Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) says that an agreement was reached with the House, Senate and the White House on healthcare reform days before the Massachusetts special election. He claims that it was only the CBO that held them up from actually passing that ugly thing.
From The Hill:
Sen. Tom Harkin, the chairman of the Senate Health Committee, said negotiators from the White House, Senate and House reached a final deal on healthcare reform days before Scott Brown’s victory in Massachusetts.
Labor leaders had announced an agreement with White House and congressional representatives over an excise tax on high-cost insurance plans on the Thursday before the special election.
[snip]
Harkin said “we had an agreement, with the House, the White House and the Senate. We sent it to [the Congressional Budget Office] to get scored and then Tuesday happened and we didn’t get it back.” He said negotiators had an agreement in hand on Friday, Jan. 15.
Sorry but I ain’t buying this. For an entire year, the Democrats totally ignored voters dissatisfaction with healthcare reform and they pushed it forward. The Democrats ignored the Tea Parties, the town hall meetings even the massive march on Washington. Only when it looked like Martha Coakley was going down in flames, did they pay the least bit of attention.
Here is what I think happened. The week before the Massachusetts special election the House Democrats, who are all up for re-election in November, saw with each passing day that Coakley was headed for defeat. They simply grew cold feet and decided to think about their re-election chances instead. Now that Scott Brown has won, those feet remain frozen. Any Democrat with a halfway decent chance of winning their seat back is not going to vote for a bill that the bluest of blue states reject.
I think Harkin tells this tale in order to let the left down gently. Otherwise it would be quite apparent that the Democrats chickened out at the last minute. I think all this chatter about still passing the bill has more to do with avoiding backlash from the far left, than with actually moving forward on the bill.
Read, the rest of Harkin’s statement and let me know what you think.
Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Hill
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9 comments:
You are absolutely right.
I'm from Iowa and I wouldn't believe a word Harkin says. He has always talked without thinking first. It will be a bright day when this bum gets tossed out!
Right, the politicians aren't to blame, it's those crazies on the right that stole the election from Coakley.
I, too am from Iowa and have emailed Harken numerous times about HC. The
ass kept sending out the same form letter no matter what I said. I even sent the letter back with markups disproving everything he wrote. I knew he wouldn't respond with intelligence, but it made me feel better. He's a fool.
Janelle:
Thanks!
Anonymous:
Thanks for the inside scoop! I always enjoy hearing first hand from the constituents of various Congress Critters.
Spinsterpov:
Oh yes, us loonies are just mucking up everything. LOL
Elizabeth:
I even sent the letter back with markups disproving everything he wrote
You sound like me! I spend a fortune on red markers and postage stamps. Whenever I get nutty mailings from my Congress members or the GOP, I mark it up and send it right back to them! You are right they ignore it, but Lord does it feel good to let them know exactly how you feel!
Some of the more revealing conversations I've had were with young (20's and 30's) staffers in Bill Nelson's 8 offices in Fl. While they like their jobs, they are very concerned about the deficit and tax load they and their children face. Future conservatives in training..........one of them said "no one has ever asked me my opinion before". Whew, did I ever get an earful.
And every single time, asking and listening to them confirms that they see, hear and understand way better than the fools they work for.
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