House Dems rebel against health-care reform
posted at 6:50 pm on July 9, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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First it was the Senate derailing Barack Obama’s big legislative priority, cap-and-trade, until after the summer recess. Later in the day, the House joined in what looks to be a mini-retreat from the President with the declining poll numbers. The Blue Dog Coalition has demanded a delay in producing a health-care reform bill, with a specific eye towards avoiding taxes and apparent opposition to the “public plan” Obama has demanded:
The drive to remake the nation’s health care system suffered yet another setback in Congress on Thursday when a pivotal group of House Democrats rebelled against leadership-backed legislation taking shape and sought additional time to make changes.
“We need to slow down and do it right,” Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., said outside a meeting of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 52 moderate to conservative Democrats. “It needs to do a much better job of cost containment” within the health care system, he added.
Other lawmakers said they were concerned about proposed tax increases, the rules on any government-sold insurance, and other issues that are key to implementing President Barack Obama’s call for sweeping legislation.
Ross said the group was drafting a letter to the Democratic leadership asking for additional time. Although he did not specify how much time, he said he believes no vote should take place until the fall — well after a midsummer informal deadline set by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Something has the Democrats feeling the heat. Obama’s dropping poll numbers, especially among independents, have to have moderate Democrats worried about being seen as a rubber stamp for Obama’s big-spending policies. The Blue Dogs exist in large part because they convinced conservative voters that they could trust Democrats to maintain fiscal sanity better than the Republicans they replaced.
The news from pollsters and constituents look pretty bad for Democrats looking towards a midterm election in the middle of a deep recession and escalating unemployment. In Michigan, for instance, pollsters find that 75% of voters believe the country is going in the wrong direction, up from 71% in May. When considering the US as a whole, that number went from a 46% plurality in May to a 52% majority. Since Democrats have been in charge since January, the blame for that falls on one party. So far, where unions keep voters toeing the Democratic line, the respondents indicated they still trust the Democrats more to fix things, but they may be ready to bolt to the GOP in 2010 if the economy continues to falter (via William Amos).
The moderate and coal-belt Democrats in the Senate doomed cap-and-trade, and now the Blue Dogs in the House may put the brakes on nationalizing the health-care industry. If Obama can’t get either of those packages out of Congress this summer, he will suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of the friendliest Congress he will ever have.
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Obamanation’s house of cards is showing some signs of buckling. Keep those cards and letters flowing to our Congressmen and Senators!
Christian Conservative on July 9, 2009 at 8:29 PM
It’s a ruse!
Joe Caps on July 9, 2009 at 8:30 PM
So, you’ve bought the lie.
And the talking points.
I like my health care and I don’t want to pay for yours.
ROCnPhilly on July 9, 2009 at 8:32 PM
That, RnP, is brilliant – it should be a t-shirt. No kidding.
massrighty on July 9, 2009 at 8:36 PM
DCVWU,
In the immortal words of the Gipper, Gov’t is not the solution to our problems, Gov’t is the problem!
And all Dems Do is…
If it moves tax it, if it keeps moving regulate it, if it stops moving subsidize it.
When will the pathetic lefties ever learn? Marxist economic theory has left every people that has tried it demoralised, destitute and dashed on the rocks of history. And don’t give any crap about China, the clocks’a'tickin on that one just watch.
Lenin’s theory in itself shows it’s own flaw and was roundly shown by Ayn Rand it’s only logical conclusion i that:
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”
Results in:
If a man works 16hrs but only gets to keep 4hrs of value added, he’ll learn to work only 4hrs. If another man gets whatever he says he needs, he’ll learn to say he needs more.
In short, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” results in reduced ability and increased need.
Archimedes on July 9, 2009 at 8:42 PM
The GOP absolutely must be louder and bolder in pushing a free market system. Tear down state laws and create a uniform set of laws for insurers. Allow them to offer plans that people can afford instead of mandating gold-plated plans that cover everything. Implement HSA’s with high deductibles.
I have an HSA, a $10,000 deductible, and only pay $57/month for a family plan. Unless something catastrophic happens I’ll never use my health insurance. Everything will be out of pocket.
DerKrieger on July 9, 2009 at 8:42 PM
To quote the great B.B. King:
kingsjester on July 9, 2009 at 8:43 PM
Repblcan lawmakers need to grow some and keep after this. am concerned abut a rear guard manuver, pardn the pun from the infamous picture………
catlady on July 9, 2009 at 8:54 PM
ok cannot spell on this min laptop I am using REPUBLICAN
catlady on July 9, 2009 at 8:56 PM
This is tood, but I’d feel better if they weren’t printing money for tarp like drunken…. money printers.
WitchDoctor on July 9, 2009 at 9:00 PM
May the D’s continue to feel the heat until there’s nothing left but cinders.
Is it too soon to dream that the first order of business come the opening session of Congress 2011 is articles of impeachment for both Barry & Joe followed by convictions and the end of our collective boots?
Damn, I’m angry at my government!
