Video: Kline on the new “transparency” in Congress
posted at 1:36 pm on January 7, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
Nancy Pelosi says that the process that produced the ObamaCare bill has been the most open and transparent process in human history, but Rep. John Kline (R-MN) says that’s absurd. In this clip from yesterday’s Neil Cavuto show, Kline — my Representative — tells Cavuto that we’re seeing the triumph of speed over policy, expediency over transparency, and radical partisanship over cooperation. Kline says that something will get passed, but it doesn’t have to be what we see now:
Democrats will counter by saying that Republicans refused to go along with Democrats on the stimulus plan, and have been obstructionist on ObamaCare as well. That devolves to a chicken-and-egg argument, and in both cases, Democrats took positions that they knew would provoke that response. How many Republicans did anyone think would go along with massive pork projects masquerading as stimulus? How many did Democrats believe would go for an obvious Trojan horse for single-payer health care?
In both cases, Kline is correct in saying that Democrats could easily have called for open talks about reforms and stimulus proposals that could get wide-ranging support. Even just politically, that would have been smarter than the approach they took, which has placed all of the blame for failures on Democratic shoulders, and all of the blame for their overreach as well.
Blowback
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Someone needs to call A&E’s “Intervention”…..Nancy’s back on the crack pipe.
milwife88 on January 7, 2010 at 1:38 PM
Own it rat-$hit bastards.
OmahaConservative on January 7, 2010 at 1:39 PM
Won’t help. A7E is more liberal and will probably help more then hinder.
upinak on January 7, 2010 at 1:40 PM
True, plus it would be really hard to find people who “love and care” about her. Kind of awkward just her and the intervention guy sitting in the room. :)
milwife88 on January 7, 2010 at 1:42 PM
Am I the only one thinking the single payer or public option has been put back in the bill in these secret meetings?
Knucklehead on January 7, 2010 at 1:44 PM
Smarter, Pelosi?!!?! Hahahahahaha…
Lily on January 7, 2010 at 1:46 PM
I want them to be obstructionist. I don’t see how trying to stop something 55 percent of America opposes is something Democrats can run on.
Scranton on January 7, 2010 at 1:46 PM
Wouldn’t that cost them Lieberman’s vote? Or are they counting on no one reading the bill before they pass it? Sadly enough that might actually happen.
Doughboy on January 7, 2010 at 1:47 PM
Why do Democrats behave badly? Because they can.
RBMN on January 7, 2010 at 1:47 PM
That and abortion, coverage for illegals, higher taxes for the middle class, death panels, fines for not having the govt insurance, more taxes on cigs, tax on fast food and soda. Basically its a “universal rectal thermometer” for one and all. Purell sold separately.
milwife88 on January 7, 2010 at 1:48 PM
LOL! A dear friend of mine who is in her eighties, and normally very demure and ladylike referred to Pelosi as “that c{}nt” on the telephone this morning. I spewed coffee all over the kitchen, and was shocked she even knew the word, let alone used it.
OmahaConservative on January 7, 2010 at 1:48 PM
It’s fine to say “I Won, STFU” to Republicans. But Democrats are pissing off their own supporters, including the Guard Dog Media, now with these tactics. It’s an inside-the-Beltway 1970s mentality that believes — even in this day and age of 24/7 cable TV and Internet news — people don’t really want to know what they are doing until they are finished, and then they can spin the result any way they want and the people will hail their triumph.
This is going to be a Pyrrhic victory at best for Obama and Pelosi, probably a certain defeat for Reid, and a catastrophe for the rank and file of Democratic elected officials.
rockmom on January 7, 2010 at 1:48 PM
I am still not buying that “something” will be passed line. There are just way too many LLL reps that have said they won’t vote for it if it does not include the public option. There is not a public option in the Senate passed bill. And there are the ones who won’t vote for it if abortion is not covered, etc.
IMO there are way too many different groups that won’t vote for it if their pet project(s) is not included in the final bill. I don’t think Obama has much political capital left to spend on getting their votes changed.
Johnnyreb on January 7, 2010 at 1:48 PM
The most pro-American thing a politician can to is to obstruct legislation that is bad for the nation. When you pass 2000 page bills that no one has read that radically alter America and the freedom of its citizens -it is an obligation to foil it, if possible, -no apologies -just bows if you stop it!
Don L on January 7, 2010 at 1:49 PM
The MSM will take care of that.
Before you know it, every Republican back to Lincoln will be responsible for everything bad connected to this terrible scheme.
