Contortion Conservatism: Mitt Romney's speech on healthcare reform

First there was George Bush's Compassionate Conservatism, a cute name for small bore progressive policies. Then came Sarah Palin's Commonsense Conservatism which is just good old fashion plain old conservatism. Yesterday, Mitt Romney introduced us to a new brand of conservatism... Contortion Conservatism.

Contortion Conservatism is basically twisting yourself and conservatism into a pretzel as you try to unapologetically explain away your very un-conservative past deeds. In Romney's case, he is trying to make the support of individual mandates and RomneyCare look like sprang forth from a TEA Party movement.

Needless to say, Romney's debut of Contortion Conservatism was VERY unsuccessful. Even, the National Review (many Romney fans there) panned it.

National Review: Mitt Romney just gave a more articulate defense of Obamacare than President Obama ever has. He continues to believe that the individual mandate is a good idea, despite the fact that the “free-rider” problem is a myth. His effort to make a distinction between Romneycare and Obamacare was not persuasive: If anything, he convincingly made the opposite case, that Romneycare and Obamacare are based on the same fundamental concept.

In recent months, Romney has claimed that Romneycare was a specific solution for the specific needs of Massachusetts. But in his remarks, he did not name one specific aspect of the Massachusetts health-care environment that is unique to that state. If there are no important differences between the Massachusetts health-care system and that of other states, why shouldn’t he believe that Romneycare should be the model for every other state? [MORE]

In a sane and commonsense world, Mitt Romney's presidential aspirations should have died a slow and painful death yesterday. Unfortunately, Mitt Romney knows all too well that in politics, sanity and commonsense have long ago left the building. Romney knows that so long as conservatives cannot concentrate their votes on one candidate, he has more than a real shot at winning the nomination. This is because the establishment and many moderate Republicans are willing to overlook the foolishness of Contortion Conservatism and give him the nod.

So to my conservative friends I issue a warning. If you do not want to enter the battle of 2012 under the banner of Contortion Conservatism, then start doing your homework on candidate now.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The National Review

More Mitt Mandate Madness

Poor Mittens, he is just a few hours away from giving an important speech on healthcare reform and the left has dug up new examples of his support for mandates on the Federal level.

Blue Mass Group: [...] back in 1994 when he was running for Senate, Romney said he would support a federal individual health care mandate. Yes, yes, he did.

See, in 1993, then-Senator John Chafee, a Republican from Rhode Island, floated a health care bill that was supposed to be an alternative to the Clinton administration’s proposal. It never really went anywhere, but it did garner 20 co-sponsors in the Senate, including a couple of Democrats (Boren of OK and Kerrey of NE). And a key feature of that bill was that, if it passed, the bad ol’ federal government would have required every American (with the usual hardship etc. exceptions) to purchase health insurance.

Subtitle F: Universal Coverage – Requires each citizen or lawful permanent resident to be covered under a qualified health plan or equivalent health care program by January 1, 2005.

Pretty straightforward, right? And yes, at least according to Kaiser Health News, this provision of Chafee’s bill was indistinguishable from President Obama’s plan.

The Wall Street Journal adds a little more rain to Mitt's parade with a very unflattering editorial today showcasing the failures of RomneyCare in Massachusetts.

Romney's problems with RomneyCare and the 2012 election really took off when he tried to have it both ways. On one hand Romney wants to condemn ObamaCare on the federal level and then on the other hand wants to claim success for RomneyCare on the state level. All while the two plans are basically identical. Romney might not be in such a jam, if he took a page from Tim Pawlenty and simply admit he made a mistake.

As I have repeatedly said on this blog, Obama and the left will be looking for distractions in 2012. They will use anything to avoid focus on Obama's failures with the economy, jobs, debt and the deficit. Romney's mixed and muddled excuses for RomneyCare offer up some really fine distractions that will keep him from hammering away at Obama's weak spots.

