Let The Cameras Roll
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on January 10th, 2010 5:36 am by HL
Let The Cameras Roll
Our guest blogger is John D. Podesta, President and CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. My colleagues Igor Volsky and Matt Yglesias have eloquently argued on ThinkProgress that C-Span’s cameras should not be allowed to film the final negotiations between the House and Senate as they hammer out health care legislation that President […]
Our guest blogger is John D. Podesta, President and CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
My colleagues Igor Volsky and Matt Yglesias have eloquently argued on ThinkProgress that C-Span’s cameras should not be allowed to film the final negotiations between the House and Senate as they hammer out health care legislation that President Obama will soon sign into law. While I respect their arguments, I take a very different view. I have long believed that openness and transparency are essential bedrock measures for ensuring public accountability of our government. Letting C-Span cameras into health care conference meetings will keep negotiators honest, give the public an opportunity for input, and allow the process to be more collaborative.
Open government and citizen access to information is a first principle of liberty in a democracy that has to be defended — even when it’s unpopular or deemed unhelpful in the short term. It is my experience that corruption in government begins at the moment when officials in power believe no one is paying attention. The scrutiny of traditional journalists, citizen journalists, and other interested Americans serves as a powerful disinfectant for our legislative process and restores confidence in our participatory democracy.
Critics have argued that the presence of cameras is likely to produce political posturing and grandstanding by politicians. And indeed, with the cameras rolling, Republicans have said health care reform is a bigger threat than terrorism, claimed that seniors would be told to “drop dead,” and even called the President a liar. But I’m glad cameras were there to capture those demeaning comments. They have helped all Americans gain a better understanding of the unwillingness of some on the right to engage in a rational debate.
The presence of cameras has also produced some beneficial outcomes. For instance, C-Span cameras exposed House GOP efforts to silence members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus when they tried to speak on the floor. The cameras also shamed Senate Republicans when they tried to filibuster the debate by forcing the reading of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ single-payer amendment.
Democrats have nothing to fear from an open debate. They are working to expand affordable coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans, lowering premiums, ending the insurance industry’s denial of pre-existing conditions, and ensuring women will no longer be charged much more for the same coverage as men. When the House and Senate meet in the coming weeks to discuss this historic legislation, I would humbly urge them to let the cameras roll. We can handle the truth.
Members of Congress should not forget that they are representing actual Americans who stand to be either benefited or harmed by the choices they make. It’s my view that if the American people are allowed to bear witness to the conference negotiations, the most important health care reform in decades will be stronger for it. And the American public will rightly feel that they helped bring it about.
Right-Wing Radio Host Incensed That ?Butt Sniffer? Michael Steele Canceled Appearance On Her Show
There was significant media speculation yesterday when embattled Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele abruptly canceled a noon interview with ABC News. According to ABC’s Rick Klein, Steele backed out just 30 minutes before he was scheduled to talk to him. The RNC said that the scheduling conflict was because of a noon meeting […]
There was significant media speculation yesterday when embattled Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele abruptly canceled a noon interview with ABC News. According to ABC’s Rick Klein, Steele backed out just 30 minutes before he was scheduled to talk to him. The RNC said that the scheduling conflict was because of a noon meeting at the organization, but officials stressed that it wasn’t an “emergency” meeting.
Less discussed was the fact that Steele also canceled an interview with conservative radio host and Tea Party activist Dana Loesch, whose show airs Monday-Friday at 7:00 p.m. CT. Loesch was incensed when Steele canceled his interview with her, writing on Twitter that it was indicative of his failure to connect with Tea Party protesters:
She also gave props to Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill (MO) for keeping her interview, writing, “So out of @clairecmc and @chairmanmsteele , McCaskill is the one who keeps her interview. #steelefail”
Loesch ended up doing a “fake” interview with Steele, where she asked the questions she was planning to ask and then also gave mock answers as the RNC chairman, whom she called a “butt sniffer” for standing her up. While the interview was fake, Loesch’s mock answers for Steele reflected real dissatisfaction with the RNC — which initially backed Republican Dede Scozzafava in the NY-23 special election instead of far-right favorite Conservative Doug Hoffman — from the Tea Party movement. Some highlights from fake Michael Steele in the interview:
– “I’m probably very likely most definitely going to get fired from the GOP because instead of using opportunities like the crotch bomber and instead of using opportunities like the fact that Democrats have shut the doors and refused to allow the public to view the debate going on between reconciling the House and the Senate bill — instead of doing that, I’m out promoting my stupid book!”
– “I said in an interview previously that I had this book written before I even became chairman of the Republican Party. Ha ha! In fact, I became chairman Republican Party just so I would have a platform to go out and sell my book. Because I’m going to tell you something, Dana. You see my book here? It’s called “Right Now.” It doesn’t sound so awesome when you’re like, ‘Oh, here’s a book by the Lt. Gov. of Maryland!’ It sounds way much more awesomer to say, ‘Here’s a book by the Chairman of the Republican Party!’”
– “Oh, it’s because I am cool, Dana. What up? I know that you saw the original title to my blog. It was called, ‘What up?’ That’s hip, that’s fresh young talk.“
Loesch responded to fake Steele by asking, “Why should we believe in you? Let’s look at what you’ve done. We don’t have a clear leader for 2012. We don’t even have a clear leader congressionally for 2010. The RNC screwed up NY-23. The RNC has failed to get behind Scott Brown adequately; they haven’t give him enough support. You endorsed Dede Scozzafava for crying out loud! You guys come in and you try to co-opt this movement and that movement. You have egg on your face. Donations to the RNC are down.” Watch it:
