Update: Conservative Redstate’s talented blogger Erick Erickson is now picking up the story and whipping up the troops. Early last week Tea Party Support and the Social Security Institute ran an email and fax blast campaign called “I Object” sending out over 1.5 million call-to-action emails to activists across the country. The campaign concerned the subject covered below – how to block ObamaCare in the Senate using the procedural tactic of removing unanimous consent on each and every amendment offered to the Reid healthcare bill. The information generated by Tea Party Support and the Social Security Institute is now being picked up across the internet and on the Hill. Even the big guy himself Rush Limbaugh blasted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for a flawed, treacherous, and wobbly strategy, forcing Senate Minority Whip John Kyl and Senator McConnell to provide a lackluster defense of the strategy. The narrative of the Republican sell-out was so compelling that soon after the TPS and SSI push CBS reported that Michael Steele sent a memo to the Senate GOP telling them to pull out all the stops and use every trick in the book to stop ObamaCare. Tea Party Support followed that story up with a press release Rush Limbaugh & Michael Steele Join Tea Party Support & Social Security Institute-Demand GOP Senate Stop ObamaCare by Any Means Possible.

A wise friend pointed out the obvious to me:

I am tired of hearing the GOP say they don’t want to be the party of no, that the party of no will not get them re-elected. In fact, quite the opposite is true. The Tea Parties are the party of no – no socialized healthcare, no cap-and-trade, no fiscal-irresponsibility, no, no, no, no.

And what did this lead to? As Rasmussen reports: Tea Party Tops GOP on Three-Way Generic Ballot. How much more evidence does the GOP need? How dense is the leadership?

Following is the original post:

Democrats reach agreement that includes the public option. Dick Morris is mad, but for all the wrong reasons.

Please note that this bill cannot be allowed to pass in any form and that it is within the power of the GOP in the Senate to ensure that it does not. This idea of watering down the bill is flawed from the start. Give a liberal a scaffolding for an entitlement program and watch it expand over time and drive this country over the edge.

Sorry folks, but the Republicans sold us out on this one. McConnell thinks that by allowing healthcare to pass he will guarantee GOP gains next year. Nothing could be further from the truth and the man has just put the GOP up a creek and threw away the paddle.

The Republicans just rolled over for the Democrats on ObamaCare and put their own self interests and vacation over country.

Thinking that allowing this bill to pass will lead to GOP victory is so myopic that McConnell needs to lose his leadership position. His credibility as a leader of the Senate GOP is shot and anyone who believes he puts country first needs to have their head examined. I doubt the man could pour water out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel. This could have been stopped by simply removing unanimous consent on each and every amendment. Thanks for bending over and grabbing your ankles for the Democrats.

No, 2010 will find the GOP in a bare knuckles fight with the grassroots. McConnell just killed the GOP. That’s the real story here. The Democrats just gave him enough rope to hang himself and his party with it.

There is no reason for any of this bill to pass. That should have been the objective all along for even a watered down ObamaCare bill provides the scaffolding for a future monstrosity. What the hell is McConnell and the Senate GOP thinking? If they think that voters are stupid and blind to their treachery, they are in for a very rude awakening. Insulting our intelligence and selling us out is not a strategy that is going to get you re-elected. The GOP just screwed us for the last time and McConnell is going to go down in history as one of the biggest strategical half-wits to ever lead the party in the Senate.

This is the hill we will live or die on. This is it folks. For years we have allowed Republicans to act in the name of political expediency instead of taking off the gloves for a bare knuckle fight. For years we have allowed them to use one excuse after another to hide under a rock. For years we have allowed our so-called representatives to put self-interest over country. No more. As this story states the Tea Party is now more popular than the GOP in a national poll. Can you hear us now?

The time to pony up has arrived. If the Republican Party wishes to continue to exist they will start paying attention to their bosses – us. If they allow ObamaCare to pass – and don’t let them fool you or give sorry excuses for it is well within their power to stop it – then 1/6 of the U.S. economy will be under the control of wealth distributionists and socialists. If that happens, it is a fair question to challenge the usefulness of the Republican Party.

It doesn’t take 40 Republicans to succeed in stopping the Reid Bill; it doesn’t take 20; it only takes one Republican to object each time Harry Reid propounds a unanimous consent agreement to rush another amendment through the process.

Fortunately, under Senate rules the Democratic leadership can rush these amendments through only if they get what’s called “unanimous consent.” That means all 100 senators have to agree to rush the amendments through by consenting to a unanimous consent agreement, which severely limits debate and restricts the time available for experts to analyze the amendments. It’s the old bum’s rush.

Even ONE senator objecting would be enough to slow the rush of amendments down and give the American people at least two days of debate on each amendment. Two days is the minimum we should have to analyze amendments and to allow Senators an opportunity to comment on and debate them.

Let me say that again: It takes only one Republican to object each time Harry Reid tries to jam another amendment through the process with limited debate and little public scrutiny. With 40 Republicans in the Senate, that means even if Harry Reid kept the Senate in session 24 hours a day (as Senator Durbin threatened), each Republican Senator would have to spend no more than 36 minutes a day doing floor duty as a sentinel against the Majority Leader jamming another amendment through the Senate process under a rigged unanimous consent agreement. Last week Senator Jim DeMint did just that and waited for Republicans to back him up. When Dick Durbin threatened to keep the Senate in session 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, our so-called leaders in the Republican Party slithered away whimpering like a bunch of cry-babies and left Senator DeMint dangling over a cliff.

Christmas first, country second – a fitting label for a weak and morally corruptible party. Ask your Republican Senator, “Why are you allowing this to be done to our country?”. If ObamaCare passes the Republican Party will face an all out war from within their own ranks the likes of which they have never seen. Tea Parties will turn to state legislatures and nullification movements to take back this country and Republicans will face a wave of primary challenges beyond imagination.

The Republican Senators have been protesting vehemently in the media about how much they oppose ObamaCare and the Reid Health bill, and despite their constant reassurances to grassroots activists that they are doing everything humanly possible to defeat the bill, Republicans in fact are quietly stepping aside and allowing the ObamaCare Express loaded down with the Reid Bill and tons of amendments to barrel through the U.S. Senate so they can go home for Christmas Vacation without delay and not have to work long hours in the meantime. Cowards and swine.

All year we’ve been trying to convince Senators who support government health care to change their minds and Senators on the fence to come out against it. That’s still vitally important. But given the way the Senate works, it is more important right now to make sure Republican Senators who claim to oppose the Reid Bill have the courage and character to use the enormous leverage they possess to prevent the bill from passing this year. Remember, there is no way the Reid Bill can pass the Senate as it is currently written. Therefore, it must be amended to pass. But those amendments will be highly controversial, even among Democrats. That is why it is vitally important that each and every amendment be given close public scrutiny and at least two days debate.

If the Democrats want to play brinksmanship by holding the Senate in session long hours, seven days a week until Christmas Day, so be it. If the Democrats drag Senators back to Washington between Christmas and New Years for marathon sessions, so be it. Giving up Christmas Vacation is the least Republican Senators can do to stop a socialist government takeover of healthcare this year. Our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq don’t get to take time off from combat to celebrate Christmas, and they are putting their lives on the line every hour of every day. No U.S. Senator fit to serve in that august body would even think about shirking his or her duty to defend America against a government takeover of healthcare just so he or she can work bankers’ hours and enjoy college-student vacation time.

Millions of Americans across America don’t even have a job this Holiday Season and they are demanding that Senators do their jobs to protect and defend America against another government takeover.

If one or both of your Senators are opposed to the Reid Bill, contact them and make a very simple request: “Do not help Harry Reid rush any aspect of this outrageous legislation through the Senate by giving him your consent to proceed along the fast track. Use your power to object to any unanimous consent agreement limiting debate and restricting time for deliberation; demand that every amendment be given at least two days debate and public scrutiny so that everyone has time to understand and comment on each one of them.

