Gov. Rendell's Advice On Health Care Reform Fight: Make Republicans Filibuster

[pillowbugg]

And he was sure right!

[the82spartans]

OMG!

This is great news from the former Mayor of Philadelphia!

Translation:  LET THEM EAT CAKE!

Bauhahahahahahahahahahaha!

Thanks, Eddie.

[PixelPwner]

turncoats

[DillonX]

Put up a good bill with THE PUBLIC OPTION.

Let the votes come where as they will.

[MrYoubrian]

Did a politician just say 'do the right thing, even if it costs you your job?'

Wow! How refreshing. I have more respect for this man now.

[fctchk]

"do the right thing, even if it costs you your job"

unless it's his own.

[MrFreedomdemocracy]

BREAKING NEWS:

James O'Kefee famous for the Acorn videos arrested by the FBI for fellony tring to wiretapping the Governor of Louisiana ...The Conservatives go back to the watergate behaviors ahahahahah

[the82spartans]

Ah... Breaking news? That dork that did an 'investigative news piece' on ACORN describes himself as a 'radical', not a Republican you silly!

Watergate? Mr. Freedom...now ain't that the pan calling the kettle black?

A hypocrite, unlike the leopard, can change its spots.

You can go back to Jim Crowe laws and the Copperhead behaviors of the ole' Southern Democrats.

Better yet, join the Bill Clinton / John Edwards party train! FEELS GOOD!

[veriteez]

Hey Rendell, you're right!!! Keep ignoring the opinion of the majority of tax payers and keep pushing through. Because what happened in massachusetts wasn't a clear enough message to you morons!!! Take Rendells' advice! he's basically saying " We love to dig our own graves!". Remember, Ed Rendell, the taxpayers are YOUR bosses. Whoever votes this through, Prepare your resume and have it ready in november. I hear jobs are scarce.

[verstwo2]

It worked for the GOP.

[veriteez]

@verstwo2 - I agree. And It'll happen for the democrats. Either party. Just watch. Obama can't part the red-seas from letting this happen.

[MarkG45]

This is way too fucking logical to work. Why don't Dems behind over backwards to massage the Republicans' prostate and fuck over the rest of the country instead? Because it seems to be working so far.

[thecruiseliner]

right on, at the same time.

in order for "democrats" to have lasting success, they must put the republicans on the spot by proposing Tort reform. Take it from them.

[thecruiseliner]

ABSOLUTELY right on !!!!

[thecruiseliner]

you nuts rep-bots hahaha.

lets see how reps vote when a discrecionary spending freeze bill comes to congress.... you talk, and never show.

just like you talk about religion and family unity....while you cheat your wives and divorce all over the place....

that pedestal you stand on is full of termites.

[thecruiseliner]

go forward. when reps start the filibuster, you have a press comference with the 51 votes for passage, have all raise their hands as a yes vote....publish it all over the USA and the world....headline:

congress hijacked by conservative nuts republicans....terror in the usa congress...

stopped democracy.

[castroy64]

So, cruise, you're Swiss and you're an O-bot.

Is Switzerland so bereft of heroes that you have to worship a U.S. President, and a failed U.S. President at that?

[tampabayproductions]

there's only a minute amount of Radical Progressives that want this fucked up bill. The Progressives in Congress are just trying to cram it through to get their earmarks passed. it's not about Health or care. it's about Earmarks and Obummer's legacy,

[thecruiseliner]

At times you just have to stop "over analysing" and just start, hammering, cutting, writing, acting, excercising, dancing, glueing, driving, figthing, designing.

there is a point when you put the pencil down and start to build.

[tampabayproductions]

I hope Rendell has his resume dusted off.

[thecruiseliner]

Absolutely right on.!!!

It takes 51 votes to pass. the 60 vote number is just for them to hijack the american decocratic process... well let the republicans be the terrorists they love to be.

Simple....imagine...after a few weeks of it on c-span...how stupid they will look?

americans are smart enough to see that.

it is a win win. DO it.

[castroy64]

Obama is now trying to sell himself as a "fiscal conservative".

I'm curious, is anyone dumb enough to buy Obama's latest spin?

