Quote for the Day: Rahm Emanuel
For alternative takes on the general subject discussed below, check here.
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Mr. Emanuel, as quoted in an article on the front page of today’s NYT, New York edition:
“The Republican leadership … has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama’s health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day.”
I fear he’s right. Elrod posted a response, concluding:
There are some issues in politics where bipartisan consensus simply does not exist. This August has only driven that point home. It’s time for Democrats to use the majority that the American people put in place last November.
And this is my problem with the Republican Party leadership … make that, problems, plural, with the Republican Party leadership.
First, they buried what I and others would consider legitimate concerns about some of the reform proposals in a thick layer of hysterical, fear-mongering garbage; the now infamous “death panel” representing what is perhaps the most egregious example of said garbage.
Second, in the face of potential compromise, GOP leaders have apparently decided not to compromise: at all. And that just doesn’t work. It doesn’t work for the assumed majority of Americans who believe protections like these are critically needed. And it doesn’t work if you claim your office is less about politics and more about public service and sound policy.
If GOP leaders were primarily concerned about public service and sound policy, they would not only acknowledge the writing on the wall — i.e., that some type of reform will be passed — they would respond to that writing on the wall by developing and embracing a type of reform that offers the “most good” with the “least bad,” as they define those terms.
Healthcare co-ops are probably that type of reform; they are likely the best compromise the GOP can muster in the current situation. But now, high on the fumes of the stink they’ve managed to raise over the last several weeks, Republican Party leaders seem poised to look this gift horse of a compromise in the mouth and walk away, leaving the Dems (after making paper-thin compromises to mollify the Blue Dogs) free to pass legislation that codifies their much-ballyhooed public option.
If that’s what happens, and if the public option proves as disastrous as GOP leaders have predicted it will be, then the GOP leaders will have nobody — repeat: nobody — to blame but themselves.
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Post Script: For the public-plan proponents who have doubted the strategy of the Obama team — who have questioned the President’s strength and commitment to progressive principles — I hope you will (should the public option become law) acknowledge the gigantic egg on your faces. Intentional or not, the Administration’s decision to lean hard to the co-ops idea might very well be characterized by historians, years from now, as “pure brilliance.” Think about it: Obama and his HHS Secretary send strong signals that co-ops are firmly on the table, just long enough for GOP leaders to say “hell, no,” prove their craven obstinance, and give the Dem majority all the cover they need to pass the law they wanted to pass all along.
Granted, if accurate, this scenario might suggest to some that the D leaders are no different than the R leaders; that both place a greater value on politics than they do on public service and sound policy. Perhaps. Or maybe the D leaders are simply better, this time around, at playing politics in order to implement their vision of public service and sound policy. Either way, they win.
38 Responses to “Quote for the Day: Rahm Emanuel”
“Second, in the face of potential compromise, GOP leaders have apparently decided not to compromise: at all. And that juust doesn’t work. It doesn’t work for the assumed majority of Americans who believe protections like these are critically needed. And it doesn’t work if you claim your office is less about politics and more about public service and sound policy.”
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Listen, let me clear up the mystery for you a little bit. The GOP isn't a political party anymore. They are now a de facto arm of organized crime. Just like the last “[Vice]Presidential” adiminstration. You know, the ones who lied to us to gain access to public funds to pay for their takeover of rival oil territory? They are the mouthpiece for big money. Big money ain't getting swayed by compassion, lofty goals or longterm stability. They want their big cash and they want it now and if they don't get it, people are going to PAY. Tha't's their message. That's their bottom line.
One simple stroke would take organized crime out of our Congress. Ban all lobbying. Period.
If that’s what happens, and if the public option proves as disastrous as GOP leaders have predicted it will be, then the GOP leaders will have nobody — repeat: nobody — to blame but themselves.