Unless Romney comes up with a clear and strong way to move RomneyCare off the table in 2012, he is a hopeless flawed candidate that is sure to lose to Obama.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Wall Street Journal
Via: The LA Times
Via: Blue Mass Group

Via: The Hill

You want to keep your current health care plan? Good luck with that!

How many times during the health care debate did we hear Obama say if you like your current health care plan, you will be able to keep it?  Well, like so many things in ObamaCare now that it has passed, turns out to be a big fat lie. 

Investors Business Daily: Internal administration documents reveal that up to 51% of employers may have to relinquish their current health care coverage because of ObamaCare.

Small firms will be even likelier to lose existing plans.

The "midrange estimate is that 66% of small employer plans and 45% of large employer plans will relinquish their grandfathered status by the end of 2013," according to the document.

In the worst-case scenario, 69% of employers — 80% of smaller firms — would lose that status, exposing them to far more provisions under the new health law.

The 83-page document, a joint project of the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the IRS, examines the effects that ObamaCare's regulations would have on existing, or "grandfathered," employer-based health care plans. [MORE]

Anyone who took the time to actually check what was in ObamaCare knew that the chances of keeping your current plan were slim to none. ObamaCare was not designed to fix the problems of our current healthcare system; instead ObamaCare was designed to bring about its demise. The whole goal of ObamaCare is to leave the single payer health care system as the only viable option once ObamaCare is done wrecking havoc on the current system.

Here is the link to the 83-page document. Check out page 36, it will show you how “grandfathered” plans will react to ObamaCare.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Investors Business Daily

Video: Peter Orszag explains how ObamaCare will ration healthcare

Remember how the left completely freaked out over Sarah Palin’s Death Panel remark? They insisted that under ObamaCare bureaucrats would not be making decisions about your health and that there would be no rationing. Well, just like the price tag of ObamaCare, the left lied.

Watch the video below and listen to how Obama’s Director of Office Management and Budget, Peter Orszag, explains how the Independent Payment and Advisory Board (IPAB) will move our health care system from one of quantity to “quality” by aggressively putting forward proposals that will hit economic targets.  Also pay close attention to how Orszag describes the high threshold for overriding the IPAB.

So let’s recap, we have un-elected bureaucrats that can enact immediate proposals to our health care system based on bending the cost curve downwards, regardless to our individual health care needs. Furthermore, a super majority in Congress is needed to override these proposals. Too bad our neutered media did not bring this to our attention before the bill was passed.

Hot Air has more information on the IPAB.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Sarah Palin’s Facebook Page

Via: Hot Air

Two Dems get their first taste of the ObamaCare backlash

Two Democratic House Reps from New Hampshire are the first to feel the backlash for voting for ObamaCare. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter and Rep. Paul Hodes met with their constituents during Easter recess and lets just say things were not peachy keen. 

From Politico: At a senior center in Manchester Wednesday, one woman turned away when Hodes offered his outstretched hand for an introduction.

"I don't want to shake your hand. You voted for health care, so just go," snapped Carmen Guimond, as she refocused on her lunch of roast beef and mashed potatoes and waved him on.

When Hodes decided to stay at the table and launch a defense of what's considered to be one of the more popular provisions of the law — closing the "donut hole," a gap in prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients — she challenged whether he had read the entire bill and dismissed his explanation.

"Two hundred and forty dollars in the first year. That's all it is," she said, referring to the initial subsidy. "That's not much."

"And over time, by 2020, it closes the donut hole," Hodes explained.

"We'll all be dead by then," she deadpanned.

Ouch! That’s gonna leave a mark! How did Carol Shea-Porter do? Not much better. 

For her part, at back-to-back town hall meetings in Bedford and Merrimack, Shea-Porter faced consistent boos, heckles and catcalls after almost every point she rattled off in defense of her vote. 

Despite an effort to accommodate questions from the raucous crowds with a ticketed lottery system and a two-minute time limit for speakers, the congresswoman got little credit from the audience. If anything, it gave her opponents fresh ammunition.

