From ABC:
The C-SPAN television network is calling on congressional leaders to open health care talks to cameras -- something President Barack Obama promised as a candidate.
Instead the most critical negotiations on Obama's health plan have taken place behind closed doors, as Republicans repeatedly point out. In a Dec. 30 letter to House and Senate leaders released Tuesday, C-SPAN chief executive Brian Lamb asked for negotiations on a compromise bill to be opened up for public viewing, as Democrats work to reconcile differences between legislation passed by the two chambers.
Politico has related video:
Crossposted(*).



Comments (15)
They won't and most of the ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Wayne | January 5, 2010 12:36 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
They won't and most of the MSM will still be in bed with and covering up for this administration.
The bits and pieces I saw on CNN and MSNBC this last week shows how far they have their noses up Obama's backside.
1. Posted by Wayne | January 5, 2010 12:36 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 12:36
2. Posted by GarandFan | January 5, 2010 12:53 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
"Transparency" to Barry means seeing only what he wants you to see. Otherwise, bugger off! And remember Barry's dictum; "I Won".
2. Posted by GarandFan | January 5, 2010 12:53 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 12:53
3. Posted by Oyster | January 5, 2010 1:26 PM | Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
If Obama had a spine he'd call Nancy and Harry into the office and tell them like it is: he promised the American people that CSPAN would broadcast everything, but he won't because as it turns out, Pelosi is more powerful than our President because he lets her be. And if the media had a spine, they'd be demanding answers, but they won't because they're still in love. If Harry and Nancy had a spine, this WOULD be on CSPAN, but they can't take the criticism (Wah!) and they DON't want you to know what will end up in the final bill until it's too late.
Transparent
Ethical
Words. Just words.
3. Posted by Oyster | January 5, 2010 1:26 PM |
Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 13:26
4. Posted by Steve Green | January 5, 2010 1:27 PM | Score: -11 (13 votes cast)
""Transparency" to Barry means seeing only what he wants you to see. "
Sometimes it feels like a fourth grade civics lesson around here....
The President doesn't determine whether Congress opens up the hearings or not. That's up to the party leaders in Congress, not the White House.
Doh!
4. Posted by Steve Green | January 5, 2010 1:27 PM |
Score: -11 (13 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 13:27
5. Posted by Eric | January 5, 2010 1:36 PM | Score: 10 (12 votes cast)
Steve, Obama is the de facto leader of the Democrat Party. He is also President of the United States. He has the Bully Pulpit to call on the House and Senate leaders to show the kind of transparancy that he and they promised.
5. Posted by Eric | January 5, 2010 1:36 PM |
Score: 10 (12 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 13:36
6. Posted by bryanD | January 5, 2010 2:06 PM | Score: -6 (10 votes cast)
I love Brian Lamb and C-Span. Brian's bigger problem though is the conservative cable syndicates dropping C-Span's sister channels in this Obamaean Age.
Just befor the Senate debate on Health care reform, COX CABLE dropped C-SPAN2 (the Senate coverage side). Chicken shits. (Nice Stetson, though!)
6. Posted by bryanD | January 5, 2010 2:06 PM |
Score: -6 (10 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 14:06
7. Posted by Maddox | January 5, 2010 2:17 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen."
7. Posted by Maddox | January 5, 2010 2:17 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 14:17
8. Posted by Flu-Bird | January 5, 2010 2:48 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
As the lines from the 70s hit song went OH NO ONES KNOWS WHAT GOSE ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
8. Posted by Flu-Bird | January 5, 2010 2:48 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 14:48
9. Posted by Marc | January 5, 2010 3:30 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
s green "Sometimes it feels like a fourth grade civics lesson around here...."
Sometimes it feels as though some trolls, particularly this one, can't put up a cogent argument.
How 'bout this troll, sheriff joe biden, you know the guy that is allegedly, and I STRESS allegedly, more qualified and smarter than Sarah Palin who could have been in the job, is in fact the defacto leader of the Senate, cast deciding votes in a case of a tie, can go down to the Senate grab Reid by the short hairs [assuming he has any] and tell.... no demand the soon to be unemployed asshole to put it on CSPAN.
Does that work for ya?
Of would you rather have whatever is foisted upon you and the rest of us kept hidden?
And BTW, back under the bridge asshole.
9. Posted by Marc | January 5, 2010 3:30 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 15:30
10. Posted by Oyster | January 5, 2010 3:37 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
"The President doesn't determine whether Congress opens up the hearings or not. That's up to the party leaders in Congress, not the White House."
If that's the argument you want to use then Obama had no business making such a promise.
Words. Just words.
10. Posted by Oyster | January 5, 2010 3:37 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 15:37
11. Posted by Steve Green | January 5, 2010 3:45 PM | Score: -6 (6 votes cast)
"If that's the argument you want to use then Obama had no business making such a promise."
Obama never promised Congress would be open and transparent.
Doh! details!
11. Posted by Steve Green | January 5, 2010 3:45 PM |
Score: -6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 15:45
12. Posted by 914 | January 5, 2010 3:47 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
""Transparency" to Barry means seeing only what he wants you to see. "
"Sometimes it feels like a fourth grade civics lesson around here....
The President doesn't determine whether Congress opens up the hearings or not. That's up to the party leaders in Congress, not the White House.
Doh"
Nice of You to make it stevie! Clearly this present Presidente is non transparent..Unless You count his parents transcontinently transgressing upon us all His unholy rule? Shame on them and a pox on us.
12. Posted by 914 | January 5, 2010 3:47 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 15:47
13. Posted by Big Mo | January 5, 2010 4:28 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
"I'm going to have all the negotiations around a big table. We'll have doctors and nurses and hospital administrators. Insurance companies, drug companies -- they'll get a seat at the table, they just won't be able to buy every chair. But what we will do is, we'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN, so that people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents, and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies. And so, that approach, I think is what is going to allow people to stay involved in this process."
Barack Obama, Town hall meeting on Aug. 21, 2008, in Chester, Va.
13. Posted by Big Mo | January 5, 2010 4:28 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 16:28
14. Posted by GarandFan | January 5, 2010 5:30 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Gotta hand it to BryanD. He's always got an excuse for everything. Even if said excuse makes no particular sense. Guess he follows the example of his Obamassiah. "Spread the bullshit, cut down on the visibility".
14. Posted by GarandFan | January 5, 2010 5:30 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 17:30
15. Posted by Marc | January 5, 2010 5:31 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
s green "Obama never promised Congress would be open and transparent."
"The public will be part of the discussion..." obama.
Read it, view it, and weep at your partisan ignorance s green.
15. Posted by Marc | January 5, 2010 5:31 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on January 5, 2010 17:31