If ObamaCare is enacted into law this year or next year, it will be the fault of the Republican Senators because they refused to suffer a little bit of personal inconvenience and political risk to defend their country against another government takeover. Make no mistake, all Republican Senators must do to stop ObamaCare this year is object to the Democrats fast-track scheme to jam one amendment after another through the Senate with limited debate and restricted public scrutiny.

Email and call your Republican Senators now. Let them know we are on to their game, that cowardice, self-interest, and treachery will NOT get them re-elected and that following Mitch McConnell off a cliff is the single most insane act of political suicide they could possibly commit. It is free and easy to do.

There is an organization out there ready to pull the plug on backroom deals through the use of a virtual cloakroom and expose the treason of the GOP to the country. It is Tea Party Support. In January, Tea Party Support will be hosting the National Conservative Symposium with Sarah Palin and other soon to be release VIPs. For more information about Tea Party Support, see here.

Tea Party Support is seeking donations from concerned citizens and activists. From the cost of servers, communications technology such as primary rate interfaces (PRIs) and high speed DS3’s, voter-rolls for every state at the precinct level, database programming, the design and staffing of the cloakroom – everything needed to assist TPS in allowing existing grassroots organizations access to the type of value-added services needed to turn the entire grassroots movement into what it is meant to be – the largest lobby and special interest group in the entire country with the largest clientele; the American people. Consider a donation if you are so inclined.

For all the talk around the blogosphere of this or that breaking news I don’t think any of it (the news) matters and, in the end, something will pass unless we all begin to understand how to fight this:

Senate insiders are saying that McConnell is using healthcare as his ace to ensure greater gains for the GOP next year. That is his strategy and it is plain to those who are aware of it. The obfuscation these guys are throwing up to give the appearance of fighting is treacherous. It is going to kill the GOP and lead to less gains next year, not more. McConnell is myopic in his strategical thinking because he is not aware the fig leaf he is used to hiding behind is gone and, as time passes, it will becomes obvious to everyone. If we don’t lean on him now to do the right thing and get the GOP to become the party of no when it comes to healthcare, we will all be jumping off the cliff right behind him, along with 1/6 of our economy.

Related:

Demcare crunch time: Kill the bill and start over

Lieberman Throws Monkey Wrench Into Reid’s Health Care Plans

Did Reid Kill ObamaCare?

Reid Panics

Reid’s Obamcare Compromise Runs Into Stumbling Block

Lieberman: No cloture on Reid package

Dr. Lawrence Hunter of the Social Security Institute has a ringside seat of what is really happening in the ObamaCare negotiations and it is not anything like any of us would expect.

Serious pressure is building and the momentum is on our side. However, without the knowledge of what is actually happening behind the scenes, the grave we are digging for ObamaCare could actually become our own graves. Our collective effort could all be for naught if we allow the construction of any scaffolding for a public option. Liberals are very patient about realizing their agenda. They will build upon any infrastructure that allows for a Trojan Horse to a single payer system. And Republicans are often the unwitting contributors of legislation that is not in our best interests. More damage is done in the name of bi-partisanship and those Republicans with a proclivity to reach across the aisle need to be reigned in. We are so close and now is not the time to go wobbly.

The word from Dr. Hunter: Don’t get all excited about Obama dropping the public option. It is a head fake. Republicans should stop all negotiations with the Democrats, kill any ObamaCare bill and start over. And don’t thing that big pharma and the big insurance are our friends in this battle. The real behind the scenes maneuvering is a hodgepodge of nefarious backroom deals. I have talked with Lawrence Hunter and communicated with him via email for about two weeks now. My understanding of the real inner workings of the beltway have increased an order of magnitude and many of my previous beliefs exposed as nothing less than naivety. Prepare to be educated, entertained, and re-invigorated at the same time. Our energy needs to be directed now towards Congress, where the message must be clear – kill this bill. No co-ops, no bill written by big insurance companies or big pharma, no nothing. Hit reset, start over, and create a bill for the American people that keeps the government out of our business, allows for competition in the private sector, stops the creation of large insurance cartels and allows smaller insurance companies to thrive and compete. In short, a bill for the people, not the government, not big pharma, and not big insurance. Time for the lobbyists to go home, for we are the biggest lobby of all and we are awake. Let us be clear on this. Any Republican who wishes to usurp our will and allow ObamaCare to pass with the public option, a Trojan Horse public option, a large influence by big pharma, or big insurance will face political extinction. As all of the current bills fit this description, the sane choice is to stop and start over.

For an eye-opening view of what is really going on read Obama Jettisons Public Option Right on Cue and Phase Change in Healthcare Negotiations. Dr. Hunter’s bio can also be found on this site. He served as President Ronald Reagan’s policy adviser and has a long and distinguished career.

Dr. Hunter described the current landscape to me very well. To paraphrase Dr. Hunter:

There is a fundamental fissure that divides our camp. On one side stand those who believe some healthcare bill will pass this year. On the other side of the divide stand those who believe it is possible to checkmate the Obama Administration and prevent any bill from passing this year. The outcome of the healthcare-reform struggle will be determined by which view governs our strategy and activities from here on out.

This game is ours to lose, and there is nothing President Obama or his congressional Democrats can do on their own to win it if we don’t make a mistake. Any deviation from the strategy to “Kill Bill” is a mistake. To take a sport’s analogy, the fastest way to lose this game is to start thinking about the next game. If we are thinking and talking policy, we are thinking about the next game because there is no way a sufficient amount of good policy can make its way into a bill this year to make it acceptable. Hence “Kill Bill”, period.

We are now entering the End Game, and no matter how brilliant our Opening Game and Middle Game were – and they were brilliant – we will throw it all away if we fail to make the transition in our play. You can’t win at golf if you can’t putt; you can’t win at basketball if you can’t hit free throws; you can’t win at chess if you can’t play the end game; and you can’t win at politics if you can’t be ruthless in playing the political end game. That is why Democrats repeatedly beat us – we play policy when we should be playing politics while they play politics from beginning to end.

All politics and no policy makes a political party corrupt and degenerate but all policy and no politics makes a political party just plain dense. The little ditty about the Democrats being the evil party and the Republicans being the party of dim bulbs didn’t arise out of thin air.

If we assume some bill will pass, we can pretty well bet that prophecy will become self-fulfilling and some bill will pass.

If we have confidence we can stop all comers, we stand a very good chance of succeeding. But we will only stop all comers if we lay policy aside and do whatever is necessary to defeat the bill, which means all of our energy and resources must be concentrated on preventing a single Republican from defecting.

The debate is entering the stage (the Obama counter-offensive stage) in which any continued discussion of policy (what we should do or what we would accept) is counterproductive to defeating a bill. Look, I know that many of us in this struggle are policy wonks and medical professionals with very strong views about what should be done and about how negligent the Republican Party was for not doing them when they were in power.

But politics has a flow and a rhythm to it—it moves in seasonal cycles. As difficult as it may be for we policy wonks and medical professionals to accept, the season for substance and policy has ended and will not return until after the healthcare reform debate is put on the shelf, which means until after we defeat any and all comers during this Congress. If we try to exploit Obama’s weakness now by trying to craft a bill he will accept that we can live with, we not only will strengthen and empower him, we almost certainly will create a monster that will get out of control in very short order.

Continuing to focus on substance (other than to criticize the substance of the Obama/Dem bills) will divide and divert us, and it will allow Republicans such as Olympia Snowe to avoid her responsibility to ensure good policy for the American people by doing whatever is necessary to defeat a bill.

You can see what I mean coming through clearly in this Washington Post article: The Divisions in the White House Over Health-Care Reform

Snowe is scared to be the sole Republican supporting this bill, not to mention the Republican who ensures the passage of this bill. The reprisals within her caucus could be tremendous. If Snowe drops off the bill, using the budget reconciliation process will probably be a necessity.