Bishop on January 7, 2010 at 1:49 PM
I agree with you, Ed, that this seems like a major tactical blunder by the Democrats in Congress.
Even the most toothless language involving tort reform or increased opportunities for competition among insurers would have been enough cover to get a half dozen RINO votes in the Senate, and allowed room for a few blue dog defections (like Nelson and Dorgan) to save their political hides.
notropis on January 7, 2010 at 1:50 PM
LOL Thats funny!
becki51758 on January 7, 2010 at 1:51 PM
That’s exactly right. Everything is going to be in the bill. It is all or nothing and they are not going to settle for nothing.
I have no idea how they are going to get the votes. Careers have been ruined, but some made better. They are not going to stop until the bill fully destroys what we have and remakes this industry government run.
ORconservative on January 7, 2010 at 1:51 PM
If there was ever a single politician that you would, on sight alone, judge to be non compos mentis, Nancy would be it. But wouldn’t a hallucinogen give you more of the effect you are thinking of than a stimulant like crack?
Count to 10 on January 7, 2010 at 1:52 PM
Oh, they own it, all right.
We’re watching a politcal lesson play out before our eyes, and it’s a great deal of fun.
On a personal level, I can name a lot of people who voted and are now saying, “Uh, what the hell’s going on?”
Yeah, I won’t be able to get that heart operation when I’m finally going to need it, but it’s going to be fun in the meantime.
12thMonkey on January 7, 2010 at 1:53 PM
Up is down. Black is white. Transparency is secret meetings.
Makes sense.
jukin on January 7, 2010 at 1:53 PM
Transparent? “You keep saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
varnson on January 7, 2010 at 1:53 PM
No one will get a chance to read anything and I’m sure Lieberman can be bought off.
Knucklehead on January 7, 2010 at 1:54 PM
Current careers.
All those newly ousted democrats will find high-paying and powerful jobs administering the Government Health Care Administration.
The likes of Nelson will be back; same old face, new powers, and since they are appointed there will be no threat of voter backlash.
Bishop on January 7, 2010 at 1:55 PM
It is a very old Anglo-Saxon word — not something that was just made up last decade. For all I know, it has less play in our generation than in the previous ones (the vulgarization of mass media not withstanding).
Count to 10 on January 7, 2010 at 1:57 PM
Nonsense. They’ll all vote for it. Every single one. Including Lieberman. Bet on it.
ROCnPhilly on January 7, 2010 at 1:57 PM
They’re acting like they, the supermajority party who controls all branches of the government, “had no choice” but to ram everything through as quickly as possible or else we would all die tomorrow. There was NO OTHER WAY, they claimed. It wasn’t their fault, they claimed. And the GOP just should have done that with them, because…well…shut up!
Ayn Rand, again, pinned it 110% in Atlas Shrugged – right down to the hysterical, shrieking claims of the looters when they get called out: “it wasn’t my fault!” and “we had no choice! Nobody had any choice in the matter!” and “this is not the time to be rational! This is an emergency!”
Unreal.
Good Lt on January 7, 2010 at 1:57 PM
The bridge to nowhere continues to pay dividends….
patrick neid on January 7, 2010 at 2:01 PM
You must be a hoot at parties. Lighten up.
milwife88 on January 7, 2010 at 2:01 PM
Until President Palin fires all of their sorry a$$es.
farright on January 7, 2010 at 2:01 PM
This or this will converge on DC if they ram this crap through.
OmahaConservative on January 7, 2010 at 2:02 PM
FIFY
Once it’s in, it’s not coming out.
VelvetElvis on January 7, 2010 at 2:02 PM
To be honest, she had an excellent example of FDR doing exactly the same thing just a decade before she published the book.
Count to 10 on January 7, 2010 at 2:02 PM
Find the humor in strait lines.
Count to 10 on January 7, 2010 at 2:03 PM
Stossel’s subject today on FBC: Comparing today’s political reality and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Haven’t seen his show yet, but might tune in.
ROCnPhilly on January 7, 2010 at 2:04 PM
I just suffered a comment induced a$$ pucker. Thanks. ;)
milwife88 on January 7, 2010 at 2:04 PM
From Jack at CNN How dare they
Intresting this came from CNN wonder if they’re going to get an e-mail from Zero now.
Brat4life on January 7, 2010 at 2:04 PM
They’ll have to buy off a lot more people than just Lieberman if they try to sneak things back into the bill. And if the fallout from the Cornhusker Kickback is any indication, that would be a very unwise move for members of Congress who are up for reelection in the fall.
