Olympia Snowe Confirms She値l Filibuster Health Reform

[Hissyspit]

Source: Statement from Office of Olympia Snowe

Olympia Snowe confirms she値l filibuster health reform

By Sahil Kapur
Sunday, December 20th, 2009 -- 5:24 pm

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) said on Sunday she will join Republicans in filibustering the Senate health care bill, claiming the process has been moving too fast.

"I deeply regret that I cannot support the pending Senate legislation as it currently stands," Snowe said in a statement, announcing that she won't allow it to proceed to a final vote.

She cited "continued concerns with the measure and an artificial and arbitrary deadline of completing the bill before Christmas that is shortchanging the process on this monumental and trans-generational effort." Snowe's affirmation comes one day after Senate Democrats announced their unified support, along with the two independent senators, for the bill. As things stand, every Republican is projected to filibuster it.

- snip -

Snowe's vote has been heavily courted by the White House and Democratic leadership in an effort to achieve a bipartisan bill. They succeeded in winning her vote for the Senate Finance Committee bill, which also excluded the public option. Snowe's demands have largely centered on removing the provision.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/2009/12/olympia-snowe-confirms-filibuster-health-care-bill

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Official Statement: http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=addfd8be-802a-23ad-48c9-e50f85c61537

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Gee here's a copy of the health care bill republicans want.

:start text here:

:end text here:

[bjobotts]

27. Then vote against the bill. It's called obstruction not to let the other 99 senators have a vote

[bjobotts]

28. Democracy demands you allow for votes; not prevent them from happening

[bjobotts]

29. The majority of the country demands HC reform.Who are you to stop us from even voting on it

[roguevalley]

62. so what part of fourth dimensional chess is this move?

[midnight armadillo]

68. Four dimensions? That's for amateurs. The WH plays 11-dimensional chess.

Or didn't you get that memo.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I forget. Did she say this about the Patriot Act too?

[MichiganVote]

5. No shit. How about the lack of bank regulations, worked on that Snowe?

[hlthe2b]

3. What the hell are her constituents saying to her?

I can not believe that she and Susan Collins are NOT hearing from angry constituents throughout this HCR process for their intransigence.

[Cleita]

9. I doubt if they care. It isn't their constituents

that they are toadying for. Does anybody ever run against them in Maine or do they have secure seats that it doesn't matter if anyone doesn't vote for them?

[Po_d Mainiac]

24. They are hearing impaired..n/t

[MaineDem]

48. Many of us are contacting her

She's hearing from us. There were rallies at her offices today, too.

[hlthe2b]

58. Good... Go Forth and MULTIPLY!

;)

[eagertolearn]

79. Oh good. She seemed reasonable at first. How can all these people live with themselves

and sleep at night?

[superconnected]

86. You're assuming they would touch her empathy bone. However since she has none

they are blocked from her bothering to understand them. It's a common misgiving among Republicans.

[lapfog_1]

4. What this means is the no Democrat or Independent

is going to vote to sustain the filibuster.

It's been my belief that the Insurance Industry now WANTS this bill passed, all of their stocks have been rising for the last 6 weeks. They LOVE this bill. So, if one progressive Senator was going to oppose the President on this and vote for the Republican filibuster, Snowe or some other "moderate" Republican was going to have "second thoughts" and vote for Cloture and allow the bill to proceed to conference.

All of the posturing and railing from the Republican (corporate toadies that they are) side is just more rabbits shouting "Oh no!!! don't throw me into the brier patch!!!"

[Cass]

6. The public option has been removed and several (many) republican-backed proposals

have been included in this bill, yet not only will they not vote for it, the will fillibuster it. What's the point of caving to republican demands when they won't vote for it even when their demands are met? This obsession dems and Obama have with bipartisanship is infuriating. They are more interested in placating republicans who will never vote for these bills instead of democratic voters who put them there!

[Cleita]

10. Did you hear Senator Harkin today talk about how the Senate during

the Bush administration got all his pet projects passed with reconciliation and 51 votes? Why aren't we doing this?

[Cass]

12. I didn't hear Senator Harkin today unfortunately...I wish I had.

It's great that he brought that up! I'd also like to know why we aren't doing this.

[sabrina 1]

19. Dems could have gotten a public option long ago by

using Bush's methods. They claimed they wanted the bill to be 'bi-partisan' and wasted months trying to get Olympia Snow on board with them. I think now it was all for show. They never needed Republicans which many people said back then and were told they were wrong.

The truth is this bill was written for the Private Insurance Ind. Until every compromise (and why were WE, the WINNERs of the election the ones who needed to compromise in the first place) that would benefit the American people was removed, they didn't stop. Once the Bill was safe for Big Insurance, all negotiations stopped. Interesting, isn't it?

Republicans are staying away from it, because they probably have been told to. It is beneficial for them not to participate and let the Dems do the dirty work for the Corps. this time. They spent eight years doing it. And when premiums start to rise, along with co-pays and prescription drugs, they can point to the fact that it wasn't their bill.

I think they just take turns making sure that Big Business' interests are well taken care of. Now it's the Dems turn. That's how it looks to me.

I have no doubt that with the majority they had in all three branches of government and a majority of Americans behind them, not to mention Obama's skills as a communicator (which for once he never used) to sell it, a sincere, determined president could have gotten us close to a Universal Health Care system this time. That is, if it was the people they were representing, but they are not.

[Cleita]

21. Yep, you are so right, but I don't know if they know how pissed off

everyone is with this dog and pony show. I don't think they know that because this has been on TV on weekends at a time of the year when there is nothing else to watch but football, that many people are watching across the nation who wouldn't be ordinarily.

[LuckyLib]

77. You have nailed it. Let the Dems own this.

"Republicans are staying away from it, because they probably have been told to. It is beneficial for them not to participate and let the Dems do the dirty work for the Corps. this time. They spent eight years doing it. And when premiums start to rise, along with co-pays and prescription drugs, they can point to the fact that it wasn't their bill."

[mdmc]

95. +1

or wishful thinking.. i feel the same way..

[Jefferson23]

30. Exactly. They could if they wanted to imo.

[Divine Discontent]

39. sure as hell makes one wonder WHY the bullshit smooth talk by the pres. has been done, when we could

have gotten true reform in America, instead of this watered down bill. Doesn't it?

Makes it rather obvious that they didn't want progressive bills because the corporations would not be happy. The senator knows what he's talking about - that's who I'm listening to - I trust Harkin.

[texanwitch]

16. I share the same feelings.

The republicans are playing the democrats for fools.

They don't want a bill but they want to be able to blame the democrats for a bad bill.

No matter how much the democrats cave in the republicans will block it.

Damn.

Do our democrats who get elected get stupid when they get to Washington.

[bjobotts]

31. The PO had been bargained away long before debate ever began

[bjobotts]

34. This was never inteded to be anything but an Exchange: new customers for pre-existing etc.

All the senators on the committees making up the bill were owned by private ins. All they did was see what Private ins would be willing to give up for millions of new customers. Single payer, PO, Medicare buy in were all deal breakers. Seeing this, the right is now trying to reverse Roe v Wade through this bill too. Now that is a deal breaker for the left.

[marshall]

32. They're not caving to Republicans, they're caving to DINOs!

It's the folks from ostensibly conservative states who nevertheless got voted in as Democrats. They are cravenly afraid they will not be voted back in office unless they kow tow to their constituents.

[lordcommander]

57. +1 n/t

[AlbertCat]

70. unless they kow tow to their constituents.

But even a majority in conservative states wanted a PO.

They are kowtowing to their healthcare industry donors.... using their "conservative state" status as an excuse.

[gateley]

38. That's what I was thinking? Why bend over backwards trying to accommodate

the Reps (while pissing off your base) if they won't vote for it anyway?

MAYBE Obama will say "Okay fine -- we've addressed all your concerns and you won't accept our gestures, so we'll just do it all over agains with Dems only." :bounce:

[Indenturedebtor]

61. I wish I had your hope

What I'm most afraid of is that now they'll ram this sack of garbage through.

[gateley]

63. I think my hope is pretty low these days -- it was just a flash of hysterical

fantasy.

[man4allcats]

75. Yeah. And maybe

Santa Claus will come sliding down the chimney. More likely Obama will say, "Oh Gee. Sorry. What else can we do to appease you? If you wouldn't mind, kindly make a list. We wouldn't want to leave anything out."

[eagertolearn]

78. This is what I've been hoping too. Its the only thing that would make since.

We did vote for Obama because of his promise for change and for doing what was right for all of us. I'm really hoping you are right or i have lost my inspiration to fight. Where is the person we elected?

[gateley]

88. It's like hoping your errant child will really keep his promise this

time. You keep giving him one more chance. I think it's a stretch, and I don't for a moment think this was the "plan" all along (too many leaks, we would have heard), but it IS a possibility. We'll see -- and keep on hoping. :pals:

[bluestateguy]

7. Disgusting

To go against the president of the United States in a time of war is bordering on treason.

[bkozumplik]

59. that's utter nonsense

Thats only if you're in the military, and we are not. Thats why people say "Its a free country"
Cause Obama can't order citizens around, or force us to think or say anything.

Anyone who follows the "orders" of the president and isn't in the military is a 'moran'.

[ima_sinnic]

87. when is it NOT "a time of war" for this country?

another good reason they like their wars; it makes the stupid even stupider.

[earcandle]

8. If we hate the bill. and they filibuster it, isn't that a good thing for us progressives?

[customerserviceguy]

42. That's what I was thinking

Frankly, if this bill didn't make it through, very little would change for most people. Whatever positive benefits there might be, it would take years to implement them, more than enough time for the Repukes to gut the legislation after either 2010 or 2012.

I see nothing but Pyrrhic victory possible, at this point I don't give a hoot what random Rethuglicans say about this bill.

[bkozumplik]

60. yes, its good. /eom

[man4allcats]

76. My thought as well.

It occurs to me though that as bad as it is already, the Rethugs might use a filibuster to try to make it even worse. Of course that begs the question of how it would be possible to make it worse.

[HopeHoops]

11. "Moving too fast" is GOP-speak for "moving at all".

Her initial support was not only qualified with the implicit lack of support for the final bill, but entirely political.

[cyclezealot]

25. The woman is not Goper moderate.. It's been over a year

the US has been consumed with health care reform.. Committee hearings started after the election 0f 08.. does the country not have other business to attend to.. Just just as obstructionist as any other Repukican.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. 
[link:www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html|Click
here] to review the message board rules.

[MaineDem]

49. I don't like her politics but she isn't a bitch. n/t

[Diane R]

65. I think she is. I'm from Washington State, and I'm tired of her controlling the country.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

80. Yes. Olympia Snowe is controlling the country.

I'm not much on smilies, but:

:eyes:

[debbierlus]

14. So, any concessions written in to garner her vote will be removed immediately...

Right....

Right???

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CLANG]

17. FUOS

[high density]

18. I saw her saying that this morning on Face the Nation, that the bill is moving too fast

We've been talking about it for more than six months. What more needs to be discussed? Ridiculous. If this doesn't end her credentials as a "moderate" then nothing will.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

45. 6 months? 60 years.

[CLANG]

20. Maine needs to cut her loose - this is ridiculous!

[thelordofhell]

22. You would think republicans would want healthcare for everyone

after all their hearts are two sizes too small.

[Botany]

23. " ..... claiming the process has been moving too fast"

Oh for the love of dog ...... Harry Truman tried health care reform in 1946.

[BrklynLiberal]

26. I just don't want to hear her whining and moaning a few years down the road about

how "She had no idea that.....". If she pulls a Sandra Day O'Connor everyone should just puke in front of her.

[LastNaturalist]

33. Love those "moderate" Republicans!

All none of them.

[Jakes Progress]

35. It's sad to see a woman selling herself on the public stage. nt

[mistertrickster]

36. Hey, Dems. This is what happens when you compromise. RAM IT DOWN THEIR THROATS. nt

[spicegal]

37. Moving too fast?? Oh, really?? 100 years is a little too fast for the GOP?

The reality is that it will be a cold day in hell before any member of the GOP supports any form of UHC, so why do we care about trying to garner their support. It aint' going to happen, so let's just move forward and get it done. It's not going to be perfect, but it will be a step in the right direction. We must continue to elect Democrats so that we can continue to build on it.

[burning rain]

40. Well, that's her right.

Given that Republicans have long since made clear their determination to subject nearly every Senate measure to a 60-vote threshold, it serves no purpose for Democrats to complain about Republican filibustering. As long as Senate Democrats refuse to exercise the "nuclear option" or change the Senate rules, period, to require only a simple majority and not 60 for cloture, they are by definition just getting what they want in being subject to constant filibusters.

[McCamy Taylor]

41. The GOP probably said they would dump her in her primary if she didnt.

It is tough to make it through one of those crazy right wing GOP primaries. You practically have to goose step.

[LastNaturalist]

46. They probably will anyway. Look at Lincoln Chaffee, Arlen Specter, and Jim Jeffords.

All on our team or leaning toward our team.

[aquart]

43. I want her to do it. Let Maine defend her.

[Hubert Flottz]

44. I don't know about stopping the bill but I think she would stop an

eight day clock!

[MilesColtrane]

47. Well, fuck her.

May as well put the public option back in if pulling it was a concession for her vote in the first place.

[Divine Discontent]

50. she's one kooky senator! using way outdated talking points - 'too fast' was so 5 months ago!

I guess she's got some dementia going on.

I may not like a LOT in this bill, but to use the reasons she's using is rather laughable...

what right wing hacks all the REPUKES are...

[Aviation Pro]

51. Saw you on Face the Nation, Slush....

...you fucking Senatorial whore.

[Joe the Liberal]

52. Typical.....

Everyone appeases these corporate, corrupt, S.O.B's, we give them everything they want and then they just vote against the thing anyways AFTER they have gotten everything they wanted in the bill. They basically write the bill and then vote against it, It's a load of crap, weak, spineless dems piss me off more then the republicans do.

[proud2BlibKansan]

53. Yes 60 years is way too fast

Idiot.

[EFerrari]

72. Sounds likes she's feeling left out of the action. Wonder what she wants. n/t

[jmowreader]

54. Since the fuckers are going to filibuster it anyway...

Y'know, we Democrats did everything possible to make the Republicans happy short of just killing the bill outright. Once we had a bill with no public option, no single-payer, all the anti-abortion stuff and mandates, they should have been happy as hell and supported it with the greatest pleasure. Nope. They're gonna filibuster it anyway.

Now is the time to do what the Republicans would do if they were in our position. They'd put all the shit they took out back in, pass a nuclear option to shut down debate and have a quick up/down that required only a simple majority to pass.

[The Stranger]

55. Does that piece of shit realize she can go ahead with not supporting it while not filibustering it?

Filibustering is an extreme measure she doesn't need to commit to.

[LiberalFighter]

56. Can't go any slower than a snail.

SOUC

[Diane R]

Does Ms. Snowe enjoy Public option Health Insurance? Thought so. Witch.

[Loudmxr]

64. Start naming trees honey. "The Larch"......... "The Larch"

[scentopine]

66. Ack! I'm shocked! Totally shocked! Completely unexpected! -nt

[penndragon69]

67. Just another refugnican SNOWE job.

[Zoeisright]

69. Why don't you try telling that to the families of those who have DIED

waiting for affordable health care, you bitch?

Moving too fast my ass.

[Better Believe It]

71. Ahhhh .....the old threat of a phantom Republican filibuster .... one that you can't watch on C-Span

Well, she's not that all important 41st vote against ending a non-existent debate.

[valerief]

73. I wish the WH would court Americans instead of Senators. nt

[Captain Hilts]

85. The WH got precious little for all the time and effort they focused onher. nt

[Clear Blue Sky]

74. And why does it matter what she does? We have the votes already.

[CreekDog]

93. Because her vote would have rendered the "Nelson" compromise on abortion unnecessary

and she has been considered "pro choice" and voted against the Nelson amendment.

so there was a practical impact where her positioning serves no practical purpose.

so she voted against Nelson's abortion amendment (when her vote wasn't critical), but votes against cloture (when her vote was critical) and putting Nelson in the driver's seat to change the bill on abortion in a way that she voted against just a week ago.

the lady simply isn't very smart. :eyes:

[JDPriestly]

81. Olympia Snowe is very transparent. She has just been playing

a game all along. She flirted with Democrats regarding health care. She did it to influence the language in the final bill. She never seriously thought of voting for the bill or even cloture. I thought she was lying all along. Any Democrat in Congress who thought there was the slightest chance she would vote for the bill is gullible.

[MaineDem]

82. Now she's saying she may vote for the House-Senate conference bill

She's trying to keep her relevancy. I hope the Dems don't count on her for anything.

It's highly likely she won't run for re-election. She's just playing for attention right now.

[marshall]

83. Olympia has outlived her usefulness in the Senate

She can take her trigger and stick it where the sun don't shine!

[Captain Hilts]

84. Make her do it. The people of Maine want reform. nt

[Heywood J]

91. Exactly.

Make her read the phone book until she's blue in the face or can't talk anymore. It's been a while since we've seen that actually happen.

[Captain Hilts]

94. Recipes from Maine would be nice. Or some Stephen King novel. He should write one...

called "Olympia."

[damntexdem]

89. She hasn't learned that she's a fifth wheel.

And she doesn't even make a very good spare. ;-)

[Zorra]

90. OK. The bipartisan-shit is over. Dems tried. Now, Dems need to stop wasting

their time and effort trying to work with republicans. It's simply an exercise in futility to try to get a republican to do anything good for the people of the United States. Republicans are the tools of big business, every last one of them.

It's time for Dems to break out the steamroller. If Dems no longer concern themselves with courting republican obstructionists, they can accomplish a great deal in a short period of time.

Without having to worry how republicans will vote, they now have the green light to get what needs to be done, done. Not just in the area of healthcare, but in every other area that needs fixing.

If this means using the reconciliation process whenever necessary, so be it.

[CanonRay]

92. "Deeply Regret" What a croc

she was never, ever going to vote for any health care bill. It is, was, and always will be total bullshit.

[RBInMaine]

96. She doesn't care. This Olive Oil wannabe is done after this term. She isn't runnng again.

[wordpix]

98. cross between Olive Oil & Wicked Witch of the West

[wordpix]

97. moving too slow---gimme a break, it's decades in the making

geesh