Here he comes to save their day: Harry Reid shills for anti-healthcare reform Dems
By John Amato Friday Jul 17, 2009 8:00am(Here's some info on the ads by OFA)
Those poor poor Democrats in Congress who want to block the public option. They can't face the heat so they are whining to Harry Reid. And Reid then scolds the DNC for "wasting their money" on ads that target them.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) slammed the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Thursday for running ads designed to pressure centrist Democrats into supporting the president’s healthcare plan, calling the effort a “waste of money.”
Reid’s comments sent his staff into damage control mode, as they sought to clarify his remarks, but also reflect a growing frustration among those centrists who have been reluctant to back a government-run health insurance plan at the center of President Obama’s healthcare proposal. Liberals have been urging centrists to support such a plan for months, using various television and radio campaigns to try to force their hand. This week a wing of the DNC announced it would run television ads in states represented by centrist senators.Reid slammed the DNC for targeting Democrats instead of Republicans or special interest groups that traditionally oppose Democratic policies.
“I think it’s a waste of money,” Reid said when asked about the ads. “Democrats running ads against Democrats?”
First of all they are not centrist. That's a bogus word to try and muddle the issue. Dems like Blue America's target Blanche Lincoln, Evan Bayh, Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu and all the rest are Conservative Dems. Health care is not a right/left issue, but an American issue. Standing in the way of real reform makes one a republican obstructionist at this time and not a centrist. And Harry Reid should be careful who he backs in this fight. These ads came with a blessing from the White House so is he going against the President now? You're supposed to be the majority leader so if they come whining to you again just tell them to act like Democrats.
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Agreed. I was annoyed earlier when I read something that called conservative Democrats "moderates." They aren't moderate and they aren't centrist. They are conservative on many issues and vote that way.
The way the MSM calculus works seems to be if a politician were extreme left wing on some issues and extreme right wing on others, that would average out to centrist or moderate -- both of which would be extremely misleading.
I always describe myself as 'liberal on some things, conservative on others,' but that doesn't mean I'm a centrist by any stretch of the word.
But this dysfunctional 'going along to get along' stuff that Reid and Pelosi pull all the time has got to stop.
Hold breath.
And die.
It's not going to happen, especially with Reid. That's why last fall when everyone was wailing about Lieberman (who sucks), I wrote to bloggers, Senators, and anyone who would listen, asking them to start agitating to dump Reid as Majority Leader. Not a peep. Lot's of wasted verbiage and gnashing of teeth about Lieberman (who sucks, but in the end is more or less irrelevant), but silence on Reid.
Obama really seems to love invertebrates and apparently is quite happy with Reid -- for reasons I can't understand unless Obama doesn't want to get his own agenda enacted into law. Based on many of Obama's appointments, I think he is a terrible judge of personnel. That's a serious flaw in a president.
In truth, I think Obama is too removed from ownership of what is supposed to be his agenda. It's one thing to be willing to listen to others' ideas, and quite another to think that all ideas are more or less equal.
So, please, don't hold your breath waiting for Reid to grow a spine.
I never said REID had to stop.
I say we dump both of them and find someone with some fire and spinal fortitude. We need someone like Lyndon Baines Johnson, who may not have been the most liberal or sharpest knife around, but he could herd Congress quite nicely.
We need to get rid of the Blue and so called Centrist which is another name for republicans and most do not have the guts to give their names. This is why the meet with the so-called centrist-republicans in private so no one can tag them... Centrist democrats has become a new name for democrats which are republicans to run on the democrat ticket...
Their is no way that a democrat should be voting to transfer wealth and power to the Global Empires...
If we do not start today to find replacements in the coming elections for the republican democrats ,,, then we will never again have any say in the democrats decisions on the policies passed.
Every election their are more republicans being elected into our democrat leaders..
They go to the Dr.and NEVER receive a bill! Get the corps out of this...1.4 million aday spent by lobbyists to block 'single payer'..CONGRESS LIKES THEIR HEALTHCARE BECAUSE IT IS SINGLE PAYER---THE TAX PAYER!!!!!.
The VA and the medicare is single payer!!!
