Edwards will TAKE AWAY healhcare coverage for Congress if they don't authorize Universal Healthcare

[BigBearJohn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4rqysXGj0o

[Lucinda]

1. I've heard him say it, can he actually do it?

[JDPriestly]

4. If he has the support of the American people, quite possibly.

He may not have the authority to issue a decree denying Congress's insurance benefits, but Congress would have difficulty accepting the benefits if Edwards went to the voters about it.

[MonkeyFunk]

7. Issue a decree?

to take away a benefit from another branch of the government - a benefit which was legally enacted?

No, he can't do that. This isn't a tin-pot dictatorship yet.

[Ninga]

18. It's called the Bully Pulpit. When Kennedy said "we are going to the moon" he didn't drive over

to NASA and grab a hammer...............his words were the hammer................the same way FDR said "we have nothing to fear, but fear itself".......

So dear detractors.....go back and view Edwards JJ speech and you will see and hear how a leader commands the bully pulpit.

[truedelphi]

30. Good to see Common Sense posted along with all that isn't

Of course, if Edwards is elected, will *they* allow him to say what he wants?

The MSM dis-allowed CLintonwhen he was Presdident from his bull pulpit - But George is their boy and gets to "hammer" away whenever he wants.

[JDPriestly]

27. I acknowledged that he may not be able to issue a decree.

Of course I don't think he can just order that a benefit be taken from another branch of government. I don't know whether he could propose a budget without money for it and veto budgets that include it. Even if the money is provided in the budget, as president he might have the power to refuse to allocate the or actually spend the money for that health insurance. I believe that Bush has not always spent all the money budgeted for various items. Edwards may have some specific strategy in mind.

[MADem]

5. He can't do it. Congress is the LEGISLATIVE body. They make those laws.

He can propose it, and they can vote his proposal down. Which they WILL do. They wouldn't cut off their own noses at his behest.

He can then take to the Bully Pulpit, and see how it goes.

It's certainly a confrontational approach.

[Ninga]

20. Fat, lazy, congress could use some confrontation. It's not what, it's how, and Edwards gets it.

[MADem]

28. Maybe they could, and maybe they couldn't.

For the sake of argument, assume President Edwards is sworn in in Jan 09.

Do you think it's a wise course of action to confront a Democratic Congress that will support the vast majority of your initiatives? Wouldn't a "flies with honey" approach, at least in public, achieve better results?

I think so. YMMV.

[Heywood J]

29. "Wouldn't a "flies with honey" approach, at least in public, achieve better results?"

That's been attempted for over a decade. Time to bring out the electric flyswatter.

[MADem]

32. You're saying a Democratic President NEEDS to take an adversarial approach to a DEMOCRATIC Congress?

Ohhhh Kaaaaaaaaay..........

A Democratic President is the defacto party leader; and a Democratic caucus is making the laws.

That's a 'real good' idea, to get them at fisticuffs with one another.

:shrug: :eyes:

[Dorian Gray]

22. I'd love to see that.

If the people that they represent aren't covered by healthcare, then why should they be?

[tritsofme]

2. Impossible

If Congress wants to give themselves health care coverage they can authorize it for themselves.

Were the POTUS to veto the bill concerning Congress' operations he would surely be overridden with near unanimity.

Cute campaign message, not very realistic.

[B Calm]

3. It may be impossible, but Edwards is showing the hypocrisy in congress

and that's a good thing!

[Triana]

12. Exactly! (n/t)

[zalinda]

6. Hey, if he pulls a Bush, could he?

Just fill out one of those signing statement deals, and instant insurance drop. But, seriously, he must have something up his sleeve. As a successful lawyer, he would have his i's dotted and t's crossed before he'd say anything that could ruin his "case".

zalinda

[karynnj]

13. Or it is political rhetoric

His skill was persuading juries - though of course to do so he had to understand the law. One of the other campaigns should ask him who he would do this because as many others have said he can't do this by executive order.

[blondeatlast]

15. Interesting thought, but I'm hoping any Democratic president would stuff signing statements

down the toilet at W's presidential "library."

[Mr Rabble]

8. In the age of the Executive Order

combined with the residue of a "Unitary Executive" theory, I would think that there would be little problem in actually doing this.

Remember, for the last 7 years what the pResident wants, the pResident gets. I do not see that changing anytime soon.

[cali]

9. so are you for the accrued power busco has

built for the executive branch? Let's get rid of the Unitary Executive concept. But even with that, Edwards could not take away Health benefits for Congress. He's using rhetoric to make a point.

[blondeatlast]

16. Amen, amen, amen. nt

[Vinca]

10. It's a good line in a speech, but get real. Boo hoo, boo hoo,

the millionaires will have to buy their own coverage. How will they ever get by?

[karynnj]

14. They are not all millionaires - especially in the House

As it is it is hard for honest politicians to live on the salary they are given if they come from a high cost state and have to pay for housing in the state and in DC. Most could make as much or more in private industry.

[Ninga]

19. Please see post # 18.

[Triana]

11. I loved that...

...whether he can do it or not, the idea and the intent is worth something here.

[NotGivingUp]

17. Has he taken the insurance companies out of the equation???

If not, he's not talking about universal healthcare, he's talking about a corporate handout.

[IndyOp]

21. Didn't he say his own cabinet members would lose insurance - not Congress?

:shrug:

[Renew Deal]

23. I thought he said both.

I guess I have to watch the video again.

[NotGivingUp]

24. Edwards plan calls for REQUIRING us to BUY health insurance. That is NOT universal health care!

Be sure to read down to the last line!

Under the Edwards Plan:

* Families without insurance will get coverage at an affordable price.
* Families with insurance will pay less and get more security and choices.
* Businesses and other employers will find it cheaper and easier to insure their workers.

The Edwards Plan achieves universal coverage by:

* Requiring businesses and other employers to either cover their employees or help finance their health insurance.
* Making insurance affordable by creating new tax credits, expanding Medicaid and SCHIP, reforming insurance laws, and taking innovative steps to contain health care costs.
* Creating regional "Health Care Markets" to let every American share the bargaining power to purchase an affordable, high-quality health plan, increase choices among insurance plans, and cut costs for businesses offering insurance.
* Once these steps have been taken, requiring all American residents to get insurance.

[liskddksil]

26. and Edwards is calling

for a competitive system between the government run plan and their private plan. "Health Care Markets will offer a choice between private insurers and a public insurance plan modeled after Medicare, but separate and apart from it. Families and individuals will choose the plan that works best for them. This American solution will reward the sector that offers the best care at the best price. Over time, the system may evolve toward a single-payer approach if individuals and businesses prefer the public plan. (His Website)"

[soothsayer]

25. Good luck with that!

[rinsd]

31. That's great except he cannot do so.

Christ can we have an executive who actually knows how government works according to the Constitution rather than one who makes it up as he goes along like Georgie boy.

[ellie]

33. Hahahahahahaha

That would be so sweet. A girl can dream.