HuffPo: Blue Dog Democrats Reach Out To GOP "About Joining Forces To Slow" Health Care

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Blue Dog Democrats Reach Out To GOP "About Joining Forces To Slow" Health Care



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/28/no-deal-yet-on-house-heal_n_246182.html

WASHINGTON — Top House Democrats sought to minimize the impact of a near-certain missed deadline for health care legislation on Tuesday as the leadership struggled to ease the concerns of rank-and-file critics.

"I'm disappointed of course because I really hoped that we could have gotten a bill out of here by the end of this month," said Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and chairman of one of the three committees at work on the measure.

"The issue is critical. Whether we do it at the end of July or not, I don't think that's critical except the perception in terms that the Congress didn't respond to the request of the president."

President Barack Obama had asked Congress to advance legislation through both houses by the time lawmakers leave on a monthlong summer vacation, a plea that now appears unlikely to be met.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. We have an honest-to-goodness schism going on here

Let them go be Republicans. I don't value a fake Democrat anymore than I do a real Republican, in fact, I value them LESS.

I've made this point before, but I think it bears repeating. The Repubs have been pulled to the far right by their ever shrinking base. To attract their refugees, the Dems have also moved right. The center, the left of center, and the left are left completely unrepresented. The public is moving left while both major parties do the reverse.

It's fine with me if the DLC'rs, the Blue Dogs, whatever you want to call them form their own Party. It's also fine with me if the center, left of center and the left create their own new party. What's going on here doesn't work for large numbers of people.

[TahitiNut]

3. Yup. Coke and Pepsi are competing on calories while the public is looking for taste.

If the GOP fragments beyond hoppe, the Blue Dogs are poised to join with the 'moderate' (fiscal conservative - pnly spend for military) refugees from the GOP and form a new two-party dialectic. At least that's probably how they 'think' - if that's what it's called inside the beltway. It's really too bad that the Progressive Caucus (and some in-betweeners) isn't poised to combine with the Green Party and form an LDP in the U.S.

[safeinOhio]

2. I think this will come back to haunt them

Some day they'll want something for their states and will find no Democratic support.

[depakid]

4. One can only hope

[BlueIdaho]

5. Someday they'll want to be re-elected

And they will find no democratic support. I for one will NOT vote for Walt Minnick again. I say let him try to get on the ballot through a republican primary process. He's no Democrat. Period.

Now, before anyone calls me on losing a democratic seat, I say what the hells the difference?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. kick!