Call your congress person...1.800.828.0498 tell them to do the work and not be given a plan by the President...that they can shoot down..Congress writes the bills-- the President directs but NEVER WRITES IT! This is chickenshi$ Congress trying to pass the buck and' pull a palin' Get elected-- blame someone else if things go arye and quit if it gets too hot..Both repub and Dems!
This in the reason that the republicans sent so much money to defeat Senate leader Daschle in his bid for re-election (who knows that the election was not like that of Bush's win)..
Harry Reid has no backbone , no fight and all we hear from Reid is words that do not mean ....
We have to plan before the re-election comes up to defeat these republicans that have won their office by running on the democrat ticket.
This is the reason the extreme right wing republican party can get by with their lies , BS , attacks and propaganda on the true democrats now is because they really have the majority in the senate and close to it in the house with their republicans which claim to be democrats.
How in the h... can Pelosi and Feinstein keep winning in California with their record when it comes to the important issues.
We know that Feinstein's husband made out very well with his connection in the war contracts given out by Bush/Cheney and with the ok votes from Feinstein..
We can complain all we wish on these web sites , but until we take action to fund and support a new true democrat candidate to replace them their numbers will just keep growing..
These elected officials know that we are hurting and are in serious trouble with the outsourcing of jobs , wealth and other polices but are proving they really do not give a s... about us , but their own income , keeping on the good side of these Global Empire and to be re-elected...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDW7-zgZ9Tc
I am thoroughly unimpressed with Democratic leadership in the persons of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.
..Unimpressed, definitely.
No spines, definitely!
Obama loves invertebrates, hilarious definitely.
... he'd insist on having his shoelaces tied together before starting.
The only reason you have Democrats going off the reservation is because there's no one with a firm hand heading up the caucus.
And, really, Senator, it's not just a lack of leadership, these clowns are spitting in your face and daring you to do something, anything - but you haven't got the spine, you haven't got the balls, and you haven't got the BRAINS to do a proper job of it.
Harry Reid reinforces the whole "democrats are wimps" argument and Pelosi? I prefer to think Nancy Pelosi was a victim of NSA blackmail rather than a spineless politician but I'm not so sure anymore.
It makes you wonder where he got the balls to become leader in the first place.
... when we assumed that a conservative mormon and a San Francisco socialite would be in charge of "fighting" for the interests of the common man (and woman)...
The joke is on all of us, unfortunately.
This is what happens when a goofball like Harry Reid keeps getting re-elected year after year. Same with Pelosi.
Eventually father time buys them these coveted appointments. That's the rules of the club.
Which is why Pelosi, Feinstein, Boxer and most other entrenched members of the Senate and House will continue to be re-elected. Those savvy voters in their districts want to keep those powerful subcommittee and committee chairmanships.
Politics as usual. And even if the Progressive wing of the Democratic Party works it's freakin' ass off for the next ten years it will barely make a dent. Because the American people are sheeple.
Most American high schools and colleges have taught us WHAT to think, not HOW to think.
Time to check when Reid is up for re-election and start saving my pennies for his opponent to get this cretin out of office. I, for one, have had enough of his mewling.
...he doesn't come up for re-election again until 2012.
Right now, polls show him being less popular with voters than ultra-adulterer Ensign. His approval rating is in the twenties I think.
Apart from immediate family members, who else could possibly think he's doing a good (or even barely adequate) job? So, I've got to conclude that Nevada is like all states -- there are plenty of really stupid people to respond to polls.
...I am sure he just doesn't actually give a shit anymore. He's old enough now to
do as much damage....make as much money...pay off old political favors...finish his last term andremove the corporate c*ck from his mouthretire in comfort.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C570byQCLpI&fe...
is a school-trained lawyer. Does he not get the fact that the Republicons will not be able to be persuaded to support just about anything the administration would like done? The Republicons have done nothing but obstruct and incite racism and sexism within their base. The DNC is right in this case is quite correct to target the errant alleged "Democrats." Since they have that (D) behind their names, they should be standing for what the majority of the people want done. Of course, the Republicons should be too, but at this point they are too bitter and whacked to even bother with. We already know what their mind sets are.
You scumbag, Harry. You have no idea what it's like to work in the modern workplace, in which everyone is a contractor without health benefits. You in your cushy DC office with the best healthplan on earth. This is the way the world works. We are a nation of temps and contractors. The workplace no longer provides much in the way of health care, nor should they. Support a public option, but what you should really do is deprive yourself of your own health insurance until we can all have that level of care. With Democrats like you, who needs Republicans.
