Posted on 03/15/2010 10:34:48 AM PDT by b4its2late
At a roundtable meeting with several health care reporters and bloggers this morning, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi once again predicted final passage of a far-reaching heath care bill by week's end--but she insisted that success will only be possible if she acts quickly, even if that means members and reformers will have to abandon some of their key priorities, and trust the Senate to pass an amending bill through the reconciliation process.
"I have no intention of not passing this bill," Pelosi said in response to a question from TPMDC. "Let me say it in a positive way: I have faith in my members that we will be passing this legislation."
Pelosi explained away a statement by her Whip, James Clyburn, that the votes aren't there "yet," by noting that the bill is still not yet complete. But getting a majority won't be easy. No vote is easy, Pelosi said, and she'll need members to focus on the big picture--insurance for 31 million people--without getting distracted by the demise of the public option, or the fact that the Senate may not be able to deliver what they say they can in reconciliation, in order to get it done.
"Time is important for us here, because this city is the city of the perishable and every special interest group out there who doesn't want this to pass--including the entire Republican party--benefits from any delay," Pelosi told those in attendance. "Delay is our enemy."
That's true even if it means members must move beyond the demise of the public option and other high-priority provisions. Pelosi said it's important that members "keep the focus on what is in this bill. Because the more we talk about public option, the more we talk about abortion, we're not talking about innovation, prevention, wellness. We're not talking about 31 million people."
Still, one key obstacle remains, and that is assuring her members that the Senate will be able to act to pass the fix bill in reconciliation. That may take a leap of faith.
"There has to be complete agreement on what the package is...I have asked [the Senate] to show me what it is they can show me that I would be able to convince my members to go forward," Pelosi said. "We're...willing to trust the Senate that they are able to pass the reconciliation package."
Pelosi avoided delving deeply into postmortems--Why didn't the public option survive? What should have been done differently?--but she did suggest, at a couple different points, that the White House was not a perfect ally in this fight.
"There will be plenty of time for whatever--in the executive and the legislative branch--as to how [the public option] evolved to what it is now," Pelosi said, suggesting that some fault lies with the White House.
Equally vexing for her have been elements in the White House who urged her to revert to a strategy of passing a small--rather than comprehensive--health care bill. "Those who are trying to say 'just do a small bill,'" Pelosi said gesturing out the window of her office, westward toward the White House. "In our midst there's the small bill crowd. Here and there. And that empowered [the insurance companies]."
And that's to say nothing about the White House/PhRMA deal."If you're asking me were we unhappy about the pharmaceutical thing? Yes. Very. But apart from that, I don't know what else they've done with industry....We just thought, Wait a minute, the Senate and the White House and PhRMA made a deal, and we have to honor that?"
Washington D.C. is a cloistered, incestuous place. It’s easy to lose one’s perspective in the thick political murk. Let me offer some vision to the curiously undecided from the clear, cool air of Tennessee:
If you vote for this Frankenstein’s Monster of a power and tax grab, festooning itself as health care reform, your name will one day be mocked.
Your constituents will eventually despise you for docilely following your party leaders, for your failure to be an independent voice of reason, caution and fiscal restraint. Americans and your own children will revile you for being weak in the face of your party and their special interests at the expense of a lesser class of people; the struggling, hard-working, responsible middle class for generations to come.
For a glimpse of your future, should you decide not to stand athwart history and yell “Stop!,” read up on how Rep. Nelson was shouted down and berated by the diners in a Nebraska restaurant.
This legislation is fatally flawed. Its premise alone is a clunker and the insane re-writing of rules, rush for passage, cold partisanship, absence of debate, late-night skulking, back room deals, open bribes and the convolutions of logic to hide its base intent have created a heinously ugly threat to life and liberty.
It has also eliminated any trust that I and everyone I know had in the federal legislative process.
Please stand up and yell “STOP!”
There is no distinctly native American criminal class...save Congress.
— Mark Twain
This has got to be the most hated person
in this country at the moment.
May God have mercy on her Catholic soul.
Really Nancy? Well i have no intention of obeying it. Revolt is near,,, Soon, we will grab this government by the throat,,,the way our founders intended it to live.
Just like Robert Mugabe...CLEARLY they are NOT wanted, clearly they are NOT being supported...Clearly they have LOST this issue, but like a true hate-filled anti-christian anti-American bigoted liberal swine of a socialist she will pass it anyway.
WAKE UP MY FELLOW CITIZENS...protect the constitution against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC. She is, as are many dems, enemies of our republic. To hell with our laws and our government. We let this happen...what will you be willing to do next?
And we the people have ever intention of sending you to rot in jail. Pelosi, you can count on it.
“... For a speaker, she’s a big fail!...”
Correction. she is EPIC FAIL!
And We Have No Intention Of Not throwing your Ass out of power
One wonders if the stress and fear that she might not pass it is making her talk like an idiot.
Generous, my FRiend, but no: she talks like an idiot because she’s an idiot.
Colonel, USAFR
/
Just faxed the following to my fence-sitter (but probable YES vote) congressman:
Pelosi: I Have No Intention Of Not Passing This Bill
Madame Speaker seems very confident of your obedience. Or your price.
Is there a difference? :-)
For Atlmire abd ALL OTHERS, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PROPER ZIP CODE TO TELL THE STAFFERS.
Aliquippa Office:
2110 McLean Street
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania **** 15001
Phone: (724) 378-0928
Fax: (724) 378-6171
Natrona Heights Office:
2124 Freeport Road
Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania **** 15065
Phone: (724) 226-1304
Fax: (724) 226-1308
On the phone ... ALL LINES ARE BUSY!
So much for bipartisanship, eh bitch?
Good one.
Then after she gets it passed (?) the stupid hag will see whats in it.
Not a problem for our elected morons as they have already exempted themselves for having to be part of this nightmare.
Thanks for the link, onyx...
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