CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
– HEALTH
Corrected July 28, 2009 – 4:22 p.m.
House GOP Welcomes Blue Dogs’ Resistance
By Alan K. Ota, CQ Staff
House Republicans are calculating that the ongoing revolt by Blue Dog Democrats unhappy with their party’s health care proposals will soon force Democratic leaders to bargain with GOP opponents of the legislation.
Republican aides said Tuesday there is great interest among GOP lawmakers in trying to work with dissidents in the 52-member Blue Dog Coalition. “Blue Dogs will be the main event all week,” said one GOP aide, referring to efforts by Republicans to woo Blue Dogs
Minority Leader John A. Boehner , R-Ohio, said he hopes a delay in the health care floor debate that Democratic leaders planned for this week will prompt Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., and her leadership team to “come across the aisle to work with us.”
Pelosi has pushed hard to move health legislation to the floor this week, but said she would be open to the idea of more talks across the aisle on the health care overhaul. “I think it’s a good idea,” she said.
Charlie Melancon of Louisiana, a Blue Dog co-chairman, said his group, which wants more time to study the health care legislation produced by three House committees and negotiate possible changes, would not be disappointed if the floor vote is postponed until after the August recess.
“Part of what America is screaming about is that they are trying to ram down the biggest piece of legislation that affects every man, woman and child . . . in a short period of time,” Melancon said. “Every day that goes forward, we’re getting more information of what’s in there.”
Jim Cooper , D-Tenn., a more senior Blue Dog who has not been as critical publicly of the leadership’s bill, also expressed a desire Tuesday for greater efforts to win Republican support.
“We can get a bill like this,” he told CNN. “We can also get a bipartisan bill. They’re working on that in the Senate. But unfortunately, the House has been reluctant to take that approach.”
First posted July 28, 2009 11:49 a.m.
Correction
Removes information that indicated that members of the Houe Democratic Blue Dogs attended the Tuesday morning meeting of the House Republican Conference to discuss health care legislation.
Comments
The Democrats need new leaders in the congress. It is imperative that the entire caucus be on the same page.
People voted for Democrats because they thought they'd be getting change. By basically defecting to the GOP on this issue, these Blue DOgs are selling out their constituency, who are likely too distracted by not having sufficient health coverage to worry about their shenanigans. These people make me nauseous.
These Blue Dogs are unbelievable. Their districts are the ones that need health care reform the most. This can be considered nothing less than a betrayal by these Corporate Dems.
I swear this is pissing me off.
Unfortunately, it was predictable conservative Democrats would sabotage true health care reform on the national level. Their rigid commitment to protecting the megaprofit interests of the healthcare industry doomed this effort from the start. We will have to fight on a state by state level for the single payer system that every other advanced industrialized nation in the world has. Let's get on with it!
The Democrat Blue Dogs (Conservatives) and Republicans are clearing getting paid by the Health Insurance company lobbyists. Get them out of office by voting Democratic liberals. Everyone should aggressively push both the Senate and House to eliminate lobbyists. Lobbyists cannot lobby for Government contracts. They should not be able to lobby congress for anything.
max bacchus is a fake, the blue dogs are fake, and harry reid and the democrats ineptitude is revolting! we should all run these tyrants to the hills, while my sister slowly crumbles due to lack of proper health care, bacchus and the blue dogs try to sabotage our president, the time for thoughtful disagreement is over! its time obama cracks the whip! what else is rahm emmanuel good for?
how can we get the blue dogs out of office?
Thank God for these Blue Dog Democrats coming to their senses finally & listening to the American people; Republicans need to listen up also. We need our elected officials to READ THE BILLS not just try to push them through to meet their personal goals; it should be in the best interest of the red/white/blue collectively. My hat off to those politicians on both side who are finally stopping this "rush" of pushing everything through w/o thinking of the impact of such. Republicans need to stand as a united front against the atrocities that this administration is trying to push through based on false information and scare tactics.
These blue dogs are going to be sorry. Most of them didn't win the last election by much more than 50%. Except for Charlie Melancon who ran unopposed and once it is exposed that he owns an Insurance company he's going to be sorry. We need to remind them that 72% of the American people are for a public option and the rest of the people will be grateful to use the public option. Once this passes it will be like medicare, socialsecurity and the VA--most of these people don't even realize that they are indeed goverment sponsored.
The Blue Dog Dems are the hope of the nation. Obama, Reid, and Pelosi do not want transparency - rushing a huge complicated piece of legislation is not in the best interests of the citizens of USA. They should be looking at torte reform and possibly the huge costs of education for the doctors. Why should the doctor's schools be costing so much? Start in those areas to reduce costs. We DON'T WANT THE GOVERNMENT TELLING US WHAT TO DO IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES. I do not support taxpayer funded abortion, nor should the government be rationing health care to the elderly. The government HAS NO RIGHT to decide who lives and who dies. And certainly the Government and Unions being exempt from this very bad HR 3200 bill should wake you all up.
