Research

Late Saturday night, the House passed a terribly flawed government-run health care bill.  To get vulnerable Democrats to make such an unpopular vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi had to make many promises. But it wasn’t just Pelosi doling out the goodies. The Obama administration was also lobbying in full force:

Other undecided lawmakers had more fundamental concerns about the health-care package. Rep. Jason Altmire, a second-term Democrat who represents a blue-collar district in suburban Pittsburgh, was the focus of an aggressive lobbying effort Friday, taking calls from Obama, Pelosi and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, as well as Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Why is the Secretary of Education lobbying for a health care bill?  Frederick Hess at The American connects the dots:

I understand the calls from Emanuel and Sebelius, but why exactly was the secretary of Education leaning on a Pittsburgh congressman to vote for the healthcare bill? What did he say? ‘I’m a former basketball player and school chief from Chicago, and I’m hoping you’ll vote for the bill.’ Could $100 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds and the enticement of $5 billion about to given away in Race to the Top and i3 funds gives the secretary leverage, especially if he promises to ensure that this or that proposal gets ‘full and careful consideration’? Of course, such inducements would be a huge no-no—but the behavior merits the question. And what’s a little wink-wink between friends anyway, eh?

Given the shameful horse-trading that went on when Obama and Pelosi were twisting arms to round up votes for their cap-and-tax bill, we wouldn’t put anything past them.