Newt Gingrich's Health Care Strategy in 1994: "Bipartisanship"

Forrest Brown, one of our great fellows at the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, dug up this gem.

Newt Gingrich on the House floor during the health care debate -- March 16, 1994:

Mr. GINGRICH.

I agree with my friend, the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt]. I want to reach out in a bipartisan way to pass the bill. I praise the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Bilirakis] and the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Rowland] for a bipartisan bill. I praise the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Grandy] and the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Cooper] for a bipartisan bill. They are starting in the right direction to reach out.

How did that work out?

Yet history repeats itself, and Democrat after Democrat seems intent on playing right into the hands of Gingrich and other reform opponents.

Lowell Feld interviewed Sen. Mark Warner this weekend for Blue Virginia:

Senator Warner appears committed to at least attempting bipartisanship (what he likes to call "radical centrism"), at least with a few "moderate" Republicans like Olympia Snowe (ME), Susan Collins (ME), Charles Grassley (IA), and Michael Enzi (WY). Warner makes a strong case for getting a health care reform bill that's at leaest somewhat bipartisan so it can't easily be dismissed as "Democratic health care reform." Also, Warner wants health care reform that has enough bipartisan buy-in that it actually lasts.

When I was a law student at UVA, I campaigned for Mark Warner during his successful 2001 gubernatorial run -- so I have a warm spot for him.

But this is getting ridiculous. Hopefully, Nate Silver is not correct -- that Warner's contributions from health and insurance interests will play a definitive role in his judgment.

Regardless, progressives need to hold Democratic politicians' feet to the fire. If you haven't signed up to put your name in the Progressive Change Campaign Committee & Democracy for America's public option accountability TV ads, here's your chance:

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Comments

[martib]

I am a Grandma For Youth in Asia! I believe we have the right to death just as the Constitution says Americans have the right to life. I think we should have a Death day that is planned in advance (if we haven't already been taken by unnatural causes), when we can choose the noose, firing squad or Throw Grandma From The Train.

Relatives and friends could plan a visit and party while you're still alive so you could hear all the nice things they're going to say about you. Afterwards, you slip into something comfortable, have a cigarette and go to meet your Maker.

Or maybe you could have the Deluxe Death Package that includes a two night stay in Jackson, Wyoming
after which you could para-sail and have someone yell, "Pull", and Dick Cheney could try to shoot you down from a duck blind! Hit or miss, that's the name of the game!

Of course, when everyone sees how much fun it was to celebrate Granny's life before she went to her death, people would fall in line eager to sign up. Or is this the new Survivor???? Les Moonves are you listening?? Advertisers would pay a bundle and yes, that's how we'd fund healthcare reform!!

[jemborg]

Wow! I'm a freedom loving Aussie and I find this paranoia over decent pubic health care amazing.

We've had it for almost 30 years.

I've expounded on this in many of Huffo's threads but let me simply say... America you deserve better, do not believe the Conservative lies.

NB: It took two goes in my country to get Medicare established. The Conservatives got rid of it when they got voted back in. The Labor Party re-established it at the next election after that. And although they have undermined it every time they got back into power the Conservatives don't dare try to get rid of it again. What I am getting at here is you have to push HARD for it- it's NOT going to happen through bi-partisanship.

[WorldGriot]

Being a presidential candidate for the Democratic Party is vastly different from being President of the United States. Bush/Cheney forgot that and landed every single one of our public and private institutions in the financial, ethical and moral gutter. Bipartisanship is not a goal, it is the strategic high ground of politics! The first one to play that card most effectively, denies his opponent that territory from which to launch attacks. Obama wins! hands down. To play great chess, you must be willing to expose your major players to gain an advantage. This is Politics at its highest level. The grovelling republicans now find even the more sensible of them street-fighting from the gutter which should tell you that Obama is a master PLAYER and we democrats should stop snipping. But we misunderstood the Clintons and allowed the republicans to win congress for most of his presidency and we are on track to doing it again. when will we learn! its a game and we have THE TOP GUN by far! The question is, will we learn how to shoot it before we lose the war?

[bbbear]

Frankly, IMHO, since Single Payer Universal Health Care is off the table, all caring US citizens lost before the race ever began. That is, the race is fixed and the predetermined Corporate winner will probably be some form of a so-called public option that will crash and burn so badly that all future players of Universal Single Payer Health Care will have been neutered.

[BocaMom]

I love Newt. Even thought he is a Republican. I wish Nancy was as smart as him! Just our luck.

[Kiri sute gomen]

A bipartisan bill may be easier if the right would cooperate on it. Shouting no at everything is not the fault or responsibility of anyone other than the GOP. If you want to muster progressive votes to change anything, try looking at the regressive party as your first priority. At least the dem's are trying to progress.

Respectfully,

[bbbear]

IMHO, all that shouting is just the game... When the repubs were in office, dems also shouted and cursed, but when it came to the vote, enough dems could always be found to vote with Bush. Provided Obama continues to bow to Corporate USA, it'll probably be the same with him. After all, Obama didn't even make a puny stab at single payer Universal Health Care. It was his touted "Public Option" from the start. Since all forms of the public option would most probably crash and burn so badly that it'll kill any further hope of a single payer system, then some form of the public Option will pass...Obama will be hailed as a great visionary. And when the PO fails to deliver and drives millions into the arms of the corporate health extortion racket, the repubs will say, "I told ya so!" and the Dems will say, "The damned Repubs sabotaged the thing." When in reality, both dems and repubs probably all secretly got together and decided how to further pay off their corporate masters.
BTW. I'd love to be proven wrong...I will gladly be humbled, if in the end Obama somehow forces Universal single payer Health care down the throats of the medical insurance extortion racket.. If such a miracle occurs, then serve me up that crow and I'll gladly eat him, feathers and all and wash him down with a bottle of Old Crow...

[markand]

Being a republican means never having to think before you speak.

[Christinevdl45]

I do believe you meant being a Republican means never having to think. It is somewhat remarkable how the American people are not rising up against the Republican Party for distroying the country and plus for disrespeciting their President and armbushing the Health Care Plan. It is beyond my understanding how because of one hateful feeling towards the color of a man skin that the GOP are willing to tear down America and it is so sad to see how some Media are encournaging this and in some respect insighting the war. The Insurance companies got greedy just like the Banks and other corporations in america and you know what goes with Greed, Lies, Stealing and then Murder so I am not surprise that people like the talk host and the TV Presentor and the Ann C lady and others of the sort are helping to stir up things. What surprises me is how quiet the Jew and Blacks in America are and God help you if they are pushed this time it would be hell to pay, for those to races suffered enough.

I hope someone will tell Obama to stand up and show those GOPs' just who is in charge of the country, I wonder where they all were when Bush was ripping this country to pieces. and I do not recall so much polling nor media attention as I am see now, the only thing that have not been reported is Obama in the toilet.

[mcmchugh99]

At this point, it should be clear to anyone that the Republicans are just going to dig in and fight Obama on every issue, although he can still keep reaching out to them and have his hand slapped away.

That's all bipartisanship is good for, since it makes the Republicans look even more rabid and crazy.

[haval2]

So many positions from Newt and i've lost my playbook.

[PWM]

I remember when the story circulated, a true story, where Newt had his wife dying of cancer in the hospital served with divorce papers.

GOP family values in practice.

[HST]

HuffPost's Pick

Newt's idea of bipartisanship: slapping the hand that reaches out to you.

[PWM]

How many people died because Newt and his kind blocked healthcare reform for over a decade.

[lilalove]

Republicans are the good guys article

[GeorgeP922]

Adam haven't read yet, busy at work trying to catch up and get ahead (Deadlines and such) so I Can attend Netroots this weekend. (promise to read it later)

PLEASE show up for the TYT party Friday night in the Westin!
All Cenk says is that is will be a show, yet no broadcast or video, and will be crazy, I can't figure out the plan but it sounds like a blast.

And please, make blogging here a weekly habbit.

[Jerry Rubin]

Newt? Isn't that the early stages of a frog?

[LMPE]

If I was a politician, I would be perfectly willing to engage in strongly partisan health care reform (meaning that I wouldn't give up anything).

For that matter, I wouldn't "reach across the aisle" for an inauguration (meaning no Rick Warren).