As long as we continue talking about alternatives and options, we encourage her to continue negotiating whether that is our intent or not. And, rather than fearing Reconciliation, we should relish forcing the Dems into that corner because if they go down that path we can checkmate them.

We must agree among ourselves that our strategy is to “Kill Bill”, any bill, every bill, a big bill, a little bill, kill them all. If we can’t pledge that to each other, we don’t have the right stuff to win.

Also read the following posts from Dr. Hunter:

Trojan Rhino Smuggles In ObamaCare As “Bipartisan Compromise”

Senator Bob Bennett should stop negotiating. This post contains the two Jim Demint Amendments I have written about extensively after hearing about them from Lewis K. Uhler and Dr. Hunter. In a nutshell, these two amendments would make it impossible to pass ObamaCare under reconciliation, something even Robert Byrd is on the record as opposing. One amendment was voted on unanimously and the other by a wide margin of 79-14. Remarkably, Senate Budget Committee Chairman, Kent Conrad, allowed the DeMint 60-vote requirement to be removed from the Budget Resolution in Conference. Also included are links to the amendments and the roll call for the second amendment that passed by 79-14.

Also of interest is this story from The Hill:

GOP readies wave of objections to stall healthcare bill in Senate

Sen. Judd Gregg has hundreds of procedural objections ready for a healthcare plan Democrats want to speed through the Senate.

Gregg (N.H.), the senior Republican on the Budget Committee, told The Hill in a recent interview that Republicans will wage a vicious fight if Democrats try to circumvent Senate rules and use a budget maneuver to pass a trillion-dollar healthcare plan with a simple majority.

Our strategy is now clear and it becomes increasing apparent to me that not only can we stop reconciliation, but ObamaCare itself. Keep up the pressure on Congress, especially your Senators. Let them know you are aware of the Demint amendments and demand the Senate follow its own rules. As Americans, there are all sorts of rules that we must follow. And as Americans we are sick and tired of a privileged group that lives by the motto “Rules for thee, but not for me”. Enough is enough.

In other news and opinion:

Another Snowe Job

White House Floating “Snowe” Trigger

ObamaCare: Public option + trigger = exit strategy?

“I believe Jesus would vote yes for a public option”

Video: Rep. Pete Stark tells interviewer, “Get the f**k out of here or I’ll throw you out the window”

CNN poll: Majority now oppose ObamaCare

Did Rangel pay off Ethics Committee members?

Video: Van Jones and “revolution”

Obama planning Sister Souljah moment over public option

Another Reason Government-Sponsored Health Care Is Destined to Fail

MoveOn.org Thug Bites Off Protester’s Finger At Obamacare Rally!

Yes We Cannibal

The Holdren & Letterman lovefest

Wrong Turns: How Obama’s Health-Care Push Went Astray.

POLITICS: When Does School Start? The President Doesn’t Know

Turbo Tax Tim tucks tail

The NHS “death pathway”. Chilling.

A Truther Czar?… Obama’s Green Czar Van Jones Believes Bush Government was Behind 9-11

This Wouldn’t Be Happening If Obama Were President

Hands off my health care. Teeth off my hands.

Is There Any More Point to Talking About Health Care?

Operation “Hall Pass on That”

That’s a question asked by Joe Gandleman at The Moderate Voice (whatever that means). Channeling Marc Ambler from the Atlantic, Mr. Gandleman asks:

The emerging narrative in a lot of the major press coverage of heatlh care reform is that President Barack Obama has lost control of his message, which is why he was out on the hustings today at a town hall meeting. But now The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder writes that he now senses a slight relief at the White House.

Why? Because, according to Ambinder, there’s a growing feeling that the Republicans may have lost control of their message and that GOPers at Town Halls have provided a picture of some of the party’s most extreme, angry elements — which won’t convince the Blue Dog Democrats to panic and not support the plan and could well scare off independent swing voters.

Here are key portions of what he says in a post titled “How Conservatives Are Blowing Their Chance.” He notes that the mood at the White House has changed from one week ago:

A week later, and the Atlantic’s tricorder readings are picking up much calmer electromagnetic energy from the White House. Getting Democrats to attend the town hall meetings was really an intermediate goal. But Democrats are beginning to notice that opponents of health care reform have discredited themselves. They ramped up much too quickly. When smaller, conservative groups Astroturfed, they inevitably brought to the meetings the type of Republican activist who was itching for a fight and who would use the format to vent frustrations at President Obama himself. There were plenty of activists who really wanted to know about health care, and some who were probably misinformed — scared out of their chairs — to some degree, but the loudest voices tended to be the craziest, the most extreme, the least sensible, and the most easy to mock.

Ambinder suggests that conservatives had a window of opportunity to make their case seriously which “required a certain restraint — and a willingness to traffic in at least approximate truths — and an ability to make distinctions within their own ranks about which tactics were valid and which tactics were venomous. It also required a sophistication about the media.”

And what about the media? Ambinder contends media reports were not helpful to the GOP because reports were done in either two ways: “they credulously reported the louder, angrier voices (inherently damaging to Republicans in this case) or they reported on the political architecture of the town hall meetings, which plays down the substance of the protests.”

The Blue Dog Democrats’ swing constitutes aren’t angry,” he writes, “and the Blue Dogs know this. They’re political independents for whom the sanctity of the process is important. These are the type of voters who like President Obama because he appears willing to bring people together even though they don’t agree with their policies.”

In short, he argues, the right has lost control of its message, much as the left did under Bush. Lawmakers of both parties:

…found their meetings full of engorged spleens. Unrestrained, these town hall meetings are going to turn off the type of voters Republicans most need to pressure Blue Dog Democrats — independents who don’t have red genes or blue genes.

This has been the problem with the GOP in recent years: most of its pitches, when the rubber meets the road, eventually boil down to arguments that seem aimed at wavering Republicans and the style and tone of the rhetoric is — as we have called it here — the confrontional, angry and demonizing talk radio political culture. That works fine with Republicans, but it can only cause a counter reaction in wavering liberal Democrats who began to sour on Obama and independent voters wanting to follow a debate don’t get much substance hearing people yell about socialism, Marxism, Nazi Germany or Obama death panels.

In the end, this may come down to which side discredits itself first. Getting media coverage isn’t always positive if the images that come out are unpleasing to others who are not just not on your side but on the fence deciding which is the side worth joining.

So does this mean that Obama is on the descent as Ambinder suggests due to the images the meetings are emitting?

Not necessarily. Political veteran David Gergen has a different take on it and can foresee health care reform being defanged or even derailed due to the angry protests, which he notes don’t just involve talk radio and special interest group types but other Americans who distrust the change:

In this week’s issue of the National Journal, correspondents Brian Friel and Richard E. Cohen provide a valuable insight into possible endgames. They report that there are four possible outcomes:

(1) A major bipartisan reform bill is passed;
(2) A major Democratic reform bill is passed over nearly united Republican opposition;
(3) The Democrats cannot agree among themselves and pass Health Care Lite, a very watered down version of reform;
(4) Failure

Looking at the chances today, in the midst of all this brouhaha, one would have to say that the odds for outcomes one and two are going down. It is hard to see how a lot of Republicans will sign up for a bipartisan bill in the teeth of this opposition; similarly, it may be tougher for moderate Democrats, especially new members from Republican-leaning districts, to sign on to a Democratic-only bill. That means the odds are going up for outcomes three and, yes, four.

Does this mean that reform is dying? Not at all. It is still possible that if the protests continue at a high decibel level, more people in the middle will grow disgusted and rally to the President. And given his political and rhetorical talents, it is more than possible that Barack Obama himself can turn this around. But for the moment, the raucous clips coming out of Senator Specter’s session with his constituents along with other clips from other town halls — as offensive as they are to many (including me) — are also presenting a growing threat to reform.

So pick the theory of your choice — and come September, see which proved to be correct.

