Breaking: Blue Dogs win delay on ObamaCare vote; Update: Agreement on cuts, not on floor vote
posted at 12:45 pm on July 29, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Despite rumors floating around Capitol Hill earlier this morning, Democrats will not rescue Barack Obama’s credibility by getting him a floor vote on ObamaCare this week. The Hill reports that Blue Dogs have successfully stalled the process until after the August recess as they try to win concessions in the bill’s composition:
The Blue Dogs and House leaders have struck a deal to guarantee that the House will not vote on a healthcare bill before August, a leading Blue Dog said on Wednesday.
In exchange for putting off a floor vote until after Labor Day, the Energy and Commerce Committee may be allowed to continue its markup of the healthcare bill this week even if an agreement has not been reached between Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and seven Energy and Commerce Committee Blue Dogs over the content of the bill.
Asked if House leaders had told Democrats that there will be no House vote on healthcare before Friday, Blue Dog Co-Chairwoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) said, “I don’t think [leaders have] made public statements to that regard, but my understanding is that that would be part of an agreement, if they actually do move forward with an Energy and Commerce markup that there will be no vote on the House floor until after Labor Day.” …
“There has been no official announcement on floor timing, but at this point, the odds are that we will not likely vote before we adjourn for August,” a Democratic leadership aide said.
Earlier rumors had the Democrats attempting to arrange a show vote in order to give Obama a little face-saving send-off to everyone’s vacation. Not only did Nancy Pelosi fail to get that much, Henry Waxman all but ran up the white flag on his bluff to bypass his own committee. The only concession made by the Blue Dogs was to continue working with Waxman to change the bill — hardly a defeat for the Blue Dogs, who refused to buckle to Waxman’s demand to take it as is.
Now the House will return to their constituents and hear an earful from all sides of the health-care debate, but the ground has shifted considerably in the meantime. The popularity of ObamaCare has plummeted as the costs have become more known, and so have Obama’s polling numbers. Moderates will face more conservative constituents, but even more traditionally liberal districts are going to look at hundred of billions of dollars in increased deficits with some skepticism.
When Congress reconvenes, expect the moderates to have even more pull — and for the split between Democratic leadership and its rank-and-file to widen.
Update: Both Fox and CNN are reporting that Blue Dogs have agreed to ObamaCare proposals in the House in exchange for about $100 billion in cuts to the program in order to make it less fiscally destructive. Both Fox and CNN are repeating that the bill will not get out to the House floor until the fall, however; the agreement is to get the bill out of the Energy and Commerce Committee by Friday, when the House adjourns for its August recess.
If they’re right, this is a tremendously stupid move by Democrats. It gives the Republicans a fixed target for the next few weeks, with an ability to cite the actual legislation and pick it apart, while painting moderate Democrats as fools who haven’t bothered to read it. Having no final version of the bill would have allowed Democrats to dodge questions about it. This makes them stand on the bill for weeks without getting moved out of way. Call it political target practice, practically akin to shooting ducks in a barrel, for the GOP.
Update II: Ace has more, including some great ideas for activists on this issue.
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No such thing as a moderate. You’re liberal, you’re conservative or you have no clue, in which case you call yourself moderate.
angryed on July 29, 2009 at 2:37 PM
And I cannot think of any people less deserving than the list above. This is sad when you see what Americans have voted for.
izoneguy on July 29, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Yup. My Dad grew up during the Depression. A doctor’s visit was $2.00. Of course, people didn’t make as much then either, but often the doctor would be happy to take a couple of chickens or have his car serviced in exchange if you couldn’t pay the bill.
atheling on July 29, 2009 at 2:38 PM
I feel more fiscally conservative and socially liberal…I see that alot in my age group.
dcwvu on July 29, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Ah, the barter system…if this country followed such a beautiful, simple system of economics, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
ZJPolitical on July 29, 2009 at 2:39 PM
You WILL pay more for healthcare. Sure, you MAY not have to pay as much at the actual doctors office but YOU will pay more in taxes. There is no way the government is going to have lower ‘administrative’ costs than insurance companies. Administration has to happen and private companies have greater incentive to be more efficient than government.
If the government implements any cost-cutting measures it will be paying less for the services (which will mean fewer services offered) or reducing the number of services they will cover (rationing) – probably both.
I’m amazed you think that government running something will be more efficient than private industry doing the same.
gwelf on July 29, 2009 at 2:40 PM
A doctor’s visit today is what $100? Just the visit, without tests. So that’s 50 times more than what your dad paid.
In 1935 the per capita income in the US was $474. Today it’s $39,000 or 82.2 times more than in 1935. Which means that doctor’s visit cost the equivalent of $165 today which is what a doctor’s visit goes for these days.
And given the advances in medicine and what a doctor can do for you today vs. 70 years ago, I’d say we’re getting a hell of a good deal these days.
angryed on July 29, 2009 at 2:44 PM
You admit that politicians have broken promises before but you’re going to trust them this time to get it right?
Don’t you find it curious that Democrats, including Obama, have avoided answering the question of whether they themselves would use the plan they are offering ‘we the people’.
gwelf on July 29, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Non-critical medical costs are quite reasonable.
gwelf on July 29, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Kudos to Allahpundit!!
guntotinglibertarian on July 29, 2009 at 2:45 PM
gwelf on July 29, 2009 at 2:45 PM
And that kind of care should not be covered by insurance. It’s the equivalent of Geico paying for my oil change.
angryed on July 29, 2009 at 2:48 PM
I agree. If consumers and providers in the healthcare industry shared the same relationship they do in all other industries (where cost is exposed to the actual consumer) and insurance companies were allowed by law to create policies that actually fit the needs of the customer then healthcare costs would manage themselves.
gwelf on July 29, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Yes, but what about taxes? Were people taxed as much then as they are now?
Plus, if you can’t or won’t pay your doctor’s bill nowadays, someone else has to pick up the tab. Back then, you paid it YOURSELF, either by cash or by trade. People were more personally responsible for the bills they incurred in my father’s day.
atheling on July 29, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Let me guess- you’re not applying this standard to the numbers the administration is quoting for Obamacare, right?
Tonus on July 29, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Rahm Emanuel’s Blue Poodles will do what he wants, when it counts.
Count on it.
spmat on July 29, 2009 at 2:57 PM
True, then again those people were dying of maladies that are cured by pills in our age. Local, house-call doc wasn’t going to save you from spinal meningitis, liver disease or difficult staph infections.
Bishop on July 29, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Recently a doctor opened a practice (PA I think…somewhere in the easter United States) where he charged a monthly fee of $70. This covered as many visits as you wanted during the month and you weren’t charged additionally for ’supplies’ or whatever during the visit. Basically for $70 you could have a doctor who would take care of you. He was shut down by the state government because he ‘wasn’t running a doctor’s office’ but rather an ‘insurance company’. It’s government imposed insanity like this that prevents innovation and normal market forces from improving our healthcare.
gwelf on July 29, 2009 at 2:59 PM
[/thread]
spmat on July 29, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Which points to the insanity of demanding the modern (and future) miracles of medicine come at every decreasing prices. Some things will come down in price but others won’t because you’re being saved from something that would have killed you 5 years ago and the treatment hasn’t been around long enough to be reduced in price yet.
gwelf on July 29, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Yeah pretty much. Taxes as a % of GDP have hovered around 20% give or take for the past 75 years.
angryed on July 29, 2009 at 3:05 PM
This is all illustrative of the fact that Congresscritters have two constituencies – the voters of their districts, and the Party hierarchy that controls help with the campaign budgets and the plum jobs for those who fail reelection.
I have no doubt that Rahm and Nancy are promising these guys everything – not collectively, and having nothing to do with the legislation – that’s window dressing. No, what’s on the table now, quietly at least, is all the personal stuff – campaign cash and future well-compensated positions in the Fed bureaucracy, ambassadorships, just about anything they can come up with.
