Lieberman Say No(YES) To Health Bill

[Dr. Shane]

Lieberman Rules Out Voting for Health Bill

In a surprise setback for Democratic leaders, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, said on Sunday that he would vote against the health care legislation in its current form.

The bill’s supporters had said earlier that they thought they had secured Mr. Lieberman’s agreement to go along with a compromise they worked out to overcome an impasse within the party.

But on Sunday, Mr. Lieberman told the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, to scrap the idea of expanding Medicare and to abandon the idea of any new government insurance plan, or lose his vote.

On a separate issue, Mr. Reid tried over the weekend to concoct a compromise on abortion that would induce Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat of Nebraska, to vote for the bill. Mr. Nelson opposes abortion. Any provision that satisfies him risks alienating supporters of abortion rights.

In interviews on the CBS News program “Face the Nation,” Mr. Lieberman and Mr. Nelson said the bill did not have the 60 votes it would need in the Senate.

[text taken from link]

[Dr. Shane]

That might be the end of health care reform. Probably not but it could be. Something does need to get done with health care but something needed to get done with Social Security too and the Democrats kept that from happening. We need some bipartisanship but what we have are the parties spitting fire at each other.

[bonnie]

That might be the end of health care reform. Probably not but it could be. Something does need to get done with health care but something needed to get done with Social Security too and the Democrats kept that from happening. We need some bipartisanship but what we have are the parties spitting fire at each other.

I hope the republicans have the backbone to continue spitting fire.

Hopefully Lieberman will not cave.

[bonnie]

In Desperate Attempts to Discredit Lieberman, Libs Attack His Wife

By Lachlan Markay | December 14, 2009 - 17:48

Liberals are so incensed at Connecticut Senator Joe Liberman's refusal to vote for ObamaCare, that they have taken to attacking his wife, who works for a prominent breast cancer organization. Their ad hominem assaults and wild speculation about the Senator's supposedly evil motives reveal their hypocrisy when it comes to political centrists, and their desperation concerning health care legislation.

At Huffington Post, FireDogLake founder and breast cancer survivor Jane Hamsher revealed that her request to the Susan G. Komen foundation that money raised to find a cure not be used to pay Mrs. Lieberman's salary went unheeded. Hamsher went on to accuse the Lieberman couple of conspiring to sink health care reform in order to line their own pockets.

Hamsher accuses Mrs. Lieberman using "her association with her husband the Senator ... in order to secure these lucrative positions and advance the interests of her clients" at a lobbying firm for which she is a consultant. This contention, Hamsher claims, is "unquestionable," though she offers no evidence to support the accusation, other than speculation about the couple's income.

[Guest]

Originally Posted By: Shane

That might be the end of health care reform. Probably not but it could be. Something does need to get done with health care but something needed to get done with Social Security too and the Democrats kept that from happening. We need some bipartisanship but what we have are the parties spitting fire at each other.

I hope the republicans have the backbone to continue spitting fire.

Hopefully Lieberman will not cave.

\

One can only hope.

[Dr. Shane]

Sounds like the White House is calling Lieberman in today to try and convince him of something. Maybe he will cave into their demands or maybe he will come out and announce he is becoming a Republican. Who knows?

[bonnie]

Sounds like the White House is calling Lieberman in today to try and convince him of something. Maybe he will cave into their demands or maybe he will come out and announce he is becoming a Republican. Who knows?

Sounds like at the end of the day Lieberman is still a liberal

[bonnie]

BONNIE

WELL did Lieberman vote for OBAMA'S healthcare????

dgrimm60

Not yet. Sounds like he thinks the health care bill is now satisfactory.

How any can even vote for something they don't know is unbelievable.

Something to affect so many people in such drastic ways

[Dr. Shane]

Lieberman got them to toss out the public option. Now there are some ultra liberal Democrats threatening not to vote for it.

[bonnie]

SHANE

I am sure there was a lot of wheeling and dealing

in those meeting

dgrimm60

If I were a gambler I would not be afraid to bet that in the end the public option will be in the final bill.

Without a public option none of this makes sense. By their own admission millions will still be without insurance so what are we doing.

Dirty little secret is Obama himself doesn't know what is in this bill. Nancy Pelosi is probably the most honest as strange as that is.

She has publically stated she doesn't care what passes,just so something does to get the foot in the door.

Public option is the only thing that works.Obama is on record saying more than once that is what he wants,but it may take a decade to get there

[phkrause]

Sounds to me that Lieberman is who he is! And will always be who he is! And that's someone who will choose whats best for all.

pk

[bonnie]

Sounds to me that Lieberman is who he is! And will always be who he is! And that's someone who will choose whats best for all.

pk

Before he can know "what is good for all" he would have to know what is in this bill. He has not read the many pages that is going to affect all people anymore than the rest of those voting on it have.