While I agree with much of your post, this is ridiculous. The responsibility for the contents and results of a bill rests with those who push it through and vote for it, not on those who oppose it. If the public plan is a failure the GOP (and public) will blame the Democrats and rightly so.
I do think the GOP has behaved very badly. While I think there are many problems with the House bill, the GOP focused on mischaracterization instead of real concerns, and has been purely obstructionist and apparently unwilling to compromise.
The GOP is owned by MedMob and of course they will blame democrats. But the public option won't fail unless someone sabotages it. We already pay fthrough the nose for the 50 million to get coverage in ER/ambulance visits that cost five times what regular care should cost with prevention and easier access to regular checkups. The new public option will streamline and cheapen what we already have going to our demise.
People forget about that little ER law. It has been THE public option for far too long already.
You can blame the GOP by not proposing any constructive changes. But absent their participation, a new health care program will be the responsibility of the Democrats. With virtual control of the entire federal government, that was always going to be the case.
The dems don't have “virtual control of the entire federal government” any more than Cheneyco did with their GOP majority in the 2000 decade. So as fair as that was you can rest assured it will be under the dems, only with common human decency on board where it was lacking under Satan's Little Helpers
Barney Frank has the right idea. Cut them wackos down to size! Stop pussyfooting around in these TH meetings and when a wacko wants raise goofy wacko nazi kill grandma stupid crap, THEN CALL THEM WACKOS TO THEIR FACE ON NATIONAL TV!
Awake the sleeping giant.
The problem is that unlike the GOP majority of the Bush years, the Dems are not a cohesive force. There is much opposition to Obama's plan among the Blue Dogs who have a more conservative constituency.
They will probably pass some health care reform bill- but the real question is how much of the original bill will be sacrificed to get a consensus–even among Democrats?
Kritt makes a very valid point. Dems simply are not a cohesive force, not like the Reps were under the strong-arm of Tom DeLay. You have far left Dems that require a public option and blue dogs that are basically weighing their re-election chances vs what is in the final bill.
Dems need to start smacking their people around and get this thing done. Call the blue dogs out…make them filibuster with the Reps. Lets see what kind of re-election chances they have when they are forced to associate themselves with Rush and Palin.
As far as Reps just wanting this thing to fail for political gain…I think this is pretty clear.
I've pretty much said this all along, Dems have the votes, they now need the courage.
Nah, I think you're wrong. Constantly remind the bluedogs about the fact that their taxes already pay for the public [ER/ambulance] option that's in place today for the 50 million, that costs them five times what they'd pay after the damn thing becomes official and streamlined and you'll get them on board.
Obama's people are just being dumb how they're pitching this thing. If the GOP scares the pants off people and it works for them [lightbulb anyone?]….Anyone?…
Hellooooooo….???
Sprinkle those daily reminders with a healthy dose of personal anecdotes about the nightmares of being denied coverage after faithfully paying premiums for years, by grandma, gramps and little Susie and you've got a recipe for success. Do it primetime. Have Obama host it. Cluster Fox will have to cover it or look like the second-rate act they really are.
@@Lets see what kind of re-election chances they have when they are forced to associate themselves with Rush and Palin.@@
This now tiresome piece of lefty bravado might be more effective if it actually made sense. The Blue Dogs are conservative because they were elected out of non-liberal areas.
If a current Blue Dog was unseated, why are you guys thinking these areas are going to vote for Dennis Kucinich?
CO…Dems simply need to say to Blue dogs…”you're replacable”. It is a game of chicken….blue dogs think they have the power, but they really don't. The Dem party isn't going anywhere, but politicians can be replaced.
In the end, the Blue Dogs would give in because it is their political heads on the chopping blocks. Dems risk losing the 60, but what good are the 60 if you still can't pass your agenda? In the end, it just makes Dems look bad.
Shannonlee—
The Democrats recruited many of the Blue Dogs to run in conservative districts, so that they could regain their majority. It is true that they are replaceable but they could be replaced by Republicans, causing the party to lose its hard-won majority status.
