BLUE DOGS: "We have been lied to and are trying to save the Dem. Party"

[Soul Crusher]

House healthcare talks break down in anger 
By Jared Allen, Mike Soraghan and Lauren Burke 
Posted: 07/24/09 03:27 PM [ET] 

House healthcare negotiations dissolved in acrimony on Friday, with Blue Dog Democrats saying they were “lied” to by their Democratic leaders.

The seven Blue Dogs on the Energy and Commerce Committee stormed out of a Friday meeting with their committee chairman, Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), saying Waxman had been negotiating in bad faith over a number of provisions Blue Dogs demanded be changed in the stalled healthcare bill.

“I’ve been lied to,” Blue Dog Coalition Co-Chairman Charlie Melancon (D-La.) said on Friday. “We have not had legitimate negotiations.

“Mr. Waxman has decided to sever discussions with the Blue Dogs who are trying to make this bill work for America,” Melancon said.

Although those Blue Dogs were supposed to be headed back into another meeting of the Energy and Commerce Democrats, their anger was visible.

If the two sides cannot reach an agreement, the only hope for passage of the bill in the House will be to go straight to the floor, an option leaders shied away from endorsing but said was an option.

But the Blue Dogs issued dire warnings to leaders contemplating that approach.

"Waxman simply does not have votes in committee and process should not be bypassed to bring the bill straight to floor,” Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), the lead Blue Dog negotiator, said on Friday. “We are trying to save this bill and trying to save this party.”
Melancon said there would be 40-45 “solid no” votes from the 52-strong Blue Dogs, among other problems throughout the caucus.

“If they try to bring it to the floor, I think they’ll find out they have more problems with the Blue Dogs.”

A leadership aide said no decisions have been made on how to proceed.
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I said early on and you guys can check this out from my posts, Obama destroyed his presidency by letting the radical commies run the agenda. 

 

[GigantorX]

It took the Republican Party 6 years under Bush II to banish itself to the outside looking in and implode.

It seems it may take the Democrats a hell of a lot less time to do the same.

Where the Blue Dogs go from here will be very interesting.

[MM2K]

The Blue Dogs are the key here. If they vote for this thing as is like Waxman wants them to, the Dems can kiss the House goodbye in 2010. He is speaking the truth when he says they are trying to save the party. They took a lot of heat from thier constituents (mostly McCain leaning districts) for voting for PORKULUS and CAP AND TRADE. They know voting on this Health Care Bill will mean thier heads.

[shootfighter1]

Blue dogs are the key here, for multiple reasons.
They are the only democrats that are looking at the finances and economic impact of the proposed healthcare plan.  It appears that many in the left of the party want to get their version past and deal with payment later.  Unacceptible.

Most of us agree there needs to be change, but it must be done responsibly and in a way that makes sense economically.

[polychronopolous]

When it is all said and done with this Obama presidency I believe it will be the Blue Dog democrats who benefit the most.

I myself generally vote Democrat but I am getting sick of this liberal, apologist agenda and find myself siding with the Blue Dogs more and more every day.