I could not help myself and commented as follows (I add additional information below not found in the original comment):

The first theory ignores the real data – polls. Nothing is mentioned about the polls because the first theory fails on its merits if polling data is included int the analysis.

Polling indicates a growing dissatisfaction with ObamaCare that drops by the day. He is losing seniors big time – and they are the largest voting bloc in mid-term elections. He is also losing independent voters big time. Many independents are experiencing buyers remorse and know the bait and switch Obama pulled on them. If you attempt to argue that no independents are attending town halls and shouting angrily as politicians literally lie to their faces, then you present an opinion that is patently absurd. As the town halls became more vocal, support for ObamaCare eroded further – not something one would expect of a backlash. Blue Dogs and other Democrats are quite aware of this and it is the poll numbers that will dictate their voting behavior. Should they choose to ignore the polls and vote for ObamaCare, look for a real backlash in 2010. So theory one looks like Swiss cheese upon further scrutiny and is not worthy of additional discussion (the extra CO2 required would exacerbate global warming).

Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic is following the media script of “backlash, backlash, backlash!” in an effort to silence the town halls, because they are eroding support for ObamaCare. Of course, nobody is listening to such nonsense. Whatever does pass – if anything at all – will be a watered down version of reform. August 22nd is national recess rally day – look for some real fireworks by millions, not a few hundred at a town hall. It won’t be so easy to dismiss that level of protest. I can’t wait to see Nanny State Nancy try. She is the gift that keeps on giving.

Blue Dogs are also aware of the opt out amendments in Florida and Utah and up to ten other states that will be using the 10th amendment to fight ObamaCare. Throw that dynamic in the mix.

If you want real backlash, check out Little girl at Obama town hall has not-so-random political connections. Documented, proved and case closed. Obama lies once again, stating the members of his town hall were not screened. Of course, anyone with half a brain knew better. Look for further plunging poll numbers, the obvious dynamic described as: Obama opens his mouth on the subject the numbers drop. Marc’s sense of “relief” at the White House belongs in the same boat as Obama stating he was never for a single payer system – fabricated.

Obama’s coattails are becoming an anchor.

Update: Backed up by Mickey Kaus (via Glenn Reynolds)

In other news and opinion:

Democrats now taking refuge at SEIU offices

BUSTED!: “Obama As Hitler” Poster Was A Democrat/Union Plant At John Dingell Townhall! UPDATED with video interview!

If you are a liberal, how do you live with yourself? First, you have the tape where Obama admits he wants a single-payer system – exhibit A evidence. Then, his admission in yesterday’s town hall that he has never been for a single-payer system – exhibit B evidence. Conclusion: Obama Lies.

Now you have Obama claiming there were not plants or screening in his town hall – exhibit C evidence. Michelle Malkin dispels that myth – exhibit D evidence. Conclusion: Obama Lies.

Now a plant by Dingell at a Town Hall?

If one has to resort to lies and underhanded tactics to make a point or sell a product or piece of legislation, it stands to reason that a sane person would begin to question the peddled snake oil and become either cautious or outright distrustful of the whole thing.

Video: Nelson strikes back against ObamaCare

How much can we now trust this: GA congressman describes hate mail, Nazi graffiti after protests

Okay people, time to wake up. Gateway Pundit: Bus–ted… Obama Bussed In Supporters For New Hampshire Town Hall (Video).

Funny… During the meeting Barack Obama told his supporters:

“I don’t want people thinking I just have a bunch of plants in here.”

No, we sure wouldn’t want that to happen.

People might think it was all a staged dog and pony show.

One of the comments for the Gateway Pundit called it:

it was a pony and horseshit show, without the pony……..

Chuck Schumer, always the blow hard, is threatening the use of reconciliation to pass health care reform. Either Schumer is operating with half a deck, or his posturing amounts to a toothless threat. If I were a betting man, my guess is that Chucky is using this threat to deflate the public opposition to the socialist health care bill (eugenics, anyone?) during the August recess. If we believe putting the fear God into Congress members to be futile, the hope is we’ll take our marbles and skulk home. Not so fast, Chucky boy. The reconciliation process is not the big bad bogeyman that Schmuck Schumer would have us believe.

Oversimplified, the reconciliation appears to be a process requiring only 50 votes in the Senate assuming the Vice President is the tie breaker. Sounds bad. OMG, they can shove it down our throats, we’re dooommeeed!

To borrow the vernacular of advertising, “But wait, there’s more!”. As Chucky stammers off his threat, he forgets some very important rules concerning the reconciliation option. Oh, that pesky Byrd rule! From The American Prospect: The Health-Reform Reconciliation Fantasy:

But reconciliation is not just a “50-vote senate,” as it’s sometimes called. It’s a process constructed in the 1970s for a specific, limited purpose: to bring existing programs in line (reconcile them) with a long-term budget. Since then, it’s been used for huge policy changes: the Reagan and Clinton budget plans, the Bush tax cuts. But there are limits. Under the senate’s Byrd Rule, intended to hold the process somewhat to its original purpose, reconciliation can’t include provisions that have no budgetary effect or that have an effect outside the current budget window, which right now is five years. (Byrd Rule limits can be waived, but by 60 votes, so you’re back in the 60-vote Senate.)

To greatly oversimplify, what this means is that it’s almost impossible to use reconciliation to build something new. You can expand Medicare or shrink it, cut taxes or raise them. But to construct something that doesn’t already exist will inevitably require provisions that don’t in themselves have a significant budgetary impact: regulations, structures, guidelines, realigned bureaucracies. In particular, much of the structure of health insurance exchanges that are envisioned in the House and HELP Committee bills would not survive the Byrd Rule axe. Only the flimsiest outlines of a health reform bill would survive – the financing would be there, but not the structures to ensure that the money would be used properly. Further, reconciliation would give the Finance Committee – which controls the money – even more clout over the more liberal HELP committee.

Some have suggested using reconciliation to install the rough skeleton of reform, and then fixing it later, but the act of using reconciliation in the first place is such a nuclear option that it is likely to poison the waters not just with the four semi-reasonable Republicans but also with the Democrats who are left out of the deal, and will be needed on subsequent legislation.

The American Prospect is getting this right – something I rarely say about a liberal. But then the author ignores the cliff and plunges over:

But what if Congress did it in reverse? Use the 60-vote Senate to pass whatever they can pass now — we liberals will grumble but live with it — and then use reconciliation next year to fix it. With the exchange structure and subsidies established, it wouldn’t be hard to add an employer mandate, which would save money. With the rudiments of even a weak public plan in place, it wouldn’t be complicated to expand it and modify its eligibility rules, in ways that might save or cost money but in either event, involve budget changes to an existing program rather than creating something new. Aggregating small changes over the next few years (on the model of the steady expansion of Medicaid engineered by Henry Waxman and others over the 1980s and 1990s) could non-controversially build the kind of robust and equitable system we dream of.

It’s not ideal, and any political scheme based on do something now and hoping to fix it later faces the reality of all the partial reforms that litter the landscape. A plan that is so bad that it brings a backlash is more likely to be repealed than fixed. But it might just be that the big reform of health care can’t be achieved all at once. And this would at least get the pieces in place for the next phase to move forward, with or without the current obstructionists.

One problem though. I can think of many possibilities in 2010 or 2012 where Republicans can use either reconciliation or a veto proof vote to stick the knife in deep, twist it for good measure, and look into the eyes of socialism as we watch it die.

Many pundits will label my predictions as naive, but most pundits work under using the current rules of the game – they could not do otherwise. I have more freedom to take into account what I am seeing on the ground. A revolution is occurring, a tectonic shift in the political landscape, and where I once was a pessimist, I am now an optimist. Never have I felt such emotion, unbridled and so raw it possesses you.

