Dems intend to bypass GOP on health compromise

[boomerang]

AP Article

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House and Senate Democrats intend to bypass traditional procedures when they negotiate a final compromise on health care legislation, officials said Monday, a move that will exclude Republican lawmakers and reduce their ability to delay or force politically troubling votes in both houses.
The unofficial timetable calls for final passage of the measure to remake the nation's health care system by the time President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address, probably in early February.

This bill ceased to be about health care some months back. It's clear now that it's all about saving face for a President whose polls among the majority of voters is dropping like a rock.

Democratic aides said the final compromise talks would essentially be a three-way negotiation involving top Democrats in the House and Senate and the White House, a structure that gives unusual latitude to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.
These officials said there are no plans to appoint a formal House-Senate conference committee, the method Congress most often uses to reconcile differing bills. Under that customary format, a committee chairman is appointed to preside, and other senior lawmakers from both parties and houses participate in typically perfunctory public meetings while the meaningful negotiations occur behind closed doors.
In this case, the plan is to skip the formal meetings, reach an agreement, then have the two houses vote as quickly as possible. A 60-vote Senate majority would be required in advance of final passage.

Wham bam thank you ma'am. Somehow this doesn't seem like democracy.

It's right here in black and white. Republicans will be excluded again. I'm looking forward to the lies that bi-partisanship was not possible because the Republicans refused to participate. They're not even going to have a chance - again.

In U.S. of A., health care owns you.

"Fundamentally Transforming the United States of America"

 

[theeedude]

Good, every time they compromised, it ended up being even more of a giveaway to insurance industry.

 

[Fear No Evil]

Its almost like the democrats are trying to lose in 2010.

 

[Specop 007]

Woohoo!! Transparency! Hope and Change!

What will be funny is when the Republicans pull the same shit in 2 years listening to the Democrats whine and cry about how damned unfair it is, and how EVIL those BUSHWHACKOS are for doing it.

Oh, I heard the Patriot Act was extended.....Someone tell me again how good the Democrats are, how much better they are than the Republicans.......

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I say let the Dems screw up. They'll make another Medicaid system and fuck up like always. Then (maybe) we'll have a chance to address health care.

 

[spidey07]

3 people controlling this - one senate, one house, one executive. Not representative government. Fucking tyranny it is.

 

[boomerang]

I say let the Dems screw up. They'll make another Medicaid system and fuck up like always. Then (maybe) we'll have a chance to address health care.

It's on autopilot anyway and nothing is going to stop them. Might as well learn to 'Love the Bomb'.

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

I blame both parties, since both parties do this when they are a minority. When the losing party basically has an official policy to vote against *everything* the other party creates, you have two choices, either do it on your own, or get nothing done ever.

You want to change that? Stop voting in the same people (from both parties) that only care about their power games in DC. Of course, no one will do this, but that is the only way you will get change.

In this case, the R's are minority, and have made a conscious decision to vote against everything the D's propose. They don't want any bill passed that might help D's stay in power, so they want to sabotage everything. If they help pass a bill that helps us, then they lose since they feel the D's will get credit, and the R''s can't have that. (Note: as a said, both parties do this, it just happens to be the R's this time)

 

[boomerang]

3 people controlling this - one senate, one house, one executive. Not representative government. Fucking tyranny it is.

I've said this before and maybe even here. I feel there is something big in the works. Something so big it's going to take our breath away. You just can't find this many politicians willing to commit political suicide. They're doing it willingly. Something is very, very wrong.

I don't know what it's going to be and exactly when it's going to occur, but I'll predict it's going to happen before the November elections.

 

[JSt0rm]

in this case, the r's are minority, and have made a conscious decision to vote against everything the d's propose. They don't want any bill passed that might help d's stay in power, so they want to sabotage everything. If they help pass a bill that helps us, then they lose since they feel the d's will get credit, and the r''s can't have that. (note: As a said, both parties do this, it just happens to be the r's this time)

qft

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I blame both parties, since both parties do this when they are a minority. When the losing party basically has an official policy to vote against *everything* the other party creates, you have two choices, either do it on your own, or get nothing done ever.

You want to change that? Stop voting in the same people (from both parties) that only care about their power games in DC. Of course, no one will do this, but that is the only way you will get change.

In this case, the R's are minority, and have made a conscious decision to vote against everything the D's propose. They don't want any bill passed that might help D's stay in power, so they want to sabotage everything. If they help pass a bill that helps us, then they lose since they feel the D's will get credit, and the R''s can't have that. (Note: as a said, both parties do this, it just happens to be the R's this time)

Removing everyone and starting over would be great, unfortunately the party machine will only put back the same kind of person. Parties are about control, and the present conflict between them demonstrates it.

Also note how the lackeys we have here would gladly burn the nation down to keep it that way.

Really, there isn't any hope.

 

[Jhhnn]

More wahmbulances, I guess...

It's not like repubs had anything constructive to add to the legislation- their answer has been no, no and no! all along... their efforts have been entirely obstructionist, their goal to Beat Obama! on something, anything, doesn't matter what...

It's not quite like trying to slam wingnut judges though the Senate with threats of a nuclear option, either... or denying amendments to an anti-abortion bill that would have made interstate bus drivers culpable for the conduct of their passengers...

How quickly we forget the arrogant shenanigans of the once republican legislature... this is tame by comparison. The whining, hair pulling, gnashing of teeth and uncontrollable raving are less than becoming, that's for sure...

