Research Briefing

12 Tricks Obama Democrats Have Used To Rush Through Their Health Care Experiment

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): “I Think We Would Do Almost Anything To Pass A Healthcare Bill.” (Mike Soraghan, “Pelosi: 'We Would Do Almost Anything To Pass A Healthcare Bill',” The Hill, 12/10/09)

GIVEN WHAT DEMS HAVE ALREADY DONE, WHAT MORE COULD THEY POSSIBLY DO?

1.                   Comparing Americans Who Oppose His Health Care Experiment To Supporters Of Slavery. (J. Taylor Rushing, “Reid Doubles Down On Slavery Analogy,” The Hill’s “Briefing Room” Blog, 12/8/09)

2.                   Writing Their Health Care Experiment Behind Closed Doors Without Any Input From Republicans. (Perry Bacon Jr., “Small Group Now Leads Closed Negotiations On Health-Care Bill,” The Washington Post, 10/18/09)

3.                   Holding Weekend Votes In The Dead Of Night. (Lori Montgomery And Shailagh Murray, “House Democrats Pass Health Care Bill,” The Washington Post, 11/8/09; Brian Beutler, “Reid Files Cloture, First Floor Vote On Senate Health Care Bill Saturday, 8 PM,” Talking Points Memo, 11/19/09)

4.                   Forcing States In Budget Crises To Increase Taxes Or Cut Services To Pay For Their Health Care Experiment. (Kevin Sack & Robert Pear, “Governors Fear Medicaid Costs In Health Plan,” The New York Times, 7/20/09)

5.                   Negotiating Their Health Care Experiment In Secret, Instead Of Airing Meeting ON C-SPAN As Obama Promised. (Sharon Theimer, “Promises, Promises: Do Obama Deals Break Pledge?” The Associated Press, 7/21/09; Chris Frates, “No C-SPAN Here,” Politico’s “Live Pulse” Blog, 12/7/09)

6.                   Accusing Opponents Of Being Un-American, Political Terrorists. (Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, Op-Ed, “'Un-American' Attacks Can't Derail Health Care Debate,” USA Today, 8/10/09; Peter Slevin, “Key Democrat Feels The Heat After Voting For House Plan,” The Washington Post, 8/10/09; Michael Andersen, "Baird Fears Foes May Plan ‘Ambush,’" The Columbian, 8/5/09; Jim Shella, “GOP Demanding Apology From Baron Hill,” WISH-TV Channel 8 [Indianapolis, IN], 8/11/09)

7.                   Passing Out Earmarks, Favors, And Pay-Offs (Of At Least $300 Million) To Get Fellow Dems To Vote Against Their Constituents. (Robert Pear, “Majority Leader Protects Home State,” The New York Times, 9/28/09; Jonathan Allen & Patrick O’Connor, “Deal Makers Pushed Limits, Politico, 11/10/09; Dana Milbank, Op-Ed, “Sweeteners For The South,” The Washington Post, 11/22/09)

8.                   Ignoring Republican Amendments. (Bernie Becker, “Dodd Says Thanks, Anyway, for the Amendments,” The New York Times’s “The Caucus” Blog, 7/16/09; House Energy & Commerce Committee Republicans, “Rules Committee Urged To Reinstate 8 GOP Provisions That Vanished,” Press Release, 11/6/09)

9.                   Splitting Their Health Care Experiment In Two To Say Their Main Bill Is Deficit-Neutral. (Chris Frates, “Dems Look To Debt For ‘Doc Fix,’” Politico, 10/20/09)

10.               Telling Seniors They’ll Save Medicare, When Their Health Care Experiment Cuts Medicare Benefits. (Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) And CBO Director Douglas W. Elmendorf, Senate Finance Committee Markup Hearing, 9/22/09)

11.               Telling Americans Their Taxes Won’t Be Raised, When Their Health Care Experiment Hikes Taxes On Middle Class. (George Stephanopoulos, “Mandate Or Tax? Grassley V. Baucus,” ABC News's “George's Bottom Line” Blog, 9/22/09)

12.               Hiding Favors For Unions And Other Liberal Special Interest Groups. (David Shepardson, “UAW Backs Reform, Cites $10B To Defray Costs For Retirees,” The Detroit News, 8/2409)