seems to be a drift here from the Administration with no one, including the President taking the lead on what the final legislation should be.
Bottom line is, President Obama needs to get his act together. NOW. Lay down the law with Sebilius, and the leadership (such as it is) in the Congress and get this done with a Public Health Option. He’s not going to get any GOP support for this so its time to call in some chits, spend some of his political capital and get all the Dems in line to get this done. Valuable time has been wasted in trying to achieve a “bipartisan” consensus. Enough is enough.
No DeMint – you and your rethuglican cronies are betraying the American people! I truly believe that the Rethuglican Party wants to keep us sick, poor and uneducated! And not necessarily in that order! Bunch of turds!
August 18th, 2009 at 1:19 pmJim Wolf359 says:
I agree with you Jim,
Use the capitol he has built up, make a bill and go. It can only help Democrats, because it will show they accomplished something a majority want. Some Republicans will jump on board at the last minute because they don’t want to be seen as a stopper of it (if they don’t who cares). If they wait and waffle till election then the Democrats will just be seen as “unable to accomplish anything even with a supermajority”.
If it goes soon and people have that much needed coverage when elections roll around, they will remember. If they have no coverage they will remember that too.
August 18th, 2009 at 1:30 pmProposed Co-Op Fails To Appease Republicans Who Insist It Is ‘Still Government-Run Health Care’
Suh-prahz, suh-prahz!!!
Clue for somebody (you hear that, you “we need bipartisanship” Democrats?): The Republicans do not want to be appeased. They want to throw a monkey wrench into anything the Democrats do. They want nothing to happen. The surest clue that you’re doing something right is the volume of the Republican objection. They know that they lose politically if they allow the Democrats to do something good, so that will never happen, not if they can help it.
Cheers,
August 18th, 2009 at 1:32 pmPresident Obama and his advisers need to realize that “Party of NO” isn’t just a slogan. It’s a way of life for Republicans.
August 18th, 2009 at 1:33 pmA familiar pattern has re-emerged. The Republicans in Congress are ruthless, and the Congressional Democrats are gutless.
Our system of creating legislation is a double-edged sword. All too often, in order to accommodate enough people to support a bill, it becomes bloated with amendments and neutered by the need to compromise.
This can also impact the leaders of the cause — the danger in trying to be all things to all people is that, more often than not, you end up being nothing to no one.
No public option? No single-payer proposal? Big mistake.
Since single-payer appears to be off the table, with respect to calling this health care REFORM, without the public option there’s no there there.
August 18th, 2009 at 1:41 pmThe fixation with bipartisanship may be a way to get all the congresscritters to show their true stripes, who to trust and who NOT to trust. The Repubs have already shown if you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile, and then STILL vote against it. To hell with that!
If the Blue Dog Dems wont get behind real reform, the leadership should invoke reconciliation and pass a universal single payer system and be done with it, once and for all.
Peace :)
August 18th, 2009 at 1:46 pmIf the reichwingers really hate coops, then we should make sure they get to spend a considerable chunk of time changing bedpans and catheter bags in their local nursing home.
August 18th, 2009 at 1:48 pmUPDATE: Yglesias notes that “it should really come as no surprise that Republicans have gone from bashing the idea of a public option to bashing the idea of co-ops.”
UPDATE: Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said Democratic concessions aren’t going to win GOP support.
But that won’t stop the Democrats from making them.
Tom Tomorrow sums it up thusly over at This Modern World.
Cheers,
August 18th, 2009 at 2:05 pmMr. Tomorrow always nails it.
Could we have him replace David Gregory on MTP??
August 18th, 2009 at 2:12 pm“A number of us have been talking about ideas we know would work.” Ha, I bet they include tax cuts for all health insurance companies, incentives for health insurance companies, new jobs for them when they leave Congress, and on and on, but nothing about regular American people. They have had plenty of time to reform health care but they were too busy with wars and tax cuts for the wealthy.
August 18th, 2009 at 2:14 pmAttention all Democratic candidates for political office:
I have had enough of your whining and whimpering about “bipartisanship”. If you don’t pass health care reform with at least an affordable public option, I will not vote for you. I don’t care what level of government you are running for office, whether it is national or local, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR YOU. I don’t care if you have anything to do with health care or not, I will not vote for you.
