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[...] West, is not even a paper tiger - it's a paper muskrat. James Carville is correct when he says that if Republicans actually carried out their filibuster threats on health care, it would be a [...]

[...] West, is not even a paper tiger — it’s a paper muskrat. James Carville is correct when he says that if Republicans actually carried out their filibuster threats on health care, it would be a [...]

[...] As James Carville said last week, [...]

[...] | Leave a Comment  According to CNN, James Carville thinks the Democrats in the Senate should force a Republican filibuster  of health care "reform". “What about this?,” Carville said Sunday on CNN’s State [...]

[...] Carville: Dems should force GOP to filibuster health care reform CNN Political Ticker WASHINGTON (CNN) – After two weeks of sometimes contentious congressional town hall meetings on health care reform, and amid growing signals from the Obama ... See all stories on this topic [...]

I pray that a Health Care Reform Bill gets enough votes and passes the Senate but if not, I would have to agrre with Carville.

1. The republicans can only filibuster it if they have help from some democrats. The Senate has a filibuster-proof democratic majority (60) if all democrats side with the democrats. Only if some democrats side with the republicans can the republicans really launch a filibuster. BUT that would actually make it a bipartisan filibuster.

2. Is Carville really developing a strategy for the defeat of the healthcare plan? Why would he do that?

Tell them James.

Make em show their butts. Make them filbuster it, and then the real Americans and not the republican hired and health care funded thugs will be shown up for what they are. They want to deny health care for the poor and middle class, because it would cut into the billions and billions of profit for the health and drug companies. Why do the republicans want that, oh Hades, that's where their campaign and other GIFTS come from.

And then lets put it on the ballotsheets just as the states do. Allso add in an initiative for term limits for all.

Force a filibuster with a filibuster proof majority? If they did that the Democrats in Congress would set themselves up for the charge of playing politics with healthcare.

James Carville is a moron.

Republicans promote hate and division and doing a great job of it.

A filibuster would have no effect. We are all tired of big spending whether the spenders are Democrat or Republican! We already know how the government runs things–We don't need any thing else which is nationalized!

Comparisons to 1994 are useless because 1) health care costs were not as high; 2) increased concerns about health due to widespread and increasing prevalence of diabetes, obesity and related diseases were not at the rate that they are now because we were just then entering the service-oriented economy that brought an explosion of fast-food restaurants; and c) the country wasnt as broke then as it was now.

we have seen 8 years of no-good leadership, a monumental give-back of wealth such that most americans income and wealth has fallen to pre-Bush levels, meanwhile borrowing 7 trillion dollars to give tax breaks to the rich while the rest of america is left holding the bag.

Obama's policies may not look to good to people, but they are there to turn this country around. we are way off-course, and its going to take some pain before we get straightened out. Americans need to have a little patience and stop believeing right wing media's false accusations of impending socialism.

Obama needs to re-group and distance himself from any failures
by his party to enact healthcare this year.

give it up Jim.................you lose

I like Mr. Carville as much as the next guy. But, when does the media rid itself of the Clinton Era advisors that got us into the mess we're into today with Healthcare? We still don't have this mythical healthcare bill in toto. No one knows who is going to vote for what–and all the rhetoric is speculative at best–flat out lies at worst. When you're describing "nothing," everything fits the description. Also, that which is not excluded in a Bill is included in the eyes of the law. So, most of what the Democrats and Republicans are saying COULD be true. Politics is the purest form of evil.

That's a great idea. I would love to know the names of all the Senators who are willing to sacrifice the American public in favor of big business.

Not just the Repugs, but the turncoat Dems too.

We need health care reform and with a strong public option. Without it, it is totally meaningless and politics as usual.

Oh boy! If filibustering is fuelled by further fillip by friends and foes of the Dems, the health bill will bulldoze its way across the boundaries of both sides of the aisle, finally blendin' w/ the public, much to the chagrin of all involved.

Americans need true reform and it will require effective strategies. I agree with carville.

Why is Carville such a douche??? Dems need better representation than him.

Carville is out of touch. Logical Democrat senators will not vote for a socialist takeover of heatlhcare no matter what comrade Pelosi and Reid want. They have to protect their re election, and their voting base told them NO. Only about 25 percent of America is wacked out liberals. Get over it Carville, Reid and Pelosi, you lost!

Wow, Carville is at his unrealistically optimistic best on this one! Never does he consider that the Republicans could come off looking like the party that defended the general public from having a bill that polls show the public does not support from being rammed down their throats. That they could come off as the safe harbor from a out of control legislators who don't listen to their constituents.

He also ignores the fact that a majority of that "do-nothing Congress" are Democrats and this would necessarily hurt the Dems more than the Reps if that was the cause for peoples' votes.

This article makes me ILL!!! Let's play politics rather than solve problems.

James Carville is correct. Let the stubborn GOP fillibuster to finally show the country what the "party of no really looks like"

If we don't have a health care bill by the time of the next election, I'm done voting. I'm sick and tired of these spineless democrats.

I'm certainly glad these two got married. Doubtless it saved the sanity of two other people!!

The best way to insure a good Health Care bill quickly is to suspend all Health Care for members of Congress until they stop their childishness and get the job done.

[...] there are some like James Carville who say the public option should be included, and if the GOP filibusters, then the Democrats can [...]

The faster we pass health care reform, the faster we eliminate HUGE Insurance Company profits. I rest my case.

GOP is causing all this Flutter, Commotion and Disruption in the Town Hall Meetings.

GOP's Policy is, "Don't Play and Don't Let Others Play".

GOP's Policy is, "If you are Losing the Game, take the Ball away".

