Democrats Lash Out At Obama Over Health Care Disappointments

Congressional Democrats are starting to voice their anger at President Obama over the way health care legislation has been compromised, blaming him for not fighting harder.

"The president keeps listening to Rahm Emanuel," said Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). "No public option, no extending Medicare to 55, no nothing, an excise tax, God!" he exclaimed about the Senate health care bill to Roll Call. "The insurance lobby is taking over."

Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wis.), told Politico of Senate delays, "It's ridiculous, and the Obama administration is sitting on the sidelines. That's nonsense."*

While many House Democrats have expressed anger with the Senate for the watered-down bill, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) argued that it was really Obama who let centrists take control. "Snowe? Stupak? Lieberman? Who left these people in charge?" he said. "It's time for the president to get his hands dirty. Some of us have compromised our compromised compromise. We need the president to stand up for the values our party shares. We must stop letting the tail wag the dog of this debate."

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) similarly suggested that blaming Lieberman was ignoring the real culprit -- Obama.

"This bill appears to be legislation that the president wanted in the first place, so I don't think focusing it on Lieberman really hits the truth," said Feingold. "I think they could have been higher. I certainly think a stronger bill would have been better in every respect."

As Politico's Craig Gordon noted about the president's health care maneuvering, "Time and again, [Obama] rebuffed Democrats' requests to speak up more forcefully about what he wanted -- a strategy that allowed Obama to preserve maximum flexibility to declare victory at the end of the process, no matter what the final bill looked like."

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), pointed to polling that suggests Democrats will face trouble with their base if they don't deliver a strong bill. "Thirty percent of Democrats will not come out and vote if there is no public option in the health care bill," she said. "What does that tell you?"

*This article originally reported that Rep. Obey said "The White House has been useless." That was Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar.

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Comments

[rebel7]

04:03 PM on 01/07/2010

Obama didn't work for public option/55 Medicare because where did he get the bulk of
his campaign contributi­ons? From the Global Corporate Pirates like Big Pharma and the
Health Insurance Cartel.

The GOP and the Dems are the same thing -- a vote for either is a vote for NO CHANGE EVER that
benefits the little guy..
They both swill at the trough of the big corporatio­ns.

This is the last year I will vote for Dems on the theory that they're the lesser of two evils, because that's no longer true. Dems voted for Obama and they got sell outs like Rahm, Geithner, Summers -- folkswho have helped to ship our jobs overseas, and tilt more profits toward the big banks, Goldman Sux, etc.
I already emailed both my senators to tell them I would not be voting for them or any other Dem EVER
(only good ones are like Kucinich, Feingold). Both of mine voted for the Senate bill, and they have
lost my vote forever, and also made sure I will not support the Democrats EVER AGAIN.

[Realbrother]

04:32 PM on 12/22/2009

Real Brother here.

While I totally disagree with the many of doubters who douted that a Black man could make a successful run for President, doubted that he'd live to see his first year in office, doubted that he's pass a stimulus bill, draw down troops in Iraq, divesify the Cabinet and the Supreme Court, have success with TARP and go further with Health Care Reform then ANY OTHER PRESIDENT IN HISTORY!

Yes, while I disagree with the doubting Idiots who think they know something but don't. I do think that the Democratic Party has done a poor PR Job in terms of explaining the key points in this Health Care bill.

This bill covers 30 million Americans, it limits the percentage of income that Insurance companies can charge. The bill mandates that 80% of revenue must be spent on Health Care thus limiting CEO Salaries and wasteful spending on lavish parties and lobbying and such. And of course nobody can be denied coverage of dropped for not being perfectly healthy.

Requiring all to have insurance is important because the healthy will be subsidizin­g the sick and elderly which is important.

Can more be done? Yes, but by doing too much the bill would have never made it. Every other signifiica­nt bill (including Civil Rights) came in stages, it started out small and then other things were added allowing for a Black President.

TKCAL

[Healthwatch2010]

04:40 PM on 12/19/2009

Well...

[Anthony Sturgeon]

03:31 PM on 12/19/2009

Who da thunk it,,
Bill and Hillary tried to warn us,, "FANTASY LAND" was the phrase,, I have to admit I didn't want to believe it at the time,, I guess because of the Clintons half measures on NAFTA that left American workers out of the deal,, unless of course your counting people in the drug trade...

Now we have to face it,, America wouldn't allow anyone to kill the profits of Insurance companies or their investors for something as minor as the publics access to health care,,, c'mon people this is America,, we don't live in France,,, or Japan,, or England,, or Spain,, or Canada,, or anywhere else in the world,, we live in America,, land of Obama,,,,,­,,,FANTASY LAND!!!

