House Liberals To Pelosi: “We Cannot Support The Senate Bill. Period.”

[jefferson_dem]

:popcorn:

House Liberals To Pelosi: “We Cannot Support The Senate Bill. Period.”

In a private meeting in the Capitol just now, a dozen or more House liberals bluntly told Nancy Pelosi that there was no chance that they would vote to pass the Senate bill in its current form — making it all but certain that House Dems won’t opt for this approach, a top House liberal tells me.

“We cannot support the Senate bill — period,” is the message that liberals delivered to the Speaker, Dem Rep Raul Grijalva told me in an interview just now.

Some had hoped Pelosi would push liberals to get in line behind this approach, in hopes of expediting reform, but that didn’t appear to happen in this meeting. Pelosi mostly listened, Grijalva said, adding: “We didn’t get any declarative statement from her.”

The meeting, which was polite but blunt in tone, underscores the degree to which Dems are scrambling to figure out a way forward on health care in the wake of last night’s loss. The unwillingness of liberals, and some in labor, to support passing the Senate bill means House Dem leaders need to find another way forward — fast — and leadership aides are scouring procedural rules as we speak.

Tellingly, House liberals also urged Pelosi to consider passing individual pieces of reform through the House as individual bills, and sending them to the Senate to challenge the upper chamber to reject them, Grijalva tells me. Liberals said this approach would be preferable to passing the Senate bill.

<SNIP>

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/house-liberals-to-pelosi-we-cannot-support-the-senate-bill-period/

[blueknight]

1. figure head nancy

will do what she always does,NOTHING! he will just go back to her mansion and count her money. i have said it many times. im in my 50's served in nam, so ive been around a while. and she is the worst and most gutless phony politician of my lifetime

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. Meh. House liberals say a lot of things.

I remember when they wouldn't vote for a bill with Stupak in it.

Based on the last few months it appears that House liberals say things to try to improve their bargaining position, but then line up eventually.

[jefferson_dem]

6. I predict the Senate bill, reconciliation, and all that... are done. Finished.

The only salvation is to break out key reform elements (some of them very good and very popular) and vote on those. Time to face the facts, folks. The opportunity for large-scale, sweeping health reform is lost...for maybe another generation.

[davidpdx]

14. I agree, it maybe another 8 to 10 years before we have a chance at this again if we are lucky

After it failed in 1994, we had to wait 15 years. There is no excuse not to have this done.

[frazzled]

17. I remember when they wouldn't vote for a bill without a public option; they did

You can only draw so many lines in the sand, and renege, before people don't take you seriously anymore.

I remember also when they wouldn't accept the excise tax idea, till Richard Trumka told them it was okay to do so. A "milestone," in fact. That was just the other week. How quickly they pivot. People are beginning to think they have no principles whatsoever.

This is getting tiresome. From both conservative and progressive Democrats. Both. This constant grandstanding and saying "I won't vote for it" has done nothing but delay and draw out this bill until the public is thoroughly sick of it. They should have passed something by Thanksgiving. We would all be done with it, on to the next thing, and there would be a lot less confusion and anger out there.

[babylonsister]

3. So this was the meeting w/progressives, not everyone...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/house-cancels-caucus-meeting--leadership-to-meet-with-members-individually.php

House Postpones Caucus Meeting--Leadership To Meet With Members Individually
Brian Beutler | January 20, 2010, 1:53PM


As an addendum to this post, which noted that House leadership would hold a caucus meeting this afternoon to regain control over their caucus and put together a new coalition to pass health care: that meeting has been canceled, and rescheduled for 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Leadership will instead hold individual meetings with key members--including progressives, and blue dogs--to achieve the same ends.

We'll bring you more information about who's involved and what the message is when we get it.

[Jersey Devil]

4. Could just be negotiations going on

Barney Frank changed his mind, apparently being assured about his issue - the Cadillac tax, so I assume that those in the progressive caucus have their issues as well. This may take some time.

[Pirate Smile]

8. That's what I'm thinking. If only 50 Senate votes are needed then they should

be able to sweeten what is in the patch.

[Jersey Devil]

9. Yep, the irony is that House progressive are in a much better position

now from a negotiating point of view then they were before yesterday's election.

[ibegurpard]

5. Excellent

Let's try again shall we?

[Me.]

7. Good

Let's get the P U out of that bill.

[NorthCarolina]

10. I hope they stick to their guns and don't back down. Then push for something actually beneficial to

the public, and not just a windfall for the Insurance Companies. Like an expansion to Medicare, lowering the age to 50 or 55, which can be done through reconciliation (51 votes). Then incrementally lower the access age in subsequent years. this would get some age groups paying into the system that are not simultaneously a financial drain on the system.

[Forkboy]

11. “We didn’t get any declarative statement from her.”

No kidding. Other than "Impeachment is off the table" she never makes any.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. It is a fact they are telling her.

He did not say 'we will not' but we can not. That is because they will not win their elections if they do. Can not. Period.
They better not. This is how Houses get cleaned.

[LWolf]

13. Glad to hear it. nt

[stevenleser]

15. H.R. 676 ---> Reconciliation

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x141563

[uponit7771]

21. +1

[CreekDog]

16. Yes you can

Don't think that you are more moral than me because you are willing to oppose the Senate bill.

:eyes:

[Vidar]

18. Glad to hear it.

[WeDidIt]

20. HCR will now be radioactive

No reform for at least another fifty years.

Fucking brilliant move by the assholes.

[lumberjack_jeff]

19. Then it's over. n/t