Schumer and Durbin are the latest that laugh when asked and say "no we have not read it"

[bonnie]

Number-two Senate Democrat 'in the dark' about health care bill

By: Byron York

Chief Political Correspondent

In this photograph provided by "Meet the Press," Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., left, appear on "Meet the Press'" Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, at the NBC studios in Washington.

Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin admitted Friday that he is "in the dark" about the national health care bill currently under construction by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. In an exchange on the Senate floor, Republican Sen. John McCain asked Durbin, "Should we not at least be informed as to what the proposal is that the Senate Majority Leader is going to propose to the entire Senate?" Durbin's answer: "I would say to the senator from Arizona that I am in the dark almost as much as he is, and I am in the leadership." Durbin explained that during a Democratic caucus, Reid and the small group of senators involved in crafting the bill turned to their fellow Democrats and "basically stood and said, 'We are sorry, we can't tell you in detail what was involved.'"

"Isn't that a very unusual process?" asked McCain, noting that "we are discussing one-sixth of the gross national product; the bill before us has been a product of almost a year of sausage-making. Yet here we are at a position on December 12, with a proposal that none of us, except, I understand, one person, the Majority Leader, knows what the final parameters are, much less informing the American people. I don't get it."

"I think the senator is correct," Durbin answered, "saying most of us know the fundamentals, but we do not know the important details behind this." Durbin went on to claim that Reid is not to blame for the situation; rather, the blame lies with the Congressional Budget Office, which Reid has asked to do a cost estimate on the bill. "We may find that something that was sent over there doesn't work at all, doesn't fly," Durbin said. "They may say this is not going to work, start over." Therefore, Durbin said, Democrats are keeping it all a secret. "It is frustrating on your side," Durbin told McCain. "It is frustrating here." But, Durbin added, he hoped to have the Congressional Budget Office report soon.

Here is the entire exchange between the two senators:

Mr. McCAIN. Could I ask my friend about the situation as it exists right now? Right now, no Member on this side has any idea as to the specifics of the proposal the majority leader, I understand, has sent to OMB for some kind of scoring. Is that the way we want to do business, that a proposal that will be presented to the Senate sometime next week and voted on immediately--that is what we are told--is that the way to do business in a bipartisan fashion? Should we not at least be informed as to what the proposal is the Senate majority leader is going to propose to the entire Senate within a couple days? Shouldn't we even know what it is?

Mr. DURBIN. I would say to the Senator from Arizona, I am in the dark almost as much as he is, and I am in the leadership. The reason is, because the Congressional Budget Office, which scores the managers' amendment, the so-called compromise, has told us, once you publicly start debating it, we will publicly release it. We want to basically see whether it works, whether it works to continue to reduce the deficit, whether it works to continue to reduce the growth in health care costs.

We had a caucus after this was submitted to the Congressional Budget Office, where Senator Reid and other Senators who were involved in it basically stood and said: We are sorry, we can't tell you in detail what was involved. But you will learn, everyone will learn, it will be as public information as this bill currently is on the Internet. But the Congressional Budget Office has tied our hands at this point putting it forward. Basically, what I know is what you know, having read press accounts of what may be included.

Mr. McCAIN. Could I ask my friend from Illinois--and by the way, I would like to do this again. Perhaps when he can get more substance into many of the issues.

Mr. DURBIN. Same time, same place tomorrow?

Mr. McCAIN. I admit these are unusual times. But isn't that a very unusual process, that here we are discussing one-sixth of the gross national product; the bill before us has been a product of almost a year of sausage-making. Yet here we are at a position on December 12, with a proposal that none of us, except, I understand, one person, the majority leader, knows what the final parameters are, much less informing the American people. I don't get it.

Mr. DURBIN. I think the Senator is correct, saying most of us know the fundamentals, but we do not know the important details behind this. What I am saying is, this is not the choice of the majority leader. It is the choice of the Congressional Budget Office. We may find that something that was sent over there doesn't work at all, doesn't fly. They may say this is not going to work, start over. So we have to reserve the right to do that, and I think that is why we are waiting for the Congressional Budget Office scoring, as they call it, to make sure it hits the levels we want, in terms of deficit reduction and reducing the cost of health care.

It is frustrating on your side. It is frustrating here. But I am hoping, in a matter of hours, maybe days, we will receive the CBO report.

[bonnie]

Obama said this was a process that would be open and transparent.

CNN was to carry the debate on the health care bill.What happened,I don't think they did that.

The democrats pushing this have no idea of what it is they are pushing

[phkrause]

Well if that's the case than all are voting to please someone that is giving them the most money to sway them to there side. Than he is neither a liberal or a conservative, he is no better than what we take off of the bottom of our shoes when we step in it. That just doesn't include Mr. Lieberman, this includes all who vote one way or the other without reading what they are voting on. This only show's that they all do not care for the people of the USA they only care about themselves and those that line there pockets. But having said that, I've know Mr. Lieberman for many years and If I know him well enough I'd say that he has read through the many page's of this bill, if not than he is no better than the rest.

pk

[phkrause]

Obama said this was a process that would be open and transparent.

