"Limbaugh: McConnell Told Me Republicans Are Proposing Amendments In Order To Stop Health Care Bill"

[TomCADem]

Comments like this just underscore why it is a pipe dream that passing health care reform, or any other type progressive reform, would be easy. Blame President Obama? Shoot, I think the destroy-America-to-win-an-election conduct of the Republicans deserves special mention. Yet, neither the media nor liberals hold Republicans accountable. Instead, they get a free pass.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/limbaugh-mcconnell-told-me-republicans-are-proposing-amendments-in-order-to-stop-health-care-bill-no.php

Limbaugh: McConnell Told Me Republicans Are Proposing Amendments In Order To Stop Health Care Bill, Not Improve It

On his radio show today, Rush Limbaugh said that none other than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told him that the Republicans are offering amendments to the health care bill, not to improve the bill, but as a parliamentary maneuver to "flush out" Democratic centrists Ben Nelson and Jim Webb, and to try to peel them away and thus stop the bill:

"Plus there are the Republicans using procedures, parliamentary procedures, and offering all these amendments. Now the purpose -- I talked to Sen. McConnell about the purpose of the amendments. He said we're trying to flush out with these amendments, just who it is that really we have to focus on here. And the two names that he mentioned were Ben Nelson and Jim Webb in Virginia. Because there's something that Webb is not going along with the Democrats on, I forget specifically what it is. My point in mentioning all this is, that the Republicans in the Senate are using parliamentary procedures, they are offering all these amendments, not to make the bill better, but to flush out and to find out who it is that they really need to work with to stop this. That is their objective, to stop it.

[cliffordu]

1. K&R. Again the unreccers at work, useless scamps that they are..

[katandmoon]

2. Hello? We EXPECT to be screwed by Repugs.

[TomCADem]

10. Exactly, Thus, We Give Them A Free Pass. No Accountability At All

Can you imagine how the media would treat Democrats who admitted that they were going to disnengage from dealing with a Republican President, and try to oppose any form of legislation in order to score political points. Heck, Republicans are even stalling military funding legislation in order to create a legislative bottle neck. It would be similar to Democrats voting against insurance for families and children just to clog up Dubya's agenda. Yet, the media gives them a free pass.

The KEY difference between Democrats and Republicans is that the Democrats under Dubya did not make it a point to try to tank his Presidency purely for political points. For better or worse, Democrats would consider Bush's proposals on the merits. Look at prescription drug legislation. Look at No Child Left Behind. In sharp contrast, the GOP is simply trying to bring President Obama's office to its knees simply to win seats in the 2012 election.

This is what is despicable. The fact that everyone seems to think that it is okay for Republicans to act the way they do, because they are Republicans.

[Skip Intro]

3. Now why would someone unrec this?

:shrug:

[girl gone mad]

13. Because it's outdated and Rush is a blowhard.

Of course he's going to tell his audience that Republicans did everything they could to stop it. Since when has Rush been considered a paragon of truth?

[gardenista]

4. Need any further proof that the bill should pass? eom

[Nikki Stone1]

21. Yes, in fact, I do.

What "proof" are you talking about, other than a radio host running his mouth?

[Initech]

5. What fucking scumbags.

[tritsofme]

6. The article is almost two weeks old

Reid passed his big test last night, the conference report cannot be amended.

[global1]

7. Not To Make The Bill Better - Their Objective Is To Stop It.......nt

[Motown_Johnny]

8. and still they failed.....

[silverweb]

Keep flappin' those floppy jaws, Rush!

Flush 'em out for us so we can be ready and shoot 'em down. :D

[spanone]

9. k&r

[Unvanguard]

11. He's trying to rekindle hope among his listeners. It's nonsense. The Senate bill is passing.

The only real obstacle left is the conference report.

[JimWis]

12. K&R - you hit it on the head. When the whole Republican side

of the aisle vote 100% No, it doesn't give you a hell of a lot to work with. But no one mentions that.

[EFerrari]

14. They have to pretend to fight it so we can pretend to win.

They can't stop it and it will become law. That was never really in question. If it passes, the Republicans AND the Democrats have something to run on. Win-win.

What was actually at issue is how much our corporate owners would give up.

[TomCADem]

17. With That Anti-Government Paranoia, Why Single Payer?

This is what I don't understand. With the cynicism and distrust of government that underscores your claim that Republicans and Democrats are engaging in a grand conspiracy with both Bernie Saunders and Jim DeMint actually on the same side (shhhhh!), how can folks who share your distrust also demand single payer, which is run by the government?

If I shared that same level of distrust, then I would be like a Teabagger opposing any government involvement whatsoever, because it really is just a grand conspiracy to screw me. Afterall, how could you trust the federal government if you are willing to believe that Democrats and the Republicans are actually conspiring right now, as you describe.

[EFerrari]

18. I'm not paranoid and not anti-government, Tom.

I'm anti-corrupt mofos. I'm 54 and have seen government programs work very well. That was mostly before Ronald Reagan got elected by promising to gut our government. He did a good job.

But thanks for trying to pathologize what you misunderstood.

[TomCADem]

19. Okay, You Are "Anti-Corrupt" Mofos and Your Post Accuses Both ...

Democrats and Republicans of being such, right? I take it from your original post that you are saying that the federal Government is headed by these "anti-corrupt mofos." So, how do you reconcile that, yet insist that you would like more federal government involvement in health care, perhaps through single payer? Are you saying that you WANT the "anti-corrupt mofos" to regulate health care? Perhaps these "anti-corrupt mofos" will appoint federal regulators who are health industry cronies?

Again, you are the one who is saying that the Republicans and the Democrats are really conspiring to adopt the current bill, but are just putting on act for show.

Is this hyperbole on your part or are you serious? If the former, then I suggest the use of :sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

20. Let me be even clearer: yes, this has mostly been theater.

We don't own our elections therefore, we don't have much influence in our government.

That is not hyperbole. That is a fact.

And there doesn't need to be some kind of conspiracy. It's just "pragmatism". If you have to raise millions of dollars to be elected, that's what you do.

[Gman]

15. I'm sure a lot of people here at DU would love to help McConnell

in any way they can.

[HughMoran]

16. Blame the Republicans?

That would be too easy, eh? :sarcasm:

[Kablooie]

22. All they have to do is make ONE person unsure and the bill is dead.

And they will be putting everything they have into it.
I mean they don't have anything else to do.

Sounds like a final bill being approved is still a pretty shaky proposition.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

23. What else does one expect?

It's the nature of the beast.

[optimator]

24. too bad Dems didn't fight like this when bush was in

they just bent over and asked for more.