US Sen Finance Staffer Exhorts Lobbyists To Get Behind Talks

[FreakinDJ]

Source: DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

US Sen Finance Staffer Exhorts Lobbyists To Get Behind Talks

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- A top staffer for Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., warned a group of business lobbyists Thursday that if they don't help bipartisan Senate negotiations on health care to succeed, they might get stuck with Democrat- written provisions they won't like.

The remarks by Jon Selib, chief of staff to Baucus, were made in a closed-door meeting with about 20 lobbyists for employer groups and the insurance industry, and recounted to Dow Jones by people in the meeting.

According to participants, Selib said public statements by Republicans like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, are undermining the bipartisan talks. He told lobbyists that if the group does not strike an agreement by next week, the result could be that Democratic leaders will abandon the bipartisan talks and pass a Democrat-written bill through the Senate.

Senate Democrats could use a procedural option known as "reconciliation" for health-care legislation that would allow them to maneuver around the 60-vote hurdle required for most legislation in the Senate.


Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200907302105dowjonesdjonline001148&title=us-sen-finance-staffer-exhorts-lobbyists-to-get-behind-talks

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Nothin like a Fucking Corrupt Peice of Shit to tell the Corp Lobbyist to get out and circumvent the will of the people with $millions of payolla for corrupt lawmakers

Anyone keeping track of which Senator is receiving how much ??

[JayMusgrove]

1. How can we get this man off the public payroll? And out of his

publicly funded health care.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. We should demand that Sen. Max Baucus fire his chief of staff now! Senators are supposed to

represent the people.

[Kweli4Real]

3. Am I missing something?

A Democratic staffer tells industry lobbyist if they don't support what they want , the senate might see screw it and give the people what they want?

It seems to me that this statement means that there really ARE enough votes in the senate to pass a more Obama like healthcare bill.

[FreakinDJ]

5. Yes - you are correct

So where is Reid and Pelosi

America has spoken with an OVERWHELMING MAJORITY in favor of a Government Option Plan and or Single Payer Healthcare. Most likely we will see a 2 tiered system with a Government Option Plan that will keep a lid on Health Insurance Company corruption

[karynnj]

9. Or there are, IF the Republicans do not join onto this

(ie - some Democrats may feel that this issue should be resolved with a bipartisan plan, but if there is no real bipartisan plan, then they will support the best Democratic bill possible.)

Remember that there is strong support for health care reform.

[pleah]

4. Staffer should be fired and Baucus should be removed from the finance committee

K&R

[Kweli4Real]

16. Why fire the staffer?

He was only communicating the Baucus' message. Reid should take Baucus to task and not let him throw his CoS under the bus.

[brentspeak]

6. Baucus' D.C. office number to contact (and maybe even Selib's own direct line)

Here's Baucus' D.C. office:202-224-2651(Office)

And from an old PR release still floating around the Web, Jon Selib's direct line: 202-224-4515

[FreakinDJ]

7. Call for Jon Selib's resignation - IMMEDIATELY !!!!

thanks for the info

[karynnj]

8. Stepping back a second, could this really be a way to make the case that the Republicans are the one

who refused to go with a bipartisan approach. I think there was some rule that reconciliation could not be used until fall.

If this fails to keep Republican support, it is very hard to fault Obama and the democrats of pushing through a Democratic bill.

My question here would be who leaked this from the closed door meeting?

[FreakinDJ]

10. It makes the case MONEY is behind stalling reforms

and it is a lot of money - not the will of the American people being served here and the RATpubliCONs give the best Dollar/Vote ratio

[karynnj]

13. You base that on the fact that they are speaking to lobbyists

But, they are ASKING something of the lobbyist and it is not for money.

It is possible that Baucus and Conrad wanted to be heroes crafting a bill that could get wide spread support and are trying to enlist the support of the sponsors of these lobbyists to help them get that.

[FreakinDJ]

14. Baucus is doing everything he can to DERAIL Health Reform

I don't see where your logic is going other then to support their efforts in DeRailing any true Health Insurance Reforms

Almost 70% of Americans WANT a Government Option Plan to keep the Health-care Industry Honest - so how can you say they are working at the behest of their constituents

[karynnj]

15. I am not defending what Baucus is doing - I support the public option and hope they end up near the

HELP program.

Where did I say that Baucus and Conrad are working for their constituents. What I said implies they are working for themselves - or for the interest of others.

What I was trying to do was to point out that it looks like they are concerned that their effort is falling apart - which is GREAT if it does. They are clearly trying to rally support.

Or you could say I am looking for a silver lining in this report.

[FreakinDJ]

17. No I think you are seeing this issue clearly

Sorry if I jumped to conclusions - but this whole debate riles my nerves

For years now the Majority of the American public has sought relief from the Health Insurance Industry. Obama's message in his Town Hall Meeting and his direct approach of AARP I'm sure has a lot of people in the Health Insurance Industry worried. Baucus will find it more and more difficult to defend his position AGAINST the president's proposals, and that is why I believe he sent this "Flunky Staffer" out to solicit more money for other lawmakers from the lobbyist. Baucus is realizing this is too big for him to take on alone

[karynnj]

18. no problem - I did not frame it well in the earlier posts - this is riling everyone's nerves

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

11. Then why bother with any legislation?

Finance senators have all but agreed not to include a mandate that employers provide health insurance. The Finance agreement is not expected to include a public insurance option, which is anathema to private insurance companies.

In June, Selib said this in Montana town hall meetings: "If you think your insurance company is screwing you ... then you'd have the option of going to the public plan," Selib said. "Senator Baucus is fighting tooth and nail to include that in any final deal."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/01/baucus-battered-by-voters_n_209865.html




Lying SOB!!

[primavera]

12. Certainly gives a clear indication of where the real power is, doesn't it? - n/t

[MarjorieG]

19. Now we can say we tried and do what we need. Concerned about sunset aspect of reconciliation, and

how we can tailor it, name it a form of Medicare that people like and trust, so hopefully will not be readdressed if except for necessary fixes.