"It's starting to seem like it may just be better for Dems to try to make a deal with Olympia Snowe, kick Joe Lieberman out of the party and be done with it. The leadership in the senate thought that Lieberman was on board with the latest compromise. But in an appearance on Face the Nation and later in a sit-down with Sen. Reid, Lieberman said he'd join the Republican filibuster if the Medicare buy-in remained in the bill. What's most telling about Lieberman isn't his positions, which are not that much different from Sen. Nelson's and perhaps Sen. Lincoln's. It's more that he seems to keep upping the ante just when the rest of the caucus thinks they've got a deal."
Josh Marshall. Who thinks Lieberman "just doesn't seem to be negotiating in good faith."
December 14, 2009
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When the 60th Senator becomes King of the Hill, you then remember the political wise adage that if you attack a king, you must kill the king. The DemonRats are rerunning that experience with Joe, whom they tried to kill politically and failed.
"Who thinks Lieberman "just doesn't seem to be negotiating in good faith."
NOBODY is negotiating in good faith. Look at the appropriations bill just approved. SPEND SPEND SPEND SPEND SPEND. If someone is putting the brakes on, no matter the motivation, good for them.
"Extending this successful program to those between 55 and 64 would be the largest expansion of Medicare in 44 years and would perhaps get us on the path to a single-payer model," --
Representative Anthony Weiner, Democrat of New York.
Just maybe this is payback for the way they treated Joe in the past. Joe is the DNC's best friend when they need something from him while the rest of the time he is useful as the object of their derision.
The so-called party of inclusion is nothing more than an elitist clique schmoozing when necessary and closed to outsiders the rest of the time. During a recent trip to Boston a trolley driver related how his family had lived in a certain area. It was declared an historic area and any subsequent renovations to maintain the purity of the area had to conform to standards only affordable to the uber rich. Now the wealthy walk among the perpetually lit gas lamps lining the street that looks like a painting from Thomas Kinkade trying to be Norman Rockwell.
The democrats appear to have run the middle class of their party to the 'burbs providing them with a transit system to bring them back in to work every day. Now that is rainbow, multi-culturalism you can believe in.
"...seem..." "...seems..." "...seam..."
Seamy.
Well fuck me! I thought a Senator's job was to represent his constituents, not "make deals" with Harry Reid.
If someone is putting the brakes on, no matter the motivation, good for them.
Well, look who voted against it and reward them.
At this point, given how much deal making is taking place and the self imposed deadline, the result can not be good. In fact, its likely to be incredibly more expensive than anyone will admit and negatively impact the quality of health care for a long time.
Hey to any old folks out there: be aware that in 2010, Medicare has just cut fees paid to specialists by 30%.
Good luck trying to get in to see a Cardiologist or Rheumatologist.
It's been swell knowing y'all, but you know, time to move on and all that.
I admit right up front I’m pretty naïve about his kind of stuff. If the Democrats take Mr. Marshall’s advice, do they slip him a couple of bucks around the holidays?
I ask because I once referred a potential client to the Attorney General’s consumer fraud unit and he ended up sending me a check, anyway, with a note saying that my free advice worked out great. That made me feel all warm inside.
I ended up paying that money to a Mexican hooker who broiled a ribeye steak and rubbed it all over my naked body. That made me feel all warm on the outside.
I guess Joshey boy thinks it is good faith to argue, as the Democrats have, that the government can't afford Medicare and Medicaid spending at their present rates of increase, so the government needs to insure millions more on an entirely new health plan, or increase the coverage of Medicare and Medicaid.
That's good faith?
Perhaps a non-binding resolution is needed. I'm almost sure it is...
The GOP should be especially nice to Snowe and Lieberman. Let the Dems play hard ball.
When making a deal with Sen. Snowe, the Democrats should keep in mind that her principles, like so many things for sale these days, do not come with any enforceable warranty.
Folks age 55 and over, if extended the 'successful' Medicare program, can enjoy increasingly unavailable care, at around $10K annually.
Where's a Star Chamber when you need one?
Lympie feels the hot breath of Maine voters on her scrawny neck. They may not let her go back to boys' camp after next year. So, now, she plays hard to get.
vet66 said...
