(CNN) -- As President Obama begins his vacation in Martha's Vineyard this week, the fiery debate over health care reform continues to rage.
The latest member of congress to wade into the issue is California Rep. Maxine Waters, a liberal Democrat who at a town hall over the weekend implored the president not to drop the public option plan and said his efforts at bipartisanship are futile.
Watch: Obama pressured on Public Option
"Yes, we know that you are a nice man, that you want to work with the opposite side of the aisle. But there comes a time when you need to drop that and move forward," she said. "We're saying to you, Mr. President, 'Be tough. Use everything that you've got. Do what you have to do. And we have your back.' "
The longtime congresswoman, whose district includes much of Los Angeles, also described some senators who are opposed to the health care reform bill as "Neanderthals."
Earlier: Lieberman warns Obama not to do too much
"Not only are we going to do everything we can to organize and put pressure on the senators - some of whom are Neanderthals - we're going to say to the president, 'We want you to use every weapon in your basket in order to get those senators to do what they should be doing,' " she said.
The comments were met with strong applause in the forum held at L.A. Southwest College, a community college that that abuts several impoverished neighborhoods.
From CNN Politics
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The reason Americans are opposed to National Health Care is that it is too "Robin Hood" the taking from the wealthy to pay for the poor, that is not fair, and give the poor no incentive to better themselves.
I am a registered Independent, but this is the reason that the GOP is now regrouping and why Nobama will be one term.
It is not right for the rich or the wealthy to pay for anyone else.
Oh, I am not rich, I ride the bus
I totally agree with Maxine Waters.
Darn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.
The Republicans are worse than Neanderthals.
They are Feudalists.
If you can't attack the message, attack the messenger?
The flaming-lib Dems seem to be getting desperate...
no surprise here ,,, here district is one that takes tax dollars ,,, and does not pay much of anything back in,,,,
Maxine ... yes there are some Neanderthals. Think about a few who have been around too long. Specter, Byrd, Leahey, Kennedy, Feinstein, and Boxer. All Democrats.
This woman is so out of touch with reality it is not even close to being funny. Do people in California not get it? They have gone from a top 10 World economic leader to the bottom of the barrel with high unemployment, a huge deficit and an immigration problem..and yet this women thinks that by adding more to the government payroll under the guise of healthcare will help.....step out into the light and get out from under the rock you live under...this will increase taxes and dependency on the government...not a good combo. this bill does nothing to address cost and without torte reform you will get people like this woman insulting Neanderthals...
I have no time today to elaborate on any of this and am tired of trying to explain things to simpletons who don't understand the basics and don't "get" what's good for them.
Joe Lieberman is an arse. John McCain is an arse. Sarah Palin is a double wide. All 3 are neanderthals. Maxine Waters is right. Obama is right.
That's enough for today. That's all you twits deserve and are getting from me.
Congresswoman Waters is absolutely right, too many members of Congress are buried in what was or is instead of what could be. And, Lieberman, does fit the description.
I'm with the Congresswoman on this one.
Does that mean the constiuents are also Neanderthals? After all we are ultimately responsible for who is representing us. Senator Waters either doesn't understand that many of our representatives' constiuents don't want this plan, or, she is willfully ignoring it.
Being against a single payer system does not equate to being against reform.
California Democratic Representative Maxine Waters is right, there are alot of kunckle-dragging Neanderthals in the Republican party...boys trembling in their high heels and panties at the mere thought of Powerful Women everywhere.
Co-SIgn Ms. Waters! President Obama has definitely reached out again and again to a hard hearted block of idiots. Time to move on. People are suffering and need the relief that this plan can bring. It is about the people, not the politics and not the Insurance Companies. The Republicans are jerks who offer excuses and no solutions, but have plenty of nothing to say about everything. They are irrelevant. And soon to be extinct. Just like the dinasours that they sooooooo resemble.
Liebermann...a Republican in cheap clothing. If McCain has a public appearance, McCain's lapdog, joe Liebermann is sure to be at his side.What a schmuck!
WOW, way to act professional. Why was this woman ever elected?
That might be a little hard on the Neanderthals. Some politicans and their stooges are willfully distorting the truth in an effort to make sure an bill fails. Some American citizens are taking them at their word instead of reading the material that is so easily at hand.
Listen up politicians. The reason we elected President Obama was because we wanted what he proposed. You should consider that carefully when refusing to work with the Dems on national issues. Right now you look like the party that says No, except when it comes to war and torture.
Good for her! The public option is absolutely essential if we are ever to wind down our unjust, costly, irrational, broken-down, lobbyist-driven healthcare system. The Democrats have proven cowardly and corrupt on what should have been their foremost issue. Even now, they are still cowed by the corporate lobbyists and the propaganda of Reaganism.
"Neanderthals" is being generous. These Republican op-posers are being arrogant, ignorant, and selfish, as is usual for their ideology and theology.
It's the "I got mine, screw you mentality" of the whole Republican party – base and otherwise.
Of course the Republicans are Neanderthals and Leiberman is an old white guy who jumped ship. Hell with them Mr. President, move forward and the tide will again be with you...
As usual, the democrats are willing to trash the country and further divide it to gain the power they crave.
Pitiful
ms waters....you my dear are nothing but an idiot!
Don't insult the Neanderthals. At least they invented the use of fire for cooking food. Many US Senators have done nothing burn down The House and take food from the hungry.
Some Republicans are not Neanderthals, more like Australopithecenes. True knuckle draggers.
Then the Sarah Palin / Rush Limbaugh wing of the party are not even chordates.
Hmmm. I wonder if Maxine includes herself among the Neanderthals?
Waters has been around too long too. Doesn't she listen to the people, most of us don't want what they are offering. I bet she hasn't even read HR 3200. She, like most of the Dems. think they know what is good for us with regard to health care.
LOL...this person is a joke; "Yes, we know that you are a nice man, that you want to work with the opposite side of the aisle. But there comes a time when you need to drop that and move forward," she said. " Stroke obama some more, then state false info on the GOP; riddle me this, why are NONE of the BIPARTISAN bills being discussed or developed? There is the Big 6 working on a bill with no public option yet true REFORM in health care yet no attention is being given to it. These career politicians who are clearly looking out for 'their side' do not have America's intentions in mind, only how to get Dems re-elected. With no respect intended, this woman is a POS.