Politico has an analysis of the latest developments with the health care deliberations in the Senate. (Hat tip: Instapundit.) The article begins:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's appeals for party unity landed with a thud Tuesday with the very group he needs for his public-option push to pay off: centrists who hold the key to health reform.While Lieberman is no longer a Democrat, his defection means that more central Democrats can now vote against it without being singled out as the the one responsible for preventing its passage.And not just any centrists but one who makes liberals see red: Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who said Tuesday that he'd back a GOP attempt to block the bill from moving to final passage.
Landrieu [Sen, D-LA] said she was "skeptical" of what Reid proposed Monday. Lincoln [Sen, D-AR] told the Arkansas Farm Bureau in a video conference she was reluctant to support a bill with a government insurance option.That's really the crux of the matter here. What exactly are they being asked to vote on? The bill is so large and involved that some won't even bother to read it. Why must it be comprehensive health care reform? Why can't there be one much smaller bill tort reform? And additional bills covering other areas as needed?"If it's government-run or government-funded, I'm going to have some tremendous troubles with being able to support moving forward on something like that," Lincoln said, according to The Associated Press.
The answer of course was bluntly revealed by Barney Frank yesterday, who said Democrats are "trying on every front to increase the role of government." (Video available here.) That quote in itself is the fodder for a dozen posts but here it puts a spotlight on the real issue, which isn't health care at all. The real issue is the single-minded thought by those in power that the only solution to the problems of the day is more government involvement. It is a thesis that I wholeheartedly reject.
The only good news are the indications that a large number of Americans agree with me. While Harry Reid is worrying about votes in the Senate, he probably should be more concerned with votes in Nevada. Recent polling shows:
2010 Senate: General ElectionEven Newsweek is pessimistic about his chances. In the end Reid not getting those votes for reelection could be the most positive thing he could do for America.
Tarkanian 48%, Reid 43%
Lowden 49%, Reid 39%
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Comments (10)
Think what the lisping and ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by dfbaskwill | October 28, 2009 11:24 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Think what the lisping and sashaying Barney Frank (NTTAWWT) could do if he was put in charge of EVERYTHING!
1. Posted by dfbaskwill | October 28, 2009 11:24 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 11:24
2. Posted by Sabba Hillel
| October 28, 2009 11:49 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Based on those polls, it sounds as if Reid knows that he will be unable to return as a Senator. As a result, he is trying the Samson option as his last act of revenge on the people who are going to reject him.
2. Posted by Sabba Hillel
| October 28, 2009 11:49 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 11:49
3. Posted by bnorm | October 28, 2009 11:53 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Good riddance to Reid.
3. Posted by bnorm | October 28, 2009 11:53 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 11:53
4. Posted by Nancy's Nazi | October 28, 2009 11:59 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
But, but, but I thought recent polls show an overwhelming majority of the American people were for the public option.
4. Posted by Nancy's Nazi | October 28, 2009 11:59 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 11:59
5. Posted by 2klbofun | October 28, 2009 12:03 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
correction: Landrieu (Sen, D-LA), Lincoln (Sen, D-AR)
Edit: Thanks, corrected text of original article. DK.
5. Posted by 2klbofun | October 28, 2009 12:03 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 12:03
6. Posted by JLawson | October 28, 2009 12:24 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
To be fair, Barney Frank was saying he wants to increase the size of government in the regulatory arena - not (explicitly) overall.
But then again, adding more regulation to the economy is like taking a guy with a sprained ankle, slapping chains on his feet, and telling him he has to run a hundred yard dash. He might get there, but he ain't gonna be fast and he ain't gonna be happy, nor is he going to be grateful to you for your 'oversight and regulation'.
6. Posted by JLawson | October 28, 2009 12:24 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 12:24
7. Posted by bobdog | October 28, 2009 12:49 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Mr. Lawson, we can split linguistic hairs, and the misquote may not be correct, but it is accurate. Injecting government into every aspect of our economy is EXACTLY what he and the Washington liberals want to do.
Banking, non-banking financial institutions, Wall street, healthcare insurance, pharmaceuticals, energy, petroleum, nuclear energy, auto manufacturing, food, news, and the internet is just a partial list, to say nothing about free speech and gun rights.
These people mean to force control into every corner of our country. Bonnie Fwank meant it the way he was misquoted.
Next November is our final chance to undo this
disaster, and I don't think I'm exaggerating.
7. Posted by bobdog | October 28, 2009 12:49 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 12:49
8. Posted by GarandFan | October 28, 2009 1:04 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Well EVERYONE KNOWS how well government regulation has worked so far in the financial industry. Look how easily they caught Bernie Madhoff. Think how much more would be stolen from Medicare....heck, they've got waste and fraud down to a paltry $50 BILLION. Yeah, Barney. We need more.
8. Posted by GarandFan | October 28, 2009 1:04 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 13:04
9. Posted by JLawson | October 28, 2009 2:41 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Bobdog -
Oh, I have no illusions about what he WANTS to do, Bobdog - I'm just pointing out the quote was incomplete as it stood.
They're not going to be happy until they've got control over virtually everything - in the interests of 'fairness' and 'for our own good' they'll pile on regulatory crap until the system breaks down completely, then complain about how much WORSE things would have been if they HADN'T had to shove tax rates up to 90%!
9. Posted by JLawson | October 28, 2009 2:41 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 14:41
10. Posted by Flu-Bird | October 28, 2009 3:20 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Too bad harry reid but you dont have the votes to get a life and quit acting like a spoiled demabrat
10. Posted by Flu-Bird | October 28, 2009 3:20 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2009 15:20