But more importantly, I love my father (my mother is no longer with us). It is my duty to ensure that he is not cast away like a bag of trash because he is too old and considered not worth saving by some bureaucratic shithead. He contributed to this society, dutifully paying his taxes and being a good citizen. His life has not been easy, but his life is certainly worth something.

While I never say or write in the following manner, to the supporters of this bill – f**k you. Mess with my family and you are going to find one extremely pissed off and motivated voter shoving his boot up your ass as he pulls the voting lever. If my father dies under your watch, I would not want to be you – not for all the money and power in the world.

And I won’t be alone.

In other news and opinion:

Great stuff from Michelle Malkin here, here, and here.

Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey: The irony of “reconciliation”

Obama’s propaganda machine trying to save Obama from his own words.

Emperor Misha I on the Obama Socialist Joker Poster: It Certainly Seems to Have Hit a Nerve. We need a Rottweiler to help take a bite out of socialism. It’s meaty and delicious and looks even better the next day as a waste product.

Chew on this, assholes. It’s a two way street, but hey, I’d be happy to make it one way and chase your hapless cowardly asses before catching up to you and beating you to death with my pinky.

Truth to paper – now that’s real art.

One of the differences between a liberal and a conservative is that liberals have no idea how much money it takes to keep a nation in poverty. They sure as heck are trying to find out.

The Wall Street Journal indicates support is eroding for ObamaCare, and there is every reason to believe support will continue its free fall over the August recess. Just keep in mind that ObamaCare is like the killer in a cheap horror film who, at the very end, when everyone is convinced he is dead, suddenly jumps up and continues his reign of carnage. The solution always seems so obvious. Once you think the bad guy is dead, make sure by emptying a shotgun and fourteen rounds of 45 caliber destruction from your Glock 37 into the killer’s chest and head. Then stab him until you find yourself out of breath. End by cutting off his head for good measure.

That is how we must treat ObamaCare. Shoot it, stab it, cut off its head, and throw in a hammer and sickle as bonus weapons to kill off this piece of liberty stealing socialist garbage.

The narrative over the last two months is clear and needs no repeating. The bottom line – support for health care reform of the style that liberals favor is not well-received by a growing number of a population wary of a government takeover of health care. I believe even some liberal representatives may find themselves mightily challenged in the 2010 elections. We just have to make sure they get the message that even they could be in trouble, not to mention the Blue Dogs and Democrats from conservative states and districts and any RINOs contemplating reaching out to assist those whose agenda is the destruction of the some of the very foundations of this country – liberty and individual freedom, not to mention state’s rights.

That is why it is so important to attend your local Recess Rally August 22nd. Don’t forget to contact your senators and representatives now and over the recess. The link for House members includes committee information and Blue Dog identification.

From the WSJ:

Support for President Barack Obama’s health-care effort has declined over the past five weeks, particularly among those who already have insurance, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found, amid prolonged debate over costs and quality of care.

In mid-June, respondents were evenly divided when asked whether they thought Mr. Obama’s health plan was a good or bad idea. In the new poll, conducted July 24-27, 42% called it a bad idea while 36% said it was a good idea.

Among those with private insurance, the proportion calling the plan a bad idea rose to 47% from 37%.

Declining popularity of the health-care overhaul reflects rising anxiety over the federal budget deficit and congressional debate over the most contentious aspects of the legislation, including how to pay for it. The poll also shows concern over the role of government in determining personal medical decisions.

Trying to regain momentum, Mr. Obama is shifting his pitch to new consumer-protection rules for insurance companies, part of a bid to win over Americans who already have coverage.

David Axelrod, one of the president’s top advisers, acknowledged that the White House’s months-long focus on controlling medical costs hasn’t worked. “Consumer protections are a lot more tangible,” he said.

On Wednesday, Democratic leaders in the House reached accord with conservative party members to move their bill through the last of three committees, although the full House won’t vote on the measure until at least September. “Failure is not an option,” said California Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman.

The White House is eager to show progress and build public support before Congress breaks for summer, when opponents plan to continue their campaign. “If this bill hangs out there over the August recess my guess is it will get shredded,” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio), said.

Shred away people, shred away.

In other news and opinion:

More culture of corruption: Who let the New Black Panther Party thugs off?

Ed Morrissey: Initial jobless claims increase again. But, but, but… I thought the stimulus package was supposed to stimulate!

Byron York: New WSJ poll is bad, bad news for Obama, Democrats. I would like to add, “and great, great news for America”. We’re not the USSA yet.

In other pertinent news critical to the survival of this nation, we have this little gem from the CNN Political Ticker: Beer choice at Obama meeting touches off new debate.

But Sam Adams founder and brewer Jim Koch told NPR if it was up to him he would make a special beer just for the event.

“I’d make a blend of ingredients from all over the world. Which is certainly what’s represented there with the three participants,” he said. “I would blend those ingredients together artfully and harmoniously, because that’s really what we all hope for.”

And they all lived happily ever after, and Iran gave up its ambitions for the atomic bomb, and had free and fair elections as radical Islam found itself magically transformed into piece loving, teddy bear hugging liberals.

Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya….

What a bad month for Obama. After working with the House to jam Cap-n-Tax down our collective throats, it looked like nothing could derail the Obama express. Already, ObamaStimulus, well under way – or not – showed signs of not working. So much so that His Highness found himself forced to invent new wording to describe his failed stimulus philosophy – jobs saved or created. Like we would fall for that one.

After ObamaCap-n-Tax, Captain America along with his first mate Nancy Pelosi, rubbed their hands together in unbridled excitement, sensing the fruition of liberal wishes all across the great land of Obamatopia. Certainly the Greek Gods smiled down upon them. Soon they would be replaced by The One. Then came the bad news. Not so fast Captain Disaster.

For some reason, liberals hate reading. They don’t read bills, they don’t read the Constitution – I am not sure they are aware of the document – and they don’t read the American people. When a Gallup poll showed America shifting towards conservatism – they wrote it off, ignored it, tried to explain it away; anything but admit it. Liberals everywhere found it inconceivable and beyond imagining that the sheeple of this country found their way of governing to be – well – distasteful and undesirable. They were “shocked” at the Tea Party protests, and “shocked” as they found themselves outnumbered at their own planned venues designed to fill our hearts will love for the social engineering of medicine. Outnumbered by conservative vermin- sometimes at a ratio of 10-to-1.

Disinformation, they protested. His Highness jumped on board – claiming the Republican’s disinformation campaign concerning his beloved health care was “destroying my presidency”. Interesting that he also admitted, along with many members of the House and Senate, that he was unaware of most of the aspects of the bill. In short, he had not read it, or even bothered to have someone read it for him. The argument of “I don’t know the facts, but I conclude the other side is distorting them”, falls flat on an American public that – surprise! – possess a great deal more smarts than the elites in the Washington liberal establishment and their fellow pirates at MoveOn, Daily Kos, and most of the media outlets give them credit for. Of course, Obama is well aware the scaffolding of the bill serves the purpose of killing private insurance and forcing everyone onto the “public plan”. The real disinformation campaign is by Obama and the liberals on the Utopian ship to Nowhere. Only a liberal could look you in the face, claim you are lying, and know who the real liar is. If not a liberal, then someone very neurotic – but then they are the same, are they not? But I digress.

Some not so liberal Democrats, their heads screwed on straight after suffering through the backlash on Cap-n-Tax from their constituents, noticed they had a backbone and were not the puppets of Madam Pelosi and His Highness. A crack in the wall appeared.

