Desperately Seeking Snowe

There is a great misunderstanding as to why the Democrats are desperately seeking out Olympia Snowe to make a deal with on health care. It's not that they believe that if they get one Republican vote they can call the bill bipartisan. No one believes that's credible. And they actually don't need her vote to get the bill passed, because if they had the will to do it, they have 60 senators in their caucus to defeat a Republican filibuster and take an up and down vote on the bill.

No, they're desperate to get her on board so that they can pretend they had to compromise with her. She's their cover. Or their beard, if you like. You see, the corporatist Democrats (Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, Mike Ross, Rahm Emanuel) have always wanted to get in bed with the health care industry. They want to keep the lobbyist money squarely in the Democratic corner. If Snowe blows their cover and they have no Republican votes - they have no discernible reason to "compromise" away important parts of reform like the public option. Who are they compromising with? The jig is up. They're out of excuses. There would be no reason not to do a strong version of reform.

That is also why the Republicans would be furious with Snowe if she does the deal. Because what do they care if the Democrats get one Republican vote? You think they'd let the Democrats get away with calling that bipartisan? And the Republicans have said a million times that the Democrats have enough votes to get this bill passed on their own, if they had the stones to do it. They're practically goading them into it. Why? Because they want to tell industry that the Democrats screwed them and can't be trusted. There's only one place where their money is safe.

While we've all been having an earnest debate about what should go in the bill and how it should get done, the real fight in Washington has been over who's going to get the corporate money. Who is better positioned through this bill to get more access to lobbyist largess? That's what all of this positioning has been about. That's why there are reports out now that the White House is feverishly pursuing Olympia Snowe as we speak, perhaps even accepting her ridiculous trigger clause.

And now it looks like they might get her. Why? Because her numbers in Maine just slipped down to 54%. The art of American politics is figuring out how to deceive the electorate into thinking you're working for them for as long as possible while you funnel as much money as possible into your campaign coffers from corporate lobbyists. It's a virtuous circle for the politicians because the more money they have the more people they can trick into voting for them. If you get too close to the flame though, you can get burned. So Snowe will run back to the middle, and she'll get corporate money anyway for putting together the "compromise" (i.e. the corporate written reform bill that makes private health care companies even more money than they were making before through such things as "mandates" with no public option).

And the guys left out in the cold will be the Republican Party because they were useless to the lobbyists (the Democrats are the party in power and they play ball just as well as the Republicans). More money goes to the Democratic Party, they build on their majorities, Rahm Emanuel goes home with a big, fat smile on his face.

Oh wait, I feel like I'm leaving someone out of this? Oh right, there is someone else who gets screwed here - you.

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Comments

[JLocke2010]

If it wasn't such a sad situation, it would be amusing to watch liberals / progressives or whatever you all want to call yourselves cry because you've just discovered that Democrat politicians are also in bed with business.

There should be absolutely NO bill regarding healthcare in any way shape or form becuase there is absolutely ZERO mandate in the US Constitution for the Federal Government to involve itself in healthcare or any other industry in any way shape or form. The Founders knew 220 years ago what you "progressives" are just learning. Various interests, including the public at large, will use government for their own purposes whenever possible and as James Madison stated in Federalist #10, "Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." This is why they made every effort to set up a Federal Government with very limited powers. Madison also tells us, "The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution are few and defined." Health care regulation is not one of those few and defined powers.

[standard]

That argument would be cogent and persuasive were it supported by what our Constitution actually says. Our Consiitution grants Congress the power to enact laws in support of the general welfare (which is certainly broad-enough a term to include health care, such as that established under Medicare and under provisions for our armed forces and other Federal employees) and it also specifically provides for the regulation of commerce. (Both the general welfare and commerce clauses occur early in Article I, Sec. 8. )

Your reasoning is impeccable, but your assertions are contrary to fact and so, your conclusions are faulty. HOWEVER: Thanks for being civil, which is more than can be said for many neo-conservatives.