 

[spidey07]

I've said this before and maybe even here. I feel there is something big in the works. Something so big it's going to take our breath away. You just can't find this many politicians willing to commit political suicide. They're doing it willingly. Something is very, very wrong.

I don't know what it's going to be and exactly when it's going to occur, but I'll predict it's going to happen before the November elections.

You were correct in your OP - "fundamentally change".

 

[Babbles]

Regardless if you are for or against the changes that this health care legislation brings, this is an absolutely terrible way to bring about legislature change. Particularly that this legislation is quite significant and deep in it's potential economic impact, to not have inclusiveness when passing this bill us unethical and does great harm to society and the economy. This is not some minor bill that should be trifled with, but this can have significant and long lasting implications.

 

[XZeroII]

Health care bill passes! It requires every American to bend over and ...

 

[Ozoned]

In U.S. of A., health care owns you.

"Fundamentally Transforming the United States of America"

Not so.

It will be the best in the world, and cheaper!

"If you already have insurance, the only thing that will change under my plan is that we will lower premiums. If you don't have health insurance, you'll be able to get the same kind of health insurance Members of Congress get for themselves".

--Barack Obama, "Closing Argument" speech, Canton, Ohio, October 26, 2008

 

[Jhhnn]

"Inclusiveness", Babbles?

Shee-it. That's like a man trying to have sex with the meanest bull *** at the bar... it just ain't gonna happen... so why pretend?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

More wahmbulances, I guess...

It's not like repubs had anything constructive to add to the legislation- their answer has been no, no and no! all along... their efforts have been entirely obstructionist, their goal to Beat Obama! on something, anything, doesn't matter what...

It's not quite like trying to slam wingnut judges though the Senate with threats of a nuclear option, either... or denying amendments to an anti-abortion bill that would have made interstate bus drivers culpable for the conduct of their passengers...

How quickly we forget the arrogant shenanigans of the once republican legislature... this is tame by comparison. The whining, hair pulling, gnashing of teeth and uncontrollable raving are less than becoming, that's for sure...

It's not like the Reps were always right. It's not like the Dems ever created a bill about health care. It was always about shoving this down the public's throat and the Reps not wanting to be outdone.

But a lackey wouldn't care. As long as the Dems beat the Reps, the world can burn.

Congrats on your victory. No despot could have done better.

 

[Ozoned]

It's not like the Reps were always right. It's not like the Dems ever created a bill about health care. It was always about shoving this down the public's throat and the Reps not wanting to be outdone.

But a lackey wouldn't care. As long as the Dems beat the Reps, the world can burn.

Congrats on your victory. No despot could have done better.

Heh. The Dems starting a war is a victory?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Heh. The Dems starting a war is a victory?

It's called a cruel irony.

 

[Patranus]

In this case, the R's are minority, and have made a conscious decision to vote against everything the D's propose. They don't want any bill passed that might help D's stay in power, so they want to sabotage everything. If they help pass a bill that helps us, then they lose since they feel the D's will get credit, and the R''s can't have that. (Note: as a said, both parties do this, it just happens to be the R's this time)

Its not like the vast majority of the American people are against it or anything like that....

 

[sciwizam]

Time to buy new harddrives, boys and girls. My DVR can't keepup with all the televised meetings.

 

[woolfe9999]

Why include republicans in the process when their purpose is not to improve the bill, but to delay it with hopes of killing it? None of them are going to vote for it anyway, even if they get more compromises toward their position.

Obama's notion of bipartisanship, particularly on this issue, was naive at best, and it is time to abandon any pretense of it for this bill. The dems have already compromized the bill too much to accomodate corporate dems and moderate repubs.

- wolf

 

[Patranus]

Why include republicans in the process when their purpose is not to improve the bill, but to delay it with hopes of killing it? None of them are going to vote for it anyway, even if they get more compromises toward their position.

Obama's notion of bipartisanship, particularly on this issue, was naive at best, and it is time to abandon any pretense of it for this bill. The dems have already compromized the bill too much to accomodate corporate dems and moderate repubs.

- wolf

What do you mean the "the Democrats" compromised? They have 60 votes and can have whatever they want. The AMERICAN PEOPLE do not want this bill.

It is funny. The Democrats always say that the GOP is in the pocket of big business and now they are forcing 30 million Americans to buy a product or go to jail.

The Winner? The insurance companies.
The Loser? The American people

Everyone would be better off if they did NOTHING but the Democrats want to "win" no matter what......

 

[shadow9d9]

What do you mean the "the Democrats" compromised? They have 60 votes and can have whatever they want. The AMERICAN PEOPLE do not want this bill.

It is funny. The Democrats always say that the GOP is in the pocket of big business and now they are forcing 30 million Americans to buy a product or go to jail.

The Winner? The insurance companies.
The Loser? The American people

Everyone would be better off if they did NOTHING but the Democrats want to "win" no matter what......

60 democrats? Keep repeating that lie.

Try 58, with 2 independents, one of which backed McCain and forced the democrats to drop the most important part of the legislation.

Don't forget the hick democrats that back the republicans when it comes to anything but social progress. Don't forget the "democrats" that filibustered civil rights 60 years ago that are still considered democrats.

The democrats are not a unified group. The hick republicans are.

Should have let those shitholes secede after emancipation. Then, instead of receiving double the federal dollars of the blue states while making the US look like a bunch of fucking hillbillies, you'd still have your slavery and third world status.

Repeating a lie doesn't make it truth.

Go fuck yourself. You and all your fellow hick shill partisan hacks.