Research Briefing

Liberals Furious At Obama’s Health Care Cave-Ins, While White House Calls Them “Insane”

MSNBC’s Ed Schultz Said Obama’s Base Thinks He’s “Nothing But A Sellout – A Corporate Sellout.” “Ed Schultz, an influential liberal radio host, declared on his ‘Ed Show’ on MSNBC: ‘The base is restless. They are wandering in the wilderness, Mr. President. … They want to know, where are you? … Right now, Mr. President, your base thinks you’re nothing but a sellout — a corporate sellout, out that. … The only people who like this current bill right now, Mr. President, is the insurance industry — they get a bunch of new customers.’” (Mike Allen, “Left Rebels Against Health Reform,” Politico, 12/17/09)

AXELROD SAYS LIBERALS WHO DISAGREE WITH WHITE HOUSE ARE “INSANE” AND SELFISH

David Axelrod Went On MSNBC To Rebut Progressive Opponents, Accusing Them Of “Insane” Arguments Based On “Erroneous Conclusions.” “‘To defeat a bill that will bend the curve on this inexorable rise in health-care costs is insane,’ Axelrod said on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe.’ ‘I don’t think that you want this moment to pass. It will not come back.’” (Mike Allen, “David Axelrod: Left ‘Insane’ To Sink Health Bill,” Politico, 12/17/09)

“Asked His Response To Progressives Who Say ‘Kill This Bill Now,’ Axelrod Replied: ‘I Think That Would Be A Tragic, Tragic Outcome. … I Guess If You’re Hale And Hearty And Have Insurance, It’s Fine To Say, “Kill This Bill”.’” (Mike Allen, “David Axelrod: Left ‘Insane’ To Sink Health Bill,” Politico, 12/17/09)

John Podesta, Obama Advisor and President Of The Center For American Progress Criticizes Dean, Urges Passage. “So while I have great respect for Governor Dean, and we have worked together to provide the strongest health care reform bill for the American people, I come down on the side of the Senate passing the bill.” (John Podesta, “The Progressive Case For Passing The Senate Health Care Bill,” The Center For American Progress Action Fund’s “Think Progress” Blog, 12/16/09)

BUT THE LEFT IS FED UP AND THEY’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE

Howard Dean Said “The Best Thing To Do Right Now Is Kill The Senate Bill.” “This is essentially the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate. And, honestly, the best thing to do right now is kill the Senate bill and go back to the House and start the reconciliation process, where you only need 51 votes and it would be a much simpler bill.” (Bob Kinzel, “Dean On Health Care: ‘Kill The Senate Bill,’” Vermont Public Radio, 12/15/09)

Group Dean Founded Bashed The Individual Mandate By Saying Reid’s Bill “Doesn’t Actually ‘Cover’ 30 Million More Americans – Instead It Makes Them Criminals If They Don’t Buy Insurance.” “Democracy for America, the successor to the Dean campaign, which is now run by his brother, is out today with an email attacking health care legislation on a vulnerable point: The individual mandate. … ‘[T]hey say that even without a public option, the bill still “covers” 30 million more Americans. What they are actually talking about is something called the “individual mandate.” That's a section of the law that requires every single American buy health insurance or break the law and face penalties and fines. So, the bill doesn't actually “cover” 30 million more Americans - instead it makes them criminals if they don't buy insurance from the same companies that got us into this mess.’” (Ben Smith, “Dean Group Attacks Mandate,” Politico’s “Live Pulse” Blog, 12/16/09)

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) Isn’t Happy About Senate Bill Compromises. “We created momentum to get this thing going over in the Senate.  Now all of the sudden people are acting as if the Senate happens to be the only game in town.  The Senate is not the only game in town.” (Rep. James Clyburn, “CNN Live,” 12/17/09)

MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann Said Reid’s Bill Is “Unsupportable” And “Is Certainly Not Reform.” “MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann told viewers Wednesday night that the Senate version has become ‘unsupportable … a hollow shell of a bill’: ‘This is not health, this is not care, this is certainly not reform.’” (Mike Allen, “Left Rebels Against Health Reform,” Politico, 12/17/09)

Daily Kos Founder Markos Moulitsas Said It’s “Time To Kill This Monstrosity.” “Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos, wrote on his Twitter feed: ‘Time to kill this monstrosity coming out of the Senate.’ And ‘Kos’ blogged: ‘You pass a s——-y program now that further bankrupts our nation, and we won't be talking about “fixing” it in a few years, but whether it should even exist.’” (Mike Allen, “Left Rebels Against Health Reform,” Politico, 12/17/09)

Huffington Post Founder Arianna Huffington Said Business Lobbyists “Are Winning” And “The American Middle Class Was Let Down.” “Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post, said on ‘Morning Joe’ that business lobbyists ‘are winning’ on a host of Washington issues, including health reform. ‘There is no cost containment here,’ she said. … Asked if she would enthusiastically support Obama for reelection, Huffington replied: ‘This is not really the question. … Depends on the alternative. … The American middle class was let down. … Can you really say this White House is on the side of the American people?’” (Mike Allen, “Left Rebels Against Health Reform,” Politico, 12/17/09)

AND THE UNIONS ARE GEARING UP FOR A FIGHT

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka: “[F]or This Health Care Bill To Be Worthy Of The Support Of Working Men And Women, Substantial Changes Must Be Made.” (Ben Smith, “AFL demands 'substantial changes,’” Politico’s “Ben Smith” Blog, 12/17/09)

Communications Workers Of America President Larry Cohen Says Senate’s Cadillac Tax Will Hurt Middle Class Families And “Is The Opposite Of Reform.” “This new data demonstrates irrefutably that the excise tax - which will result in reduced coverage and increased costs for our middle class families - is the opposite of reform… There are other options for funding reform, such as those in the House version of bill, which do not place the burden on middle class Americans. This new data shows that the excise tax is not one of them.” (Ben Smith, “CWA Pushes Back On White House Excise Tax Claim,” Politico’s “Ben Smith” Blog, 12/17/09)

SEIU President Andy Stern Says The SEIU “Will Fight For Real Health Insurance Reforms.” “And the result of this Senator saying ‘we can't?’ The public option is declared impossible. …SEIU does not accept that this monumental effort - that this reform that is so necessary to the health and wellbeing of our economy, our families and our future - can be over without a fight. … We will fight to make care affordable. We will fight for real health insurance reforms. We will fight for employers to provide their employees with coverage.  And, we will fight to pay for all of it responsibly without a tax on your benefits.” (Andy Stern, “Letter From President Andy Stern To SEIU Members: Where Do We Go From Here?” SEIU Blog, 12/17/09)

Steelworkers Union President Is Prepared To “Fight Like Crazy” In Conference. “Leo Gerard, the president United Steelworkers Union, hinted that opposition to the bill is in the offing. ‘I believe that the House [of Representatives] has got a good bill,’ Gerard told MSNBC's Ed Schultz. ‘Hopefully it is going to have to go to committee, we're going to fight like crazy to make sure that we get a good bill. I'm not prepared to give up. I want to fight and get a good bill out of this. The American people deserve this and President Obama, whose values are right, he deserves this.’” (Sam Stein, “Labor Holds Emergency Meetings To Discuss Senate Bill, May Formally Oppose,” The Huffington Post, 12/16/09)