$99 to join, then a flat monthly rate of $39 to $119, depending on age and level of service. Patients can quit without notice and no one is rejected for pre-existing conditions.
??
The centrist position is to support a robust public option. Anything other is out of the mainstream.
How can we dump Harry Reid?
Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are Republicans, not Democrats.
You guys don't really believe we are going to get ANY sort of meaningful health care reform, do you? I sure don't. But I guarantee what we WILL get is a lot of self-congratulatory back slapping and grandstanding from the congress that will actually have brought us nothing.
So you can sound cool? So you can wag your finger and say "I told you so?" What are you doing to bring out single-payer or at least a public option? What actions have you taken today? This week? This month? Activism of the keyboard doesn't count, by the way. So get active or STFU.
Some of us DO get active and out in the streets.
I have called my congressman (Trent Halliburton Franks) and senators (McCain and Kyl) who's staff people sound quite patronizing.
I get nowhere.
I suggest that one should bear in mind that people are really hurting out here.
Please let me know when your actions have changed the system...
What're you doing?
Whoa. I'm active with Democrats Abroad and dialogue with conservatives online and off. Not that any of us have to explain it to you.
He's quite a ways to the right of that as he's shown again and again these past few years. Why anyone would expect anything differnt then shilling for the conservatives is beyond me.
Rest assured that he and Pelosi in the House will insure that the health insurance, medical, and pharmicuetical industries are very pleased with the "reform" that they pass. Expect forced insurance with no public option and an increase in insurance premiums, med costs, and care costs. Someone has to pay for all that administration and fraud! And that someone is us, the American worker. And by the way those 'administrators' and fraudsters like LOTS of money, gotta have extra to bribe Congress ya know.
...is also wrong. By their acts, they are not Democrats. They're corrupt, corporatist prostitutes, essentially indistinguishable from Republican. Reid once again shows his ass. He's one of the DINO's who should be targeted for replacement.
BTW, I wish the term "centrist" would stop being used to describe alleged Democrats. They are anything but centrists. The center of this nation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and the centrist constituency is the People. The douchebags who are being described as "centrists" appear to never have read the former and, by their consistant actions, seem to hold the later in contempt. These crooks seem to have confused the corporations and lobbyists that have bought and paid for them for the People, and the self-serving and rapacious greed that motivates them for our national ideals. It ill serves us when jouralists fail to make that distinction, and bestowing an innocuous label of "centrist" on these politicians accords them a legitimacy they can never deserve.
Blue Dogs my butt - this isn't about political philosophy. These are "Green Dogs" whose positions are determined by how much money they're getting.
I'd like to see a chart comparing how much lobbying money various Democratic senator received from the Health Care lobby, versus their positions on health care reform (and I've tried to figure it out using Opensecrets.org but can't quite get it to sort the information clearly enough). I strongly suspect that opposition to a public option is directly related to the amount of money they've been bribed with by the health care industry.
We need campaign finance reform, so that bribing Congress can once again be illegal.
Since the foxes are in charge of the chicken house, the only way we'll probably ever see campaign finance reform (and the only way to do that is make federal money the only legal way to finnce campaigns) is for the justice department to start prosecuting these crooks, based upon a pattern of quid pro quo-based bribery and on influence peddling crimes. The crooks are never going to derail their own gravy train.
Actually? I kind of think REAL CFR could pass. I know I know, crazy dreamer.
But the way I look at it, I don't think Representatives enjoy being servants of their corporate lobbyists. I don't even think Congress enjoys all the groveling and fundraising they have to do all the time. We're talking BIG egos, forced to kowtow for money.
I'm hopeful that by electing representatives committed to CFR over time, and by appealing to both the egos and the idealism of existing representatives, that a robust CFR bill COULD pass Congress.
Because CFR is the one case where reps could finally defy their corporate masters without fear of repercussion. The establishment of robust public campaign funding, with no outside contributions, would free legislators from their enslavement to lobbying groups. And it would free up their lives to be something other than constantly begging for cash.