"Why can't we ask a question?" yelled one man, objecting to a format that randomly selected numbers out of a tub of tickets to choose questioners. 

"Are you a princess or a representative?" chastised another woman.

Many Democrats are counting on the public warming up to ObamaCare now that it is law. They feel if they just sell the immediate benefits that the public will come around. Unfortunately, the latest polls indicate that the public is still opposed.

If these two reps in a liberal area like New Hampshire are feeling the heat, you can just imagine what the blue dogs will have to endure. I cannot wait to see the town halls during summer recess.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Politico

Via: Gallup

Political Suicide: A Democrat tells why he voted for ObamaCare

Before the passage of ObamaCare, poll after poll showed that it was a stinker with the electorate. Even today, Gallop shows us that ObamaCare is still stinking up the joint. So why would a Democrat vote for such a bill?  Howard Fineman from Newsweek gives us an answer. 

Newsweek: A Democratic senator I can't name, who reluctantly voted for the health-care bill out of loyalty to his party and his admiration for Barack Obama, privately complained to me that the measure was political folly, in part because of the way it goes into effect: some taxes first, most benefits later, and rate hikes by insurance companies in between.

Besides that, this Democrat said, people who already have coverage will feel threatened and resentful about helping to cover the uninsured—an emotion they will sanitize for the polltakers into a concern about federal spending and debt.

On the day the president signed into law the "fix-it" addendum to the massive health-care measure, two new polls show just how fearful and skeptical Americans are about the entire enterprise.  If the numbers stay where they are—and it's not clear why they will change much between now and November—then the Democrats really are in danger of colossal losses at the polls.

I say this even though I was one of those who always said that Obama would get a bill passed—and that, politically, he personally had no choice but to get it done if he wanted to have a successful presidency. But his reputation as a can-do guy was purchased at a very high political cost.

Ah, so there it is. Notice no consideration for the people this bill will be imposed upon, just the party and Obama.

I myself always thought too many Democrats’ self-preservation would kick in and ObamaCare would have crashed and burned. Sure, there are those true believers in progressive ideology that would have happily sacrificed their political futures for ObamaCare. Obama and Nancy Pelosi immediately come to mind.

I also imagined that there were those Democrats of the self-serving nature. They would vote for anything if the price were right. Mary Landrieu and Ben Nelson immediately come to mind. Harry Reid too would probably fit in this category as well. Look for this scoundrel to get a quid pro quo somewhere down the road.

What I would like to know now is if any Democrats are regretting their vote or are they resigned to losing and will just vote the party line because they have nothing to lose.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Newsweek 

Oops! Rep. Dingell: “It will take a while for ObamaCare to “control the people”

Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) was asked on a radio show why must people without health insurance wait until 2014 before ObamaCare can help them, Rep. Dingell let the cat out of the bag with this statement:

Let me remind you this has been going on for years. We are bringing it to a halt. The harsh fact of the matter is when you’re going to pass legislation that will cover 300 American people in different ways it takes a long time to do the necessary administrative steps that have to be taken to put the legislation together to control the people. 

This has always been the problem with government run health care, the control factor. When government gets to decide the who, what, when, where and why people get coverage, they automatically get to control the behavior, choices and lives of the people. After watching the heavy handed and corrupt way ObamaCare care became law, who in their right mind would want Washington to have so much control?

Unless we want to become the lab rats of a bunch of control freaks, we all need to demand this awful bill is repealed! No trimming around the edges, no partial repeals, no conservative modifications added on to it, but a full and complete repeal. Washington cannot be trusted with such control.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Hot Air

Randy Neugebauer responds to the left

Yesterday I wasn’t too impressed with Neugebauer. I thought he was going squishy with his apology to that sucker Stupak for the “baby killer” outburst.  Today, I have newfound respect for the man.

The left was starting their usual drumbeat of faux righteous indignation and demanding Neugebauer apologize for his outburst on the House floor. So he made this video and contacted Eric Erickson at Red State with this statement:

I am Randy Neugebauer, the Congressman who said the Democrat’s health care bill is a baby-killer. Now, Democrats are demanding that I apologize for it. I think Red State is a good place to respond to that request, and Erick Erickson was kind enough to allow me to do so.