GOP is the most Third Rate Party. It is Defunct.

GOP consists of White Trash Idiots like Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh.

GOP pays some Nut Jobs $8 an hour to cause disrupting in Town Hall Meetings.

These disruptive elements are not Paid Hooligans, not Members of GOP.

What my fellow American should understand is there are many people out here who are watching closely this report. All the time I hear this GOP supporters talking about DEMS losing cong. seat s in mid term elections. Who cares for election now, we want health care reform now it has been long overdue and this is the time. Get politics our of the way and make this reform done this year as the president has said. GOP is doing nothing to help the president pass the bill only to play the scary tactics we are sick and tired of hearing this.
Now talk about the deficit, what happened to Bush's trillion deficit? the unaccounted money on the Iraq war, you talk to something which will help poor american (46 M) get an insurance of some sort, people start yelling. This REFORM WILL BE DONE THIS YEAR, HAY MR PRES.

A Majority of Americans voted for Barack Obama and a Progressive Democrat Platform.

That included this Health Reform. This is the Will of We the People.

America is now a progressive majority. We recognize how important it is for us to have the same health insurance choices as our Senators – and that means opening the Public Option to the rest of us!

If things are ever going to change for the positive in this country, it is going to take some democrats in congress who are willing to take the risk of an election loss in order to stand on their principles. It is the ones who won't take the risk, that ran for office to become a "career politician" and should be voted out of office at the 1st opportunity. This is a distinct characteristic of the current neo-cons that have conquered the republican party and any democrat who follows this "what's in it for me" attitude, should go down with them!

Carville should get a real job and stop talking about issues h knows noting about. Carville is all about dirty tricks; dirty tactics; and represents everything that is wrong about the Democrats

The country voted in a Democratic House, a fillabuster proof Senate, and a Democratic President. If the Democrats can' muster enough back bone to enact Health care reform, then this country will get rid of them. It is as simple as that.
Going bankrupt because you get sick and the Insurance companies won't provide affordable health care to everyone then there needs to be a public option.

I think that, as usual, Carville is more interested in the politcal points to be made here. But I think the Democrats would suffer more from failing to pass health reform, and more important, fixing the health care mess is too critical a need to miss an opportunity on just to make political points. So, as I said in another thread, use reconciliation and pass it with 51 votes and no Republicans if that is what it takes. Get the job done! If that happens, people will see and experience that all the "socialized medicine" and "killing Grandma" was a bunch of crap and will support the Democrats for fixing the mess. Lose on this, and people WILL say the Democrats bungled it, or even worse, broke their promises.

It doesn't take any more than a third grade education with a passing grade of C- to understand that Carville is a devout socialist. If you don't see it, you are one of them

These two folks have my admiration. Both have such strong, opposing political views. It's must be true that you can leave work at work, when you can concentrate on family. Good for them!

I'd love to hear some of the debates this couple has at home! Reminds me of that TV show where husband and wife, both attorneys, one a prosecutor, one a defender, squared off in court on opposite sides of a case.

I and my family have watched and read carefully all that is happening.

We have already decided to vote against every Blue Dog Dem. and every Republican in our State that are up for federal or state re-election next year.

And those representatives have received phone calls, emails, and hand-written letters telling them WHY we are voting against them.

Not much, but I know a lot of others are doing the same. Hope you all will too. No matter what your views, let them know in DC.

For those anti health care reform Christians of the religious right, I find it hypocritical to turn your back on those less fortunate. To embrace the lobbyists like Texas millionaire Dick Armey instead of humanity is not the way you were brought up.

Don't the Democrats have a filibuster proof majority?

I agree with Mr. Carville. Go with public option like we were promised for the Change we Believe in. If it fails at least we feel our President tried. If he does not go with Public Option, weak, weak, weak.

So Backus and Conrad have insurance companies telling them how to vote, fine. Go without these spineless cowards and greedy jerks.

I will never just give to the Democratic Nataional Committee....just the only politicians I believe in. I don't want a chance of my hard earned money supporting Backus, Conrad, Landrieu, and the likes!

Just the same old tired talk from repubs, when will they get it through their head their way of thinking is not gonna work anymore. Letting business continue to run politics in this country via money is what has brought us to this point. If the dems give in on healthcare this time and don't force the repubs to filibuster, I'll have to consider whether I'll vote for anyone again!! THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW!!!! Free public healthcare for all citizens should be our right just like EVERY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!

I agree with Carville. Republicans should take responsibility for their refusal to support health care reform. Expose them for who they are and the exorbitantly wealthy industry they represent at the expense of the sick and injured in this country.

Why..? Don't the Democrats have a majority in both houses..?
Just like Carville and Begala putting others down as wacky....

Would'nt the Democrats and Obama want a way out by blaming
other for their shortcomings....Democrats lets see how well you and
Obama can govern...so stop the blame-game.....>>>>>>>>

someone should clue Carville in to the fact the GOP doesn't have enough votes to filibuster.

I agree with Caville – Make the GOP take on stand on this issue – don't cater to their false and disingenous arguments. Especially when a majority of Republican senators voted for the same "death panel" provisions in 2003!

What nonsense...

The only thing the Democratic party can do now is to launch an all out offensive on the greedy, corrupt health insurance company robber barons. This would be an easy victory for the Dem's but the don't have the balls for it because they have been bought and paid for by big insurance.

Someone should filibuster Carville.

I'm sure he can afford lovely health coverage. Republicans are coming around, they just want their voices heard as well.

I have to remember and people have to remember that Obama WANTS people to speak up, but you can't just argue and not have a backup plan. ...cough cough..tea-baggers.