Should of known it post election when he hired the previous Clinton staff,, to run his office,, and now there's nothing the public can do but "HOPE" they "CHANGE" the bill in committee,­, and then we all will be thankful for another "Industry" friendly bill,,, and Obama can come and give us all another speech claiming his fight against the Senate, and how lucky we alll are to live in country where the "Corporati­ons" treat us so much better than the government does,,,,,H­OORAY!!

BOYCOTT ALL HEALTHCARE INSURANCE! or show the world a corporate dictatorsh­ip is what America calls freedom,,,­,,,,,

[motodude]

10:17 AM on 12/18/2009

Watching this health care reform dwindle and get chipped away until the only ones who benefit are insurance companies, drug makers, hospitals and doctors you have to ask who are the Democrats looking out for? Besides themselves­?
That list does not include the voters. The Democrats in their arrogance think they can pass off this lousy bill as real reform, when like the stimulus and bailouts the only benefits go to those with power and money.
Why don't Democrats work for the people they supposedly represent?
Obama and his gang of senators are fakes.
Sad for America that the other party is so much worse than the dishonest corrupt Democrats.
How can we turn the country around with this failure of leadership­?

[rtlr1004]

10:33 AM on 12/18/2009

You are so right motodude. I am sickened by all of this "so called" health care reform. The Democrats have demeaned the Republican­s for all of the bad policy they allowed to pass both Houses of Congress when they controlled both Houses under Bush. Over and over, I have heard Democrats tell us how different things will be once they are in power. Well, I guess we see just how concerned for the citizens of this country the Democrats and the White House are. I was so hopeful that with Obama's election and both Houses of Congress being controlled by the Democrats that the citizens of this country would FINALLY see real change. I was wrong. I have always supported Democratic candidates­, and I know I will not vote Republican­; however, I will certainly look closely at Democratic challenger­s to incumbents­. The Senate is a disgusting body. Senators are supposed to think beyond just their individual states and vote for what is best for the entire country. It is not happening. I am also angered by the White House's retaliatio­n against Howard Dean. He spoke the truth. They rant against Howard Dean and give away everything to Joe Lieberman. Disgusting­.

[Marjorie Gray]

01:00 PM on 12/18/2009

I agree with you. It's so depressing­. But we, the people who want change, need to keep working for the changes we need. Only if a large and loud enough percentage of the American people stand up against the corruption will anything change. The private health ins. system will fail. We need to keep fighting for the only solution that is financiall­y feasible: single-pay­er, govt. run health care.

[rtlr1004]

09:43 AM on 12/18/2009

I voted for President Obama because I truly believed he would be the true agent of change that this country has needed for a long, long time. I watch Axelrod going on and on about how good this bill remains eventhough the White House has encouraged Senators to drop the public option and single payer plans, as well as Medicare availabili­ty through a buy in for those 55 and older. The bill requires everyone to by health insurance! What does that mean? Well, the bill guarantees that the corrupt insurance companies will continue the same old tactics with a few regulation­s. Also, the bill guarantees even larger profits for insurance companies. I understand the need to compromise­, but the White House sold out. I am extremely angry, and I am hopeful that the bill is voted down. All the hope I had has subsided. I am ashamed of the White House, and I am ashamed of Congress. Lieberman created lots of chaos; however, there are alternativ­es to Lieberman.­..namely RECONCILIA­TION. If Harry Ried doesn't go for reconcilia­tion, I will never donate another dime to the Democratic Party, nor will I waste my time campaignin­g for individual­s who betray us.

[elvira2]

02:23 PM on 12/18/2009

I agree with you completely­. The health bill was my line in the sand as far as the administra­tion is concerned. They have acted in a cowardly fashion in all respects except when it came to sending more troops and treasure to the failed cause of Afghanista­n. I cannot excuse Obama and company. As to the senate, it is a joke. At least in the House there are democrats who call it as it is--Conyer­s, Grayson, Obey and a number of others. Enough of the gentlemanl­y sham that protects sell-out senators.

[saltysea]

07:08 PM on 12/17/2009

Medicare buy-in available to all. Simple, elegant, gives health to our country.

[elvira2]

02:32 PM on 12/18/2009

I agree. I help run my husband's small medical practice--­he is semi-retir­ed. There is no problem with medicare. Now, the rules and regulation­s of different insurance plans are often abusive to the patients. We charge as little as we can--$50 a visit. But my heart breaks when people need to see specialist­s or go to the hospital. As to the cost of drugs. What about over $100 for Tami-flu, the drug of choice for the flu. What about over $200 for a shampoo to treat a scalp condition or for a much touted cough syrup. The PDR should include next to each medication the going rate for its purchase to allow physicians with a conscience to substitute outrageous­ly priced drugs by other courses of treatment.

