Research Briefing

Deadlines Abandoned, Consensus Nowhere In Sight On Dems’ Government-Run Health Care Experiment

POLITICO: “But even if they won’t acknowledge it publicly, most Democrats in Congress know the truth: It’s their own colleagues who are slowing down progress in both the House and the Senate.” (Patrick O'Connor, “Dems Search For Villains Amid Delays,” Politico, 7/28/09)

HOUSE DEMOCRATS FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGE REALITY, ANNOUNCE THERE WILL BE NO VOTE

No House Vote, No Committee Markups, And Recess Will Begin On Time. “Democratic leaders have apparently thrown in the towel -- telling their Republican counterparts that there will be no health care vote on the House floor before the August recess starts this Friday, according a Republican memo obtained by Politico.” (Glenn Thrush, “Memo: No Health Vote Before Recess,” Politico’s “Glenn Thrush” Blog, 7/28/09)

CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS BLAMING EACH OTHER FOR GIVING UP ON DEADLINES

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) Says It Is Clear That Blue Dog Dems Blocking Government-Run Health Care. “The real story is that on the House side in particular, you have a group called the Blue Dogs. And the Blue Dogs have the power in the Commerce Committee to hold up the bill and to negotiate what they claim they would like to see cost containment and more money to rural doctors. On the one hand, they don’t want to spend money. But, on the other hand, they want to spend money when they think it benefits them or their districts. So they have a powerful block. They are holding it up, and that is clear as can be.” (MSNBC’s “Live,” 7/28/09)

Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) Says House Dems Reluctant To Take Bipartisan Approach. “Our primary concern is that the bill is too expensive. We want everybody covered but the President is clear, he wants a deficit neutral bill and he wants one that bends the cost curves in the right direction, in other words, doesn't add to our long-term problems. We could get a bill like this. We could get a bipartisan bill. They're working on that in Senate, but unfortunately, the House is reluctant to take that approach. The Senate will be the real gap. They have to get 60 votes to pass anything. That requires some form of bipartisanship.” (CNN’s “American Morning,” 7/28/09)

House Democrats Fear Voting For Tax Increase To Pay For Government-Run Health Care Unless Senate Does First. “With the Senate situation in flux, House members were growing increasingly wary about taking a pre-recess vote on a health plan with a hefty surtax on the affluent if it was not going to see the light of day in the Senate. House Democrats have already taken a difficult vote on a climate-change measure that has yet to advance in the Senate.” (Carl Hulse and Robert Pear, “Senators Progress as House Delays Again on Health Bill,” The New York Times, 7/28/09)

Congressional Democrat Leaders Move Away From Obama’s Deadline, “Lowering Their Ambitions.” “With lawmakers just days away from a five-week break, members of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee huddled on opposite ends of the Capitol, trying to come to terms with the scope of the legislation and how to pay for revamping the health-care industry. Democratic leaders have lowered their ambitions to getting those two panels to reach agreements before departing for the summer break, backing away from President Obama's goal of passing comprehensive legislation by Aug. 7.” (Paul Kane, “Key Lawmakers Restart Health-Care Talks,” The Washington Post, 7/28/09)

DISARRAY CONTINUES OVER “CORE ISSUES” OF COSTS AND TAX INCREASES

Sharp Democrat Divisions On How To Pay For Government-Run Health Care, Bring Down Costs. “Top Democrats had hoped to bring the legislation to the House floor before lawmakers leave town Friday for a month long recess. But House Democrats are sharply divided over core issues, including how to finance the bill costing $1 trillion or more over 10 years and how to contain the rapid growth in health-care costs.” (Greg Hitt, Core Issues Still Divide Democrats In The House,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/28/09)

House Democrats Looking For Ways To Avoid Large Tax Increases On Small Businesses After Initially Proposing Them. “In a bid to avoid implementing a surtax on the wealthiest Americans, at least three members of House leadership are looking at a plan that would factor in health reform savings that may accrue to both the private and public sectors before such a tax would be triggered. Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) told reporters that he was exploring the ‘trigger’ option following a press event on Wednesday afternoon. Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) told Inside Health Reform on Friday that he and Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-CT) and Becerra were ‘in sync’ with that idea.” (Amy Lotven, “Tax Trigger Could Be Linked To Both Public And Private Sector Savings,” InsideHealthPolicy.com, 7/27/09)

AMERICAN DISTASTE FOR GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE EXPERIMENT GROWING

Majority Of Americans Believe Government-Run Health Care Will Lead To Higher Costs. “At this time, voters are skeptical about the ability of the reform effort to help control the cost of health care. Just 23% believe passage of the reform legislation will lead to lower health care costs. Most voters (53%) say it will lead to higher costs, while 18% expect prices to remain about the same.” (“Just 23% Believe Health Care Costs Will Go Down If Reform Passes Congress,” Rasmussen Reports, 7/28/09)

More Americans Oppose Obama’s Government-Run Health Care Experiment Than Those Who Favor It. “The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% are in favor of the reform effort proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats while 49% are opposed. Those figures include 25% who Strongly Favor the plans and 41% who are Strongly Opposed.” (“Just 23% Believe Health Care Costs Will Go Down If Reform Passes Congress,” Rasmussen Reports, 7/28/09)