Waterloo? Democrats Retreat on Obamacare Deadline
Posted on July 23, 2009
I wouldn’t call this an actual Waterloo moment yet, but it was definitely a devastating blow to this socialist monster of a nightmare bill. Obama’s attempt to woo the American people to his horrible plan went over like a lead balloon to a dwindling audience. As confidence in Obama’s stimulus plan continues to drop like a rock, you can’t blame people for wanting to take this massive undertaking a little slower. But check this out! Obama tries to pretend like it’s always been o.k. if it didn’t get forced through before the recess.
Obama is hilarious. He has spent all kinds of political capitol and maneuvering in the last week to build momentum to push this bill, which he hasn’t even read himself, through Congress before the recess. He told America that the “time for talk was through”. I guess his fellow Democrats disagree with him on this one.
Now, Harry Reid announces there will be no vote before the August deadline.
Senate Democratic leaders on Thursday abandoned plans for a vote on health care before Congress’ August recess, dealing a blow to President Barack Obama’s ambitious timetable to revamp the nation’s $2.4 trillion system of medical care.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., delivered the official word on what had been expected for weeks, saying, “It’s better to have a product based on quality and thoughtfulness rather than try to jam something through.”His words were a near-echo of Republicans who have criticized the rush to act on complex legislation that affects every American.
Reid told reporters the Senate Finance Committee will act on its portion of the bill before lawmakers’ monthlong break. Reid then will merge that bill with separate legislation passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier this month.
Nancy Pelosi, who earlier boasted she had the votes, followed soon after.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that the House can go home for its August recess without passing a massive overhaul.
Pelosi dismissed concerns expressed by many Democrats that a monthlong delay could give opponents more chances to rally opposition to the bill.
“I’m not afraid of August,” Pelosi said. “It’s a month.”
Perhaps not a waterloo, but it definitely isn’t a pretty political picture for the rookie President. As long as jobless numbers keep rising his poll numbers will continue in their downward spiral. Don’t think Congress won’t get an earful during the recess from their constituents. It’s not pretty for Obama or his political capital.
Ed Morrissey is on the same page:
Neither of them have the votes now, and likely won’t have them after their members go home and get an earful from their constituents about spending, unemployment, and the deficit.
Now that both cap-and-trade and ObamaCare are off the docket until the fall, what will Congress do?
When it comes to bad legislation, every delay is a victory.
There is nothing subtle about the institutional politics: Reid made this news on the day after the President explicitly defended his timeline and gave what he considered to be the best argument in favor of reform. The message: you didn’t help us last night, Mr. President. Reid knows that the evening news stories on health care will lead with Reid’s glum announcement, and then cut to a president who they’ll say is “struggling” to convey a sense of urgency. Nothing will doom the chances for health care reform more than the perception that health care is doomed.
Gee, if only they had that attitude before they jammed through all the bailouts, the porkulus, and the House cap and tax bill!
Hotmes has advice on how to kill this monster bill!
» Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Anti-Capitalism, Barack Obama, Democrats, Economy, Government corruption, Government malfeasance/misfeasance, Healthcare, Marxism, Nancy Pelosi, News, Social Engineering, Socialism, Video
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2 Responses to “Waterloo? Democrats Retreat on Obamacare Deadline”
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No, this isn’t Waterloo. However, I think it’s likely to end up more like “Moscow 1941.” After meeting continual success for months after invading Russia, the Germans were finally stopped outside the gates of Moscow in December 1941.
Bottom line: the war went on for 3 1/2 more years, but nothing was ever the same after the Germans were stopped outside Moscow. Hitler knew that he was screwed–time was not on his side–and the myth of German superiority was forever shattered.
Sounds kind of familiar, huh?
Trying to tie Obama’s defeat to the defeat of the health bill is a possibly a bad tactic. I say this simply because you then encourage the blue dog Democrats to back it even though they find it objectionable as they may sink with Obama.
At this point the Blue Dogs are your allies and so if you wish to actually stop the health care bill you should support them.
Still it is your choice. Politics v stopping the extreme health care bill in Congress.