[JLocke2010]

Since you assert that my conclusions are faulty, maybe you should consult with that neo-conservative James Madison, who incidentally was the person who knew more about the Constitution than anyone who has ever walked this earth. In discussing the general welfare clause he wrote:

"For what purpose could the enumeration of particular powers be inserted, if these and all others were meant to be included in the preceding general power? Nothing is more natural nor common than first to use a general phrase, and then to explain and qualify it by a recital of particulars." From Federalist #41

"But what would have been thought of that assembly, if, attaching themselves to these general expressions, and disregarding the specifications which ascertain and limit their import, they had exercised an unlimited power of providing for the common defense and general welfare? " From Federalist #41

"With respect to the words "general welfare," I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators." From a letter to James Robertson.

Space does not permit me to educate you on the origins of the interstate commerce clause but it is just as easily refuted.

[ouroborous]

This is the story of the year, the decade, the century. This is the story that's getting no air play, except in "liberal" rags like HuffPo and FDL.

The story is how the Democrats -- including Obama -- have completely shilled out to the corporate lobbies in order to hunt down their campaign dollars. This is why progressives are so angry with Obama; he made such promises to end the influence of lobbying in DC, etc., but the reality is that under the Obama administration, lobbying influence in DC has dialed up to 11.

I voted for Obama. I voted Democrat almost straight across the ticket. But I'm almost hoping that the Republicans catch on to this story -- about who the D's are basically wh0ring out to the lobbyists -- and pursue it. In the short term, it might cost the D's some elections, but it's just possible that in the long term it would shame them into FINALLY ejecting the corporatist bloc from the D party. In this era of grassroots fundraising and campaigning, the Democratic party could survive politically as a true "party of the people," if only someone would have the courage to point out that the current emperors have no clothes.

Or maybe, I'm just a starry-eyed dreamer...

[codycap]

FannedFanned

We just have to pass one law to get our government back. Campaign Reform.

If we had campaign reform our representatives would remember who they are supposed to represent - really I think that one item would be all we need to fix our government.

Corruption is not a problem in our government – it has become our system.

I believe that it is a populist bill that we could have all of the public behind. I see on the liberal, republican, and libertarian sites voters like ourselves all cry for campaign reform. It is the one thing that voters of all ideologies recognize that is essential for honest government.

We need a grassroots movement that combines all ideologies to come together for the one thing we all agree on and pass campaign reform. We will never get it otherwise because big money will always make sure it will not ever come to a vote unless ALL the people come together to FORCE their hand.

continued on next post

[codycap]

It has to be a grassroots movement of citizens. That is the only way we can have enough power.

It cannot be a Democratic movement; right-wingers will fight anything that comes from our party so it would fail.

It cannot be a Republican movement; progressives will fight anything that comes from that party so it would fail.

It HAS to be a GRASSROOTS non-ideological bill on the one thing that I believe the left, middle, and right agree on.

On their sites I have seen almost word for word the same complaints about lobbyist etc., but they say it is the left, being corrupted by Soros, Acorn, etc.

The one thing ALL voters agree on is that our system is corrupt, but it is always the other side.

It is both sides and we need leaders in the Democratic party and their opposite in the Republican party, same same Green, and Libertarians etc to come together on this ONE thing for the American people. Their names would be honored forever for getting rid of the corruption that has stolen our Democracy from all of us, not just Democrats.

It would heal the split of the American people that big money has encouraged in order to weaken us and keep us fighting with each other.

I can see no other way.

[mcartri]

The Democratic Party doesn't give a damn what progressives want & neither does corporate owned Obama.. They know progressives will vote for the Democratic wing of the American Corporate Party. The only way progressives are ever going to get progressive legislation is to stop enabling the corporatist Dems. Try to get rid of Blue Dogs by primarying them, but tell the Dems you'll vote third party rather than elect a DINO. Let enough Republicans win & maybe the Dems will stop running Blue Dogs. Has anyone noticed there are no Red Dogs allowed in the GOP? March to the piper or be banned.

