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Waxman Says There May Be No Alternative To Bypassing His Committee
House Energy and Commerce chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) says his panel's Blue Dogs must relent, or he and leaders will move health care legislation directly to the floor, bypassing the committee altogether.
This morning, he told reporters that Blue Dogs are trying to "eviscerate" the landmark legislation. "I won't allow them to hand over control of our committee to Republicans," Waxman said.
"I dont see what other alternative we have, because we're not going to let them empower Republicans on the committee."
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
If they can get a majority for the bill on a floor vote, this might be the best option.
To be honest, I didn't even know that it was an option until yesterday.
July 24, 2009 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good.
It's extremely encouraging to hear a Democrat say, point-blank, that the Lap Dogs are trying to empower the Republicans.
Harry Reid? That's how it's done.
July 24, 2009 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
How likely is it to get Waxman into the Senate to replace Harry Reid? I guess it's a pipe dream, but it would still be nice...
July 24, 2009 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
He'd have to replace either Boxer or DiFi first, since he's from CA. Boxer is fine; DiFi's seat won't be available until 2012.
July 24, 2009 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would jump at the chance to support a primary challenger to Feinstein.
July 24, 2009 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have grown to hate DiFi and her centrist bullshit. She is virtually invincible in this state however so dream on ......
On the other hand, Waxman is my congressman and I love him! He is a good strong liberal from the best progressive part of LA. He gets it.
July 24, 2009 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not so sure. After she voted for Mukasey, she lost a lot of people like me. Plus, her comment earlier this year about not caring about what her constituents think pushed even more people into the anti-DiFi camp.
If she continues down this path--voting for the F-22, for instance--she could find herself up against some pretty formidable primary competition, should she choose to run.
July 24, 2009 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope she does have a tough primary. There is certainly a lot of room on the left to chip away. The problem always is like Lieberman and Spector that they can sit in the middle and get to 51% without having to be clearly for or against anything. It is infuriating that the most insincere of political opportunists get so much power in a zero sum voting game. The whole Blue Dog blackmail thing is sinking healthcare like a rock.
July 24, 2009 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have to love Waxie.
To CT Voter, I don't think Senate rules allow the bill to skip Finance and go straight to the floor. We're stuck with Bacaus and the bullshit game.
John
July 24, 2009 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
My hope for representative government rests with Waxman and Bernie Sanders. Barney Frank used to be on that list but not so much anymore.
Paul Wellstone was my hero. As old as a I am, I still cried when he died. I still have a postcard from him thanking me for a campaign donation I sent. I'm in Pa. but he was the first politician I ever donated money to.
July 24, 2009 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wellstone was great! I was visiting DC when he died and the flags at the Capitol were flown half-mast for him. I saluted and I cried for the good man that left too soon and the country that was headed to misery without his ideas of progressive common sense. I went to college in southern Minnesota a short drive from where Wellstone was teaching before he ran for Senate. Some of the most thoughtful, honest, hardworking, generous, and happy people I have ever known live in those small midwestern college towns. That is why Obama won Iowa. Those people made it happen, and Al Franken is the answer to a lot of prayers from a lot of broken hearts in Minnesota.
Peace.
July 24, 2009 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do it ...no more screwing around with these dirtballs
July 24, 2009 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Time to get WAXED!!!!!
July 24, 2009 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
absolutely, bypass them. seems like a no-brainer. we have to take the power out of the hands of legislators who abuse that power.
holding up health care for the American public for petty political reasons is an abuse of power. plain and simple.
July 24, 2009 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love it! Call 'em out, Henry!
July 24, 2009 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I keep coming back to that awesome graphic of Barack from the campaign. "Chill out, I got this."
I've been thinking about that image a lot these days. I am, frankly, maybe a little too confident in the political process, but this posting feeds my sentiment that Barack, Emmanuel, Waxman, etc, THEY GOT THIS. No single Blue Dog or small group of House Blue Dogs -- and definitely not the wingnuts -- are going to bully these fine public servants.
I believe we WILL get something. It will be signed. It will be a victory.
I feel that way specifically about the time schedule of the lawmaking. Imho, by fall we will have this.
And I also feel that way about the recent Gates comments. My initial reaction was, like many Dems, "oh no." But now I am inclined to think that it was planned by Obama for two reasons: 1) set the trap for the racist bigots in the gop and 2) to actually get the country discussing race relations. Both of these positives cancel out the negative of one or two news cycles dipping into the "Obama shouldn't have said that" pool. Not the least of which, also, at a time when the health care plan simply needs to be worked out by the congresscritters (it IS their job, not the Prez), we can fill the airwaves with discussion about race that moves the country forward and at the same time marginalizes the racist core of the Republican Party.
Am I too optimistic, or is anyone else feeling the same way?
July 24, 2009 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am inclined to agree with you. I think Obama thinks many many steps ahead, kind of like a chess player. I am sure he knew he'd be asked about the Gates/Crowley dust-up and I don't think his response was off-the-cuff. He knew whatever he said would be dissected and torn apart by the right wingnuts and talking heads. If Rush goes off like he usually does, it just shows more and more how bigoted and racist the base of the party of "no" is. And if the republican politicians go off on Obama, they look racist too. The race problem will never be "solved"--but a good airing of opinions and feelings is always healthy, and maybe that's what Obama intended when he responded. And hopefully it can move the country forward
As for health care--fall is fine with me, as long as it gets done.
