Pelosi backing off Public Option!

[Slit Skirt]

David Sirota reporting on twitter
BREAKING: UnitedHealth Lobbyist Announces Pelosi Fundraiser As She Begins Backing Off Public Option
by: David Sirota
Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 17:47

http://www.openleft.com/diary/15066/unitedhealth-lobbyist-announces-big-fundraiser-for-pelosi-as-she-backs-off-public-option

if this is true....then I have really had it

[jgraz]

1. I'm going to die of not surprise

Pelosi was never for the public option. She just thought we were stupid enough to believe her bullshit.

[FiveGoodMen]

2. Okay, who didn't see THAT coming?!

[mdmc]

3. that ity bitty public option that will cover .005% four years from now

oh well...

[Slit Skirt]

18. yeah that friggin option...

this is like spying on us, torture's ok, lying about the war

it is just so in your face that she needs to experience a huge backlash

[mdmc]

19. courage my friend

peace and low stress

[Slit Skirt]

25. oh yeah...that's gotten us really far

[mdmc]

29. we ain't goin no-where

but our time will come anyday- don't worry about it none..

[sabrina 1]

31. So, even the crumbs they threw to those who put them there

are being swept away. it was clear from Obama's speech, that this was just thrown in there, no details, and emphasis on how it was NOT a big part of the plan, to leave a bargaining point for Republicans so they can tell their supporters that they 'fought the public option and won'.

Rahm has already silenced the liberals, bloggers et al, so we won't be seeing much online from those who USED to claim to be the leading voices on the left.

What happened to Move-on, what do they have to say about all this, after Rahm screamed at them all not to 'go after the Blue Dogs.

We get a bill written by the Corporations (just like NCLB) and Rahm Emmanuel. If only Obama had told us that, I wonder, would he be president to day? I know he would not, which is why he did not tell us.

The disdain these people have the poor knows no bounds and they intend to force by fines or jail, every penny they can squeeze out of the working poor to put in the already over-stuffed pockets of the Insurance Industry.

I do not see how any real Democrat can go along with this, unless it's finally time to acknowledge that party that looks out for the working class has disappeared under bags of cash from Special Interests.

[Barack_America]

4. Well, Nancy, what's your explanation for this? nt

[Slit Skirt]

5. ok then...either we show outrage

or it won't matter I am going to a town hall tomorrow and I am pissed

[Coyote_Bandit]

6. SOME of the Dems

we have elected are proving to be unworthy of our votes.

No surprise here.

[tbyg52]

12. Try "MOST" nt

[Coyote_Bandit]

16. If they assume

that I will vote for them just because they have a "D" next to their name they are mistaken.

In the future I intend to vote "FOR" candidates. No more voting for the best of two bad choices or voting based on party affiliation. If the bastards want my vote they will have to earn it. Pretty simple really.

[tbyg52]

24. Same here. We need to throw the bums out, even if the bums is us.

Of course, finding *real* Dems to run is the problem. I wish a) I could afford to run and b) I was suited to such a life. I get sick headaches even phone banking, so I deliver yard signs.

[Laelth]

7. That's wrong on several levels.

Legalized bribery continues.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Neecy]

8. Fundraiser for what?

If it's for her, then this is total BS. I've lived in her District and she breezes to victory every 2 years. It's probably the most non-competitive seat in the House.

[villager]

9. and the surprise here would be....?

n/t

[ProSense]

10. No she is not

Her statement

[Slit Skirt]

14. ok read this:

this is a breaking news article

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the first time yesterday suggested she may be backing off her support of the public option. According to CNN, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid "said they would support any provision that increases competition and accessibility for health insurance - whether or not it is the public option favored by most Democrats."
This announcement came just hours before Steve Elmendorf, a registered UnitedHealth lobbyist and the head of UnitedHealth's lobbying firm Elmendorf Strategies, blasted this email invitation throughout Washington, D.C. I just happened to get my hands on a copy of the invitation from a source - check it out:


From: Steve Elmendorf
Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 8:31 AM
Subject: event with Speaker Pelosi at my home
You are cordially invited to a reception with

Speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi

Thursday, September 24, 2009
6:30pm ~ 8:00pm

At the home of
Steve Elmendorf
2301 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Apt. 7B
Washington, D.C.

$5,000 PAC
$2,400 Individual

To RSVP or for additional information please contact
Carmela Clendening at [phone] or [e-mail]

Steve Elmendorf
ELMENDORF STRATEGIES
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS SOLUTIONS
900 7th Street NW Suite 750 Washington DC 20001
[phone]
Again, Elmendorf is a registered lobbyist for UnitedHealth, and his firm's website brags about its work for UnitedHealth on its website
more
http://www.openleft.com/diary/15066/unitedhealth-lobbyist-announces-big-fundraiser-for-pelosi-as-she-backs-off-public-option

[ProSense]

20. "According to CNN"?