[fairwitness]

The Dem's corporate duplicity will birth, finally, a new Progressive Party, and the sooner the better.

[TRYKER]

The advantage: dragging this mess out has been instrumental in exposing - each day - those who are completely opposed to their job as representative of people in their home states. They are traitors. To. Us.
We hear and see them daily..unveiling stupendous lies...twirling around and contradicting themselves...never EVER addressing the issue head on...with the truth.
They take millions from OUR opponents to do them favors...how obscene.
OK, now that we know all that, we certainly can't accept anything that is advantageous to the Industry like subsidizing them with TAX PAYER MONEY.
Tax payer money should ONLY go to the Single Payer/Public Option, Non-Profit entity established with this "reform".
Medicare Part D should be "re-established" with new rules under regular Medicare. Period. That was unfunded and a huge give-away debacle too immense to discuss now. Just fix it...I have to puke.
For the Public Option, shouldn't the bill be put on-line to get the "public opinion" of what is acceptable...to the public? I mean really? It is too absurd as is.
If our "electeds" can't do their job FOR US, we should be allowed to do the job ourselves...rather than leaving it undone and done wrong for 90 more years.

[DestinationsUnknown]

9-23-09 Texas Based American Airlines cancels health insurance for non-union retired employees.

Seniors- what do you think of this ?

NON UNION- GO TEXAS!

YIPPEEEE!!!

American Airlines cancels health insurance!

[HurryUp1212009]

"The Decline & Fall Of The American Empire"

Deceit and Corruption, the twin towers of Congress, and Rahm Emanuel apparently.....

If this is proven true, I won't vote for Obama next time around. I'd rather vote for the people who are FLAGRANT about their corrupt practices, not another hyprcrite.

[Clearing-Brush]

Cenk always cuts through the BS. "It's about the money Lebouski".

[nancytheragingliberal]

CB: Yes, I can't understand why Cenk does not have his own TV show. Oh wait, how silly of me, he has 100 million people watching and listening to him on line, but he is too intelligent and too honest. Bingo, no TV show for Cenk. XM Satellite Radio allows him a lousy one hour 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern time. They have a crappy show on from 6 to 8 p.m. that totally su**s. I keep e-mailing XM to get this show off of my paid for radio. They went from Rachel to this? During rush hour? It is obvious that XM does not like liberal people.

[itmaybetoolate]

Cenk is back on XM?!!! Channel 67?

[TheIndependenceParty]

There was a time when politicians made a pretense of looking after the interests of the American People, ... even though in actuality they always were looking after their own.

Now the veneer of pretense is so thin as to be laughable!

In the end, the Republicans and the Democrats have both sold us to the corporations to whom they are beholden.

The pandering of the Democrats to Snowe, and the likelihood that Congress and the President will accept her worthless "trigger" and call it reform, ... nearly makes me hurl!

[TheDuckofLaw]

Cenk is absolutely correct. There's really no other way to look at the unbelievable timidity displayed by the Dems.

[Veeve]

What else is there to say? Cenk nails it again. He's 100% correct and 0% incorrect.

[Irmanator]

Yes. I can find no flaw in his reasoning. It depresses the heck out of me.

[freelyb]

That about sums it up. What's our role going to be?

[codycap]

Democrats already have a party. A third party is not the answer. Getting rid of the dino’s is the answer to taking our party back.

The so-called open tent and moving to the middle has went terribly wrong and has moved us way to far to the right.

It would be much more valuable to beat Snowe and Collins in Maine, Lieberman in Connecticut, and Judd Greg in New Hampshire, than it is to gain seats in, say, North Dakota, Oklahoma, or Montana, because in blue states we can get strong reliable Democrats.

Democrats should focus more resources on winning seats in blue states.

Well now there is a new acronym to add to dino’s, and rinos. Its called the minos or the Majority in Name Only.

Republicans plus dinos equal the true majority.

What good is our majority when we are forced to forget about or water down progressive policies?

IIf we agree to a watered down (Conservative bill) it will fail. That is the whole point of watering it down, come election it will be the democrats blamed, not the republicans.

