Friday, July 31, 2009

There Seems To Be A Slight Disagreement

The Democrats are having a health care problem. Some factions of the party are sick of each other.

Liberals, Hispanics and African-American members — Pelosi’s most loyal base of support — are feeling betrayed after House Energy and Commerce Committee
Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) reached an agreement with four of seven Blue Dogs
on his committee who had been bottling up the bill over concerns about cost.

The compromise, which still must be reconciled with competing House and Senate versions, would significantly weaken the public option favored by liberals by delinking reimbursement rates to Medicare.

“Waxman made a deal that is unacceptable,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), one of about 10 progressives who met repeatedly with Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Wednesday.

“We signed a pledge to reject any plan that doesn’t include a robust public option, and this plan doesn’t have a robust public option,” he added.
I think "robust" is Democrat speak for "big taxpayer rip off".

I blame it all on Howard Dean's strategy to get Democrats elected in the South. He got the politicians changed all right. What he forgot to do was to change the people. A common failing of both parties. In this round it is hurting the Democrats. Eventually the worm will turn. Then the Republicans can learn (or not most likely) to deal with Party members not fully committed to the Party agenda.

I LOVE gridlock. The less the government does the better. Especially on the Federal level.

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