While the floor of the House was the wrong place to shout out my objection, the fact remains that this legislation will kill babies. And yet, in the face of bi-partisan opposition, Democrats passed the bill anyway.

We now have a clear mission. We must fight like the lives of our children depend upon it. They do. I will fight to repeal this bill. Will you?

Neugebauer also made a statement to Hot Air: 

I am Randy Neugebauer, the Congressman who said the Democrat’s health care bill is a baby-killer. Hot Air has graciously allowed me to respond to the vicious attacks that have been launched against me for defending the lives of the unborn.

You know, the recent “Louisiana Purchase” and “Cornhusker Kickbacks” in the health care bill were backroom deals about money. Those are offensive enough, but what happened late Sunday was far worse. It is one thing to make backroom deals for money, but on Sunday, Democrats traded the lives of unborn children so they could make a deal on their legislation. I was outraged that this bill would be a baby killer. Democrats are outraged that I said that out loud.

Well, here is something else I will say out loud: This baby-killer of a bill must be repealed.

I here by take back everything I said about Neugebaur yesterday and will send this true defender of life a check. Way to go Randy!

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Red State

Via: Hot Air

Obama plays Stupak for a fool, doesn’t sign Executive Order on abortion today

From Major Garrett at Fox News:

President Obama signed the Senate health care bill into law Tuesday. He did not sign the executive order on abortion negotiated with Michigan Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak in an 11th-hour arrangement that may well have saved the entire health care reform effort.

A White House official told Fox, Obama will not sign the Executive Order Tuesday and has set no specific date to do so. Stupak predicted Obama would sign the order later this week. The White House said only that Obama would sign the order "soon."

In two celebratory speeches Tuesday - one at the bill's signing, the other at the Interior Department with health care advocates - Obama said nothing about the abortion issue or the executive order. [MORE] 

There is a sucker born every minute and right now Bart Stupak is probably the biggest sucker in America. His vote and the remaining votes from his so-called “Pro-Life” group was worth the world to Obama and the Democrat leadership. Knowing he was going to cave anyway, Stupak could have asked for anything from the ridiculous to the sublime and probably would have gotten it with sugar on top. 

So after living in hell right up to the final hours of debate, Stupak finally caves for an unsigned executive order that not only can be rescinded in the blink of an eye, but also may not even have effect on the law it was meant to modify. Of course there is possible evidence that Stupak also got some federal money for his district, but in comparison to what others received, he got gypped on that deal too.

Stupak is now trying to save face by defending the executive order. He actually says executive order is akin to the Emancipation Proclamation! 

"Throughout history, Executive Orders have been an important means of implementing public policy," Stupak said in a statement. "The most famous Executive Order was the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln in 1863."

What a fool and a half, the unsigned executive order Stupak got is like toilet paper and used toilet paper at that.

With each day that passes that Obama doesn’t sign the executive order, Supak’s reputation gets torn into smaller and smaller pieces – and you know what? He deserves it.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Fox News

Via: Gateway Pundit

Via: NRCC.Org

Senior Staff who wrote ObamaCare are exempt from it

Once again we find ourselves asking, “If ObamaCare is so great, why won’t our leaders live with it”? 

From The New Ledger:  For as long as the political fight took over the past year, the abbreviated review process on the health care legislation currently pending on President Obama’s desk is unquestionably going to result in some surprises — as happens with any piece of mashed-up legislation — both for the congressmen who voted for it and for the American people.

One such surprise is found on page 158 of the legislation, which appears to create a carveout for senior staff members in the leadership offices and on congressional committees, essentially exempting those senior Democrat staffers who wrote the bill from being forced to purchase health care plans in the same way as other Americans.