And I’m none-too-pleased at the majority of R’s either.
turfmann on July 9, 2009 at 9:07 PM
The National Health Services in the UK is the prototype of nationalized (and bad) health care. H1N1 viruses (swine flu) have claimed 14 lives there. Nice going, but it is more or less free (unless you are the RICH !!).
bayview on July 9, 2009 at 9:54 PM
Nothing of any value is “more or less free”. Someone is paying taxes in the UK not?
2ipa on July 9, 2009 at 10:35 PM
I have an HSA, a $10,000 deductible, and only pay $57/month for a family plan. Unless something catastrophic happens I’ll never use my health insurance. Everything will be out of pocket.
DerKrieger on July 9, 2009 at 8:42 PM
guntotinglibertarian on July 9, 2009 at 10:41 PM
Also, the government must absolutely stop regulating the provenance of health insurance. Here is why we all get insurance through our employers: During WWII, the government passed wage and price controls to keep companies from offering higher wages to the few workers not sent to fight in the war. Congress then allowed employers to offer health insurance as an incentive. Whatever the merits of that idea, it was conceived at a time when we were fighting a total war. It is ridiculous that the plan was allowed to continue after the war. However, like all government plans, it is here forever.
I’m with you, DK, I just signed up with my company’s HSA plan. In a few years, when I have the account built up, I will bring the family over from the PPO plan offered by my wife’s employer.
Kafir on July 9, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Don’t let your guards down.
More Health Insurance is Not the Answer
When someone else pays, costs always go up
A New Plan for Health Care
Dr. Jay Parkinson and Dr. Garrison Bliss on the idea of promoting the concierge care.
Rae on July 9, 2009 at 11:10 PM
It’s only a tactic to delay long enough for the Democrats up for election this fall in key battleground states to win without campaign ads running about these betrayals. Duh!
Levinite on July 9, 2009 at 11:15 PM
Another setback for Adolph…..
DL13 on July 9, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Quote: “I like my health care and I don’t want to pay for yours.”
Pithy. Concise. Perfect. In one sentence you just won this entire damn argument.
The Ronin Edge on July 9, 2009 at 11:26 PM
I’m kinda thinking that Bam-Bam being fully aware that as a community organizer, roughly the equivilent of a ward heeler in political exreience, that he had no idea of WTF he was supposed to do once he arrived in Washington. So he left the economy in the hands of Congress figuring they had some idea of what to do. And now they’re all standing there with egg on their face.
Archimedes on July 10, 2009 at 12:19 AM
Sweetest words I have heard in a long time.
cjs1943 on July 10, 2009 at 12:23 AM
The only health crisis we have is the mental ailment of people who think that insuring more people will cost less and that government is skilled at providing healthcare systems.
Neither is true, but if Obama says it and the voters want it then that’s all that matters… but it still will not happen.
virgo on July 10, 2009 at 2:25 AM
If only FDR had had these problems in 1933, we’d live in a much better world!
Obama will be a far worse president than Bill Clinton, because Bill Clinton retreated into moderation after his health care fiasco and ruled effectively as a moderate. Obama lacks the flexibility to be anything but a leftist ideologue. Of course, “bad presidents” mean less major legislation. I’m all for less major legislation, which always seems to be lunatic. I could like the next three years.
thuja on July 10, 2009 at 8:57 AM
As a liberated Dem, I know they are running scared in Congress. You may think they aren’t paying attention to the TEA Parties and the protests, but they are. Nice work turning the tables on the protest originators. Conservative Dems don’t like being made to look like fools by the far left in the party. Pelosi is close to finished, just keep up the pressure
elclynn on July 10, 2009 at 9:01 AM
You and me and 80% of the American people. We are already subsidizing the twenty somethings who would rather buy a big screen television than buy insurance, not to mention the 20 million illegal aliens that don’t pay for theirs.
Vashta.Nerada on July 10, 2009 at 9:32 AM
“…slow down and do it right.” = “make sure someone else gets the blame.”
SKYFOX on July 10, 2009 at 9:37 AM
I am still wondering where the AARP has been. Once gov’t healthcare gets passed (and the rationing begins) the AARP’s members will feel the biggest amount of pain. “Why spend all that money on those old timers who should just go home and die…” type attitudes would surely be prevalent. I would think they (AARP) would be front and center in the war against this awful bill…….
search4truth on July 10, 2009 at 9:45 AM
C’mon ROC, there are some aspects that can be agreed upon have a marked impact on costs.
1) Medical Tort reform to bring down costs to doctors, which should bring down costs to the consumer.
2) Put in place a mechanism to compel those who could be insured if they so choose. Many simply choose not to pay for insurance or some don’t carry insurance that are already eligible existing programs for Medicad/care and SCHIP (kids).
These are the commonsense and easy approaches that these idiots in DC should be going after.
NickelAndDime on July 10, 2009 at 10:30 AM
virgo on July 10, 2009 at 2:25 AM
This is the thing that really scares me most about the die-hard Obama supporters. You can give them a solid, factual, backed up argument about how Obama is going to crush this country with his plans, and they just come back with “But Obama says!”. Its frightening how sucked in some people can be!
Highlar on July 10, 2009 at 11:28 AM
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