Please hang tough until all of the below items are removed from the bill. You and the other Democrats that show some concern for the American People are all that stand in the way of the Obama Administration nationalizing 16% of the economy and forces socialized medicine on the citizens. Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!! Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benes u get Pg 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill - YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!! Pg 42 of HC Bill - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose UR HC Benefits 4 you. U have no choice! PG 50 Section 152 in HC bill - HC will be provided 2 ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise Pg 58HC Bill - Govt will have real-time access 2 individs finances & a National ID Healthcard will b issued! Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access 2 ur banks accts 4 elect. Funds transfer PG 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan 4 retirees and their families in Unions & community orgs (ACORN). Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC Exchange 2 bring priv HC plans under Govt control. PG 84 Sec 203 HC bill - Govt mandates ALL benefit pkgs 4 priv. HC plans in the Exchange PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration ur Healthcare! PG 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill - Govt mandates linguistic approp svcs. Example - Translation 4 illegal aliens Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 Acorn will sign youup for programs you need. Cost 2,550 if you do not sign up PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs of Ben Levels 4 Plans. #AARP members - U Health care WILL b rationed -PG 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill - Medicaid Eligible Indiv. Will b automat.enrolled in Medicaid. No choice Pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt Monop Pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill - Doctors/ #AMA - The Govt will tell YOU what u can make. Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into pub opt plan. NO CHOICE Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay 4 HC 4 part time employees AND their families. Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Emplyr w payroll 400k & above who does not prov. Pub opt. Pays 8% tax on all payroll Pg 150 Lines 9-13 Biz w payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesn't prov. Pub. Opt pays 2-6% tax on all payroll Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC accrdng 2 Govt will be taxed 2.5% of Inc * Pg 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from indiv. Taxes. (Americans will pay) Pg 195 HC Bill -officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access 2 ALL Americans finan/pers recs PG 203 Line 14-15 HC - "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax" Yes, it says that Pg 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill Govt will reduce physician svcs 4 Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor affected Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill - Doctors, doesn't matter what specialty u have, you'll all be paid the same-this will go over big PG 253 Line 10-18 Govt sets value of Dr's time, prof judg, etc. Literally value of humans. PG 265 Sec 1131Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries PG 268 Sec 1141 Fed Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs PG 272 SEC. 1145. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing! Page 280 Sec 1151 The Govt will penalize hospitals 4 what Govt deems preventable readmissions. Pg 298 Lines 9-11 Drs, treat a patient during initial admiss that results in a readmiss-Govt will penalize u. Pg 317 L 13-20 OMG!! PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Drs. What/how much they can own. Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3 PROHIBITION on expansion- Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand Pg 321 2-13 Hospitals have oppt to apply for exception BUT community input required. Can u say ACORN?!! Pg335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339 - Govt mandates estab. of outcome based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing Pg 341 Lines 3-9 Govt has authority 2 disqual Medicare Adv Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing peeps in2 Govt plan Pg 354 Sec 1177 - Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs ppl! WTF. My sis has down syndrome!! Pg 379 Sec 1191 Govt creates more bureaucracy - Telehealth Advisory Cmtte. Can u say HC by phone? PG 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates Advance Care Planning Consult. Think Senior Citizens end of life Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory! PG 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Govt provides apprvd list of end of life resources, guiding u in death PG 427 Lines 15-24 Govt mandates program 4 orders 4 end of life. The Govt has a say in how ur life ends Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An "adv. care planning consult" will b used frequently as patients health deteriorates PG 429 Lines 10-12 "adv. care consultation" may incl an ORDER 4 end of life plans. AN ORDER from GOV Pg 429 Lines 13-25 - The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order. PG 430 Lines 11-15 The Govt will decide what level of treatment u will have at end of life Pg 469 - Community Based Home Medical Services=Non profit orgs. Hello, ACORN Medical Svcs here!!? Page 472 Lines 14-17 PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORG. 1 monthly payment 2 a community-based org. Like ACORN? PG 489 Sec 1308 The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. Which means they will insert Govt in2 ur marriage Pg 494-498 Govt will cover Mental Health Svcs including defining, creating, rationing those svcs We do not want our freedom choice taken away nor do we want socialized medicine.
Michelle Obama's job in chicago hospital was to move poor patients out of the hospital. So caring a person she is. This health care, which she is exempt from, along with SEIU - the Union which supported BO before the election, all congress - exempt from this horrible health plan. Doesn't THAT make anyone think? If it is good enough for me or you and our families, why isn't it good enough for Government and Union people? WAKE UP! This must not pass. It's not what we need - it's a means to a very nefarious end. No elderly - no social security payments....
The blue dogs must go. The ratpublicans must be stop or exterminated. I had insurance but because my premium cost kept rising every year I lost my coverage and now I am without health insurance. The blue dogs must go. I have a blue dog in my area and he is fighting the President. He must be replaced along with the other blue dogs.
If you want the real hard facts on health care, here's the plain and simple truth. I've studied and researched myself to try and put together a mythbuster, this is more comprehensive than even I would have done. We already have people standing in long lines just to see a doctor, we already have denied/rationed care. UnitedHealthCare is making record breaking profits and under the guise of The Lewin Group are advising congress. They actually have health scare talking points like the one about killing granny. http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/200907300008 There will only be change when those unaffected are as outraged as those who are. http://www.wisecountyissues.com
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