JEM on July 29, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Why isn’t anyone in the “most ethical Congress…EVAH” mention anything about tort reform. This would provide tremendous savings in 2 fields: an insurance premium’s risk cost and in a reduction of tests/procedures done to avoid litigation. The malpractice insurance that Joe Q. Doctor or the hospital that employs him must carry is staggering.
oh, that’s right….that would be money out of the Dem’s coffers.
search4truth on July 29, 2009 at 3:13 PM
I’ve got half a Cheney-smirk on my face
LimeyGeek on July 29, 2009 at 3:14 PM
it’s called payback. what you inquire about would require Obama to side with the taxpayers over his trial lawyers – not going to happen.
gatorboy on July 29, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Listen, my point was not about the QUALITY of care, it was about how uncomplicated it was! Part of the reason for the high cost is because of the bureaucratic hoops you have to jump through before you even see the doctor. Excessive paperwork, which requires more staff, end up being part of the cost. Malpractice insurance is expensive, too, because of greedy lawyers and the entitlement mentality that people have nowadays. In my father’s time, no one would have dreamed of suing a doctor or hospital for millions of dollars because they failed to prevent a rape or a stabbing.
This is about a mindset which is destroying this country.
atheling on July 29, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Economics 101: Supply and demand. If you are actually one to believe your disposable income will increase because of this monstrosity, the only way to achieve this would be to ration services (which of course, raises prices). In turn this will dwindle supply (as rationing by definition means less; opposite of more) which will again…raise prices.
So pass the burden on to the more wealthy, you may say? Hit their disposable income and they have to start rationing their services (ie employment, payroll, investment, purchases). And what happens to the tax revenue when their contributions decrease? The cycle continues yet again. Is this really what you consider a victory?
The private insurance industry (for healthcare) as a whole is operating on a less than 4% profit margin. Name one business owner that would consider that rate ‘laughing all the way to the bank’.
anuts on July 29, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Besides the obvious reasons we should be glad, there is another reason to rejoice. The longer the health care fight continues, the longer before Obama is able to ask Congress to give every illegal alien citizenship and health care and social security and in state tuition at all universities and forty acres and a mule and a big screen television and whatever else the leftists can think up to give people who break our laws. This makes the window of opportunity for amnesty very small, since it won’t be passed in 2010 for fear of the backlash.
thuja on July 29, 2009 at 3:42 PM
Past performance predicts future results, and that ain’t good.
Call me a cynic, but I don’t think the ducks are worrying…
Since Johnny Mac mishandled the Gift of Sarah the GOP doesn’t seem to have missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
Sigh.
Bruno Strozek on July 29, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Just one more piece of evidence proving without a doubt that you are an idiot.
xblade on July 29, 2009 at 3:59 PM
I just found out today that my Mother’s biopsy came back as cancer. To emphasize, it has been nine days since she was taken to the Emergency Room in severe pain, tests were done and she was scheduled for an ultrasound that found a quarter size spot on her liver. Her doctor was angry that the local hospital took two days for the test results. She will be seeing an Oncologist this afternoon to come up with a plan of action.
Call me a cynic also but would she have gotten all this done in a little over a week in the UK or Canada?? I think not. Thank God we live in the United States of America, Even with all of our perceived problems it is still the best country in the world and the top immigration target.
I shudder to consider what would happen to my mother under a program like Obamacare. This biopsy result would be the equivalant of a death warrant.
Shiloh65 on July 29, 2009 at 4:00 PM
It is antithetical to any fiscal conservative to support the federal government taking over 15% of the economy.
anuts on July 29, 2009 at 4:08 PM
OMG I figured it out – it’s so simple! The answer to America’s obesity problem is to make it so no one can afford food! That must be their plan… Touche, Democrats… Touche.
