After more than a month of town meetings during which Americans attempted to express their concerns about Health Care Reform, out of control government entitlement spending, a Congress that no longer bothers to read legislation - or even write it - before voting it through - they're baaaaaaaaaaack.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, having taken it all in, given everything thoughtful consideration and coming back with a new perspective, met with the President today to discuss Health Care Reform. Or Health Insurance Reform. In this new bi-partisan era ushered in by Mr. Obama, it should be noted that no Republicans attended. But I'm sure their invitations were lost in the mail.
It was probably former President Bush's fault.
Let's listen in on Nancy first. "...It's been a pretty exciting time in the month of August. A number of members have heard from their constituents; they've communicated with them; they bring back the benefit of that thinking. They also have had a chance to explain to their constituents the opportunity that is in the Bill. That again we have legislation that will lower costs and improve quality, expand coverage and improve choice. If you like what you have you can keep it. If you have something you'd like to improve upon, that can happen; if you're not insured, that will happen. This will be done in a fiscally sound way. It is necessary for us to act. The present situation is unsustainable and, as the President has said, health care reform is entitlement reform. So in order for us to reduce the deficit it is essential that we have health care reform. So we go forward welcoming our members back in a series of caucases and meetings and we will be prepared to bring our three Bills together in the House to meet the Senate in conference."
And then Harry Reid: "The President and Vice President were very positive and it's in keeping with the conversations I've had with my members this past week and that is we're re-energized; we're ready to do health care reform. Keeping in mind that even before the August recess eighty per cent of health care is already done. It was prior to recess. It's the twenty per cent that we still have to work on. In our conversations today, we think we're up to ninety per cent of things that we agree upon. We have ten per cent that we need to work on and we can do that." ..."I have every belief that when (the President) finishes his speech tomorrow the American people will be able to put aside some of the ridiculous falsehoods that have been perpetrated these past few weeks and focus on what we intend to do that's positive for this country. We have a lot of work to do. We understand that. But we're still approaching this in the form of bipartisanship. We still, after all these months, have a place at the table for the Republicans and we're going to do everything we can to work with them. We want a bipartisan Bill. We do not want to do Reconciliation UNLESS WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE. I am personally in favor of a public option. In my mind, I can't speak for the House caucus, but if I were betting, I'd bet the majority of them would also be in favor of that option and we're going to do our very best to have a public option or something like a public option before we finish this work."
Nancy Pelosi: "I believe a public option will be essential to our passing a Bill in the House of Representatives because as the President has said, and I listened to him very carefully, he believes that the public option is the best way to keep the insurance companies honest and to increase competition in order to lower costs, improve quality, retain choice and expand coverage in a fiscally sound way that saves money. BUT he said if you have a better idea, put it on the table." ..."I've said it before and I'll say it again. The health insurance industry, which is out there fighting a public option tooth and nail because it does increase competition, which they don't want-they'd be better getting a public option now than one that is triggered, because if you have a triggered public option it's because the insurance industry has demonstrated that they're not cooperating, they're not doing the right thing and I think they'll have a tougher public option to deal with."
I'm telling you, I almost had a tear in my eye as I listened to these two public servants. They left Washington referring to the people showing up at the town hall meetings as Nazi's and AstroTurfers and have returned referring to them as "constituents", speaking in glowing terms of having listened to them (Nancy, no doubt as she served them wine and cheese at her vineyard as she fundraised.)
It's clear they didn't hear a word that was said.
They didn't understand a concern that was raised.
They came back as unenlightened as when they left - and in fact believe they did the enlightening.
There may have been some misinformation at the town hall meetings, as Senator Reid suggested. Some of it was on the part of the public. Much of it was on the part of the legislators, as the continuous misleading drumbeat of Nancy and Harry makes clear.
I don't know why I continue to be amazed but I do. I don't think I've ever seen people so completely out of touch with reality. I'd like to politely suggest they start taking their meds.
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