DNC Convention Highlights: House Minority Leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA)

Full text of speech, here.

President Obama signs the Health Insurance Reform Bill to law (Video, Transcript)

This morning the President made it official: things are going to change a bit between Americans and their health insurance companies. The President signed health reform into law, with a package of fixes not far behind, and in the process created a future for the country in which Americans and small businesses are in control of their own health care, not the insurance industry.


Transcript

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"Democrats will pay a price for this..." from Ed Schulz and no public option (Video)

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Speaker Nancy Pelosi says, "No Public Option" in the reconcilation bill

The White House is silent. Why? The White House NEVER WANTED a public option, even though the polling on it is the highest for this part of the legislation. Where is the competition? Where is the cost savings? What happened to "health care like congress?" Folks, the White House must protect their deals that was cut. In doing so, torpedo the public option. Well, if you want Democrats to be fired up this sure is not doing so. We have sat and watched Barack Obama save the auto industry, the corrupt banks and Wall Street, every one else, but us, nah, we don't need a bail out nor a public option. And let us not talk about the mandate to MAKE US, YOU AND ME, purchase insurance or a hefty fine on us!! And the big hook, the insurance companies get in the tens of millions new customers!!! And we should trust this crooked industry to do the right thing in pricing? Health care will be chopped up like auto insurance, those who are older, need more coverage it will cost a whole lot, others who are young will pick the very minimum. Is this what it should be? But in this bill, are any premium and cost caps there? Of course not, this is an insurance "love fest" of a bill, all about them!!!!

President Obama you are really bogus here, to the utmost.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Thursday that she would not include a public option in a health care reconciliation package that the House will send to the Senate.

"We're talking about something that is not going to be part of the legislation," Pelosi said, noting "with sadness" that the public insurance option won't be part of legislation. "I'm quite sad that the public option is not in there," she said.

Earlier Thursday, a spokesman to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the Majority Whip, said Durbin would "aggressively whip" a health care bill that included a public option.

Pelosi, however, put the onus back on the Senate, saying that the chamber didn't have the votes needed for it.

"I'm not having the Senate, which didn't have a public option in its bill, put any of that on our doorstep," she said. "It did not prevail. What we will have in reconciliation will be something that is agreed upon, House and Senate, that they can pass and we can pass... It isn't in there because they don't have the votes."

Politicans only care about the next election, not us, including those at 1600 PA AVE, Washington, D.C.

WORD.

Source

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If you don't believe the Democrats are weak, watch this video

I have written most of 2009 about Barack Obama, the Democrats and leadership. Well, the historians will have a hay day on Obama and 2009, along with the capitulation of the Democrats in D.C. Obama's lack of leadership on his cornerstone "wannabee" legislation of health care will be written about a man who did NOTHING, but just hand it off to the corrupt congress who did what congress does, change the bill to a corporate giveaway to the insurance companies.

Many state just pass that atrocious health care bill as is, well fine, but be prepared to campaign on tax hikes, mandatory purchase of insurance, which is not popular with the public. In fact, the public hates this senate bill, but the Democrats who are stuck in back room deals, must take it. This bill will not save one endangered Democrat in November, you know that and I know that, but to pass legislation because we don't have shit to show for it just proves how far the Democrats have dropped.

There are many who follow Barack Obama and listen to every word out of his mouth as gospel, I am not one of those. I worked very hard on getting Obama and Democrats elected in 2008, to only see what we have.

Scared, weak, corporate bought Democrats.

As 2010 is ramping up, look what we have. A health care that is on oxygen. A jobs bill that will be riddled with "tax cuts" because that is what Republicans want. And Democrats running scurred because instead of doing their jobs, they are trying to save their jobs.

2010 will be hard on Democrats and to be quite honest, it should be. When you are in the majority and don't have shit to show for it, do you think these people should stay in power?

Lawrence O'Donnell from The Ed Show telling it like it is:



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President Obama's remarks about the health care insurance reform vote pending in the House of Representatives (Video)

The Democrats remarks for the pending vote for health care insurance reform:

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From President Obama at the DNC Fundraiser in San Francisco..."get a mop...grab a mop help clean up...that's a socialist mop..." (Video)

Yes, get a mop and help clean up the shit that was left for the Obama Administration, even that socialist mop....