No wonder, Nancy and the gang were all smiles on Sunday; they knew damn well their healthcare could never be rationed. When the people finally take back government, one of the very first rules that should be made is no exemption from any of the laws that are passed. If our lawmakers are unwilling to subject themselves to the laws they craft, then they have absolutely no right offer (or as the case is today impose) such laws to the masses.

Vote these frauds out!

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The New Ledger

Al Sharpton: Americans voted for Socialism

Well kudos to Al for that little bit of truth. Actually it is only a half the truth. Obama made no bone about what he meant by Universal Health Care. It was all he and the other Democrats talked about during the primaries. The programs they described sounded big, all encompassing and very expensive. Why the Hope Dopes thought he meant anything other than socialized medicine is beyond me.

Of course during the campaign if anyone actually used the word Socialism and Obama in the same sentence, both the Obama campaign and his media lapdogs had conniptions! Now that we are all stuck with socialized medicine, government run car companies and government run banks, we can all openly say Obama is a Socialist!  Good, because I never did like pretending otherwise.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: News Busters 

Rep. Randy Neugebauer admits to yelling “baby killer”

Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) admits that he was the guy you yelled “baby killer” during Bart Stupak’s speech on the House floor. Neugebauer says he was talking about the bill and not Bart Stupak. 

From Politico: “Last night was the climax of weeks and months of debate on a health care bill that my constituents fear and do not support,” Neugebauer said in a news release. “In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase ‘it’s a baby killer’ in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership. While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself.”

I said earlier today, I really don’t care who said it or why. Given the Democrats behavior over health care they are not deserving of many kind words. to me Neugebauer sounds like he is covering his ass with an apology. If so he is being your typical wimpy Republican who goes out of his way not to offend the delicate sensibilities of leftists. This is an exercise in futility, because leftists heap scorn upon Republicans and conservatives no matter what they say or do, so why waste time placating them?

There is no way to really know if Neugebauer meant Stupak or the bill, the audio is not that clear. However, if Neugebauer really did mean to call Stupak a baby killer, then he should have the two stones to stand by the statement. These empty apologies by elected officials are growing very tiresome.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Politico

Bart Stupak called “baby killer” by someone on the House floor

From Fox News: […]Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, who had fought for tough language barring federal subsidies for abortion coverage, denounced the Republican move, saying it was nothing more than an attempt to deny 32 million Americans health care. From the Republican side a voice shouted, "Baby killer!"

It was not immediately clear who had called out the epithet.

Boo friggin’ hoo! I could not care less who called Stupak a baby killer. Bart Stupak was lying all along about his support for life. He was always interested in passing health care reform first and abortion was second, if not a distant third behind whatever payoff he received. Saying an Executive Order, which can be rescinded at anytime, is enough to safeguard the unborn is absolute nonsense.  Too bad someone did not call him a LIAR too!


UPDATE: Video added

Via: Fox News

Via: Gateway Pundit

Via: The Atlantic

Health Care Reform passes House votes 219-212

From AP: Widely viewed as dead two months ago, the Senate-passed bill cleared the House on a 219-212 vote, with Republicans unanimous in opposition.

Congressional officials said they expected Obama to sign the bill as early as Tuesday.

Take a deep breath and forget about that feeling of despair. Tomorrow morning we must all focus on repealing, litigating or defunding this hunk of junk. We can work through the courts, via the states and at the polls. One way or another, we must never allow this nation to be railroaded like this again.


UPDATE 1: Video: Boehner and Pelosi final arguements:

UPDATE 2: Paul Ryan's Remarks in opposition

Via: Associated Press
Via: Politico
Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Right Scoop

Stupak: Actions speak louder than words

Stupak caved just like he did the last time. This is because always was a true believer of health care reform. Remember this man gave up his health insurance until reform passed. What exactly did Stupak give up for life?


Gateway Pundit has a very interesting video up on Stupak. Sorry I cannot link using my Blackberry.


Check Hot Air or Malkin for a copy of the executive order fig leaf Stupak caved for.


UPDATED: Video added





Stupak was true to his words, abortion was a secondary concern.