Doppleganker on July 29, 2009 at 4:10 PM
“I feel more fiscally conservative and socially liberal…I see that alot in my age group.
dcwvu on July 29, 2009 at 2:39 PM”
What’s your age group? In my age group (late 20s, early 30s) I see fiscal AND social conservatism – we’re having kids realizing how screwed they are because of our apathetic prior generation.
Doppleganker on July 29, 2009 at 4:16 PM
So, if we were using the Civil War as an analogy of the struggle against ObamaCare, which battle would this be?
bluelightbrigade on July 29, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Antietam? Gettysburg?
anuts on July 29, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Are you kidding? I trust those even less than usual!
Dark-Star on July 29, 2009 at 5:32 PM
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/liberals-protest-deal-with-blue-dogs-2009-07-29.html
The liberals in the House are fighting against the Blue Dog deal.
Enoxo on July 29, 2009 at 5:54 PM
the only problem with blue dog democrats is they are still democrats.
oldernslower on July 29, 2009 at 8:40 PM
eh he needs more time for the threat letters to get out.
johnnyU on July 29, 2009 at 8:45 PM
I agree with you about Johnny Mac and the moderate morons that ran his campaign. However, I think being in the severe minority has changed somethings, at least in the House and the leadership there has been hitting their targets fairly accurately these past few months. Losing not a single Republican on the stimulus and almost shutting down cap and trade (it would have passed even without the 8 RINO’s, would have meant 8 more Blue Dogs had to vote yes) are fairly big accomplishments in the legislative world. For guys like Mike Pence, a stationary target, that can’t be changed for at least 3 whole weeks is a dream come true. Now if only the RNC could get its act together and follow their lead.
Govgirl on July 29, 2009 at 9:06 PM
The real way to defeat Obamacare may just be to convince the Chinese that if this monstrosity of an entitlement passes they will never be able to collect the interest on their T Bills much less the principle. If the bills are not selling well now how will the Chinese like the idea of buying debt that is unrepayable.
dhunter on July 29, 2009 at 9:23 PM
Maybe now the Red Army will start donating to the GOP instead of the Democrats.
It’s a new world!
HondaV65 on July 29, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Bwhahahahahahaha….
More taxes for the folks who spend their money making jobs.
What could go wrong?
Limerick on July 29, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Govgirl on July 29, 2009 at 9:06 PM
We all have to remember, while we are blogging and really too involved, the nature and majority of this Country are Conservative hard working people.
Talk to your Neighbors before Acorn and the MSM infects their brains.
seesalrun on July 29, 2009 at 11:07 PM
this Country is FOR the PEOPLE by the PEOPLE
that is until we end up like Honduras.
or worse.
God Bless America, night all
Sal
seesalrun on July 29, 2009 at 11:09 PM
That wouldn’t be much of a battle. You’re outnumbered probably 30-1.
ddrintn on July 30, 2009 at 12:21 AM
Hyperbole much?
Yes, the folks in that great bastion of healthy living and great health care, Canada, live a whole 2 years longer than Americans on average. Pay no attention to the fact that America has 6 times the Black population as Canada. There are more Blacks in America than there are Canadians in Canada. Since Blacks have lower lifespans than non-Blacks in every country in the world, including the U.S., you think that might account for much of the difference in lifespan?
Naaaah, that’s not it. Clearly it’s because Dr. Obama and nurse Pelosi aren’t running all of the health care system.
xblade on July 30, 2009 at 5:27 AM
To add to that, I would like to see the life expectancy rate comparisons for those who have received care due to catastrophic illnesse(s) and/or disease(s).
For example, take any kind of cancer patient. What are the comparisons of life expectancy from point of detection to death. Survival rate comparisons would be of equal interest.
anuts on July 30, 2009 at 6:00 AM
I always wonder why people who think everything sucks in this country continue to live here.
If things are so much better in Europe, well…why are they here?
I once asked a lib that and they said it was too hard to learn another language so they stayed here.
Personally I think they just like to complain, but that’s just me.