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Speaker Pelosi "NO DEAL" to Blue Dogs

Again, who needed to be whipped in the first place? The Blue Dogs, not the Progressives. Count the votes folks, count the votes, the White House finally got that message.

Speaker Pelosi is nixing a deal she cut with centrists to advance health reform, said a source familiar with negotiations.

Pelosi’s decision to abandon the agreement that was made with a group of Blue Dogs to get the bill out of committee would steer the healthcare legislation back to the left as she prepares for a floor vote.

Sorry, no pity party here for the Blue Dogs. This group have been obstructionists in health care matters, just read here about Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) and his sweetheart deal with USA Drug. The problem with Ross is that his district is FOR THE PUBLIC OPTION, while he is trying to kill it. With this stuff going on, how can you possibly trust the Blue Dogs to do anything on the up and up?

Pelosi is planning to include a government-run public option in the House version of the healthcare bill. She wants to model it on Medicare, with providers getting reimbursed on a scale pegged to Medicare rates.
"The speaker is full-steam-ahead," said a senior Democratic aide.

Blue Dog Democrats, many of whom represent rural districts where Medicare reimbursement rates are low, vehemently oppose tying the public option to Medicare.

Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) and a group of fellow Blue Dogs had negotiated a deal with Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) in July that would remove the link to Medicare. Under that plan, officials with the government-run plan would negotiate individually with providers.

That move, which drew howls of protest from liberal members, prevented the bill from getting stuck in committee. But Ross returned from the August break saying he couldn't support a public option under any circumstances, essentially withdrawing his support for the deal.

What will happen when the vote comes around is this, members of congress, especially the Blue Dogs who are in districts that want the public option will have unparalleled pressure to vote NO on the health care bill. If they don't they will then be told by their insurance lobbyists paycheck pals that another candidate will be backed, the blitzkrieg of ads will run in their districts and they will be defeated.

Now these blue dogs can go against their constituents at their peril, but they won't get cover from the White House, in the end.

Source

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House Leadership to vote on sanctions against Congressman Wilson

Getting him out of OFFICE is the best way, continue to give to Rob Miller.

House Democratic leaders will move ahead with a "resolution of disapproval" against Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) on Tuesday afternoon, following through on their threat to sanction the conservative lawmaker for heckling President Obama during his speech to Congress last week.

Democratic leaders will formally introduce the resolution Tuesday afternoon, according to House insiders, and the vast majority of Democrats - as well as some Republicans - are expected to vote for it.

No decision had been made at press time as to which Democrat would be offering the resolution.

A number of Democrats, led by Majority Whip James Clyburn (S.C.) and other black lawmakers, were outraged when Wilson yelled out “You lie!” during Obama’s address, and they have pressed Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other top Democrats to sanction Wilson.

Pelosi initially downplayed the Wilson episode as a distraction from thelarger issue of health care reform, but she has come around now to the position held by Clyburn and the other Democrats – if Wilson didn’t apologize on his own, on the House floor, then Democrats must take action. read more here....

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WTF? Pelosi, Reid and bipartianship, still on health care? (Video)

You decide.

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Speaker Pelosi, No public option, No bill (Video)

Until the White House and President Obama is clear and concise as Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the confusion and miscommunication will continue over the public option. Obama must decide which way he will go, as of yet, we don't know with a complete certainty.



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Joint Op-Ed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Leader Steny Hoyer on CIVILITY at these town hall meetings

CIVILITY, a word that many out there need to use or LOOK UP and apply.

Americans have been waiting for nearly a century for quality, affordable health care.


Health coverage for all was on the national agenda as early as 1912, thanks to Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose presidential run. Months after World War II came to an end in 1945, President Harry Truman called on Congress to guarantee all Americans the "right to adequate medical care and protection from the economic fears of sickness." From President Lyndon Johnson to President Bill Clinton, to President Obama's winning campaign on the promise of reform, there hasn't been a more debated domestic issue than the promise of affordable health care for all.