I think Obama has to be careful not to push a bill that is too far left-because there will be a backlash in the next election. Unfortunately, the GOP is using misinformation to try to defeat any bill that is put on the floor.
I think you're going to be wrong on both the short-term leverage and the long-term outcome, but no value in arguing hypotheticals.
[...] Quote for the Day: Rahm Emanuel | The Moderate Voice By PETE ABEL, Managing Editor Think about it: Obama and his HHS Secretary send strong signals that co-ops are firmly on the table, just long enough for GOP leaders to say “hell, no,” prove their craven obstinance, and give the Dem majority all the cover they need to … The Moderate Voice – http://themoderatevoice.com/ [...]
CO is correct, no point in arguing hyp…but…just because I can't help myself.
I think the problem here is that the magic number 60 is going to blow up in their faces come re-election time. Right now, most americans don't know what a blue dog is…blue heeler, blue moon? they don't know. They only know that Dems have 60 in the Senate and that means they have complete control to pass whatever they want. Their inability to pass their agenda with full control of the government is going to be the GOP's main focus point.
Liberals are ineffective and unable to govern.
And btw, I'm not a Dem…but I do support a government health care option.
There are other ways of dealing with Blue Dogs… The Speaker of the House and Majority Leader are the ones who make (or break) “committee assignments”. Blue Dogs can and will be dealt with and they just need to be reminded of the fact from time to time.
Ah…purge the Blue Dog “DINOs”. It begins. Have fun, guys.
CS…under my theory…they'd only have to purge one
As someone said, Dems “stop pussyfooting around.”
Do what Republicans would do and have done: Damn the minority, full speed ahead!
Do what Republicans would do and have done: Damn the minority, full speed ahead!
Seeing as how that strategy led to war, a recession and the loss of the Presidency, House and Senate, I wouldn't be quite so optimistic.
“The Democrats recruited many of the Blue Dogs to run in conservative districts, so that they could regain their majority. It is true that they are replaceable but they could be replaced by Republicans, causing the party to lose its hard-won majority status.”
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kritt,
The bluedogs are already wolves in sheeps clothing. Don't know about you but I'd like to be able to idenify the enemy. Call them what they already are, left-leaning republicans, and have done with it. Anyone taking bribes to sell our public revision of our ER-obligation to the uninsured 50 million down the river is the enemy pure and simple. Clever rivals next election will milk a lot of mileage out of people feeling cheated on the public option no matter what coat is being worn.
@@Liberals are ineffective and unable to govern.@@
I knew if we talked long enough, we would find something we could agree on!!!
shannonlee: “Right now, most americans don't know what a blue dog is…blue heeler, blue moon? they don't know”
I'm not at all sure that's true — at least in the districts that sent them to Congress. They absolutely know that they've elected a conservative Dem, though. I agree with kritt11 — the blue dogs were fielded to gain a majority via conservative districts. They are exactly why some folks interpreted the last election as a “liberal mandate”, though.
PM, I'm more weighing the Dem vs Rep on the national level than the state level debate…and how the national level debate will affect the Senate elections in each state.
As the party as a whole goes down in the polls, that also drags down each individual politician.
If Dems in general are viewed as unable to govern, that puts all of the blue dogs in serious trouble. It is almost as if they need to be brought inline for their own good.
With 59 Senators, Dems can say…”well, we had to compromise…we had no choice, and the Reps just weren't good partners”.
As it stands now…they have nothing to say but…”we couldn't get it done”
[...] Quote for the Day: Rahm Emanuel – The Moderate Voice“The Republican leadership … has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama’s health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day.” I fear he [...]
Look the Blue Dogs are liberal Republicans. And that is OK by me, after all, the GOP went crazy and the sane ones had to go somewhere. If we can pass healthcare with the Blue Dogs, then it will be a bipartisian bill.