Via: Memeorandum
Via: Gateway Pundit

D-Day

Sorry for not being around yesterday, but of all weekends I am away from home with limited Internet access. This post being made via my Blackberry (please excuse any errors, these keys are tiny)

The big question is does Nancy really have the votes. You will know the answer to that question when Nancy actually starts the vote. If she puts off the vote a few hours you know she is still struggling.

Bart Stupak is working with the White House to get an executive order on abortion. Stupak really wants to vote for this bill but needs something to cover his backside so he can still claim to be pro-life. Really Stupak, an executive order? Executive orders can be undone in the blink of an eye by any president. If life really means anything to you, you would demand something more lasting.

I will try to get a real post up before the vote. In the man time let me hear your thoughts on this day.

White House spams federal employees with ObamaCare emails

Not content with ramming ObamaCare down the public’s throat, the White House wants to make sure federal employees help with the shoving.

From CBS News: The White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle has been feverishly sending out unsolicited email messages to federal employees in an effort to build support for President Barack Obama’s health reform package over the last several weeks[...] 

The Department of State employees, who receive hundreds of official government emails every day, have complained about the annoying and partisan emails but are nervous to go public for fear of retribution. The emails are addressed to the federal employees by name and use the official .gov address.

The unsolicited emails also request that the federal employees take action in order to ensure that Obama’s health reform package is passed and the federal budget isn’t at risk for bankruptcy. One federal employee was so concerned about DeParle’s language in one email that he questioned whether his department’s budget would be cut or eliminated without passage of Obama’s bill. DeParle uses scare tactics that some assume are meant as threats:

“No ifs, ands or buts about it — if we do nothing to reform our broken health care system, costs will continue to skyrocket and break the budgets of American families, small businesses and the Federal Government,” read the March 12th email from DeParle…

DeParle’s solicitation requests federal employees act on behalf of the President’s agenda by making this directive: “You can help raise awareness by sharing this email with your friends, family and online networks,” read the March 11th email from DeParle.

The Chicago Way in action. I don’t know how they think these emails might be effective. Personally, I can detect and delete spam emails at Mach 5, Ms. DeParle would be lucky if I ever read the entire first sentence.

I bet for some of these federal workers November 2012 cannot come soon enough.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: CBS News

Sarah Palin: America – Be Heard or Brace for “Transformation”

As the possibility of ObamaCare becoming a reality looms large on the horizon, Sarah Palin stands firm in opposition and calls for you to do the same. In her latest Facebook note Palin calls on readers to take action weekend and make their voices heard. 

Please stay involved throughout the weekend on the Obamacare debate. There will be another very important rally in D.C. at noon on Saturday. If you are anywhere near the Beltway or can travel there this weekend, I urge you to participate. Jon Voight and Rep. Michele Bachmann and many others will be there. 

Click here for details. (Michelle Malkin has a link here to grassroots organizers setting up transportation to D.C.). 

If you can’t attend the rally, you can still make your voices heard by calling and writing your Representative. Sign the petition here to remind Congress that “November Is Coming.” As Rep. Boehner said today, “Republicans can’t beat this bill, but the American people can.” Stand strong together! 

The implications of Obamacare will reach into every aspect of our lives, from the value of our paycheck, to the quality of our health care, to the opportunities that will be stripped from Americans as we’re shoved under the enormous burden of more government growth and control. We must stop this now. “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”

- Sarah Palin

Via: Sarah Palin’s Facebook Page

Mystery Memo reveals Democrats deception on CBO score

Yesterday the memo below is said to have been making the rounds among Democrats. The memo clearly spells out how to deceive the public regarding the “doctor fix” and details behind the CBO score. 

 We cannot emphasize enough: do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of the CBO scores and textual narrative. Instead, focus only on the deficit reduction and the number of Americans covered. ... 