[castroy64]

Hey Rendell, I hope that the Dems take your advice.

By the end of 2012, there will only be a couple of Dims left in Congress, and we'll have a Republican President getting ready to move into the White House. Got to love it! :)

[castroy64]

Rendell is the epitome of corruption.

[quizerry]

The problem with both bills is they more or less bailout insurance companies and will raise rate and healthcare cost. That isn't what reform is suppose to be. Allowing purchasing across state lines for all would give 17million access to affordable care while adding competition for insurance. That alone would have more effect then these 4000 pages of garbage.

[MrSTANDFORAMERICA]

The only way it would take only 51 votes is to send the senate bill "as is " back to the senate. if anypart of the senate bill in changed in any way. It then will take 60 votes.

But I like what he said to take us "to arms". it's almost time to start killing off these lazy socialist. And once it starts, there'll be no, "Ok I work, I'll shut up and stop trying to turn the USA socialist".

this time when the shooting starts, there's no stopping till every socialst is either dead or left the USA.

[DillonX]

I agree - put up the health care bill w/ the public option & let the filibuster begin.

[tkcomputerservice]

Rendell, If you want to do something historic, abolish the income tax and replace it with nothing.

That will give the American people, on average, 33% more money to spend on their health.

Rendell is a sudo-nazi and a loser.

What a maroon.

[idfa4]

Yeah, make something historic. Beautiful comment by this absolute MORON! He wants to pass something historic even if it bankrupts the nation. I thought the original idea was to insure those who can't afford insurance. It was also supposed to make it more affordable. The idiots in Washington have self proclaimed that their Bill would leave at least 25 million uninsured and everybody else would have their insurance premiums rise. Great FREAKING PLAN! What don't you get?

[kingGOTTi12349]

Why is the Obama Family the ONLY family in the US that doesnt have to abide by the new health care reform?

[milkgodnl]

What a great American and great Democrat is Gov. Rendell ! ..

[bittyrock]

The Democrats wont fight because they're Pussy.

[JerezJulio]

Herald Ford, give me a break.

Doesn't this loon knows that a traitor is always a traitor, he thinks that by siting with Republicans, the Republican will accept him, This show that being smart and articulate does not save anyone from being wrong. What a Funny.

He is the House Negro ofr the Democratic Party, Michael Steele should be happy he is not the only House Negro of the conservative movement.

[JerezJulio]

I agree, the democrats should let the Republican Filibuster healthcare for 6 month until the elections.

They also should make each senate section going uninterrupted, 24 hours 7 days a week and let is all go in CSpan for the American public to see the Circus Clown this Republican are.

These people have done more damage to American than any Terrorist Attack, Obama needs to get tough with these people, hold them accountable with real revere consequences.

[yakyakyak69]

Throw out Statist Progressive NeoCons & Democrat-Socialists.

BRING BACK Individual LIBERTY, Personal Responsibility, Limited Federal Gov't, Sound Money, FREE Competition between FREE States & among FREE people.

STOP Foreign Intervention & U.S. Imperialism with 737 US military bases occupying 130+ nations on Earth PRODUCING debt, hatred, resistance and Jihad!

NO Isolationism (FREE Trade NOT Manipulation) & keep Corporations OUT of the taxpayers pockets by ENDING Cronyism & Corporatism.

[wretcherwretch]

Stop copy-pasting crap.

[Eldrad235]

No guts no glory!

[Bunnicula71]

Amen, I've been saying this every time the filibuster stood in the way of something important.

Its time for the Democratic party to sack up. Obama needs to punch the GOP in the mouth. So far he's just lubed his own ass for them. If this is rope-a-dope, brother its time to start whipping them.

[JBeatty17]

Obama needs to stop being weak and start leading. The failure of health care legislation falls squarely on his shoulders. I think he should scrap this bill, shift the focus to jobs, and then take up the fight later on. Republicans and blue dogs will be much more reluctant to oppose reform when the economy is sound.

[2bRealist]

@JBeatty17

I get what your saying but...

