Blue Dog Dem: Pelosi Lacks the Votes

(CBS)  "Blue Dog" Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper of Tennessee said on "Face the Nation" Sunday that he does not think House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has the votes to pass a health care bill next week before the House of Representatives breaks for summer recess.

"We are still in the earliest stages of drafting reform, we have a long way to go," Cooper said, admitting that most members of Congress want to take a deeper look at the legislation before voting.

"David Axelrod is right, we have agreement on 70 or 80 percent of the legislation, but it is important we get the other details right, too," he said, alluding to an earlier interview with the White House advisor.

CBS' Bob Schieffer asked the congressman what he wanted to see in a health care bill.

Cooper offered a number of successful "models" of health care delivery but stressed that the final plan should be bipartisan.

"The real question is not about authorship but more about craftsmanship, a bill that works, and this president laid out excellent guidelines.

"We are for reform, we want a good bill to pass this year, and I think that can happen," he said.

Schieffer asked if the congressman would vote for a bill which included a tax on the most expensive insurance plans.

"That is a very interesting and promising new development in the discussions," he replied.

"This is a free country, you should be able to buy whatever health insurance you want to with your own money. But you should not be able to force your fellow taxpayers to subsidize your choice of these super luxury plans," he said.

[icetrout]

Americans to be fined for not having health insurance & illegal aliens getting another free pass.Have you ALL lost your minds???To me this is a call to arms!!!Tar & Feather the traitors in D.C.!!!

[r9119111]

by rightaboutit July 26, 2009 3:31 PM EDT
Actually this works good. I say have the vote and we'll clean up our ranks. The results are in on the republican experiment. The voters are throwing them out of office. They have brought poverty to this Great Nation. I say lets find out who these weak links are and let them hang with the republicans.

darthcheney072109: I am iknsulted by your hate filled messages.

[icetrout]

Democrats are as much to blame for the state our country is in.Reparations (RAPE-A-NATION) in the form of Fannie-May,Freddy-Mac,Acorn Thievery,HUD LOANS...have bankrupted us.Crazy how Barney Frank is not in jail.

[saturn05]

This isn't a Pelosi thing. Once again the Democrats will destroy their own party. I am sure the repubs love this. Show some unity for once and quit the in-fighting. I have been a Dem all of my life, but I am considering joining a new party. I just can't stand to be of something that implodes everytime we have a chance to show the U.S. that we are the team that moves forwards, but this group just doesn't get it.

[rjstolba]

Easy solution--take whatever power/position they have away from thjem!! I wouldn't normally suggest that, but this is a critical issue and ALL DEMS need to stand together!!!

[FedUp0909]

This BLUE DOGS seem to forget why they were elected. To represent
the American citizens in general. NOT themselves or their
lobbylist FRIENDS. On top of that, they have a short memory.
For 8 years, the Republicans jumped whenever Bush said to jump.
Now, the Democrats are finally in control, the Democrats should
be working together, NOT, stabbing each in the BACK.

[j40405]

Free health care just does'nt work. Sure other countries have it but that does not mean it is working. There aremany problems with those systems that you never hear about. Quality of care decreases' dramatically as anything elesedoes when it becomes socialistic. Look at medacare, theUS governmentcannot even manage that in an efficient manner. How the heck can they manage the whole country. Social Security is going broke, Because it is run by the US government. Most people know this. that is why pelosi does not have the votes.

[tautomer]

Obama claimed his Health Care would be ALL of the following: 1) lower cost for the ALL Americans 2) high quality for ALL Americans 3) more acessible for ALL Americans and 4) be paid for without increasing taxes on ANY AMerican. With the possible exception of #3 he lied. That's why his Health Care is dead in the water.

His own party is scuttling this Obamanation!

[lorinkundert]

You do not want this fiasco that they call health care reform, I have worked in other countries that have this and people die waiting in line for care, doctors become scarce as they cannot be paid anywhere near enough to justify the costs of medical school, fewer doctors always leads to triage.

[APATRIOT12]

The Declaration of Independence was one page long; the United States Constitution, eleven pages.

The proposed changes in the ECONOMIC STIMULUS, CAP and TRADE, and HEALTHCARE bills, which involve lying, cheating, and money-grabbing by power-hungry politicians and those who want dictatorial government rule of this country are over 3,000 PAGES LONG.


Who wrote all of that crap? Is it all equitable? Were unintended consequences eliminated? Were all ramafications considered?

The ECONOMIC STIMULUS BILL which was signed into law was 1,071 PAGES LONG, and the time allowed for public review was FIVE HOURS.

The CAP and TRADE BILL - H.R.2454, passed by the House is over 1,000 PAGES LONG and NO ONE had time to read it ? not even those who voted for it.

The HEALTHCARE PLAN ? H.R.3200, being pushed through congress is over 1,000 PAGES LONG.

Remember? The Declaration and Constitution together are only 12 pages.

POLITICIANS WHO VOTE FOR OR SIGN A BILL THEY HAVE NOT READ ARE TRAITORS AND SHOULD BE DRIVEN OUT OF WASHINGTON. THEY ARE CRAZY - A DANGER TO THEMSELVES AND ALL U.S. CITIZENS.

THE RUSH TO KNUCKLE UNDER TO OBAMA IS CRIMINAL AS WELL AS CRAZY.

THERE HAS BEEN TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT CONTROL TOO SOON.

STOP THE GROWTH NOW! SLOW DOWN AND DO IT RIGHT!

[trillion1]

I keep looking for the rightwing's alternative Health Care Plan. Maybe it's like their "budget" 19 pages of toilet paper. And the trolls are giving lying a whole new depth.