tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3401584991689197404.post4933059203012655434..comments2024-03-02T09:41:35.809-08:00Comments on Donkeylicious - A Blog by Neil Sinhababu and Nicholas Beaudrot: Sane Gatekeepers, Probably Sane Progressives, And People I Don't GetNeil Sinhababuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03249327186653397250noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3401584991689197404.post-4140643439526090882010-01-24T18:12:52.231-08:002010-01-24T18:12:52.231-08:00Here were my main takeways:
1. House Dems (or at l...Here were my main takeways:<br />1. House Dems (or at least Clarke and Weiner) don't seem to understand that not doing anything is not an option. Neither of them said anything remotely close to "we will pass health care reform this year".<br /><br />2. Weiner and Clarke were both really upset that the Medicaid provisions would supposedly destroy the New York state budget. Although Weiner ranted about how the Senate bill was a give away to insurance companies, the Medicaid issues seems like it might be the only one that isn't negotiable. <br /><br />3. On the other hand, nobody said anything about the excise tax as far as I can remember. <br /><br />4. These people (perhaps because they are from safe districts) seem have no idea what an electoral disaster it will be if the Dems don't pass any serious health care reform. <br /><br />5. House Dems are so mad at the Senate that it is clouding their political judgment.<br /><br />6. Weiner was surprised that someone mentioned budget reconciliation. He suggested that he might be OK with this but sounded a bit skeptical because (a) he thought that some Democratic Senators wouldn't go for it and (b) House centrists don't want to take another politically costly vote on a reconciliation bill that might or might not survive the Senate.<br /><br />7. Neither Clarke nor Weiner in the course of more than an hour suggested a single realistic plan for health care reform. Any practical ideas ("just pass the Senate bill" or "use budget reconciliation to fix the Senate bill" came from the audience). There is no plan as far as I can tell. Frankly, it didn't even sound like Weiner or Clarke are even trying.<br /><br />8. It is really, really important that all of the Democrats in the House hear from their constituents that they are to blame if nothing happens. Because right now, I don't think that these people get it. If you want comprehensive health care reform, call your Rep now!iklnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3401584991689197404.post-62156163644588793392010-01-24T18:12:30.653-08:002010-01-24T18:12:30.653-08:00I went to a town hall today and I have to say that...I went to a town hall today and I have to say that I am not optimistic. It mostly confirmed my worst fears about the House Democrats.<br /><br />Setting: Upscale neighborhood in Brooklyn. About 150 people attended.<br /><br />Who: Congresswoman Clarke and Congressman Weiner<br /><br />What happened: Weiner gave a brief presentation about the virtues of single payer, the evils of the Senate bill, the disfunctionality of the Senate and how Obama messed up by not taking the this to the people. Then Clarke spoke. She said that she agreed with everything that Weiner said and then told people that they needed to be more active to compete with the tea party crowd. Both of them indicate that they would vote against the Senate bill as is because "it is bad for New York". The main problem mentioned was that the bill would allegedly stick New York state with huge liability for new Medicaid costs. <br /><br />Weiner talked eloquently about single payer, Medicare buy-in and the evils of the insurance companies. He has no plan to get any of this passed the Senate. He also reinforced lots of Republican talking points about the Senate bill. He seems to be operating under the belief that somehow if the Senate bill is not enacted, we will get a do over on health care.<br /><br />Clarke spent most of their time passing blaming almost anyone else she could think of for the current mess (the Senate for passing a bad bill, the base for not showing up and letting the tea party crowd steal the show, the media for not reporting well, the Republicans for being mean, etc. etc.) Clarke and Weiner betrayed no sense whatsoever that they are now responsible if health care reform dies. Almost every word was about how other people have messed things up.<br /><br />When the moderator (a local assemblyman, I think) asked for a show of hands, a slight majority was against passing the Senate bill as is. However, in the question period, the pro-Senate bill people were much more vocal. At least four people asked the Representatives to pass the Senate bill with increasing levels of urgency and anger "President Obama could have a bill on his desk on Wednesday morning". The pro-Senate bill group also cheered much more loudly.iklnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3401584991689197404.post-36334958690400282010-01-23T16:09:48.392-08:002010-01-23T16:09:48.392-08:00Well that saves me an angry call to Pelosi's o...Well that saves me an angry call to Pelosi's office on Monday. First good news that I've heard all week.iklnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3401584991689197404.post-88504093999007011062010-01-23T15:46:27.622-08:002010-01-23T15:46:27.622-08:00Someone should remind Chris Dodd that they already...Someone should remind Chris Dodd that they already took a month off. August, 2009.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3401584991689197404.post-59388227348843366092010-01-23T13:39:48.872-08:002010-01-23T13:39:48.872-08:00Obama better be saving it up for the State of the ...Obama better be saving it up for the State of the Union. Because being MIA here is pretty inexcusable.iklnoreply@blogger.com