We can't afford NOT to reform health care.. and every day that passes more people suffer and rich ceo's get richer.. it's a disgrace that can't go on any longer... we need to change this and change it as soon as possible.

[ScientologyStoners]

Yes we can afford to not to reform it... We dont have a trillion dollars. Today the debt is at 12.425 trillion dollars. We cant afford to add a trillion dollars to debt, in which we have to pay off. If the government cant get medicare right, in which its broke, we have trillions of dollars of liabilities to pay off with medicare, what makes you think that they can this right.

[shalcall]

According to the CBO, both health care bills, the one in the Senate and the one in the House are deficit neutral.

THEY WON'T ADD TO THE DEBT.

[ScientologyStoners]

We all know that government programs always have cost overruns. Medicare/Medicaid they said in the 60's would have cost 12 billion dollars total, now its 450 billion a year. It doesnt matter if its local, state or federal. If they say 1.2 trillion expect to cost 3-5 trillion. In Mass, which is a totally different thing - the Big Dig - the big huge infrastructure project was estimated to cost 1 billion now its 14 billion and the tunnels are falling apart.

[shalcall]

Medicare/Medicaid is very different than it was 60 years ago. Things have been added. Just ask the Republicans, who added Medicare part D, the prescription drug benefit, during the Bush Administration. They didn't even try to pay for it, and over 10 years it will add 750 Billion dollars to the defecit.

But all of a sudden, they're worried about cost overruns and deficit spending?

The Big Dig is an entirely different story.

[quizerry]

That is only if they cut medicare benefits which they won't actually do and if they stick to the budget which has never been done. And if their cost est. are even correct which they never are. Medicaid cost in its first 5 years was triple what they had est. it to be. Common sense and math is simple. You can't add 30 million people and save money or come out even.

[shalcall]

You can if you're making everyone pay for it. No one said that you're going to get something for nothing. A lot of people that aren't currently paying for health insurance would have to start paying for health insurance. That helps cover the cost.

[voyeurdug]

No guts, no glory.

[leftofcollegestation]

I want to watch Republicans stand on the Senate floor and make speeches for hours on why they are against health care for all Americans.

[TrollBuster9090]

Yep, I'd also like to see them filibuster the finance reform bills.

People tend to forget that actual filibustering doesn't stop legislation, it just slows it down. The Dixiecrats filibustered the Civil Rights Act for almost two months, and yet it passed eventually. While filibustering was in progress negotiations were going on behind the scenes.

Nothing gives you more incentive to compromise than standing on your feet for 12 hours reciting from the Federalist Papers.

[Richardgwm]

RECONCILIATION NOW!!!!

[TrollBuster9090]

Not that I should really be giving dumbass congressional Democrats advice, but the way to do this is:

1. Pass healthcare reform (healthcare exchange, cuts to Medicare part D, Medicare buy in at 50, and public option) through Reconciliation, since it involves budget changes.

2. Table a patients bill of rights in the Senate (like the old Dingle-Norwood bill, forbiding dropping clients when they get sick etc.) and let the GOP filibuster themselves into obscurity over it. Then pass it in 2011.

[TrollBuster9090]

Sorry, Dingell-Norwood.

HR2723, 106th Congress.

It passed in the House with overwhelming bi-partisan support, but got buggered up by lobbyists who pull the puppet strings in the Senate, as usual.

In a nutshell, it gave patients the right to sue their health insurance company for jerking them around. Thus, instead of bureaucrats, it would be the fear of lawsuits that keeps the HMOs in line.

govtrack. us/congress/bill. xpd?bill=h106-2723

[yanks1022]

So when's Harold Ford going to run on the republican ticket

[xTheOxx]

Yes! What all reasonable progressives have been calling for for weeks!

Let Republicans read the phone book for the status quo. Let's see what voters in their respective states and districts will think of that later this year.

[ebleyes]

Right on.

[bigc028282]

Iminforties and need to get out of moms basement, needs to get a clue. Nothing has changed from the lat administration. Every real agenda has escalated, and the Constitution has become a joke to these *ssholes.

