I just caught this bit of news via bruh1's diary, and it burned me up.
From Congressional Quarterly:
The Blue Dog revolt against the House leadership’s health care overhaul took a new turn Tuesday morning, when a several members of the centrist faction made overtures to House Republicans about joining forces to slow and reshape the bill.
Republican aides said there was great interest among GOP lawmakers in trying to work with dissidents in the 52-member Blue Dog Coalition to try to stop the legislation.
It's pretty clear now that the Blue Dogs on the Energy & Commerce committee are not negotiating in good faith, but are instead throwing up hurdles to get a floor vote delayed until after the break.
I think we should call on Nancy Pelosi - at some point in the near future - to bypass the Energy & Commerce committee and bring the bill to the floor. We can't let supposed Democrats derail reform.
Energy & Commerce chair Henry Waxman seems to have offered significant concessions to the Blue Dogs on the committee last night. They're waiting on CBO estimates, which could be a legitimate request. But given the news about their overtures to Republicans, I'm near convinced they're just trying to run out the clock.
The fate of the House healthcare proposal rested in the hands of the Blue Dogs on Tuesday morning as the coalition review the healthcare compromise offered Monday night by Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.).
"We’re not there yet," Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind.), a Blue Dog co-chairman and member of the Energy and Commerce panel, said upon leaving the hot, crowded meeting. "We’ve had a good discussion with the Blue Dogs here this morning, and we’ll take it from there."
This quote from Rep. Pomeroy is especially discouraging:
"The bottom line of the Blue Dogs has not been met yet," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.).
What about the bottom line of the American people? Having affordable health insurance choices, including a public option, and not having to worry about denial or rescission of coverage? Not letting private insurance companies run wild, jacking up premiums and squeezing every last dollar for their own salaries and shareholder returns?
Our bottom line is being held hostage by seven Congressmen (yes, all men) on the Energy & Commerce committee. The bill has already been sized up and approved by two House committees. We can't let the delay in this one committee stand for much longer. Either we give them until release of the CBO estimates, and then raise a ruckus, or we start clamoring for a full vote now.
What do you say?
Whatever we do, we should insist they stay in session until the bill is passed by the full chamber, however long it takes.
"When I take this bill to the floor, it will win," Pelosi (Calif.) said on CNN's "State of the Union." "This will happen."
CONTACT INFO:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (DC): (202) 225-4965
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA): (415) 556-4862
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer: (202) 225-3130
House Majority Whip James Clyburn: (202) 226-3210
Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman: (202) 225-2927
For other constructive steps, see today's slinkerwink diary.