Doughboy on January 7, 2010 at 2:05 PM
Bush’s fault!
Del Dolemonte on January 7, 2010 at 2:08 PM
“Hello, my name is Tea Party, you killed my country, prepare to die”
November, baby, November!
ncc770 on January 7, 2010 at 2:08 PM
Yeah I saw that and was amazed. Hack looked like he was about to blow a fuse.
Del Dolemonte on January 7, 2010 at 2:09 PM
OmahaConservative on January 7, 2010 at 1:48 PM
My daughter and her husband are constantly amazed at the wealth of information possessed by my wife and myself. As I’ve told them, you don’t live this long without learning LOTS of things and you don’t necessarily communicate those things to your children.
Unless, of course, you’re referring to Madam Speaker.
PS Isn’t “Madam” the title of a woman who runs a whorehouse? Just askin’.
oldleprechaun on January 7, 2010 at 2:09 PM
They. Don’t. Care. About. Fallout.
Get with the program, Comrade!
Knucklehead on January 7, 2010 at 2:11 PM
While we are talking about older folks, my parents, my mother in particular, has never in her life paid attention to politics. This morning she told me about Dodd retiring and about Stossel/Ayn Rand. I almost fell off my chair.
The Dems have no idea the sleeping giant that has awoken.
ORconservative on January 7, 2010 at 2:12 PM
All the seniors at my church are scared $hitless by ObamaCare, and many of them are/were traditional dems.
OmahaConservative on January 7, 2010 at 2:15 PM
I’ll bet Joe aint’ cheap though, besides, he already knows what the top bid is
JusDreamin on January 7, 2010 at 2:16 PM
If you see someone running around slobbing knobs like Pelosi has been for drugs chances are they’re a crackhead and not fiending for some mushrooms and acid.
Votes and power are Nancy’s crack cocaine.
uknowmorethanme on January 7, 2010 at 2:20 PM
Congress, whorehouse, what’s the difference?
uknowmorethanme on January 7, 2010 at 2:22 PM
Transparency (post-transparency?) is basically the Dems closing their eyes real tight and presuming that it makes them invisible.
They will learn if such an arrogant tactic works, in a very personal and painful way, this coming November.
Shivas Irons on January 7, 2010 at 2:30 PM
My response would be: “Obstructionist? You’re damn right I am. When none of my ideas and concerns are even acknowledged, let alone discussed, what should my response be? When the other side then embarks on a path that violates all my principles, what other choice do I have?”
RadClown on January 7, 2010 at 2:35 PM
You MIGHT get your moneys worth at a whorehouse.
At a whorehouse you get to pitch with congress we just get to catch.
Aviator on January 7, 2010 at 2:54 PM
Back in the 90′s the Dems (and media) accused the Repubs of “shutting down congress” when Clinton vetoed the bill providing the funding in question. The rationale was that the Repubs should have known Clinton would veto. BUT, when the Dems push a radical extremeist healthcare bill taking over 1/6 of the economy it’s now the Repubs who are “obstructionist” just by wanting a seat at the table to object? The hypocrisy is breathtaking but not surprising.
tommyboy on January 7, 2010 at 2:58 PM
ALL options are smarter when you’re talking about Pelosi.
hawksruleva on January 7, 2010 at 3:03 PM
At the latter, after they take your money, you get screwed in the way YOU want. In the former, you get no choice in the manner of screwing, even though you pay a lot more.
hawksruleva on January 7, 2010 at 3:04 PM
One of my favorite movie quotes.
100+
Dasher on January 7, 2010 at 3:08 PM
The issue of transparency has nothing to do with republicans and democrats, it has to do with the government keeping secret from the american people what shouldn’t be kept secret. The democrats blaming the republicans is just more of their dipshit kabuki theater. It’s a shame our national media still continues to actively participate in the democrats’ game of “transparency”.
JavelinaBomb on January 7, 2010 at 4:14 PM
Oh yeah? These idiots are WRITING the Republican campaign playbook for ’10 and ’12… all we have to do is repeat it until they are driven out. Imagine Token defending a “retired” Nelson, Dodd or Dorgan in ’12! I so hope he brings them on the staff. Remember Token nominating Daschle? That went well.
leftnomore on January 7, 2010 at 7:41 PM
http://benwarsop.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/1984.jpg
Red State State of Mind on January 7, 2010 at 9:59 PM