(Steny Hoyer)

(Nancy Pelosi/USA TODAY)

We believe it is healthy for such a historic effort to be subject to so much scrutiny and debate. The failure of past attempts is a reminder that health insurance reform is a defining moment in our nation's history — it is well worth the time it takes to get it right. We are confident that we will get this right.

Already, three House committees have passed this critical legislation and over August, the two of us will work closely with those three committees to produce one strong piece of legislation that the House will approve in September.

In the meantime, as members of Congress spend time at home during August, they are talking with their constituents about reform. The dialogue between elected representatives and constituents is at the heart of our democracy and plays an integral role in assuring that the legislation we write reflects the genuine needs and concerns of the people we represent.

However, it is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue. These tactics have included hanging in effigy one Democratic member of Congress in Maryland and protesters holding a sign displaying a tombstone with the name of another congressman in Texas, where protesters also shouted "Just say no!" drowning out those who wanted to hold a substantive discussion. continue reading it here....

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Concerned Troll, Joe Scarborough attempts to DEFEND the use of NAZI from these right wingers during townhall meetings (Video)

Scarborough blames Nancy Pelosi for everything.....if he could he would blame her for their massive losses at the polls in 2006, 2008....



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Glenn Beck wants to put a lil' poison in Nancy Pelosi's wine, jokingly by his standards (Video)

Sign the petition to keep the pressure on Beck's advertisers, here

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((((Denver, Colorado))))) Teabaggers coming to your city Thursday, August 6, 2009

To destruct, attempt to destroy democracy and you know they hate Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Time to get fire up and stomp on these idiots, legally and professionally, of course.

Calling Colorado: Malkin’s Teabaggers Targeting Pelosi in Denver

By: Jane Hamsher Wednesday August 5, 2009 5:34 pm

Update: Jeralyn of Talk Left is going to be at the Denver event. Sign up here.

Update II: Zappatero at Square State is spreading the good word.

Update III: ColoradoPols has more.

Frank Kratovil was hung in effigy. Chris Dodd was told to go kill himself. Gerry Connolly says that one Freshman was assaulted, and Brad Miller got death threats.

Nancy Pelosi is showing up to support Diane DeGette and Jared Polis at an event in Denver tomorrow, and the Malkinites are going to be out in force.

If you're in Denver, please show up and support Democrats against the thuggery of the insurance industry-funded GOP astroturfers:

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi will join Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Jared Polis tomorrow afternoon, August 6, for a tour of the Stout Street Clinic in Denver. The tour will be followed by a press conference to highlight critical investments in health care services made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the need for health insurance reform.

Stout Street Clinic Tour and Press Conference
Thursday at 2pm Mountain Time
2100 Broadway
Denver, CO 80205-2526

All information and links from Firedoglake

If you are in Denver, SHOW THE HELL UP....

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Speaker Pelosi warns of "out of district, extremists" coming to a town hall meeting near you

While we are watching these right wing extremists being bused in by lobbyists, "K" Street in D.C.; these organizations are feeding on a underlying racist, hatred from these individuals. This is not only unhealthy but extremely dangerous. Below from Keith Olbermann:

These individuals have been all over television, hell we saw them during the general election campaign. The same types calling Barack Obama a terrorist, "kill him", etc. This type of talk is again, not only dangerous, but a turn off to many Americans, whether you voted for Obama or not.

Now we have these same nut jobs, disrupting health care forums by democrats all over this country, using lobbyist, GOP talking points. I must write, some are so dumb that they are talking about don't take medicare away from me, when medicare is a GOVERNMENT RUN PROGRAM. Hello? Intelligence? Again, does something have to HAPPEN for this to stop?

Unfortunately, those not interested in health insurance reform are disrupting public meetings and not allowing concerned constituents to ask questions and express their views. Many of these opponents who are shutting down civil discussion are organized by out-of-district, extremist political groups, and industry-supported lobbying firms.

This is typical gangster, thug style the GOP is playing with. I hope Democrats around this country are enlisting the local police, they will need it.