I agree it would be a hard fight, but no harder than health care reform, and more likely I think to succeed. The main opposition would of course be lobbying firms, as well as those Congresspeople who only sought office with an eye towards a lucrative career in lobbying afterwards.
On the other hand if we DON'T pass CFR, we'll never get Democracy back in this country. We'll remain a nation run by corporations for corporations.
The only supermajority which will help us plebians is
a supermajority of Greens/Socialists.
In other words, "not in my lifetime."
I would recommend the progressive and average Dems in the caucus kick his ass out. I recommend Feingold.
Are we really to believe these Dems fighting to hold up legislation on health care reform are SO concerned about keeping the costs down? Most citizens fight against raising taxes on them, but healthcare reform is an issue that not only the majority of people support but have also stated they would be willing to pay a little more to get it done.
Our monetary system has become so distorted and our politicians so deep in corruption, that what we are seeing in this debate on healthcare is the corporatocracy fighting to maintain its grasp over the citizens.
They're not even centrist, though. Some are outright conservative, while others are establishmentarian, making them conservative by default, at least in this case. Nor are they any more coherent - they opposes cost controls, then whine about costs.
housing boom where people can pull equity out of their homes for cars, home improvements and a dial-up health care.
How's that for a winner?
ourselves for free.
With roots and herbs!
Neo Feudalism forever!
all one needs to do is cut out large pizza's, steaks, pop and corn syrup products . . 80% of the "standard" U.S. diet and you'll be fine.
While changing the diet is beneficial, I still have to breathe all the toxic air pollution because of the deregulation on environmental standards. To me it is all a crap shoot at this point.
Carpe Diem rings loud and clear.
Post hydro carbon man will have none of those things.
As for me, I'm a vegan.
A poor one and it was a total freak out at the store yesterday.
Things were up 10 - 20%. So I bought extra lentils.
Me too
Vegans are all I eat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ozk7fnKilU
The public option!?
You mean one which might start in 2013?
That public option?
Barf!
Single payer!
But, but the world ends in 2012!
As Agent 86 would say, "Missed it by that much. Sorry about that, Chief!"
Worse than merely a loser, Harry Reid is actively undermining the progressive spirit of the Democratic party.
We can sure do better than Harry Reid.
This advertisement paid for by a pissed off liberal.
The Democrats could have 70 seats and that spineless f-ck Harry Reid would still find a reason to pander and kowtow to the 30% Repugs. Boot those GOP-lite Dems, Ben Nelson and Landrieu the f-ck out.
and Reid would still be there obstructing them. If the Dems won ALL congressional districts by say, 70%, Reid would use the excuse of serving the interests of the 30% who lost the elections... Reid and Pelosi are TERRIBLE and need to be replaced. Immediately.
..if anything truly substantial gets accomplished. "Centrist" Dems (in the center of what, exactly?), ineffectual Dems leaders (with leaders like this, who needs leaders?)and an Obama who only wants to "look forward" means losing votes in 2010. When Democratic voters become apathetic, Republicans pounce. Trust me, next time Republicans come to power all hell will break loose, making the Bush administration seem like Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood.
http://jezebel.com/5317030/anonymous-internet...
Bravo, brave Walrus!
That was pretty funny.
Now off to "Men Who Look Like Old Lesbians" to suggest they add Mitch McConnell, too. McConnell is the spitting image of an old lesbian friend I have in Canada.
when you were a kid? If you did you'd know that some kids thought that the more cards you had the better your collection. They didn't understand about the quality of the card and that was damned useful come trading time when a two for one offer could get you a prized rarity. Harry Reid strikes me as one of those kids who didn't get it. For him it's all about quantity and not about quality.
Snake oil salesman √
And when he is out of oil... he will sell you a snake that you can use for your health-care! It's plain as day what makes him tic. Pack it up harry, I can reid you like a book, chapter and verse!
Start an advertisement, exposing him... I got $50 put aside :)
Centrists ? These guys are not center , they are Repugs , lobbyist loving self serving whores who need to be purged from the Democratic party . As for Reid , the guy is gutless and unprincipled , another self serving wimp . There needs to be new and strong no nonsense leadership in the Democratic party , until then the Dems will continue to self destruct and self sabotage and eventually will screw themselves . I swear they will do more to revive the Republican party than the Repugs themselves .
If the pressure from constituents and the DNC wasn't having some impact, Dirty Harry and the conservicrats would't be squealing.
That's it 100%. It occurred to me, reading Reid's response, that it was nothing so much as the bleating of a spoiled child who's been misbehaving for years and finally got his first paddlin'! LOL!!!
Health care with an affordable public option is an issue ALL Democrats should support. I too wish the press would stop calling these obstructionists moderates or centrists because they are neither- They are corporatist Democrats influenced by the corporate powers that be.
Amy Goodman's interview yesterday with a (reformd) HMO PR hack is worth a listen.
Wendell Potter is a new national hero.
It takes a lot of guts to come out and bite so hard the hand that feed so well.
The audio is here
Amy Goodman's column in Truthdig is here
Thx for linking,
btw I didnt mean to say he is still a hack...
He was impressive.
the "waste of money" is any donation made to you
Give it another year
OTOH Harry doesn't mind the $1 million a day the insurance industry is "wasting" right now to lobby Congress.
If that weren't true, someone would've attempted to change the leadership after the election. Obama didn't do it, and neither did Feingold, Kucinich, or any of the other alleged *progressives* in the Senate and House. They were all basically satisfied with the current leadership, and given how Reid and Pelosi are enabling the GOP, it's fairly obvious the whole party is now nothing more than a subsidiary of the GOP.
I don't agree. I think that the good folks - Kucinich, Feingold, etc. - know they don't have the votes to throw out the hacks and are using their time more wisely.
Or it could be they're waiting 'til it gets so bad that even those loyal to Pelosi and Reid realize a change is needed.
There are some good Dems, just not nearly enough!
If Reid is angry, he must be talking about Democrats. Strangely enough, no matter how hyperbolic or toxic the right gets in their attacks of Democrats and liberals, Reid never raises his voice or has an unkind word for the right. His harshest (relatively speaking for Reid, that is) criticisms and admonitions always seem to be directed at us, his BOSSES...
I don't normally think like this, but I'm coming around to the notion that If Harry Reid doesn't like something, there must be something to it! So let's keep the pressure on!
The Democrats in Congress aren't used to actually being held to any kind of standard of accountability by liberals or Democrats. They're not used to it and they don't like it. TOO BAD! You took an oath to do the job -- so DO it!
Can someone explain why there are no term limits for these hucksters?
1986? ...
Seriously
2 terms and you're out. I'd even give them a chance to run again after taking a one term break. Congress was never intended by the Framers to be a lifetime position.
going to vote against any Congressperson that does not give us a strong, single payer health care reform bill.
Here's a video interview with Obama's personal physician who had been invited to attend ABC's Town Hall Forum on Health Care. A few days later he was "disinvited". He supports Single Payer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biTdTvg6K7w
from wiki: (Foley did not believe my letter when I wrote to him warning him of his impending demise. Why? He ignored his constituents.)
Thomas Stephen Foley (born March 26, 1929 in Spokane, Washington) is an American politician of the Democratic Party, having served as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and ambassador to Japan. He served in the United States Congress from 1965 to 1995. His thirty-year career in Congress was notable for its length and for his steady climb up the ranks of the Congressional and party leadership. However, his defeat in the 1994 Congressional elections made him the first sitting Speaker since 1860 not to win re-election to Congress.
A capitalist pig to the core, this republican has gotten through many a door using the good name of Tom Foley the Speaker of the House, a Democrat. What a scum sucking rat ba*turd:
http://www.tomfoley2010.com/about/
Because I'm Mighty Weak, but what the hey!
Reid is typical of the gutless wonders of Congress who revel in the status quo and are more than happy to defer the heavy lifting of tough decisions to furure generations. Somehow, they think that there is some magic solution that will shield them from all risk and endear them with the voters. They can't be bothered to take any risk because they are terrified of their corporate masters and fear the voters won't love them anymore.
These political yellow bellies need to get a clue and realize that sending an IOU to the future is no longer an option. The voters want decisive action now, and sorry Harry, that involves taking some risk. So tell your cowardly colleagues to get their ass in gear before the voters throw you out to the curb. As for you---you'll do it if you have the courage to lead---if you don't---GET OUT of public service! Lead, stand aside, or get out of the way.
Harry Reid is a doormat.
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