Conyers says Health Care could limit Obama to One Term

[debbierlus]

Howard Dean has said that bad legislation could result in dem losses in the mid terms - Conyers now says it could limit Obama to one term.

By David Swanson

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/44878

Congressman John Conyers spoke to a crowd of activists from around the country at Busboys and Poets restaurant in Washington, D.C., Thursday evening at a fifth birthday party for Progressive Democrats of America. Conyers opened by remarking:

"There is no one more disappointed than I am in Barack Obama."

This comment sank in hard for some of the activists in the room who had been told by Conyers last year that electing Obama took precedence over impeaching Dick Cheney. But Thursday was about healthcare, and Conyers is the undisputed progressive champion on that issue.

"Buddy," said Conyers, referring to President Obama, "you are wrong on healthcare and it's going to cost you big time."

Conyers suggested that it was very likely Congress would not pass any healthcare bill this year. The Blue Dogs and Republicans don't want anything, he said, and the Progressives are "saying this is a piece of crap and we're not voting for it." If you add up all the Blue Dogs and Republicans and Progressives, Conyers said, you get "more than 218 to sink this bill!"

Or, Congressman Conyers continued, "suppose we happen to pass it? Big deal. That's what Rahm Emanuel wants -- pass anything just to say we did." A weak plan, Conyers said, would not help things: "It's going to fail."

In either case, Conyers concluded, whether we get no bill or a weak bill, "they'll blame Barack Obama. Heads he loses, tails he loses." So, Conyers said, "we've got to tell Obama now, or he'll be a one term president."

Conyers' analysis appeared to be that the media and the public would unfairly blame a president for whatever goes wrong in Congress. But Conyers himself put the blame on Obama for not compelling Congress to enact more serious healthcare reform. The idea that Congress could pass a good bill against the wishes of the president and then force him, for his own good (not to mention ours), to sign or veto it was not on the radar.

[Laelth]

1. Representative Conyers talks the talk very well.

It's more rare to see him walk the walk. I am suspicious of his motives here, though I mostly agree with the substance of what he said. If this legislation fails, I don't think Obama will be hurt by it in either 2010 or 2012. If a bad bill passes, however, the Democratic Party will deserve to be punished for it.

:dem:

-Laelth

[TomCADem]

4. Conyers Is In Freaking Congress!!! Why Doesn't He Do Something About It!

It is one thing for us to bitch and moan about Congress, but to have a congressman to bitch and moan about Congress? For goodness sake, if he is just going to whine about the President not holding his hand, then resign, and let a grown up run for the office. This is just absolutely pathetic.

Conyers is in Congress, and he is blaming the President for the actions of Congress??? Perhaps Conyers should take some responsibility for lobbying his colleagues, rather than blaming the White House for not carrying his water.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

8. He's dropped every pass he's been handed in my opinion.

Why didn't he enforce his own supoenas?

He could start a big push for HR 676 if he's concerned. He could ask that CBO score it at least, which NO ONE has asked for.

[Frustratedlady]

2. Well, I have given up on Conyers. Maybe I'm wrong, but he was all fired up

and then backed off on enforcing subpoenas, pursuing hearings, etc. I was so impressed with him from the get-go, but he dropped the ball.

So, in my estimation, he shouldn't talk about Obama being weak. He "ain't" no Iron Man in my view.

[Ian David]

3. Johny Letter is one to talk. n/t

[MarjorieG]

5. Single Payer is his bill, his aide's bill, pushed by PDA, Swanson, others, for YEARS. But

it's Obama's fault for tryng to avoid Clinton and Bush's forcing legislation. Dems aren't like GOP in obedience, and Hillarycare was DOA for lots of reasons. Mostly, the public wasn't ready.

Obama's initial compromise of a public option should be okay to corp types demanding competition. With resistance we're getting on gov't run being bad, after 30 years of meme, made sense. All he needed was a responsible Congress, which is more beholden to business bribes than their voters.

Conyers has never followed through, and seniority doesn't always foster guts over keeping the seniority.

Great. Now MSM will run with this one-term, not good enough crap, when its his job to get the best possible. A strong public option tied to Medicare could grow, without firewalls.

How much can Obama shame his Congress to go for this, or will they be uncooperative on future bills? Maybe uncooperative anyway because they can and don't care.

[WI_DEM]

6. So this is the guy who said impeachment was off the table saying that Obama is a one-termer?

I've lost respect for him.

[masuki bance]

7. He'd have people out for his head if he was a DUer. nt

[Cha]

10. Yeah, you post nothing but negative shit

on Pres Obama..you should know.

[TomCADem]

13. Unlike A DUer, Conyers IS IN Congress

This is what makes Conyers remarks amazing. He might as well as well tell his constituents that they might as vote for someone else, because he can't accomplish anything.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. The difference is YOU want Obama to lose in 2012

:rofl:

[NavyMom]

9. President Obaman is no longer in Congress

he told the asses what he wanted in the healthcare bill, it is not his fault the Blue b$%^&es are bought and paid for. Why don't he take this one term crap to some of the Blue bitches and try to hardball them, we've all seen how the President reacts when someone tries to bs him. Even if he thinks or thought he would be a one term president saying this to activists is disrespectful to all those fighting for healthcare not to mention President Obama.

[Laelth]

11. Welcome to DU!

:dem:

-Laelth

[Thrill]

12. Stupid ass Democrats. You think you would ever hear Republicans saying

this after all the ridiculous bullshit Bush was doing. Unreal. Fools