Free Republic

If the Blue Dog Democrats are really serious about wanting to stop the Solialization of Healthcare and other radical legislation, they should unify their 52 votes and call for another election of the Speaker of the House. They should cut a deal with Republicans and get as many Chairmanships as possible, then vote out Nancy Pelosi from the Speakership and remove the other far Leftist members from the Heads of the commities. This will give themselves a chance at re-election in borderline districts and stop the Socialization of America.

Friday night Obama became The Dog Whisper and “forced” the Blue Dogs (henceforth Pink Poodles) to approve Obamacare in committee. Now we’re supposed to believe the Pink Poodles were “forced” into voting to increased government control over of lives –total fantasy! Human Events has reaffirmed this column’s October findings on the Poodles; they’re willing Marxist. The 24 “Blue Dogs” elected in 2006 were immediately neutered and turned into liberal Pink Poodles. The collective American Conservative Union rating for the Republicans they defeated was 80%. The Pink Poodle replacements scored an average 9% ACU rating! Now there are 52 Poodles being...

Here they are, boys and girls. The four "moderate-conservative" House Dems on Henry Waxman's Energy and Commerce Committee who had their choker chains pulled by Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the lefty leadership in the lower chamber and ended up voting to approve a version of Obamacare that promises higher costs, lower quality and restricted access: Mike Ross (Arkansas), 4th District (202) 454-5262 Baron Hill (Indiana), 9th District (202) 285-0966 Zack Space (Ohio), 18th District (202) 347-3042 Bart Gordon (Tennessee), 6th District 1-800-444-BART I did some checking, and one of the reasons why a few of the above probably...

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The “Blue Dogs,” a group of moderate to conservative House Democrats who have worked to limit the price tag of health care reform legislation, are taking a hit from a prominent Republican who is suggesting that the group will ultimately prove ineffectual. “The Blue Dogs, they always bark and they never bite,” Arizona Sen. John McCain said on an interview that aired Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. “They almost always – in fact, always, roll over and then play dead.”

The biggest scariest thing about Obamacare, is that there is already a huge HUGE shortage of primary care providers across the country, and his bill isn't doing a single thing about it. Can someone explain to me the logic in giving 47 million more people access to primary care and preventative medicine, when there is already a huge shortage of primary care providers. Here in IL, the wait time to see a primarycare doctor is seven weeks minimum. In rurual ohio, where I'm originally from, it's almost three months just to get an appointment. Mark my words, once Obamacare passes...

Pelosi doesn't gaurantee Blue Dog provisions By Mike Soraghan Posted: 07/31/09 06:35 PM [ET] Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) indicated Friday that some of the most hard-fought provisions of the healthcare bill, including parts meant to appease conservative Democrats, could change by the time the final measure reaches the House floor. Pelosi's remarks came as the House Energy and Commerce Committee hammed out the final details of the bill, including a deal with Blue Dog Democrats and a tax to pay for the legislation. Three committees have worked intensively on the bill, and assuming passage by the Energy and Commerce Committee...

You’re better off reading the Standard’s rundown of what happened than listening to me blather about it, but here’s the nutshell version. Last night, led by pro-life Dem Bart Stupak, Waxman’s committee passed an amendment barring any mandate in ObamaCare for private insurers to pay for abortions. One curious hitch: Waxman voted for it. Why? Because, only if you vote yes do you get to ask for a “reconsideration” of the amendment later, which Waxman promptly did after he “convinced” (i.e. likely bought off) Blue Dog Bart Gordon to switch his vote. The result: A new “compromise” amendment introduced by...

I sent Congressman Matheson an email asking what was going to happen to my insurance premium under Obama's plan. He is a fairly conservative Dem, has to be to get elected in Utah. His Dem constituents are usually more upset with him than the Repubs because he doesn't follow the the party line. His response listed here. July 31, 2009 Dear Friend, Thank you for writing regarding health care reform. I appreciate your interest in the issues facing our country and state, and I am glad for the opportunity to respond to your inquiry. By contacting me on issues of...

Liberals and a small core of conservative Democrats set aside long-standing ideological differences early Friday to cut a deal that should allow the House Energy and Commerce Committee to approve a sweeping health care bill, breaking a two-week deadlock that threatened President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority. Blue Dog Democrats on the committee, who are the linchpin in the House health care debate, agreed to allow their liberal colleagues to cut billions from existing government-funded health care programs in order to restore some $50 billion to $65 billion in subsidies set aside in the bill to help middle-income families purchase...

Henry Waxman was able to pull Blue Dogs and liberals together to cut a deal to secure passage of the health care bill out of his Energy Committee just a couple hours ago. Liberals and a small core of conservative Democrats set aside long-standing ideological differences early Friday to cut a deal that should allow the House Energy and Commerce Committee to approve a sweeping health care bill, breaking a two-week deadlock that threatened President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.

When it comes to their constituents' health care, the Blue Dogs are barking up the wrong tree. House Blue Dogs -- moderate Democrats who represent Republican-leaning districts -- joined ranks with liberal Democrats on Wednesday to impose a government insurance system on all Americans. The leader of the pack, Rep. Mike Ross, Arkansas Democrat, confusedly assured that government insurance "will not be mandated on anyone," but that "everyone in America will be required to have health insurance." He claimed that his negotiations cut the cost of the House health care bill by 9 percent and made it possible for more...

Senior Democrats have offered their conservative members enough concessions to secure the support of four Blue Dogs on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, paving the way for committee passage this week, Fox News is reporting. The compromise bill will still feature a public insurance plan, "the public option", which is at the heart of government takeover of the healthcare industry. However, the full House will not vote on health care until at least September,

My email simple said: Do Not Vote for this travesty. Dear ColorMeRed, Thank you for contacting me about health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you on this very important issue. There is little disagreement about the state of America's health care system. It's broken. Today, 47 million Americans (Not True, try 12 million!), including thousands of Montanans, find themselves without health insurance either because they're denied coverage by insurance companies or because they can't afford it. Millions more Americans are finding that health insurance doesn't cover sky-high medical costs. The link between health care and the financial security of...

House Democrats  have started to pick up the pieces on healthcare reform, but they face a difficult month at home defending their legislation to skeptical constituents. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday laid the groundwork for their defense. She blamed the health insurance industry and urged her members to do the same during their four-week break. “They are the villains in this,” Pelosi said of private insurers. “They have been part of the problem in a major way. They are doing everything in their power to stop a public option from happening. And the public has to know that. They...

Liberal Democrats threaten to reject House healthcare deal Dozens say they'll vote against a plan that includes concessions to Blue Dogs. The dispute could jeopardize a long-held goal of progressives. By Noam N. Levey and James Oliphant July 30, 2009 Reporting from Washington -- After months of marching in line as senior Democrats worked with the White House to develop healthcare legislation, liberal lawmakers from solidly Democratic districts are threatening a revolt that could doom President Obama's bid to sign a major bill this year. In the House, liberals are furious at their leaders for striking a deal with conservative...

Liberal lawmakers who oppose a deal House leaders cut with centrist Blue Dog Democrats have gathered signatures from 57 lawmakers who say they won't vote for the plan. “This agreement will result in the public, both as insurance purchasers and taxpayers, paying ever higher rates to insurance companies,” the letter says. “We simply cannot vote for such a proposal.” If Republicans oppose the healthcare bill on the floor en masse, 57 Democrats voting “no” would defeat the bill. The agreement between four Blue Dogs and House leaders cut $100 billion off of the price tag of the bill. Under the...

The on again off again healthcare compromise was off again last night as the farthest of the far left members of the Democrats in the House revolted.  When their slightly less liberal counterparts, the Blue Dog Democrats (better known as the Lapdogs), rolled over, fetched and played dead for their masters, it appeared for a moment there was a sellout by the Lapdogs on healthcare.  Members of the Democrat “Progressive” Caucus, which is the coven of hyperlibs, went apoplectic over what they called a “watering down” of the government takeover of healthcare. Just after the lunch hour on Capitol Hill,...

Congress: In exchange for a vague promise of cuts in the cost of health care "reform," a few fiscally conservative Democrats agree to release the bill to a September floor vote. Have the pit bulls become Chihuahuas?Apparently even a Blue Dog Democrat will stop growling if you toss him a big enough bone. Four of the seven who helped keep the House bill bottled up in the Energy and Commerce Committee — Mike Ross of Arkansas, Baron Hill of Indiana, Zack Space of Ohio and Bart Gordon of Tennessee — agreed to vote the bill out of committee in exchange...

With the health-care bill faltering in Congress, the ritual weeping has begun over the death, once again, of “bipartisanship.” The belief that the answer to any problem lies with “the center” may be the greatest superstition in the ever-magical world of American politics. Mostly it is journalists and pundits who propagate the notion that crazies on the left and right have neutered the problem-solving center, the moderates, the pragmatists. In fact, the bipartisan center has been dying every year since Congress passed the Medicare and Medicaid bill of 1965. The people who back then were staffers to the politicians and...

First Conservative Dems Held Up Health Care “Reform” NOW, Liberal Dems Threaten to Do the Same Next time President Obama blames Republican for bucking health care “reform” we can all get a good laugh. Dems are so split on the issue that it seems unlikely that any compromise will hold up. For everyone who rejects massive government intrusion into the health care of every American that’s good news! Liberals gag over health dealBy GLENN THRUSHPolitico 7/29/09House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spent half of Wednesday finalizing a deal with the Blue Dogs — and the other half quelling a brewing rebellion among...