Speaking of the public view of Dems…latest Pew poll…
“Only 49 percent of Americans now hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party, down from 62 percent in the same poll shortly after Obama assumed office. Democratic favorable ratings hovered around 60 percent as recently as April, when 59 percent of those polled held a favorable view. “
Ah! I follow your thinking now shannonlee.
“If Dems in general are viewed as unable to govern, that puts all of the blue dogs in serious trouble. It is almost as if they need to be brought inline for their own good.”
Why do you think the blue dogs specifically would be in more trouble than the Dems generally, if they come to be viewed as “unable to govern”?
Sil-
I must be more of a centrist than you are, because I think we need to have some opposing points of view on a landmark bill like this. I'm not in favor of purging the Blue Dogs— because the Democrats need to show that they are not just a liberal party- but are a big tent party.
I just think the crazed far right response by Palin and others is out of line because it relies entirely on misinformation. Hopefully, that will backfire, and reveal to the public that they are not fit to lead.
Hmm…maybe I should have written that the first time
“Why do you think the blue dogs specifically would be in more trouble than the Dems generally, if they come to be viewed as “unable to govern”?”
For the same reason a number of moderate Reps lost because of Bush. The little letter next to your name makes a big difference. A lot of blue dogs won because the letter R turned off a lot of voters. If the letter D starts to do the same, those voters will swing back R.
Dems in more liberal areas will keep their voters even if the polls turn against them.
Also, a lot of these new blud dogs don't hold major positions of power yet. There is no reason to keep an incumbent around if they don't hold any serious power, which goes back to what SteveK said about committee appointments.
Silhouette Said:
“Listen, let me clear up the mystery for you a little bit. The congressional GOP isn't a political party anymore. They are now a de facto arm of organized crime. Just like the last “[Vice]Presidential” adminstration. You know, the ones who lied to us to gain access to public funds to pay for their takeover of rival oil territory? They are the mouthpiece for big money. Big money ain't getting swayed by compassion, lofty goals or longterm stability. They want their big cash and they want it now and if they don't get it, people are going to PAY. Tha't's their message. That's their bottom line.”
I do not mean to pick on you Silhouette, but anyone but do you truly believe the Republicans are the only ones who are in the back pocket of lobbyists? I do not know if you do or not, yet your statements here make me think that you do. If you want to be clear and honest then when you speak of lobbyists then you would lump every politician in Washington in the same mold. For me, when people make these types of statements, I am less inclined to listen to them any further since IMO there is a general lack of integrity inherent in the statement.
I agree with your last statement about lobbying. Ban all lobbying contributions, period! It is sad that the people elect our officials and then business interests high jack them for their own interests. I have lost all confidence in politicians in general since every one of them has a problem with integrity in my book. If they had integrity the would open (all) their books for public inspection including for offshore back accounts.
Government run co-ops are the same as the public option. They are presented as non-profit, but they are also subsidized by the government – your tax dollars. Co-ops are like the Federally Funded Research and Development Companies (FFRDCs); they are mandated by congress for federal agencies to use, and are mandated to be non-profit. They do the same thing as private businesses; but because they are subsidized by the federal government – your tax dollars – private businesses cannot compete for those same niches. Further, because they are mandated to be non-profit, what comes in must go out to equal zero. FFRDCs are the most expensive contract “option” that federal programs encounter. In other words, co-ops are still the public option under a different name.
Ban all lobbying contributions from PETA, WWF, Greenpeace, ACLU, UNCF, NAACP, AARP, etc. Oh, I forgot, those are good special inerests.
I would love to see the Dems ram this through. That way when it is the debacle that it will be, same as SS, Medicare, the USPS, the VA and many other government destroyed institutions, then they will own it 100%. I think it is hilarious that no matter what they do they still try to blame the Reps everytime it goes bad. Well I hate to tell you that at times the fault also lays in the face looking back in the mirror. The most humerous thing of all the invective being spewed about by the left is that they think that the conservative dems are killing them, well then go ahead and try and run more liberal ones in those area and see how fast your majorities start eroding away.
And lastly if what this congress is trying to shove down our throats is so great then why won't BO and the congress put themselves on it? Doesn't that even make you people think, and it is the supporters of this I am looking at here, that there is something wrong when the people making the law are trying to avoid being covered by the law? That same question has been asked of many of the congresspeople and I can't think of even one that has been able to give a straight answer. If that doesn't worry you then I guess you will deserve the coming disaster if this passes.
Why do we have to 'Compromise'? There's some thing that are Uncompromisable. Abortion, comes to mind. The LEFT coesn't compromise, when it comes to MURDERING little babies in their mothers' wombs. Any more than I would compromise in my objections to the Lefts' Infanticide. It's the same way with this. The Government doesn't do ANYTHING well. We trusted them with Social Security. Where's THAT right now? Every Paycheck, they FORCABLY take money from us, and 'Put it away' for when we retire. Right? Isn't that what we were told? So, where's the money? They keep telling us that it will be 'INSOLVENT' in a coupla years. But why? Because they STOLE THE MONEY. They TOOK IT, and SPENT IT on other things. Think – PONZI SCHEME. Think – BERNIE MADOFF, only exponentialy WORSE. And who's idea was it to FORCE Banks, to give HOME LOANS to people with NO MONEY? And, MOST importantly, if you ask me, WHO has EXEMPTED THEMSELVES, and their FAMILIES, and their GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES from this wonderful, all encompassing Universal Health Care Plan. Why, the people who WROTE IT, of course. Let it sink in for a little while. The AUTHORS of the Health Care Plan that's gonna 'SAVE THE WORLD', have made sure that it doesn't get anywhere near THEM, or their Families. It's NOT for them. It's for YOU. It's for the SUCKERS, and the RUBES. How STUPID can you people be? If THEY don't want it, why would YOU? Because you're STUPID. And the Co-Opt thing? They're just CHANGING THE NAME. Because they know that you are STUPID. Get it? They're just playing you for the FOOLS that you are. 'YES WE CAN' Pathetic.
You still dont get it!! Its all about power, not health care. The problems with healt care costs in the US have to do with problems made by the government and if they insist on controlling every aspect of health care they will implode our system just like they did with the mortgages. The health care problems could be fixed in under 5 pages not over 1000.
If not for the donky on his pocket you would think Obama was Bush's tan brother. The words are different but the results are the same. We become slaves one step at a time. Open your eyes and cover up the donky and you will see Rahm Emanuel is Cheny without the Gun.
“Freedom is not Free”
goomy— Yes the left believes in abortion rights-but they also care about the life of the child AFTER it is born. Remember how conservatives voted down S-Chip. which would have helped working families pay for health insurance for their kids?
Remember when the GOP voted to cut Medicaid, the school lunch program and other programs for the poor under George W Bush?
Which party has more compassion for the less fortunate in our society?
Kritt11 you have fallen into their trap.
Compassion is not about how you spend other peoples money (labor). Its about using your time and money to help others.
Hurting one person to help another does not make you compassionate it make you a power monger.
The goverment takes taxes from my family and takes their cut and writes my mentally disabled brother-in-law a check so I can take care of him. This is not about compassion it's about control.
In 95' I was a banker and saw what was happening to the system. Many of the bankers were replaced by salespeople. By the late 90's the cheats and swidlers were flocking to the industry.
Now the healthcare workers will be replaced by power brokers, bean counters. This will attract more cheats and swindlers to health care just like the mortgage industry.
After the government comes in the Cheats and swindlers will be soon to follow.
Please don't be a 'Tool'.
[...] PETE ABEL, Managing Editor wrote an interesting post today on<b>Quote</b> for the Day: Rahm Emanuel | The Moderate VoiceHere’s a quick excerpt [...]