Fox News: The Notion That Republicans Are Trying To Block Health Care Reform Is A ?Conspiracy Theory?
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on August 25th, 2009 4:35 am by HL
Fox News: The Notion That Republicans Are Trying To Block Health Care Reform Is A ?Conspiracy Theory?
This morning on Fox and Friends, host Brian Kilmeade did a segment defending the Republican Party against accusations that it is trying to “sink” health care reform. “[D]oes this conspiracy theory really hold any water?” asked Kilmeade, adding that it was “a bit of a reach to blame the GOP.” The two Republican guests on […]
This morning on Fox and Friends, host Brian Kilmeade did a segment defending the Republican Party against accusations that it is trying to “sink” health care reform. “[D]oes this conspiracy theory really hold any water?” asked Kilmeade, adding that it was “a bit of a reach to blame the GOP.” The two Republican guests on the panel agreed:
KT McFARLAND, FMR REAGAN OFFICIAL: First thing — the right-wing conspiracy? The GOP isn’t that organized. Secondly, they’re not against health care reform, they’re just against this health care reform, and they’re particularly against nationalized health care, which is the direction that we’re going. […]
JOHN FUND, WSJ: How in the world can Republicans — even if they wanted to be obstructionist — do anything? They don’t have any votes in the Senate to block a filibuster, they’re a hopeless minority in the House, they don’t have the White House. So even if they were obstructionist, this is all on Democrats because they have all the votes they need. So to blame the other party is, frankly, I think, passing the buck. And I think the fact that Democrats now want to move to this reconciliation measure, which would require only 51 votes to pass something in the Senate — I think this is very politically perilous becase Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would have to lead that fight.
Watch it:
It isn’t a “conspiracy theory” to note that some Republicans are trying to block health care reform. In fact, they have adopted “just say no” as their self-proclaimed strategy, claiming that no one wants reform, hoping reform fails for political reasons, and putting up unrealistic obstacles to block legislation. Some examples:
– “Just say no! Just say no! Just say no! Now Republicans — that’s going to be our chant from now until Election Day.” — Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL)
– “I just hope the President keeps talking about it, keeps trying to rush it through. We can stall it. And that’s going to be a huge gain for those of us who want to turn this thing over in the 2010 election.” — Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK)
– “This [health care reform] is not a major issue among the American people. I think the last poll showed 14 percent see health care reform as being a major issue.” — Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
– “There are no Americans who don’t have healthcare. Everybody in this country has access to healthcare.” — Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
– “It is not within our power as members of Congress, it’s not within the enumerated powers of the Constitution, for us to design and create a national takeover of health care.” — Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
– “We ought to be focusing on getting 80 votes.” — Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
– “And I always look at bipartisan bills as somewhere between 75 and 80 votes, both Democrats and Republicans.” — Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
When Democrats have suggested going around the Republican obstacle and using the reconciliation process to path health care reform, GOP officials have lambasted the idea and said it would be “poisonous.” Note to Fox: The idea that President Obama was not born in the United States is a conspiracy theory. The idea that Republicans are trying to block health care reform is a fact. (HT: Raw Story)
Transcript:
KILMEADE: President Obama says the GOP is now trying sink his health care reform. So does this conspiracy theory really hold any water? Back with the political panel to examine that. First of, Aubrey — as a Democratic political strategist — you have to admit that it’s a bit of a reach to blame the GOP.
LEES: Actually, I think that the Republican party is obstructionist. I think they’ve stated openly and notoriously that they’re against any health care reform. They refuse to compromise and are simply not interested. I don’t think it’s a conspiracy because I think it’s open and apparent and it’s publicly stated.
KILMEADE: I saw Mitch McConnell state that we need better access, we’ve got to get the costs down, and I saw Sen. Hatch say the same things yesterday KT.
KT McFARLAND, FMR REAGAN OFFICIAL: First thing — the right-wing conspiracy? The GOP isn’t that organized. Secondly, they’re not against health care reform, they’re just against this health care reform, and they’re particularly against nationalized health care, which is the direction that we’re going. And I think their sense is it’s disingenuous to say you get to keep your own plan if you like it because every business in America is going to have to be forced to drop their insurance.
KILMEADE: Civil war? Partisan war?
JOHN FUND, WSJ: Aubrey, I don’t get it. How in the world can Republicans — even if they wanted to be obstructionist — do anything? They don’t have any votes in the Senate to block a filibuster, they’re a hopeless minority in the House, they don’t have the White House. So even if they were obstructionist, this is all on Democrats because they have all the votes they need. So to blame the other party is, frankly, I think, passing the buck. And I think the fact that Democrats now want to move to this reconciliation measure, which would require only 51 votes to pass something in the Senate — I think this is very politically perilous becase Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would have to lead that fight. The latest Las Vegas polls in the papers yesterday show him losing double digits to unknown Republicans. If he wants to lose next year, all he has to do is do something controversial like this muscling through the bill with 51 votes.