B Man on July 30, 2009 at 6:26 AM
I don’t care about birth weights. I don’t care about avg life expectancies. I care about MY FREE WILL and OUR FREEDOMS to make our own healthcare decisions in a free market. Thanks, but no thanks. Ration care for the 15% who are uninsured, but LEAVE MY RIGHTS ALONE.
marklmail on July 30, 2009 at 7:23 AM
Obama was in Raleigh, NC yesterday. Hundreds and hundreds were there protesting – no major news media coverage.
for photos, see http://www.ncteapartyrevolution.com
be sure to click on “read more” at the bottom of the first few photos posted…the link willtake you to a great photo dump. Protestors outnumbered morons.org supporters 10 to 1
tmedlin on July 30, 2009 at 7:38 AM
Take a look at the Health Care Bill the House is now voting on:
. Page 16: States that if you have insurance at the time of the bill becoming law and change, you will be required to take a similar plan. If that is not available, you will be required to take the gov option!
. Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!
. Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!
. Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)
. Page 42: The “Health Choices Commissioner” will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None.
. Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.
. Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard.
*. Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.
*. Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (example: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)
. Page 70: Check out the “Retiree Reserve Trust Fund”-here’s another boondoggle to raid!
. Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange.
. Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)
. Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens
. Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.
. Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.
. Page 109-10-11: Loophole for States
. Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No “judicial review” is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.
. Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.
. Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.
. Page 126: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families.
. Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll.
. Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll.
. Page 167: Any individual who doesnt’ have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.
. Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).
. Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.
*. Page 203: “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax.” Yes, it really says that.
* . Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected.
. Page 241: Doctors: no matter what speciality you have, you’ll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)
. Page 253: Government sets value of doctors’ time, their professional judgment, etc.
. Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries.
. Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.
. Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!
. Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.
. Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government.
. Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited from owning and investing in healthcare companies!
. Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval.
. Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on “community” input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN.
. Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing.
. Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.
. Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.
. Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone)
. Page 420: Carefully read info regarding organ transplant drugs
. Page 425: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?
. Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills,durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time.
. Page 425: Goverment provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.
*. Page 427: Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends.
. Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient’s health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT.
*. Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.
. Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN.
. Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN.
. Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage.
. Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services.
marklmail on July 30, 2009 at 9:04 AM
check out the reception for Obama in Raleigh, just yesterday…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf9taKF-CCE
tmedlin on July 30, 2009 at 9:39 AM
Check this guy out. Black on Black
Mad
saiga on July 30, 2009 at 10:29 AM
“He has blinded their eyes
and deadened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them.” – John 12:40
kirkill on July 30, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Don’t worry America, our president and his staff will threaten those that hold out on voting for his programs or give them the $$$ under the table to buy their votes. It will happen if you don’t call and tell your respresentative not to vote for this mess.
workingforpigs on July 30, 2009 at 11:41 AM
there is indeed a good reason dogs sniff each others ass.
Take a deep breathe , exhale and have a glass of kool-aid and get in line.
bluegrass on July 30, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Doing nothing is better than what they want to do. Moving insurance from companies to individuals is better than doing nothing.
LevStrauss on July 30, 2009 at 12:54 PM
If the Dems postpone it, they’ll be able to go back home and can claim “we listened to our constituents”. They can turn this negative into a positive, and you KNOW that they’ll get SOMETHING done on healthcare in the fall anyway. The good news for us, is that we’ll have our OWN bill by then and might just stave off socialized medicine.
marklmail on July 30, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Ah, just thought of this. Obama claiming “no vote until October” is to let the media report this quote so people will stop bombarding their congresspeople.
marklmail on July 30, 2009 at 1:15 PM
Bozo seems to be having a streak of FAILURES. Everything this guy does FAILS.
I am pleased he is a FAILURE. The libs are trying to serve us one turd sandwich after another and the people are telling them, NO THANK YOU. YOU EAT IT.
With his popularity sinking due to his overt racism and other issues, the libs will have a hard time selling their wares at home, especially with their poster boy Barney Frank and Bozo out front.
They have aroused “a slumbering giant”
dogsoldier on July 31, 2009 at 9:13 AM
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