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Reid Cautiously Optimistic That Bill Will Be Ready By Recess
As if to underscore the extent to which the conservatives negotiating health care reform have slowed the process to a crawl, Harry Reid now sounds lukewarm about the prospects of getting a bill out of the Senate Finance Committee by the end of next week.
"I am still cautiously optimistic that we will get something out of the committee before this work period ends," Reid told reporters.
Contrasting this with his optimistic tone earlier this week, and keeping in mind that Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) is making a lot of demands and expressing doubt about the deadline, and you get a sense for how these negotiations have gone.
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Harry, it doesn't matter how many concessions you make to the Republicans. They're not going to vote for the bill anyway. They're just jerkin' yer root.
July 30, 2009 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can someone explain to me why Enzi has a seat at the table?
Earth to Reid: Enzi is going to vote against whatever bill you pass no matter what you do.
I keep thinking about Charlie Brown, Lucy and the football.
July 30, 2009 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Reid needs to resign his position if he can not drive the health care reform bill out of a Senate committee; let alone get the bill passed.
All in favor: say aye!
AYE!
July 30, 2009 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I
July 30, 2009 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
What about being in the MAJORITY does Reid not understand? They don't call the shots, we do.
July 30, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
If the House E&C COmmittee can get a bill out tomorrow I say go for it - this whole brouhaha over the public option changes is nothing compared to the Senate Finance disaster. Get the House ready to go to the floor and tell the SFC to take a hike - the Senate can vote on the House bill as is or vote on the HELP bill and go to conference, leave Baucus and his "bipartisan" buddies in the dust.
July 30, 2009 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
PLEEEZE! How in the world can we get rid of Harry Reid??? I guess he doesn't mind Baucus and Enzi (who is not even in his caucus) making a total liar and fool out of him. (Last week, Majority Leader Harry Reid said "We will definately have a bill out of the Finance Committee before the August recess"). Now, a Republican, Enzi, is telling everyone who will listen (the Press, the blogs, his fellow Republicans, etc.), that the bill cannot be voted out of Committee until the fall! AND, that he will not vote for it unless the final bill is completely unchanged! What? First of all, Baucus looks like a damnned fool, and Reid looks like an even bigger fool!
Really, what would it take to get rid of Reid? I almost hope he is defeated in the 2010 election, so we can get another leader (providing the populace re-elects Democrats) even if we have to have another Republican from Nevada. He is the absolute WORST majority leader in my lifetime.
July 30, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Its obvious the "Gang of 6", particularly Baucus, Conrad, Grassley, and Snowe (all heath insurance industry owned) are trying to kill any effort to reform heath insurance. They are doing that by the old bait and switch tactic. Delay, Delay, Delay, hold it out there, hold it out there, then, either don't present a bill out of committee (we failed; sorry), or present one no real Democrat in their right minds could vote for (no public option; at all).
Something needs to be done about the "Gang of 6". Bypass that committee if you have too. Somehow, someway.
The Co-Op abomination that its looking like is going to come out of that process is dead on arrival anyway.
July 30, 2009 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink