Pelosi: Dems Will Defeat Medicare Bill ( you go )

[Noordam]

AP NEWS

November 19, 2003
Pelosi: Dems Will Defeat Medicare Bill
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 6:09 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that Democratic opposition to a Republican-backed Medicare prescription drug bill is ``a party position,'' signaling an aggressive effort to unite the rank-and-file, scuttle the bill and claim credit with voters.

``This bill is wrong and when the public sees what's in this bill, I think it's going to be a negative to have voted for it,'' the California Democrat said in an interview squeezed between public appearances and private appeals designed to defeat the measure.

Nine Democrats voted for GOP-crafted legislation in June, and the party's leader said some ``may have mitigating regional concerns'' prompting them to vote in favor of the House-Senate compromise.

At the same time, Rep. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., third-ranking in the leadership, said Pelosi has made it clear she expects Democrats to oppose the bill, ``and she expects that if you can't be of that position, you come tell her why you can't be of that position.''



..more at article...

[jpgray]

1. Go Nancy! This is a big issue, and I'll cheer them for taking it on

When the Dems don't crawl under a rock for a vote, when they actually stand up and fight, I'll cheer them every time.

[ninkasi]

2. It's a horrible bill...

and deserves to be defeated. I hope AARP repudiates it's endorsement; they will lose members over this, believe me.

[0007]

8. 'Tis a horrible bill!

AARP should be ashamed. I have written but yet to hear from 'em.

[Upfront]

13. Cancel Your Membership

Only way to hurt the Rethug who is running AARP now. I did, and mam am I happy I did. Please join me and thousands more who canceled.

[mbperrin]

14. We cancelled! And gave them an eyefull

in an email!

Called, too! But better to double up!

[denverbill]

3. I agree it's a shitty bill, but.......

I think this is exactly what the Republicans want.

"We tried to give you seniors a prescription drug benefit, but the obstructionist Democrats wouldn't let us!!"

I'm think they should have voted for it and tried to go back and fix the damned thing later.

[soothsayer]

4. you mean like they've done with the Patriot Act?

best not to let bad bills get in.

Force the repukes hand, and make 'em come up with something decent.


Otherwise they'll have to allow that 'drugs from Canada' option again.

[aquart]

5. NEVER.

Cowardice is always the worst option. We're always the ones being reasonable so we get NOTHING. They don't even let us into the meetings anymore, just present us their finish product and say Take it or Leave it. LEAVE IT.

It's time for the Democrats to become the rock and the hard place.

[Cha]

6. Nah! Too bad what they say about "obstruction".

We ain't buying that anymore. We'll counteract with "Yeah ...we'll block anything that is as bad for seniors as that bill!"

[GinaMaria]

7. If they can't be of that position

they should come and tell seniors why. I think Nancy and the other Democrats in the senate need to hear our thoughts. If you haven't already, please send a message to your senators stating your position on this bill.

Peace,
GinaMaria

[Guaranteed]

9. GOOD job, Nancy!

We need to see more of this from the Democrats, and Nancy.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. I hope she's right.

And possibly she may succeed if extreme right-wingers agree to defeat it, even if it is for the wrong reasons. They think it doesn't go far enough.

[goforit]

11. Whoo hooo Pelosi!!!!.........Bring it on girl!!!!........NO FEAR!!!!!

:bounce:

[dusty64]

12. Let this be known as

the time when the Democratic leadership finally realized they have been at war and will start to fight back. If they stick together it appears the other party is starting to fall apart. The attempts to gut Medicare and Social Security MUST be stopped. The insane and deadly corporate welfare energy plan MUST be stopped. It can be done and I'm starting to get hopeful that it will.

[demdave]

15. This will never work. Dems will support this bill

Just like the strategy in California, where no Dem. was supposed to run against Davis, failed after Huffington entered the race.

Polititions are all about greed and power. AARP is already running the TV ads. They will soon be mass mailing to their members, all those voting elderly. This is too big a temptation. Some Dem. will cave and support the bill, leading to a stampede of support for fear of being on the wrong side of the issue in the eyes of the elderly.

It wouldn't even surprise me to see some Dems calling others obstructionists because of their lack of support.


Call me cynical, but I saw absolutely no unity in California. The unified front there lasted what....2,5 days?

[farmboxer]

16. IS AARP Republican?! It Appears So!

I know a lot of people who are resigning from the AARP because they feel that they are supporting the drug industry along with Bush! It appears so!