Then came the plummeting poll numbers for Obama’s policies, and the latest Rasmussen poll that has Obama’s approval index at -11. The recipe for disaster is almost complete. Martha Stuart would be proud:

• Add one measure of cap-n-tax passed by the House.
• Add an element of surprise to many representatives at their constituent’s anger for the rushed passing of the debacle that is cap-n-tax
• Add a few level headed Blue Dogs democrats to the liberal mix
• Let boil for a couple of weeks as health care is debated
• Add enough rope to the roiling stew to allow His Highness to hang himself at a presser pushing socialized health care
• Add more rope to allow His Highness to hang himself with additional controversial statements concerning a certain police officer and a teacher at Harvard. Proclamtions our Dear Leader predicated on the statement he possessed none of the facts. Sound familiar?
• Add plunging poll numbers and a missed August deadline for health reform
• Add an entire congressional recess for the public’s intelligence to be further insulted by liberal advertisements touting how well the government runs things and sound the praises for the gift that is socialized health care without actually calling it socialized health care. Watch in amazement as they keep trying to tell us that we can keep our current plan if we like it. Nothing about pushing out private insurance on an exchange where it is forced to compete with the “public option”. Nothing to see here, just move along.
• Simultaneously add in advertisements that show the truth of liberal diversion and legislative tactics concerning said socialized health care and what “the public plan” really means. Higher costs, rationing, and the death of ingenuity. Not to mention control over when you will die. Thanks a lot for the hard work grandma, but the sad fact is, your just too darn old and not worth saving, so perform your duty for the collective and just die already will you. Government as God.
• During this month, mix in an earful of complaints and outright anger directed at representatives and senators who suddenly find the fear of God a constant companion as their re-election in 2010 hangs in the balance.
• Lastly, mix in additional plunging poll numbers for His Highness, especially given that The Obama-conomy: “It’s worse than you think”

  Let it all stew and watch Obama’s liberal castle crumble around his ears. This is not to say His Most High can’t do any damage in the 3 1/2 years remaining, even with the slaughter for liberalism that will be the 2010 elections. His Highness will drag this country through the mud as often as possible, but we have weathered worse. It will take a long time to get rid of the taste of the ObamaNation.

  In closing, I had the opportunity to watch Zach Galifianakis, of “The Hangover” fame in a film titled “Visioneers”. An odd little movie to be sure, but with many poignant points. In this world of the future, dreams are considered bad. Both in the literal sense – as when sleeping – and in the figurative sense – such as possessing them. Having either or both types of dreams can lead to one exploding – in the literal sense (I told you the movie was a bit odd). I won’t give away the plot, but there is one scene in the move when the protagonist is told that in order to get rid of dreams, it is important to kill that which is most important to you. For most of us, this would be our family or a loved one. In the context of this country, that would be life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, or as my Naval friend says, “Life, liberty, and the happiness of pursuit”.

  Then it struck me. That is exactly what socialism is – what liberalism is. It is the overt and often covert attempt to level the playing field by making everyone as miserable as everyone else. No more excellence allowed in this utopia. If you succeed, we will punish you and take away the fruits of your labor. Anyone found possessing ambition or passion will be trampled upon, ridiculed, pilfered, and outcast. No dreams allowed, except those provided for by the state. Do not think for yourself, do not think for others; do not think, period. Mediocrity and blandness are the order of the day and we will all be equal, not under God, but under the clenching fist of Government, for Government is now your God, and that other god is no longer allowed, for there is only one true God, known as “The State”.

  For now, just call Him Obama.

  In other news and opinion:

  Jonah Goldberg hits the proverbial nail on the head: None dare say rationing:

  Let us for a moment adopt the proposition that health care is in fact a “right,” as pretty much every liberal politician has told us.

  Now let us consider how President Obama’s health-care bill would work. An official body – staffed with government doctors, actuaries, economists and other experts – will determine which treatments, procedures and remedies are cost-effective and which are not. Then it will decide which ones will get paid for, and which won’t. Democrats call this “cost-controls.” But for the patient and the doctor, it’s plain old rationing.

  Now, imagine if the government had a body of experts charged with figuring out what your free-speech rights are, or right to assemble, or worship. Mr. Jones, you can say X and Y but not Z. Ms. Smith, you can freely assemble with Aleutians, Freemasons and carpenters, but you may not meet in public with anyone from Cleveland or of Albanian descent. Mrs. Wilson, you may pray to Vishnu and Crom, but never to Allah or Buddha, and when you do pray, you cannot do so for longer than 20 minutes, unless it is one of several designated holidays. See Extended Prayer Form 10-22B.

  Michelle Malkin: “The siren call of judicial activism”. Here is to hoping that, one day, a majority of our federal legislature suddenly decides that judicial activism is grounds for impeachment. If judges are allowed to continue to invent law from the bench, then the constitution is nothing but a piece of paper. We already have a group of people to do that – Congress. Remember that strange concept called separation of powers? It is not a hurdle to be overcome – it is written in the very fabric of this land.

  Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey: New Dem strategy on ObamaCare: Ignore the evidence and just trust us!. No thanks. I would sooner trust a used car salesman or a snake oil peddler.

  Call it faith-based economics. Just forget all of those people who make a living at looking at balance sheets, cost projections, and legislative analysis — trust us! For a party that screeched about returning science to its “rightful place” in policymaking, they seem highly enamored of tarot cards and entrail-reading when it comes to their own fiscal policies.

  Glenn Reynold’s on Michelle Malkin’s Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies. Read it, buy it for a loved one, pass it on.

  Emperor Misha I eviscerates in the usual fascinating fashion, exposing Obama and his Latin American advisor. Kinds of puts things in perspective. Read Pieces Coming Together.

  The CNN political ticker reports: RNC commits nearly $1 million on health care campaign. Now that’s change put to good use. More of the same, please! See the story for a list of the Democrat targets. I don’t think CNN will allow the trackback to my story – as they have in the past. Fair and balanced? I think not. Puppets who like to have their strings pulled – you betcha. Am I surprised? Come on, take a guess…

  

Now this is getting fun. It’s like watching a good cage fight. Now The Hill is reporting that Blue Dog Democrats said they were “lied” to by their Democratic leaders (emphasis mine):

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.

Now that’s a good line for a commercial. I can hear it now….

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 than the Blue Dogs.”

A leadership aide said no decisions have been made on how to proceed.

Ouch.

So far I have to say I am proud of the Blue Dogs for standing on principle. The big question is whether they have the character and gumption to continue to stand together against the liberal tide and do what is right for this country.

Here is a great list from Tea Party Patriots that provides not only which committee each representative is on, but whether they are Blue Dog. Call the Energy Committee members, especially Waxman. Lend the Blue Dogs your support.

From Michelle Malkin: Waxman wants Blue Dogs to heel, signals committee bypass

Just how bad is it for the opposition? Dallas Tea Party activists outflank MoveOn at Obamacare protest

Hot Air: Waxman threatens to bypass own committee.

UPDATE 2: Is there a possible rift starting to appear? According to The Hill, there just might be: Waxman may let health bill skip committee. Here is the quote of interest:

Democratic critics of the bill have warned that the bill doesn’t have enough votes to pass on the floor, and say an end-run around the committee would galvanize opposition among centrists.

“That would clearly ruffle some feathers,” said an aide to a Blue Dog lawmaker.

Breitbart is reporting: Conservative House Dem says health talks collapse:

The head of a group of fiscally conservative Democrats says negotiations with House leaders on health care have collapsed.

Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., who heads the Blue Dogs’ health care task force, told reporters Friday that after a week of talks, the effort to reach agreement between the leadership and the conservative to moderate Democrats fell apart. He said that leaves Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., without the votes to advance the health care bill out of his committee.

However, Waxman has threatened to force a floor vote to break the impasse within Democratic ranks on President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.

Pray for the Blue Dog’s and lend them your support. Here is a great list from Tea Party Patriots that provides not only which committee each representative is on, but whether they are Blue Dog. Call the Energy Committee members, especially Waxman, and the the Blue Dogs. Let them know you support them and as long as they do the right thing for this country, we have their backs.

Michelle Malkin: Waxman wants Blue Dogs to heel, signals committee bypass.