July 24, 2009 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Many steps ahead? I think that's wishful thinking. I thing he's in way over his head and has not realized president of the United States is a different job than campaigning or serving in the state legislature. He got rolled by Wall Street (or is corrupt) and he's in the process of getting rolled by the health insurance companies (or is corrupt).
Nothing wrong with the remark about Gates, though. The Villagers won't forgive him for it, but it was just common sense. Glad to see he's not backing away from it.
July 24, 2009 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. the president is in over his head allright. That explains why he's passed the biggest, most progressive budget in 40 years and why he got through the stimulus.
Also explains why he's made more progress on healthcare than anybody.
Yes. He's really in over his head.
July 24, 2009 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thing he's in way over his head and has not realized president of the United States is a different job than campaigning or serving in the state legislature.
Wow. Just wow. I guess we've just had a whole series of miracles occur, given how far Obama is in over his head.
July 24, 2009 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a Festivus MIRACLE!
July 24, 2009 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's certainly one way of looking at these issues. I don't think the Gates situation is going to die down, not with the police now asking Obama for an apology. For someone who is extremely careful with his statements, his comments were surprising--maybe this will just draw the crazies out further into the light, and that will be a net positive overall. But I think Obama's going to take a hit on this, and that could have an impact on his ability to convince Congress to pass healthcare reform.
I'm optimistic that once Obama has a bill to sell, he'll do an outstanding job. That's why I wasn't terribly disappointed that his statements about healthcare at the intro of the presser were somewhat vague. He can't be more specific until he has something to sell.
But he has to get to that point. The Gates made-up controversy isn't going to help, even if its completely unrelated.
On the plus side, though, is that I imagine the Gates situation is just going to solidify Hispanic support even more.
July 24, 2009 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the reply. The one thing I would add about the Gates thing -- actually two related things: Gates' lawyer has been digging on Crowley's past and from what I'm reading they are heavily hinting that there's some sketchy details about his treatment of blacks in the past. I don't know anything substantively, but that's my impression.
And the second related piece was buried on the last graph of the last page of the article on the Gates dust-up on MSNBC. Seems the black community in Cambridge has been sensitive to poor treatment by the CAPD for some time now. Methinks more than anything, THIS is what triggered the response from Prof Gates. What we in the national audience couldn't know, Professor Gates was probably living with on the day-to-day (that there is some building sentiment within the black community there that they are being treated unfairly).
Here's the graph that I'm referring to:
I'd love to see more reporting on this, but only if it doesn't detract from the health care "debate".
July 24, 2009 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, healthcare reform is in danger because Obama commented on the Gates arrest.
Don't try so hard.
July 24, 2009 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, it's not in danger because Obama commented on Gates, but it might be in danger because the Administration is forced to talk about that rather than about healthcare. How many questions do you think Gibbs will continue to get about this, particularly since the Cambridge police are now demanding an apology?
Every minute spent talking about Gates is a minute not spent goading reluctant Democrats into supporting reform. It was, and will continue to be, an avoidable distraction.
July 24, 2009 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. What Gibbs talks about matters only to the politicos.
2. It might be good to take a break from commenting on healthcare in the media.
3. The majority of arm twisting goes on behind closed doors, not in the echo chamber.
4. Obama and others understand that we lost congress in 94 because Democrats didn't deliver. These reluctant dems will sacrifice themselves, not save themselves, by blocking Obama. They're making that case to them right now.
July 24, 2009 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the optimism. I need it. I actually do tend to agree with you on the Gates comment. Obama is not gaffe prone and his comments didn't appear to be all that off-the-cuff. This is a guy who navigated the Rev Wright mess and gave one of the finest and most insightful speeches on race relations in decades. He must have known he was stirring up something and he may have felt it would be useful as a teaching moment.
As for Waxman: Give 'em hell, Henry!
July 24, 2009 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Henry....love seeing you speak the truth to these blue dogs who are just flea bags!
July 24, 2009 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's good to see some strength for a change. These guys are running an extortion racket. Expose them for who they are.
July 24, 2009 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Waxman was able to cut a deal with rural Democrats on energy. It was tough but he did it.
If he's saying bypass his committee, he must know that the blue dogs are not negotiating in good faith.
Give 'em hell, Henry!
July 24, 2009 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't you get the feeling courage is like talent? You have it or you don't. Waxman, you got it. Reid, never had it never will.
July 24, 2009 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is that finally the sound of Democrats opening up their rusty zippers and showing their balls?
I thought we'd find Bin-Laden first.
While they are at it, somebody smack Mary Landrieu in the mouth.
July 24, 2009 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's an interesting thought that Obama controlled the media by giving them something to headline other than, "Is Obama's Healthcare Failing?" I thought it was out of character of Obama to make such a strong statement about the police officer, but I figured he was tired from long hours and he's human afterall. But it does seem possible that Obama might have set the media up.
No doubt when he scheduled the news conference Obama thought he'd have something more positive to report. The Gates story gave Obama two days to come up with something good to report on health care before the weekend talk shows. And it exposed how shallow the media can be, as well as exposing again the Republican's pathetic platform of discrimation against the "white man."
And with a lawsuit being filed, the city will close down the media's access to the policeman.
July 24, 2009 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is this 100% good news though? The Roll Call report said that one of the deals they're abandoning with the Blue Dogs is the independent commission to set prices for Medicare. Krugman's column today said that such a commission was pretty great news.
July 24, 2009 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink