Dems warn GOP not to overreach in health care

[ProSense]

Dems warn GOP not to overreach in health care

By CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Mainstream Democrats close to Barack Obama are warning Republicans about insisting on too many changes to the president's health care overhaul, saying the Democratic-controlled Congress will move ahead without GOP input if they do.

A strong-arm partisan approach may be unpleasant, these prominent Democrats say, but it is better than letting Republicans dictate spending cuts and insurance rules that many Democratic voters oppose.

For weeks, staunchly liberal groups have complained as key Senate Democrats insisted on a bipartisan approach, especially in the Finance Committee. The strategy is giving Republicans more clout than their minority status deserves, these critics said.

Now, similar comments are coming from veteran, pragmatic Democrats who have worked closely with Obama and his top aides. They reject the notion that a controversial Senate tactic — "reconciliation," which essentially bars the minority party from using filibusters to block legislation — is unworkable or politically unacceptable in the health care debate.

link

[babylonsister]

1. Good. I hope Dems leave them in the dust if they won't try to cooperate. nt

[ProSense]

11. The public will

thank them.

[PM Martin]

2. Only in America can the minority who lost the last election and...

ideas that are rejected are allowed to have so much influence over the governing majority.

:wtf:

[Hippo_Tron]

14. Only in America do we have the United States Senate

It's the only parliamentary body on the face of the planet (that I can think of) that requires a 3/5ths majority to pass anything.

[tom_paine]

3. Let's hope this story is true, not just more phony PR smoke-blowing...

n/t

[Cleita]

4. I'll believe it when I see it happening on the floor. n/t

[timeforpeace]

5. Odd report. Repuks want no health care plan. Why would they be asking for concessions?

[uponit7771]

6. IOW: Don't over reach.......or....or we'll....look at you mean and shake our heads

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. They're like children. Seeing how far they can go. Push, push, push....

Exploring boundaries. Seriously.

Dr Joe Chi Spock Minh

[rucky]

8. A strongarm partisan approach would be quite pleasant, actually. n/t

[WeDidIt]

9. The Dems need to get it through their thick skulls

NO Republican is going to vote for ANY Health Care reform legislation. It is a tenet of their beliefs that those without insurance are the accursed of God and deserve their fates.

[Kermitt Gribble]

10. The article left out the "wink, wink"...

[KJETS]

12. repukes

work for satan

[MindMatter]

13. They need to use the same tactics the GOP used on that

Specifically, threaten to blow up the whole filibuster rule unless the GOP signs on to a very limited use of the 60-vote cloture requirement. Fair is fair, after all.

It isn't like they need a big strategy session to figure this out. They should simply use exactly the same playbook the GOP wrote.

Elections have consequences.