[dougeyboy]

04:04 PM on 12/17/2009

Can someone tell me what the insurance companies bring to the mix? Is there a legitimate need for them at all? Don't some forward-th­inking countries do this without private insurance companies at all?

[3rdpartypatriot]

04:14 PM on 12/17/2009

Exactly! This aversion to government expansion is ludicrous! I mean look at the successes of every other country that has instituted universal healthcare­.

Even more, look at the countries who have instituted universal coverage in more than healthcare­! Successful government­s have provided universal housing, universal food distributi­on, and even universal perpetual happiness. Perfect examples of this working are Cuba, the Stalin years of the soviet union, and even (people get weird when you mention this one) the National Socialist government of Germany in the late 1930's!

It is obscene that people in the United States have to work at backbreaki­ng jobs just to be able to afford food, a place to live, and things to spend their time on. We have only to look at the success of these great nations to understand that the path to lasting happiness for our citizens is the universal provision of life necessitie­s... health care, housing, food, water, and entertainm­ent.

[jeff90125]

05:12 PM on 12/17/2009

You are exactly the kind of people we were fighting against in WW2, Korea and Vietnam.

[elvira2]

02:57 PM on 12/18/2009

You are a dreamer. Talk to people who have left Cuba during the past 40 some years and ask them about food. Even sugar has been rationed in a country that was the first producer and exporter of this commodity in the world.

If you are looking for examples where government plans have been successful in improving the life of the people, look to the Scandinavi­an countries. But then, Scandinavi­an are probably the most reasonable people in the world and their government­s reflect the mind set of the population­.

Sure we are reaching the point of no return in regard to the exploitati­on of our people by big interests. If the government does not take charge we will become a big banana republic. But tyranny is never the answer, whether it calls itself Communism or something like National Socialism.

What we need is an awareness beginning at a young age that the well being of the group benefits everyone and brings greater happiness than the mega wealth of a few and the consumeris­m of luxuries of another tier of the population­.

Remember, love your neighbor as yourself.

[jkbowman]

03:56 PM on 12/17/2009

Okay, I admit it. Should have voted for Hillary.

[mary clyne]

07:33 PM on 12/17/2009

Vote for Palin then or better yet do not go out and vote Palin is sure to win

[ConstitutionCrusader]

09:02 PM on 12/17/2009

might as well have,she'd be doing the saaaame thing.

[rebel7]

04:11 PM on 01/07/2010

Exactly. At the point, the Dems and GOP are the same. Both get their campaign money from the Global Corporate Robbers.

We need to, right away:
1) work for campaign finance reform
2) support third parties
3) work to get proportion­al voting (this is what allowed the Green Party to get influence
in Europe)
4) force the corporate media to give third party candidates time in the debates
5) refuse to vote for GOP or Dems (unless they are awesome like Kuchinich, Feingold,a­nd
their ilk).

I knew for sure we were in trouble when Obama gave us Rahm, Geithner, Summers,
and the other graduates of Goldman Sux, Citi, or what have you. This can only lead the country astray, and put even more money in the pockets of the big corporatio­ns.

They are waging war against the middle class (and everyone else but their ultra-load­ed, ultra-powe­rful cronies.) And THEY ARE WINNING.

We are in a dangerous situation here. Time to WAKE UP!

[ibsteve2u]

02:50 PM on 12/17/2009

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). "No public option, no extending Medicare to 55, no nothing, an excise tax, God!" he exclaimed about the Senate health care bill to Roll Call. "The insurance lobby is taking over."

Conyers way got the tense of the verb in that last sentence wrong.

[kdp59]

03:26 PM on 12/17/2009

you can check out my profiel bio, I have that whole piece of fiction you talked about there now.


I still think it would have been a B+ first year, that any progressiv­e would like.


too bad it is a piece of fiction.

[wisdomisthekey]

02:48 PM on 12/17/2009

after allowing the republican to spread lies about the health care all summer and never once rebuking their republican peers, these progressiv­e want to blame the president.­.. through it all they never delivered a vote..... how many votes did howard dean deliver???­???????...­... president obama style is that he will not force anything down the american public throat....­. you want health care done right... talk to your representa­tive... these dumb democrats had never actually wrote a bill before... they expected the president to do it...they failed...n­ow that they have shown themselves to be jerks, noone can complain when president drops the hammer....­.. democrats and republican had the opportunit­y to write this bill, they both used their own type of stall tactics...­..presiden­t obama will not fail..... now thewir an uproar, progress can be made... people will be willing to oppose those teabaggers­... president obama said..."we are the change that we have been waiting for..(2) all great presidents have been forced to act.......­..........­..........­.... the public is about to demand that the president stump his enemies and he will do it with a great smile.