Second, most health staff are already aware that our health proposal does not contain a "doc fix." Some Republicans have repeated CBO's November 18 letter that says "the sustainable growth rate (SGR) mechanism governing Medicare's payments to physicians has frequently been modified ... to avoid reduction in those payments, and legislation to do so again is currently under consideration in the Congress." The inclusion of a full SGR repeal would undermine reform's budget neutrality. So, again, do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of CBO scores and textual narrative. ...

As most health staff knows, Leadership and the White House are working with the AMA to rally physicians support for a full SGR repeal later this spring. However, both health and communications staff should understand we do not want that policy discussion discussed at this time, lest it complicate the last critical push to health care reform.

DemHCMemo -

While we all know that the Democrats handed the CBO completely unrealistic assumptions and other tricks to make sure they got back numbers that make ObamaCare look like it reduces the deficit, it is quite another thing to see them admit it in black and white. Democrats took out the doctor fix because if it was included, they could not show ObamaCare reducing the deficit. Instead, they will handle the doctor fix separately (it will still grow the deficit mind you).

Democrats are now denying that the memo is theirs. They are saying it is a GOP Hoax. Ed Morrissey at Hot Air says he got confirmation that the memo does exist and was being passed around on the Hill, but he cannot say if it came from Republicans or Democrats.

Wherever it came from, there is a lot of truth to it. Throughout the final stretches of health care debate, I have not seen a single Democrat on television get into the nitty gritty details of ObamaCare or the CBO numbers. They do not talk about the taxes, the new IRS agents, or the details of the mandates or anything else. Even Obama stayed away from any real details when Bret Baier grilled him. So it would be quite believable that this memo is actually theirs. I am sure we will find out one way or another where the memo really came from, but will we find out before the big vote?

Further reading can be found at PowerLine, The Other McCain and Conservatives 4 Palin.

Via: Memorandum

Via: Talking Points Memo

Via: Big Government 

Via: Hot Air

Has Pelosi reached a deal with Bart Stupak?

This story is breaking on the lefty site Fire Dog Lake, so take it as you will. 

From Fire Dog Lake: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has made a deal with Rep. Bart Stupak in order to secure his vote and that of other anti-choice Democrats for the health care bill, which is scheduled to be voted on this Sunday. According to a member of Congress who was briefed on the matter, Pelosi has agreed to let Stupak have a vote on his amendment either before or after the House votes to pass the Senate bill. It instructs the Senate to substitute the language in his amendment for the Senate language on abortion.

FDL has obtained a copy of the concurrent resolution (PDF1, PDF2, PDF3, PDF4), which includes cosponsors Marion Berry, Sanford Bishop, Joseph Cao, Kathy Dahlkemper, Steve Driehaus, Marcy Kaptur, Dan Lipinski, Alan Mollohan, and Nick Rahall. A second source confirms that with the exception of Cao, these are the members of Congress who are still on the fence. Cao is still considered a firm “no” vote.

The deal calls for Stupak to have a vote on his amendment either before or after the House votes to confirm the Senate bill on Sunday. Stupak is confident that he has the votes to pass the measure, and is happy to have the vote after the House passes the Senate bill. He believes that by using a “tie bar” approach, his amendment would be “tied” to the health care bill — which would require just 51 votes in the Senate.

Pro-choice members of the House, however, are demanding that the vote on the Concurrent Resolution happen before the House confirms the Senate bill. If in fact it passes, they plan to vote against confirming the Senate bill. They want Rep. Diana Degette to release the names of the 41 cosigners to her letter who pledged to vote against any bill that restricts a woman’s right to choose, and they are angry that the White House has been whipping to push through the Stupak deal. 

If this is true it is pretty risky of Nancy. Pro-Choice Dems might bolt over this, unless of course Nancy’s girls only meeting was all about buying off the pro-choicers in advance.  If Nancy is cutting a deal with Stupak, which must mean she has less votes than has been publicized. 

Bart Stupak is scheduled for a presser today at 11:00 am, we should know then if a deal was made and we should expect him to cave on the spot.  Stay tuned.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Fire Dog Lake

Via: TownHall