OK

[Ruby the Liberal]

26. The link is live via the OpenLeft site

Anonymous CNN blog: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/10/democratic-leaders-in-congress-soften-on-public-option/

[ProSense]

28. This the MSM's new spin. Here is AP

While effusively praising Obama's speech from the night before, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada signaled separately the president may not prevail in his call for legislation that allows the federal government to sell insurance in competition with private industry.

Reid said that while he favors a strong "public option," he could be satisfied with establishment of nonprofit cooperatives, along the lines expected to be included in the bill taking shape in the Finance Committee.

Pelosi, who has long favored a measure that allows the government to sell insurance, passed up a chance to say it was a nonnegotiable demand.

As long as legislation makes quality health care more accessible and affordable, "we will go forward with that bill," she said.

Democrats are divided over the public option in both houses, liberals strongly in favor and many moderates against it. Critically, though, it appears that any chance for Republican support would evaporate if legislation permits immediate, direct competition between the government and insurance industry.

<...>

"They hit us with their best shot; distortion, misrepresentation, and obstruction," Pelosi said. But she said Democrats had "sustained the effort admirably" and now "we're in a better place to go forward."

link

Not only did CNN leave out that last point (which is the same thing Obama said), but AP claims the Dems are divided in both Houses"?

[Ruby the Liberal]

30. Not to mention CNN offered no byline, just

a single "contributed to".

Lobbing trial balloons.

Good find. Thanks for linking it.

[Ruby the Liberal]

23. It could be construed that the fundraising is for the DCCC

Not that thats any better....

[Feron]

11. Time to write and/or call her and your Congresscritters.

Complaining on the internet accomplishes nothing. And if the reps don't listen, then vote the bastards out.

[tbyg52]

13. Oh, I think someone on most Dem's staffs probably reads DU

But I don't think they care, any more than they care about telephone calls, emails, or letters. Remember the percentages of citizens against the bank bailouts? Still happened. They have their bosses, and it's not us.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

15. Pelosi better not be backing off the public option. PO was a compromise for single payer.

We won't compromise anymore.

[Deja Q]

17. If she and Harry Reid stripped naked and made the beast with two backs on the Floor,

I wouldn't be surprised either.

Reid doesn't know what "separation between church and state" means, so I gave up on him a long time ago...

[berni_mccoy]

21. I think she's being targeted by the Health Insurance Industry to build outrage from within her base.

She made a statement today saying she is still insisting on the public option. This smells extremely stinky... stinky like bullshit.

[emulatorloo]

41. I think you are right -- I smell NIXON STYLE DIRTY TRICKS on this "fundraiser" n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

22. Jellyfish Pelosi caves in to right wing corporate lobbyists?

Who could have seen that coming? :eyes:

[Ruby the Liberal]

27. First, the CNN "source" is an anonymous blog posting. Second,

Read the invitation. It reads like a DCCC fundraiser. Not that it should be excused.

I like Sirota's populist leanings, but he has a habit at times of throwing darts before he does the full research on things.

[Slit Skirt]

32. i respectfully disagree

I think we have been had

[Ruby the Liberal]

34. Breathe into the bag, friend.

Politics is all about trial balloons and destroying reputations. It isn't for the faint of heart.

[Slit Skirt]

36. becareful.....you are coming close to being condenscending

not a nice way to treat a fellow DUer

[Ruby the Liberal]

37. I did not mean to be condescending to you in the least

and sincerely apologize if my choice of words made it appear otherwise.

Sirota is being hysterical without having all of the facts. I have followed David for years and have most of his books. My only concern is that he seems to be adding 2+2 and coming up with 5 on this one, based on an anonymous blog (no byline, just a single "contributed to") and a DCCC invite hosted by a snake.

No question Pelosi knows who this guy is, and agreed to it anyway, but we need to find out more about this before assuming that Sirota's conclusions are the correct ones.

Thats all I meant to say. :hi:

[Slit Skirt]

40. ok ...olive branch excepted

:hi:

[NoPasaran]

33. Coming from Sirota, it's probably crap

But enjoy your poutrage, "progressives"!

[Ruby the Liberal]

35. Broad brush much?

[KittyWampus]

38. David Sirota is an asshole attention whore who writes crap with no facts to back it up

knowing that there's a certain percentage of the Left who are primed for his garbage.

[theophilus]

39. Untrue. They are messin' with your mind. n/t