Republican will regain majority, they already have it, just not in name, and castrate further whatever piece of junk they allow us to pass now.

All or nothing is what the democrats should fight for. That’s what the GOP does. If we do the Democratic Party would grow stronger, while the GOP’s failures would be wholly theirs.

I

[ouroborous]

I concur; a third party wouldn't fix things, since they'd always be seen as the party of the lunatic fringe, the party of also-rans (fairly or unfairly, you know that's how it would boil down in the mainstream media). They might, at most, skim a small percentage of votes off the liberal or conservative fringes, but they would never, in a hundred years, win a significant amount of power in DC.

What we need to do -- as you said -- is make the Democrats truly DEMOCRATIC in the long run. We need to get rid of the corporatist shills like Baucus, Rahm, and Obama, and start getting more true progressives like Kucinich, civil liberties advocates like Feingold, and all around heroes like Grijalva.

[mcartri]

Obama is a DINO, as is his buddy, Rahm. Deal with the truth. The two-branches of the American Corporate Party are corrupted beyond repair. Only public fianancing of ALL campaigns will return the power the corporations have back to the people. Will will never get public fianancing because the Dems & GOP will not allow it. Beneath the bottom line: If you ever want an actual civilized country to live in(Has national health care for example), you will need to move to another country.

[hollybork]

I do not buy the premise of this article that Rahm Emanuel and others are using Sen. Snow as a "beard" in order to keep the bill from reforming current insurance and adding a strong public option.
Pres. Obama is not that cynical and that dishonest. There is much more to be gained in the long run for the democratic party if they pass national healthcare that helps the American people and is a successful and sustainable approach to improving public health.

[Awake-and-Sing]

Your faith in the sincerity of an elected politician is touching, but if history is any guide it is a dangerously naive point of view.

Even if the President is sincere, he is only one person. No one believes Rahm Emanuel is beyond such cynicism.

This is how politics is played in America. The appointment of Emanuel and Geitner among others tells me that the President IS that cynical.

With any elected politician, especially one that speaks well, you need to look beyond their words to their actual actions. WHO the President picked for his cabinet and White House team is and action far more relevant than any words he gave in a speech.

[freelyb]

Bingo.

[johnsopinion]

You've made a very ultra-important point (Thank you) that I
would like to carry a little further.

"....you need to look beyond their words to their actual actions."

No man, I don't care if he's Democrat, Republican, Independent,
Liberal, Conservative, Communist, Marxist, Catholic, Baptist, Islamist,
farmer, mechanic, accountant, CEO, Russian, Iranian, Brazilian,or
whatever, will ever ACT contrary to his beliefs. He can talk all day
long and tell you everything under the sun, but he will NOT act against
what he believes. That doesn't mean that he is always conscious
of what he believes. But--if you want to know what a person-man or
woman-believes, watch what they do and you will learn what they
believe.

And that is true throughout congress, in business, in your churches,
in your schools, in your families, wherever.
Of course, interpreting what you see can be almost as perilous,
but you will be closer to the truth than what you hear or read.

[ouroborous]

Even if Obama is the most sincere and honest person in Washington (which I, personally, HIGHLY doubt), he still has all the rest of the machinery of DC to contend with, and all of the lobbyists and kingmakers like Rahm Emanuel to answer to.

Do not be naive; Cenk has nailed it once again -- in Washington DC, money is king. We need to FIX this, before America becomes a third world nation.

[DestinationsUnknown]

"Slow down, Mr. President: We can't afford to get health care wrong," said the memo.

"Slow down, Mr. President: We can't afford to get health care wrong," said the RNC chairman- Leader Steele.

[justobserve]

Chavez said "there are two Obamas. One gives eloquent speeches, the other doesn't do what he said"! It seems to fit the way obama has been doing his job. No longer "working for Main Street, not Wall Street", no longer "the urgency of NOW", no longer "change the DC way", no longer .... On top of that his CoS is the corporatist Emmanuels? We are stuffed!