I will not vote for a Republican candidate on principle, so that just leaves third party candidates. I may be “throwing away” my vote for a few years, but in the long run, if more people start voting third party, then we may get the choices we need in politics.
August 18th, 2009 at 2:26 pmTundra says:
I say it and get voted off the page
Fred says:
You are a known troll
Fred is right, once a spade, always a spade.
August 18th, 2009 at 2:35 pmYou got what you deserve.
Fred is right, once a spade, always a spade.
You got what you deserve.
Nice! You only like ideas that come from people you like. Some of us here on this site and elsewhere listen to ideas from a variety of sources. Sure some of mine may be off the wall, but you know even a stopped clock is right twice a day :P
August 18th, 2009 at 2:54 pmTundra:
sorry, but coming here to poop on the threads does not count as an idea.
August 18th, 2009 at 3:16 pmWe can stop this crap right now..stop DeMint, stop Grassley, stop Limbaugh, stop Boehner (Baucus and Conrad) ..we can stop them all dead in their tracks…simply by showing up in numbers (huge numbers of support) and screaming louder than the righties..Medi-Care for all…right now…let the righties defend their opposition to Medi-Care (for all) right there and then, let them face down Gramma and Grandpa…! Let them explain to Gramma and Grandpa why paying private Health Care (constantly rising) premiums and getting less Health Care in return is GOOD…put them on the defence….(let them explain how if we were all paying into Medi-Care, it would still “go broke”…
August 18th, 2009 at 3:32 pmLiberals have been telling Obama this from the beginning: You can’t negotiate or compromise with a group that doesn’t want to negotiate or compromise. It’s that simple.
August 18th, 2009 at 3:38 pmPlan B…if we raise enough “Hell” about a Medi-Care for all plan..they will be happy to give us a robust Public-Option (a concession)…as an alternative, don’t you think..?
August 18th, 2009 at 3:42 pmchabuka- I doubt it.
August 18th, 2009 at 3:51 pmThe Repiggies are now on record that there is NO amount of concessions or comprises that they will agree to.
The GOP is committing suicide.
August 18th, 2009 at 4:15 pmThnak God.
Uncle Ho, that should be an indicator that now’s the time to ram through health care reform, because the GOP will NEVER agree to anything the Democrats have come up with, even if it met ALL their demands.
August 18th, 2009 at 5:07 pmThe GOP encourages this all the time…bipartisanship which means Democrats surrendering their ideals in the name of civility and post-partisanship…They do this in order to paint the Democrats as weak and unprincipled, and to add insult to injury, they reject ALL attempts at compromise and concessions in the hopes of denying the Democrats any “victory.” This becomes a double whammy because then it shows their base that they are sticking to their guns. It’s all a game of politics to these bastards…
August 18th, 2009 at 5:13 pmLet ,e see??? Hmmm?
-Does S.C. have Military bases? Do those military bases have medical facilities?
-Are there V.A.’s in south Carolina?
-Does S.C. have retired folks on Medicare?
-Does Soth Carolina have any Medicais type state system?
-Do any S.C. senators or House of Reps officials recieve tax payer funded health care? Because if it is tax payer funded health care as a benefit to these congressmen it is socialized and ran for the people that pay for it are in charge of it.
-Does the Governor of S.C. recieve tax payer funded health care for himself and his family?
Smoke and mirrors does not make them magicians. They are still lying distorting unworthy politicians.
August 18th, 2009 at 6:29 pmI’m so f*****g p*** **f! at some Democrats for not having enough resolve to push this thing through.
Write the bill, vote for the bill and it’s done.
If any Repugnants gets in the way, get on the bus, roll over them, stop, back up, do it again, repeat as many times as it’s necessary.
That’s the only language they understand!
August 18th, 2009 at 10:38 pmTherefore, the answer is to move full steam ahead with a strong public option. Ram it down the GOP’s throat!
August 18th, 2009 at 10:39 pm