Just maybe this is payback for the way they treated Joe in the past. Joe is the DNC's best friend when they need something from him while the rest of the time he is useful as the object of their derision.
The so-called party of inclusion is nothing more than an elitist clique schmoozing when necessary and closed to outsiders the rest of the time.
Maybe?
My friend, you broke the code, up and down the line.
Alex said...
Well fuck me! I thought a Senator's job was to represent his constituents, not "make deals" with Harry Reid.
You, too (breaking the code, that is).
WV "bupiable" When something can be bupied.
This is shocking.
Not.
The Senate floor debate on health-care legislation has included a lot of confident assertions — many of them false.
Sen. Bill Nelson (D., Fla.), for example, said during floor debate that the uninsured impose a “hidden tax” of more than $1,000 per person. That claim, originated with a left-wing advocacy group. A Kaiser Family Foundation study debunked the group’s analysis, reaching an estimate closer to $200 per year for a family. The Congressional Budget Office has joined in the debunking.
Sen. Richard Durbin (D., Ill.) said that half of all bankruptcies are caused by medical bills. A 2006 study found that only 9 percent of bankruptcies were primarily the result of medical bills. The study where Durbin’s claim originated used very loose criteria to classify bankruptcies as medical in nature; even in that study, only 29 percent of those surveyed blamed health expenses for their bankruptcies.
and on...and on...
The democrats shallowly see this as a party loyalty issue, all while they ignore the fact that what they are desperately pedaling is a pack of very expensive lies.
As much I as I hate admitting this, as far as politicians go, John McCain is not NEARLY as disappointing to me as a Republican, as Joe Lieberman must be to Democrats. It's not even close.
Yay.
Cheers,
Victoria
BREAKING: Lieberman demanding ice cream for dinner and super-late bedtime.
From the Politico just now:
The White House is encouraging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to cut a deal with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), which would mean eliminating the proposed Medicare expansion in the health reform bill, according to an official close to the negotiations.
But Reid is described as so frustrated with Lieberman that he is not ready to sacrifice a key element of the health care bill, and first wants to see the Congressional Budget Office cost analysis of the Medicare buy-in. The analysis is expected early this week.
"There is a weariness and a lot of frustration that one person is holding up the will of 59 others," the official said. “There is still too much anger and confusion at one particular senator’s reversal.”
Oh please, it's not just Lieberman. Ben Nelson of Nebraska said the same, and Snowe wouldn't vote for it either, if these two bolt. Add even Clair McCaskill, Obama's swooning lapdog, to the list.
Cut a deal? Not going to happen. With Reid, it's personal
"There is a weariness and a lot of frustration that one person is holding up the will of 59 others," the official said.
Will these guys please make up their minds how many states we've got? During the campaign there were 57; now all of a sudden we've only got 30.
Obama is going to beg the Democrats to vote for this thing tomorrow.
Obama thinks this is all about him. Screw what a majority in this nation think.
Obama's pissed away all his political capital, and all he has to show for it is a trillion dollar political payoff...er, stimulus. No Cap and Trade to shut down fossil fuels. No nationalization of the health care system. Even his takeover of half the US auto industry backfired, as foreign makers are moving to expand US sales and reduce the influence of GM and the soon to be gone Chrysler.
"it may just be better for Dems to [...] kick Joe Lieberman out of the party and be done with it"
There is just one subtle flaw in this brilliant strategy, which is that Lieberman hasn't been a member of the party for three years.
There is just one subtle flaw in this brilliant strategy, which is that Lieberman hasn't been a member of the party for three years.
No, but he caucuses with them. Funny verb caucus. Sounds like ruckus.
Yes, but kicking him out of the caucus hurts *Democrats*, not Joe Lieberman.
Kicking him out of the party denies him party funds and party endorsements. But the Democrats did that to him already, back in 2006. Kicking him out of the caucus would just make him even less likely to vote with the Democrats other issues.
AprilApple,
That is exactly what I would expect from my congressman, damn him. What a jerk!
He almost makes Schumer look good.
Key - Joe Lieberman of CT - as in Hartford CT #1 city for insurance companies in the USA. Private insurance solutions will be the only solution he'll support.
Big Duh Harry Reid.
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