Emanuel visits Senate to press health reform

[babylonsister]

Priceless-unleashed!

Emanuel visits Senate to press health reform
By Jeffrey Young
Posted: 06/23/09 08:18 PM


White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel visited Capitol Hill late Tuesday afternoon to meet with Democratic senators on healthcare reform.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) invited Emanuel to the Capitol to sit down with Democratic leaders and Democrats on the Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committees, said Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.).

Senators emerging from the meeting insisted that no decisions had been made about the contents of the healthcare reform bills, when to proceed or whether Democrats should abandon attempts to attract bipartisan support.

“This was not a crunch-time, decision-making meeting,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). “It was: Here’s where HELP is at, here’s where Finance is at, here’s where the White House is at and we’re all talking. We’re singing from the same hymnal.”

“It was a very good meeting. I was very pleased,” Baucus said.

Lawmakers and the White House need to be in closer contact because Congress is making progress on moving legislation forward because the moment when the real decisions will have to be made is fast approaching, Baucus said.


more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/emanuel-visits-senate-to-press-health-reform-2009-06-23.html

[annabanana]

1. That Baucus was "pleased" concerns me... knowing how happy

he is with the status quo, and what good friends he is with the insurance companies..

[BlooInBloo]

2. Makes me wonder if Boughtus got completely pwned, and he's putting a smiley face on it.

[babylonsister]

4. That's my take, too. nt

[Autumn]

3. Emanuel and Baucus why

does that bother me ? Any time Baucus is pleased I don't think that is a good thing.

[RandomThoughts]

6. There is alot of attempts to manipulate public opinion.

He knows that he needs to make it look like his side has a chance, to try and make American people, or at least 80% of them lose hope.

[babylonsister]

7. WHAT? Bullshit. Explain please. nt

[RandomThoughts]

10. I was saying that regardless of what was said in the meeting.

People against the public option will still try to make it look like they still have some effect.

The only way they can stop public option is to change public opinion, and the first way to change public opinion is to make them think they have no hope of succeeding.

So if a Senator does not want public option, he, like the media has been doing, will keep saying it is not likely, even when it is likely.

The way public opinion can be stifled is to instill hopelessness which leads to apathy, and can erode the 80% support for a public option.

So my response to Baucus being pleased, is to say even if he was not pleased he might say he was. However he may be having a change of heart and embracing the public option also.

Which is why I said the article does not give enough information to determine current direction from the article alone.

[Autumn]

15. You just know

he can't stand the thought of anyone having health care on the "public dime" and he will try to sabotage it any way he can.

[BlooInBloo]

8. "why does that bother me?" - Because anything Obama does bothers you.

This has been another episode of Simple Answers To Simple Questions.

[Autumn]

11. Obama? Was he there

I thought it was Emanuel and Baucus, I guess you would be wrong in this episode of Simple Answers To Simple Questions

[BlooInBloo]

12. Ah - so Obama is NOT responsible for what he directs his employees to do - thanks!

My apologies for the error. I'll keep in mind that's how you feel.

[Autumn]

14. My apologies also

I was not aware that we had to like and respect Emanuel . I will try to remember that,








nahh not really

[PopSixSquish]

9. Translation of Baucus Statement

"Rahm only made up 6 new cuss words during the conversation and didn't tell those assembled that my parents weren't married"

[Autumn]

13. He does have a potty

mouth doesn't he.

[RandomThoughts]

5. Bipartisan is a good idea, if it does not mean compromising away public option.

There is not enough info in that article to make any assumption, it just says people are talking.

There is also a typo, they got the name of Wa. Governor wrong.

[lindisfarne]

16. Keep calling. Senate Finance Committee & Senate HELP committee members fax & phone #s at link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8473420
Go to #11 for HELP committee member phone numbers.

senate.gov
house.gov for your reps.