CNN was to carry the debate on the health care bill.What happened,I don't think they did that.

The democrats pushing this have no idea of what it is they are pushing

Well if this is the case than the Republicans have no idea what they are voting against, since neither side according to some have not read the bill. I actually have more respect for the democrats, what ever that means today, because at least they are arguing over it, while the republicans are sticking together like a pact of rats.

pk

[Dr. Shane]

I think Obama promised to have all meetings broadcast on C-SPAN. That has not been done. There have been a lot of secret meetings. In defense of the Republicans, they haven't been invited to any of the meetings so they really have no reason they should vote for the bill. They have been completely excluded.

[bonnie]

Originally Posted By: bonnie

Obama said this was a process that would be open and transparent.

CNN was to carry the debate on the health care bill.What happened,I don't think they did that.

The democrats pushing this have no idea of what it is they are pushing

Well if this is the case than the Republicans have no idea what they are voting against, since neither side according to some have not read the bill. I actually have more respect for the democrats, what ever that means today, because at least they are arguing over it, while the republicans are sticking together like a pact of rats.

pk

Arguing over terrible and disaster is not to comforting. Most that will be passing this have openly admitted to not knowing what was in the bill.They have struck down a requirement to read the bill before voting on it.That was strongly disagreed with. Not necessary.

I am assuming you would not be arguing in favor of signing a contract without knowing it's content. This is what is being demanded.

I would hope the republicans discover they have a spine after all

[bonnie]

I think Obama promised to have all meetings broadcast on C-SPAN. That has not been done. There have been a lot of secret meetings. In defense of the Republicans, they haven't been invited to any of the meetings so they really have no reason they should vote for the bill. They have been completely excluded.

You are right,it was C-Span. Not going to happen but sounded great when Obama promised this.Wonder why he went back on his word.

If memory serves me right it was Obama that was for the expanded medicare before he was against it.

If this bill is what it is cracked up to be,Obama with support for this and health care going south at a pretty good clip,he would be a man of his word. He should want positive news right about now.

[bonnie]

http://www.dakotavoice.com/2009/12/base-...alth-care-vote/

If this is true,what a bunch we have put in the White House.

remains a vital component of our national defense.

Base Closure Threat Blackmailing Senator Nelson into Health Care Vote?

By Bob Ellis on December 15th, 2009

E=4B Command Post

The Obama Administration has truly brought “Chicago politics” to the Potomac.

We knew Obama and his cronies in congress are not afraid to bribe our representatives to get their way; Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) got a $300 million bribe that she’s proud of in exchange for her cloture vote for the unconstitutional government health care proposal.

We also knew the Obama administration was not afraid to threaten or blackmail congress into passing the un-constitutional, un-American cap and trade global warming tax; the EPA’s decision to declare a substance human beings exhale as a “pollutant” illustrates this.

Now it would seem the socialists in congress are getting even more personal–and aren’t going to let petty things like national defense get in the way of their glorious plans for a socialist health care system.

The Weekly Standard says a Senate aide has stated White House has threatened to put Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on the next BRAC list.

According to a Senate aide, the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn’t fall into line.

Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in Southeastern Nebraska. As our source put it, this is a “naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson’s vote.” They are “threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?” asked the Senate staffer.

I was stationed at Offutt way back at the beginning of my Air Force career. Offutt was home to Headquarters, Strategic Air Command (SAC) back then, the major command responsible for two of the three legs of America’s nuclear triad (bombers and missiles). During the post-Gulf War realignment in 1991-1992, SAC was retired and the bombers went under the new Tactical Air Command (TAC) in Langley, but Offutt remained home to Strategic Command in charge of military space operations and missiles.

When I was there, Offutt was home to the Looking Glass airborne command post that I believe is still in operation. During the Cold War, those airborne command post planes flew 24/7/365 (I used to watch them launch on my way to work on swing shifts and mid shifts) to have airborne command and control in case Offutt was wiped off the map in a surprise nuke attack.

I believe Offutt is also still home to the National Emergency Airborne Command Post (NEACAP E-4) 747 aircraft which frequently goes with the president to provide command and control support. I knew several of the security guys who used to fly on NEACAP. We used to have to stop traffic on a road that passed immediately behind one end of the runway when those huge birds launched; it would back up over the runway overrun, then rev up because it needed all the runway it could get to launch, and the backwash from the engines could have blown a car off the road.

I’m sure Offutt isn’t what it used to be after the post-Cold War drawdown, but from everything I can see, it remains a vital component of our national defense.

How shameful that this White House would use a key element of national defense like a petty bargaining chip to blackmail a senator into voting for something the U.S. Constitution simply does not allow.