August 19th, 2009
02:12 PM ET
13 years ago
Reid spox: 'Patience is not unlimited'
WASHINGTON (CNN) - A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid insists to CNN that a decision to go it alone on health care has not been made, but Jim Manley also warned that Democrats are ready to use "any legislative means necessary" to pass health care.
"The White House still prefers a bipartisan bill, and neither the White House nor the Democratic leadership has made a decision to pursue reconciliation," he said Wednesday. "We will not make a decision to pursue reconciliation until we have exhausted efforts to produce a bipartisan bill. However, patience is not unlimited and we are determined to get something done this year by any legislative means necessary."
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Repubs would do the same if they were in power & it's disingenuous to suggest differently. They're in the pockets of big insurance. I want to thank Barney Frank for addressing the uneducated rabble @ a townhall today as they deserved. They're walking examples of how education has failed here. Dems need to find their souls & spines and pass this righteous legislation.
Do it I dare you. When this turns out to be a rotten program the Democrats will take all of the blame.
Go ahead, use the nuclear option to pass BigGovCare... your continued political career will be collateral damage.
I completely agree. Do whats needed and get it done, bipartisan or not. You have the power to do it, so use it.
Well, take your time Sen. Reid. After all, you have health coverage for yourself and your family. An estimated 10,000 people per day lose theirs but, please, no need to rush.
Health coverage would cost taxpayers a lot less than paying for emergency care for people who have no insurance but time your time, Nero - I mean Reid. Play politics with the GOP for as long as you like. They will never put American workers ahead of insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
I'd like to see both houses of Congress lose their health insurance until health care reform provides at least for affordable basic preventive care for all Americans and then watch them try to get back into the program with their pre-existing conditions. But that isn't a sacrifice either side of the aisle is willing to make!
This bipartisan talk is stupid. the Republicans don't want to healthcare reform in any form. Why the Democrats keep saying they want to work with them is suicide. Thats like the christians wanting to negotiate with the lions. The lions only had one agenda and that was to kill and eat them. The Republicans are know different. They don't want anything to work. If you are going to commit political suicide it should be done on yor terms and not the the enemies terms. Forget them and move forward. If it works than great. If it dosen't them at least you did what you thought was right.
I say go for it because based on what the GOP have done so far with all the bills; which has been to obstruct/fear/lie.
The GOP have no intention of negotiating anything or to do anything that will help this President which means not helping the people.
We voted the way we did because we knew that the GOP was not able to put aside their need for power and do right by the people.
We need things to be done now and if the GOP does not want to help then I say to the President and the Democrats do it alone with need be.
Enough is enough of the legislating grid lock.
SPOX? Highly illogical!
Republicans are not the nation's enemy. Conservatism is the nation's enemy. There are a number of Conservative Democrats who can gum up the works. Conservative leaders want Obama to fail, the middle class to suffer, and themselves to thereby be returned to power.
Conservative leaders care only about income for their corporate supporters and power for themselves. They see themselves as the nation and the rest of us are just hired help.
Healthcare reform is overdue, BUT NOT GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER! I'm so sick of you liberals saying that all the GOP wants to do is say No just because they disagree with President Obamas plan. Well you know what, all the Democrats want to do is have healthcare passed so that their president can seem like a success, even though its wrong for america.
I say its time to "GET THIS DONE DEMS." enough time has been wasted trying to reach out to the party of NO. The American people are behind you guys ALL THE WAY.
You Have the POWER Use it, stop caving into these Republicans! They had their chance and the American People FIRED THEM! And Hired you Democrats now grow some and do what you were elected to do Pass the Bill With a public Option and let the Republicans have their Fit!
Democrats have no choice but to go it alone.
The Republicans have one plan and one strategy: No to health care reform.
Time to let go of the notion bi-partisian legislation. It's time to get on board with the public option and also tort reform.
Time to leave the old white people with Nazi slogans at the landfill where they belong!
YOU FIRST...NO, YOU FIRST...NO, i'M NOT GOING FIRST, YOU GO FIRST! That's the PARTY IN POWER with a 'clear' agenda and a mandate going forward while AMERICA waits in the woodshed with the belt.
Show some backbone Dems. GW and company walked all over you for 8 years, if you think this plan is right make it happen!
No matter what the Democrats put forth, the Repub Party will not accept it. Their leaders have already said so. Just listen to Senators Kyle and Grassley.
The Repub Party's idea of bipartisanship is doing every thing their way. They didn't include the Democrats so why should they expect the Democrats to cater to their wishes now? The Democrats have bent over backwards to accommodate Repubs and now it is time to move forward. Allow the Repubs to block healthcare reform. That act will speed the demise of the Repub Party.
There's a reason there are two parties. The Republicans aren't there to help them. There's also a reason there is such a large Democratic majority. They can't live in fear of 2010. Press on, and let history (and the voters) judge.
You can npt have any party make such a huge change to a countries health system unless you have not the governing majority but the populations approval.
Polls say the dems do not have this.
Regardless of if they won huge majorites this past election.
It does not give them a free hand on doing whatever they want
What did the republicans do the last 8 years regarding health care reform?
The republicans don't want health care reform because then their buddies, the insurance companies, won't be able to rape the public anymore.
The Dem's can pass this without the Republicans but than the Dem's lose a scapegoat to pin the blame on when things goes bad. Maybe Obama and the Dem's ought to try something more simple like trying to fix Medicare, the USPS and Social Security before messing with healthcare.
Yeah, cause we all know the rethuglicans care about health care reform, I mean look at how greatly they addressed it during the last 8 years....NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is the republican health care plan?????????????????????
I hope the President and the Democrats learn a good something from trying to be bipartisan on this health care plan. The Republican don't want to pass health care so why wait pass the bill. it's easy to say don't pass the health care plan but until you need medication or srugery or need to stay in the hospital and your insurance say your not covered. Have anyone been to emergency room for care?