[inmyforties]

the combination of obama and reid is a lethal one. they both are just decent people. they won't even engage in such fair game political games such as this. they want to do the "right" thing.. if hillary was still in the senate and was the leader of said senate, there would have been something on obama's desk to sign back in august of '09

[BigPurple121]

Randell = idiot

[437thx1138]

He's right. Make them go on C-SPAN and read the phone book and tell us how we don't need health-care reform.

Let them filibuster. I want to watch.

[SubmarinerAndroid]

No victory without struggle

[iknewitalready]

Bring it on.....yeah....that's my kind of guy! Fight the re-thug-licans

[baronmorris]

Harold Ford - you really turned out to be a turncoat douche. so glad you didn't get elected in TN and hope the same happens in NY.

Rendell - right on target!

LISTEN UP:

Without health care, no LIFE.

Without health care, no LIBERTY.

Without health care, no HAPPINESS.

Real Patriots support Universal Health Care!

VIVA OBAMA!

VIVA HEALTH CARE REFORM!

[shalcall]

That guy is twisting himself in so many directions up here in NY. First he was anti-choice when he was in Tennessee. Now that he's in NY, he's rethinking his position on abortion. He was against gay marriage, now he's rethinking that too.

Harold Ford is such a slimey politician.

[SanieClaws]

If you lose your office fighting for something, you were on the wrong side of the issue.

[baronmorris]

that's just about the stupidest thing I have read on the internet recently, and we both know that's saying a lot.

[SanieClaws]

I have to defend my comment.

If an elected official is thrown out of office because of the action he takes on behalf of his electorate, he has taken the unpopular position.

Taking an unpopular position does not always mean taking the wrong side of the issue. But surely you agree that, in a republic, the elected must reflect the views of his constituents, or else he must be replaced.

If replaced, either the public is wrong or the politician is. I side with the public, you side w/ politicians.

[baronmorris]

ur original comment goes further than that. It prescribes mere pandering to the majority as the highest aim of an elected official. If this maxim were universalized, & the majority voter concensus were relied upon to shape policy, there would still be slaves, women would not have the vote, & no other social progress would likely be possible. Leaders should lead, not follow, guided by a principle of fairness -this naturally ruffles feathers of the entrenched monied interests who then propagandize

[baronmorris]

spreading disinformation & inculcating fear, shaping the very majority concensus u suggest should be the ultimate compass of policy positions. When corporations & the wealthy can so deftly shape public opinion, a true leader, concerned for the welfare of ALL Americans, may often find themselves advocating positions that r less popular but more ethically sound. Hence a politician can obviously "lose their office fighting for something" and NOT be "on the wrong side of the issue."

check&mate. ;-)

[baronmorris]

I side with neither politicians nor the public, but with what is right, in the most humanitarian sense of the term. Sometimes the politician is right and the public is wrong. Sometimes the politican is wrong and the public is right. Which of the two has my support is entirely contextual.

Peace be with you. ;-)

[SanieClaws]

I'm glad to see you're an independent thinker and prolific writer.

But listen. I am convinced that in a Republic, it is not only the duty of an elected official to legislate the will of the people but also the most moral thing, even if the ppl support something but later consider it immoral (eg slavery).

This is the nature of a Republic, and it is what separates us from dictatorships, good or evil.

THE PEOPLE CHOOSE. And that's that. Otherwise, our leaders run our lives, and THAT's slavery.

[baronmorris]

I get what ur saying, but...

the people didn't choose to end slavery.

"Leaders running our lives" ended slavery.

The literal converse of ur figurative argument is well-known reality. It may be time to soften ur unyieldingly Black&White thinking, or set out to form ur own nation where the elected officials will be known as "Followers." ;-) In case u hadn't noticed, lots of people are fucking retarded. U would elect a Pres based entirely on obedience to the idiot mob. not a smart move.

peace

[SanieClaws]

Maybe I have too much faith in people.

But while I CAN imagine someone more fit to fun my life than me, I don't want it that way.

That's liberty.

[baronmorris]

thumbs up from me. just beware of blindly projecting your own competence onto other people. Not everyone is a fit judge of policy, that's why we have a process to elect people who are.

cheers. ;-)

[ONQproductions]

OF COURSE!!!