Blue’s Doug Thompson on CNN
October 19, 2009
Capitol Hill Blue publisher Doug Thompson joined political bloggers on CNN Monday to talk about the White House war of words with Fox News. Watch the video below.
Congress: Stupid is as stupid does
October 19, 2009
As crippled and clinically-dead health care “reform” bills make their way through the House and Senate it becomes painfully clear that — once again — our mentally-challenged elected representatives are out of their depth.
Most members of Congress are not especially bright and many will vote on changing the health care structure of this nation without having the slightest idea what’s in the bill, what it will cost and what effect it will have on millions of Americans.
Won’t be the first time this has happened. Won’t be the last. Most members of Congress have neither the time or the intellect to read or understand the massive documents of doublespeak that masquerades as legislation.
White House: Fox News is ‘not really news’
October 19, 2009
Senior White House aides Sunday continued their war of words with right-wing Fox News Channel, saying the cable service is “not really news.”
This is news?
Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” David Axelrod is what Fox dishes out daily on is “not really news” and added “they’re not really a news station.”
Fight looms over public option
October 19, 2009
A key Democrat voiced confidence on Sunday that Senate leaders will include a government-run insurance plan in the healthcare bill they bring to the full U.S. Senate for consideration — and suggested it might even pass.
Senator Chris Dodd acknowledged that there is plenty of opposition to the so-called public option from Republicans as well as fiscally conservative Democrats.
Yet noting what has happened to other embattled legislation over the years, Dodd said, “when you end up on the floor of the Senate, you find, sometimes, you get more” support than earlier anticipated.
Obama will wait and see on health care
October 19, 2009
The White House will not commit to health care legislation that would cap insurance premiums or tax benefits, taking a wait-and-see approach as congressional negotiators seek a deal, advisers said Sunday.
President Barack Obama will not demand that a final bill include a government-run plan as a way of driving down costs through competition, though that’s his preference, they said.
Suddenly, Roland Burris is relevant
October 19, 2009
For Democrats determined to get a health care bill, Sen. Roland Burris is like the house guest who couldn’t be refused, won’t soon be leaving and poses a plausible threat of ruining holiday dinner.
Suddenly, he can no longer be ignored.
The Illinois Democrat, appointed by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, says he’ll only vote for a bill to provide health care to millions more Americans as long as it allows the government to sell insurance in competition with private insurers.
And he says he won’t compromise.
“I would not support a bill that does not have a public option,” Burris, 72, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “That position will not change.”
Projecting health care costs is guesswork at best
October 19, 2009
If, and when, so-called “health care reform” becomes reality, the man responsible for changing the landscape for health insurance for millions of Americans will be someone you’ve never heard of.
His name is Phil Ellis, a numbers cruncher with the Congressional Budget Office and a man whose spreadsheets spell success or doom for proposed health care reform plans.
As a senior analyst for the CBO, Ellis issues forecasts on what proposed plans will costs. His estimates can kill some bills and put others into play.
The catch is, even Ellis says his numbers are probably wrong.