CNN Political Ticker is reporting: House Democrats splinter over health care

UPDATE 1: Really Bad News: Waxman: Blue Dogs must relent on health reform:

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) says there is “no alternative” to having healthcare legislation bypass his committee if Blue Dog Democrats don’t agree to legislation.

Waxman said if the seven Blue Dogs on his panel do not relent, they could join with the committee’s Republicans to “eviscerate” healthcare reform.

“I won’t allow them to hand over control of our committee to Republicans,” Waxman told reporters.

“I dont see what other alternative we have, because we’re not going to let them empower Republicans on the committee ”

But its okay to sell-out the American people. Has Waxman and the Blue Dogs checked Obama’s latest poll numbers? Less than 50% as of today – for the first time. Tread lightly.

Look at it this way – you are not empowering Republicans, you are saving your jobs.

__________
Original Post:

Sound familiar – like with the cap-and-tax bill. Just jamming it down our throats. Well it looks quite possible that Ralph Emanuel may be correct in that a vote will happen next week. From the National Review:

Inside Health Policy’s Julian Pecquet, who’s staking out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, reports that Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman “stormed out” of yesterday afternoon’s health reform meeting and told reporters he has nothing to announce. Asked whether the speaker could bypass his committee and take health care reform straight to the House floor, Waxman replied, “Ask the speaker.”

Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, is also in the meeting, along with Rahm Emanuel and Phil Schiliro. And if you’re really desperate for details, we can also tell you that staffers were given Girl Scout cookies.

UPDATE: Following the meeting with Blue Dogs was a separate confab with Pelosi, Clyburn, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and — this is where it gets interesting — Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter. Pelosi mostly avoided reporters as she left the meeting. But when asked about bypassing Energy and Commerce she said, “I don’t want to do that.”

Hoyer and Slaughter said no decision has been made.

Apparently, this ain’t over yet. Keep up the pressure; email and phone your representative. To find out who your representative is and write them check here. To contact your representative by phone go here.

More from Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey: Rahm Emanuel says House will vote on ObamaCare next week. Ed says “Uh, sure”. But don’t count out Nanny State Nancy yet.

If this does not derail Nancy and Ralph, I don’t know what will: Also from Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey: Rasmussen: Obama loses majority support.

Also read How To Kill Private Healthcare – Allow Lawsuits Against Employers

Sweetness & Light: Pelosi Not Bound By Obama’s Rx Deals

In other news and opinion:

Surprise! Dems run away from Gitmo again. From Michelle Malkin.

Lot’s of juicy stuff to report today. First, recall when Republican Senator Jim De Mint said if Obama fails to pass health care reform it would be his Waterloo? Remember the High One’s response?

Think about that,” Obama said. “This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics. This is about a health care system that is breaking America’s families. … We can’t afford the politics of delay and defeat when it comes to health care — not this time, not now.

Now the Whiner In Chief is complaining: ‘You’re Going To Destroy My Presidency’. From National Journal via Jammie Wearing Fool:

A telling episode recounted by Senate Finance ranking member Charles Grassley reveals the Obama administration might be more worried than they are letting on that a Republican senator’s comparison of the healthcare overhaul to Waterloo might be dangerously close to the truth.

Grassley said he spoke with a Democratic House member last week who shared Obama’s bleak reaction during a private meeting to reports that some factions of House Democrats were lining up to stall or even take down the overhaul unless leaders made major changes.

“Let’s just lay everything on the table,” Grassley said. “A Democrat congressman last week told me after a conversation with the president that the president had trouble in the House of Representatives, and it wasn’t going to pass if there weren’t some changes made … and the president says, ‘You’re going to destroy my presidency.’ “

Let’s be frank. Can we be frank? What will be destroyed is His Eminence’s ability to ruin this country, drive us further into debt, make a mockery of our health care system, and finally take over complete control of your life – and death – in the ultimate nanny state coup. Boo frigin’ hoo.

And it’s never been about Obama, has it? I mean, his modesty and humility are unmatched:

Obama Election Night Victory. Greek Columns, God Complex

Michelle chimes in: Not about you, huh?

And check out Michelle Malkin’s video, Politician claims Obamacare saves. Voters laugh out loud.

My favorite parts? Well, all of it. But especially when Carnahan tries to tell the audience that Obamacare will create “efficiencies” and a “surplus” and when constituent Kevin Jackson asks:

“If it’s so good, why doesn’t Congress have to be on it?”

What? Congress eating from the same filthy trough as the unwashed masses. Why the nerve of even suggesting such a thing!

For another great video see CNNs RNC spoofs drug ads in new ‘Reforma’ Web video:

The Republican National Committee has a message for the nation’s health care consumers: “Call your Congressman or Senator immediately” if you are concerned about possible “side effects” of the Democrats’ health care reform proposals.

That’s what viewers are told in “Reforma,” a new RNC Web video that appears to draw heavily from the tropes of pharmaceutical advertising.

The roughly one-minute spot features happy-looking couples in various settings — dancing on the deck of a ship, walking barefoot along a beach, skipping through an open field of green grass, lounging comfortably in each others arms in a field of lavender plants, tossing leaves at one another on a typical fall New England day, and walking hand-in-hand down a tree-covered path.

“The life you want to live, [t]he peace of mind you deserve, [t]he Obama Pelosi prescription for building a government takeover of health care, [a]nxiety and stress disappear, [r]ecommended by more lobbyists than any other health care reform, [n]o worries. No concerns,” an announcer says as the carefree images appear on screen.

Then the video, like a drug ad, lists what the RNC calls the “side effects” of the Democrats’ reform plan: “bureaucratic waste and delay,” “[c]ost to taxpayers may vary and is more than you can possibly imagine.”

Email the video to everyone in your contacts and have them forward it on. Truth in advertising.

From The Hill: Dems at odds on how to turn tide on health. It looks like more than Blue Dogs are getting a bit skittish. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said that if consensus can’t be reached, he expects to send legislators home on schedule. Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) on Tuesday said the House should stay in until it finishes the bill.

They can’t even agree on whether to take a vacation. I suggest a robust debate concerning the vacation!

Nanny State Nancy chimes in saying Congress should work through recess on health bill.

“I think 70 percent of the American people would want that,” Pelosi said. “I want a bill.”

Which would be fine if it were not for those pesky things called polls. Glenn Reynold’s – RASMUSSEN: 53% Now Oppose Congressional Health Care Reform. You don’t say. That math sure must be challenging Nancy. Kind of like “save or create jobs”, or “deficit neutral” – it just does not add up. Last time I checked 53% was just a wee bit smaller than 70%.

The great physicist Richard Feynman once said of time that it is the universe’s way of stopping everything from happening all at once. Thankfully, the universe seems to be doing a fine job. I guess the liberals are going to be mad at the universe now.

Who says there are not a few smart Dems out there? Stick to your guns boys, history is watching and those annoying mid-term elections will be here before you can say “Socialism is for weenies”.

Headline: Obama blames universe, GOP, and really, really mean Dems for destroying presidency and failed health care plan. America yawns. Obama loses crown.

All kidding aside, with the state of our economy, the fact the President himself admits he does not know what is in the House bill, and the fact the current House Bill all but squeezes out private insurers, I think starting from scratch after a long rest would be a good idea. I mean, don’t the American people deserve a deliberative legislative process? Apparently, some legislative liberals (and some plain ole fashion confused liberals) don’t think so because it would put their prized pony – the public option – in jeopardy. Of course, since House and Senate members would not be forced to “enjoy” the obvious benefits of socialized health care (this is sarcasm in case any liberal is reading this – you have to help them along sometimes), then it should be okay for us common folk.

Slightly related and on the creepy horror film Nazi bastard side is Michelle’s The science czar stonewalls:

Can a population control freak holding the prestigious title of “Science Czar” get away with published musings on forced abortion, mass sterilization programs, and a “planetary regime” to re-engineer society by simply stonewalling?

He’s trying his best.