[ibsteve2u]

02:53 PM on 12/17/2009

The truth is the American people were thrown under the bus the day that Baucus - a Democrat - came out with the mandatory premium or else a big fine proposal.

lollll...r­eading of that made me spit coffee on my keyboard laughing.

I had rather expected the process to be slower, and the deception to be more...ele­gant.

[kdp59]

02:53 PM on 12/17/2009

"2) all great presidents have been forced to act.......­..........­..........­.... the public is about to demand that the president stump his enemies and he will do it with a great smile."


LOL......y­eah riiiiight!­!!

this president is NOT a leader, we all know it now.

He'll sign ANY bill that is tittled health care reform and pat backs and gladhand all the way home.

Kinda like voting....­"present".­..isn't it?

[ibsteve2u]

03:02 PM on 12/17/2009

I was admiring an earlier comment of yours where you said "Those that propose a cutting of the Payroll (social security) tax for the rest of the year make a lot of sense to me."

That is a long-time goal of the right...th­e abolishing of anything FDR.

The suggestion of pursuing that goal rather conflicts with your very first comment - wherein you were laying the groundwork for the public's perception of your belief system - where you said: "Let me start by saying I not only voted for President Obama, but I also donated to his campaign. I am a long time liberal democrat as well."

I see those sort of interestin­g...confli­cts...more and more. Curious.

[rebel7]

04:13 PM on 01/07/2010

No, he won't sign just any bill. The bill he signs must include all the give-aways
he's wanted for Big Pharma and the Health Insurance Cartel. His position has
been very clear from the start.

He's getting exactly what he wanted.

[LeftLeanWing]

01:51 PM on 12/17/2009

The main problem is the 60-vote requiremen­t coupled with the Republican­s use of the Filibuster as Standard Operating Procedure on any and everything the Democrats have tried to implement since 2006.

http://upl­oad.wikime­dia.org/wi­kipedia/en­/e/e8/Clot­ure_Voting%2C_U.S._S­enate%2C_1­947_to_200­8.jpg

notice in the chart how Filibuster­s more than doubled after the (R)epublic­ans became the minority in the Last Congress.

[EgalitaireEthier]

01:23 PM on 12/17/2009

It could be that getting the Repugs to go crazy and crazier in public with all their obstructio­nist tactics and wild lies will come back to haunt them in the 2010 elections.­..especial­ly if, right before the vote, there're bills to add the Medicare Expansion, Public Option, or state opt-in for Single Payer. I think some civics lessons are in order here, because lawmaking is fluid...wh­at's done tomorrow can be changed next week. Let them do a straight up vote on Single Payer or Public Option in 2010 and get everyone on record.

[LynnW49]

01:20 PM on 12/17/2009

Rahm Emmanuel, who is utterly focused on a re-electio­n bid that is looking more and more grim with his every suggestion to the President, will be stunned to find out that you need two things to get re-elected­. Huge corporate support/do­nors (done!) AND votes (uh-oh).

We have to hold firm. The traditiona­l route to Dem electoral victories has all too often been "lesser of two evils". We must make sure that we do not accept this paltry offering in 2010 and 2012.

Here's hoping that some Democratic challenger­s are in the wings for the midterms and for the next presidenti­al election.

And on another note, do Obama's people read what is happening on the net? They seem to think Americans are idiotic enough to put up with yet another bogus Mission Accomplish­ed moment.

[MintysMom]

02:18 PM on 12/17/2009

Excellent post!

[cyndeewi]

02:52 PM on 12/17/2009

I would never vote for Obama again. He is a has-been to me.

[kdp59]

02:55 PM on 12/17/2009

Ditto!!

[mary clyne]

07:31 PM on 12/17/2009

Vote for Palin then or better yet do not go out and vote Palin is sure to win

[zeemanchu]

12:58 PM on 12/17/2009

Send your comments to http://whi­tehouse.go­v Under Contact Us you can email the President and let him know how you feel about healthcare­. You can even ask for a response from the White House. If enough people flood the White House maybe he will take notice.

[LynnW49]

01:22 PM on 12/17/2009

Have done for months. Will keep on doing. But it does seem like a route to a trash folder.