Congressman: Centrist Dems talking healthcare coalition with GOP

[babylonsister]

Congressman: Centrist Dems talking healthcare coalition with GOP
@ 4:00 pm by Michael O'Brien


Some centrist House Democrats have reached out to Republicans to explore breaking with their party leadership on healthcare and crafting a reform bill with the rival GOP, one congressman claimed Saturday.

Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) asserted that an "interesting development" is taking place underway that, if true, could effectively remove Democratic leadership from the driver's seat on healthcare reform legislation in the House.

"There's an interesting development occurring behind the scenes, wherein moderate Democrats — so-called "Blue Dog" Democrats — and business-friendly new Democrats are actually starting to have conversations with us to build a coalition from the center outward, to actually really come up with substantive and well-founded healthcare reform," Boustany said during an appearance on Fox News. "And that's the only way to do this."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other Democratic leaders have moved quickly to pass a preliminary version of healthcare legislation before the August recess in Congress.

The House Ways and Means Committee as well as the Education and Labor Committee approved marked-up versions of legislation, which would create a public (or "government-run") option for consumers as well as impose a surtax on high earners, on Friday after the bill was unveiled on Monday.

Those committee votes, though, saw some centrists break with their chairmen to vote against the proposal. (The Democratic National Committee announced Saturday that it would ramp up the pressure on some of those centrists by running advertisements in their districts.)

"We think that if we can build enough public opinion on this, we'll force the issue," Boustany said. "Because the American public wants healthcare reform. Republicans agree it needs to be done, but it has to be done carefully, and in a prudent way that doesn't disrupt the whole system."

Watch a video of the interview at link:

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/07/18/congressman-centrist-dems-approached-gop-to-form-healthcare-coalition/

[villager]

1. these fucking arrogant Blue Dogs have got to be stopped

n/t

[WeDidIt]

3. IF they kill any vote before the August recess, Healthcare reform is dead for two decades

That's the simple fact.

And the insurance companies are the single most powerful lobby going. They spend the money we spend on insurance to insure that we have to spend our money with the insurance companies.

How fucked up is that?

[abumbyanyothername]

10. Maybe killing healthcare reform is for the best

forcing the issue to the streets.

Just like Vietnam.

[asjr]

9. Another name for blue dog is traitor. That is

how I see it. We now have a president who will do the right thing and there are those who want to screw it up. Makes no sense.

[tblue37]

16. They need strong progressive primary challengers. nt

[WeDidIt]

2. That's how they killed it in '93. n/t

[bobbolink]

4. One more time.... research how much $$$$ they are receiving, and Spread It In Their Districts!

Use billboards, full page newspaper ads, ......what4ever means to get the TRUTH out to their constituents!

This will do more good than competing with the corporate "health" ads on TV!

[abumbyanyothername]

11. Senator Evan Bayh's wife

received a substantial payment from Wellpoint, per another post in here on the topic.

[bobbolink]

12. Good start...let's collect all the particulars... EXACT $$$ amounts,

and put that info to good use in their districts.

How can it hoit?

[abumbyanyothername]

13. Link to Bayh

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6017994

[bobbolink]

14. Excuse me. I didn't volunteer to do all the work.

Post it here, and ask others to do the same, and put together all the info.

Then come together with others and figure out how to use that important information to best advantage.

[Hydra]

5. Here we go again

Either we give the insurance companies handouts, or we let them continue business as usual...

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. NOW will people wake up? They are Democrats in name only and now

their actions prove it. The people being represented by Blue Dogs need to motivate and get some pinpointed action going in those states pronto!

Brought to you courtesy of Rahm Emmanuel. Real Dems are always better than fake Dems.

[subcomhd]

7. whores n/t

[mmonk]

8. Another bookmark on our Trojan Horse faction.

Thanks.

[tblue37]

15. He means "in a prudent way that doesn't reduce obscene profits for

our campaign donors."

[RandomThoughts]

17. 'Prudent' might also be an attempt to make some claim that Bush 41 is still relevant. n/t

[elehhhhna]

18. Coalition my hienie. It's called a cabal. Or conspiracy,,

[lilytea]

19. great idea

..not!

[Spazito]

20. Key words, right from the mouth of the scumbucket repub...

... if true ...

"Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) asserted that an "interesting development" is taking place underway that, if true, could effectively remove Democratic leadership from the driver's seat on healthcare reform legislation in the House."


In other words, this scumbucket doesn't even know if what he is saying has ANY truth to it at all.