Hot Air has another poll (this time AP) showing Obama in trouble. Calling all senators and representatives, it’s only going to get worse. Not a good time to be clutching on to the Mighty King of All. He’s drowning in his regal attire and will drag you down with him.

Sister Toldjah: Obama administration: It’s not “secrecy” when we hold private meetings. Honest, you can trust us! Move along please, nothing to hide here.

Riehl World View: Dems frustrated with Obama.

Senior Democrats on the Hill are expressing frustration with Obama because he isn’t taking a particular stance on specific issues regarding health care reform. They claim to be “baffled”. Good heavens, do they really expect him to put his name on something that might prove unpopular with the public, … to own it, in a sense? Since when has that been his job? He’s voting Present. What more do you want?

Read the CNN story here. Of note:

The Democratic leadership had hoped the work going on behind closed doors for months could bear fruit in time for the president’s news conference Wednesday night. But multiple Democratic sources tell CNN that’s looking very unlikely, and one senior Democratic source tells CNN there is some frustration among Democratic leaders that Senate negotiators have, “repeatedly missed deadlines.”

Ezra Klein chimes in with some very flawed logic: Filibustering Is Not the Same as Voting “No.”. What he fails to note is that the converse is true, voting for cloture is the same as voting yes – even if you vote no. If the fifty votes are there and you are instrumental in allowing those votes, then you de facto support the legislation, and no amount of posturing, including a subsequent nay vote, will convince the public otherwise. Ezra Klein, in joining the ranks of the Washington elitists, shares company with the likes of Pelosi, Reid, Obama, and the rest of the liberal establishment and rubber-stamp pseudo-journalists in insulting our intelligence. Really Ezra, ya think we be that stoooopppid?

And to any senator thick enough to attempt this CYA, sorry to disappoint you, but we catch on pretty quick outside the beltway. Don’t underestimate us.

Contact your senator and let them know that such a tactic will not go over well; insult our intelligence and we will assault your position.

Right Pundits is cautiously optimistic but warns against complacency: Obama Health Care Reform Appears Doomed in 2009. Ignatius Reilly also seems to note the liberals lack of basic math skills:

All signs are pointing to a Clinton-esque failure for Obama’s health care reform proposal.

Three polls now show that Obama’s support for health care reform has fallen under 50%:

Percentage supporting Obama on Health Care Policy:
CNN: 47%
ABC News: 49%
USA Today: 44%

For certain Obama-supporters who post on this site who cannot grasp basic mathematical concepts, that means a majority of people DO NOT support Obama’s health care policy. The lack of support for his health policy coincides with a noticeable drop in his overall approval rating, which we reported on here. Obama, who just six months ago was being proclaimed as invincible by the left, now has lower approval ratings than either Bush or Jimmy Carter did in their first six months.

President Obama will address the nation regarding health care in a primetime news conference tonight. In that news conference, he is expected to press for health care reform BEFORE the end of this year’s Congressional session. Pressing for this so quickly, Obama’s team seems to smack of desperation. It’s almost like he’s saying, “Let’s get this through before everyone realizes what a complete disaster I’ve been.”

Patterico guest blogger DRJ: Slow Down, You Move Too Fast (Updated x2)

Also read President Prepares An Army Of Bloggers

It used to be that of the two things assured in life – death and taxes – the government controlled only one. Now they want control of the other.

The trillion plus dollar cost of ObamaCare (read socialized medicine) often obscures an obvious fact. The real cost of socialized medicine is in lives. As I have indicated on this site (read Even The NYT Won’t Avoid The Truth – Socialized Healthcare Stinks and I Have 25 Stents – And I Don’t Want The Public Option), the real impact of socialized medicine – loss of ingenuity, the death of the medical specialist, rationing, and high cost – are the real casualties of any public plan.

I do not suffer fools lightly, and thankfully it appears the American public, not quite as tuned out as the elites in Washington wish, are fully attentive to the smoke screen thrown up by the liberals in congress and now demand to see behind the curtain of obfuscation generated to hide one of the most liberty killing, costly (in terms of lives and money), and ineffective reform bills ever to hit the legislature.

It does not take a genius to understand that allowing the public option to compete on an exchange with private insurance is a recipe for the full takeover by the public option. It insults our intelligence that elites in Washington think us incapable of understanding how a non-profit, government funded public option would crowd out for-profit private insurers. Raise taxes or print money – the government, in the end, always wins. But at what cost? Are we truly to believe that government is capable of efficiency. Mentioning efficiency and government in a sentence that equates the two is a sure sign of a serous disconnect with reality.

The most liberty stealing feature of the public option is that now the government gets to decide if you get that treatment. They decide if you live of die.

If you think socialized medicine is a good thing, just spend an hour on Google and check out the rationing and other horror stories of so-called public options from around the world.

Something else to be thankful for, the death of Obama’s attempted make over of our country does not end with just his health care policy.

Bret Jacobson of Opposing Views writes Obama May Be Forced to Give Up Top Economic Initiatives:

It looks as if Americans — already pummeled by an economic slide from dropping home prices to 10 percent unemployment — may avoid the final knockout punch. Political pundits are forecasting increasing odds that that grassroots pressure may force President Obama and Congressional Democrats to give up on some of their top policy initiatives — legislation that would have saddled already-strapped taxpayers with even greater economic burdens.

Sure, the trillions already wasted in stimulus and deficit spending are bad. But that price tag is nothing compared to the three worst potential policy threats that seem to be losing momentum as more voters read their newspapers and more politicians starting reading the bills they’re voting on.

On the cutting block, Global Warming/Cap and Trade, Card Check Union Organizing (all but dead), and the health care public option (on serious life support and hopefully dying). Mr. Jacobson continues:

Change We Can’t Afford

While President Obama was elected by sizable majorities, it is not clear the public sent him to Washington with any specific policy mandates.

Meanwhile, discussion of the nation’s leftward lurch has some support among polling on voter identification, but ideological identity still favors conservatism in America. Moreover, recent figures show more Americans think the Democratic party is too liberal.

It seems America voted for some sort of “change,” though the Democrats’ version has not been what the doctor ordered on health care, energy taxes, or increasing the influence of union officials. In no instance has the public shown an appetite for going socialist.

There are certainly a host of small policy problems likely to be passed by big-government types in both parties. But Democrats have firmly grabbed the “overreach” mantle, though now it fits like an albatross.

By seeking economy- and society-altering policy overhauls with combined price tags of trillions of dollars, a handful of political elites showed they lost touch with a public that is, by and large, conservative. They’re just not crazy enough to seek change we can’t afford.

This is not over – not by a long shot. Complacency is the friend of Obama’s policies. The biggest mistake a boxer can make is overconfidence. Drop your guard for a moment, and that opponent who seconds ago looked destined for the floor surprises you with a right uppercut to the jaw. We are winning the battle of hearts and minds with objectivity and rationality on our side; but when has rational thought defined government?

More health care news:

Glenn Reynolds:

ANOTHER HEALTHCARE BILL NUGGET: “The section, titled ‘Advanced Care Planning Consultation’ requires senior citizens to meet at least every 5 years with a doctor or nurse practitioner to discuss dying with dignity.”

You have got to be kidding me. Thanks mom and dad, and our government thanks you to for all that hard work you did raising us. But your just too old and its just not worth keeping you around anymore. Sorry.

Michelle Malkin: Barack Obama speaks the truth! Update: Mayo not okay-o with Obamacare

Music to my ears, but don’t stop those phone calls and emails yet: Obamacare: Code Blue

Must see video via Glenn Reynold’s: NO PACEMAKER FOR YOUR MOM — have her take a pain pill.

I had to read this one twice. I think I slipped a disk during the double take. Better get that taken of before rationing arrives. From the Heritage Foundation: Morning Bell: Obama Admits He’s “Not Familiar” With House Bill. Ahem, excuse the question from a dumb citizen, but is anyone else out there bothered just a little about this statement?