Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Republican Senator Joe Liebermann Blocks Health Care (Again).

A GOP Senator and fan of Alaskan Blogger Sarah Palin has stated his intention today to stop any reform of health care under any circumstance whatsoever.  Joe Liebermann (R-Sole)was quoted today as saying, “There’s nothing I enjoy more than watching poor people struggling for their last breath, alone and in fear.”

As much as I would like to find an at least ethically defensible reason for the conservative Senator’s views, I can’t do it.  Allowing people to buy in to Medicaid is something he himself has lobbied for as recently as 2006, and killing the public option in favor of Medicaid  was his Great Achievement of the Year so he should have been simply taken credit for it and gone back to his bold search for his missing chin.

Is it nothing more than an endless search for the next position shift to keep himself in the spotlight?  Is he positioning himself for the VP candidate slot next to Sarah Palin on the 2012 Tea Party presidential ticket?  Is he trying to get a date with her?

What are your thoughts?  Is there anything other than obstructionism for its own sake being The Jowled One’s zig-zagging positions?


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 45 Comments

45 comments

  1. DTOzone

    Senate Democrats Jay Rockefeller and Tom Harkin said they would be willing to drop a “public option” government insurance program to win passage of a health-care overhaul.

    “I want a bill,” Rockefeller, of West Virginia, told reporters before Senate Democrats met to discuss the legislation this afternoon. “At some point you’ve got to switch from the sentiment, the emotion, the power of the word” to the facts.

    The two senators’ statements suggested a deal might be close. Harkin, an Iowa senator and chairman of the Senate health committee, said he also would be willing to drop a proposal to let people as young as 55 buy into the Medicare program for the elderly.

    “This bill, without public option, without Medicare buy-in, is a giant step forward toward transforming American health care,” said Harkin. “That’s reality, there is enough good stuff in that bill that we should move ahead with it.”

    In the meantime, Markos is tweeting the bill should die and Reid should lose next year.

    So, it’s over, and once the angry suicide liberals join the “wow, we’ve suddenly discovered we’re really fascists” Independents in next year’s elections, we’ll be back to Republican-controlled normalcy next year.

    Lesson learned; Never vote based on grand expectations, they’re always unrealistic.  

  2. Chris Blask

    The Medicaid expansion option seemed to make perfect sense to me.  If I understand, it was the option for folks to “buy in” – in other words to pay for the insurance provided by Medicaid.

    I’ll be glad to see preexisting conditions go away, I’m not happy to see mandates coming, I’m not sure what else there is in this thing.  I think a little bit of reconciliation (is that the term for “f-ck yer filibuster”?) is called for about now.

  3. HappyinVT

    Reid to give Lieberman whatever he wanted (or remove whatever he didn’t want) in an apparent desire to pass something.  I certainly understand that Lieberman put the whole healthcare reform issue in jeopardy with his asshattery but is the desire to pass something and call it “reform” really the way to go?

    Senate leadership is saying that they expect to pass a bill next week, although we don’t know exactly what is in it.  Depending on who you read the bill sucks, really sucks, doesn’t suck that bad, or we should just start over.

    And, who knows what will happen in conference committee.  Is there a way to get Joe or Ben or Blanche out of the equation?

    I’m tempted to encourage Bernie to threaten to filibuster.  What’s good for the goose…

  4. creamer

     Without a Public Option(very weak 8 million people public option) and without a buy in medicare plan, whats left.

    This is on the fly so don’t be too hard on me,

    No pre-existing conditions.

    No lifetime caps.

    Insurance companies will be required to spend approximately 90% of revenue on care.

    Insurance exchanges that if even moderately succesful will help control some cost and make coverage more available to small business and individuals.

    Lots of subsidies for individuals.

    More Americans will have health coverage.

    I know I’m leaving a lot out. If anyone wnts to ass to the list, please do.

    Also, if you pass a bill containing the above provisions, could you not pass a “public option” through budget reconciliation in 2010? My understanding is it has to be related to money to be done in reconciliation, wich would allow the PO to be considered.

    “I want a bill,” Rockefeller, of West Virginia, told reporters before Senate Democrats met to discuss the legislation this afternoon. “At some point you’ve got to switch from the sentiment, the emotion, the power of the word” to the facts.

    That bears repeating,  it should be noted that Senator Rockefeller pushed very hard for a public option. Its not about winning and losing, its about improving the lives of working Americans.

  6. creamer

    Should Progressives Try To Kill The Senate Health Care Bill?Yes. It’s so compromised that it isn’t reform anymore.

    47.65%

    No. Something is still much better than nothing.

    31.49%

    I’m not sure.

    20.86%

    This follows an article were some progressive voices have expressed their contempt for the Senate bill as they think it stands. Markos being one of the leaders of the “throw the administration under the bus” crowd. I wonder how many of them have problems paying for insurance.

    The arrogance and illusions of the liberal blogosphere is begining to piss me off. Does Markos see himself as a latter day Robespierre dragging the King and Queen off to the guilloteen. Arianna being so self rightous as she attacks the administration at every turn. People who made some smart business choices with new media think they are the new power brokers. Now their attacking Rahm Emanuel (that will work!).  

Comments are closed.