Source

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Dick Cheney ordered CIA to hide counterterrorism program from congress

Remember when REPUBLICANS went after Speaker Nancy Pelosi over her comments that the CIA has not been forthcoming and honest with congress? Well, the Republicans have nothing to say now. Not when former Vice-President Dick Cheney ordered the CIA to hide a counterterrorism program from congress. Sigh. Are you shocked? You should not be. Remember, the CIA are professional LIARS, that is what they do. Now what? Justice Department?

Former Vice President Dick Cheney directed the CIA eight years ago not to inform Congress about a nascent counterterrorism program that CIA Director Leon Panetta terminated in June, officials with direct knowledge of the matter said Saturday.

Subsequent CIA directors did not inform Congress because the intelligence-gathering effort had not developed to the point that they believed merited a congressional briefing, said a former intelligence official and another government official familiar with Panetta's June 24 briefing to the House and Senate Intelligence committees.

Panetta did not agree.

Upon learning of the program June 23 from within the CIA, Panetta terminated it and the next day called an emergency meeting with the House and Senate Intelligence committees to inform them of the program and that it was canceled.

Cheney played a central role in overseeing the Bush administration's surveillance program that was the subject of an inspectors general report this past week. That report noted that Cheney's chief of staff, David Addington, personally decided who in Bush's inner circle could even know about the secret program.

But revelations about Cheney's role in making decisions for the CIA on whether to notify Congress came as a surprise to some on the committees, said another government official. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the program publicly. read more here....

Cheney Is Linked to Concealment of C.I.A. Project"
Read Jesselyn Radack here

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CIA and their lack of the truth or "truthiness"?

All the made up, fake outrage by the Republicans against Speaker Nancy Pelosi is just trumped up bullshit.

Really, it is.

I wrote that the GOP needs someone, something to make noise and it is Pelosi since she called the CIA out.

And all this utter bullshit about the honor of the CIA is just a "rolleye" moment. The CIA or "the company" is a product of secrecy. If anyone thinks that the CIA will look you in the eye and tell you the honest truth, stop smoking and drinking. This is an agency that LIES, period. And they have LIED to congress, many times.

Sure, I don't like stating this, but hell, wake up folks. How in the hell did we get into Iraq? It was based on lies trumped up by that Bush crew with George Tenet manufacturing trumped up evidence to substantiate going to war. Don't believe me, watch PBS' Frontline documentary "Bush's War". It is all there. So, please let's just stop it with the GOP talking points of "The CIA don't lie", YES THEY MOST CERTAINLY, DO.

And now others are coming forward challenging the CIA and their so-called NOTES.

New questions surfaced Wednesday about the accuracy of a CIA document meant to settle who in Congress knew about severe interrogation methods approved by the Bush administration.

Three new errors appeared to emerge in the CIA's matrix of 40 congressional briefings on so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. Those techniques include waterboarding, a form of simulated drowning, which President Barack Obama has called torture.

The CIA acknowledged one of the errors but continued to stand by its version of events in the other two cases. read more here....

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CIA Director Panetta denounces Speaker Pelosi's claims

The "he say, she say", drama continues....

CIA Director Leon Panetta today rejected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's charge that the agency misled her in 2002 about its use of waterboarding and other coercive interrogation methods on suspected terrorists.

Panetta, who took office as President Obama's CIA chief in February, reasserted the agency's claim that it told congressional leaders about the use of such methods during a closed-door briefing in September 2002. Pelosi (D-Calif.) has acknowledged attending the briefing but says she was told only that the CIA was considering the use of waterboarding, or simulated drowning.

"It is not our policy or practice to mislead Congress," Panetta said in a message released today to agency employees. A copy was obtained by The Washington Post.

"Our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of [suspected terrorist] Abu Zubaida, describing the 'enhanced techniques that had been employed,' " Panetta said.

A two-year dispute over what Congress was told about the CIA's interrogations reignited yesterday when Pelosi accused the agency and Bush administration of deceiving lawmakers about the interrogation practices. read more here....

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Making Nancy Pelosi the "boogey woman"

Let's be clear here, this is about who said what, who was where when it was said, and who is lying here in regards to who knew what about "torture".

The White House may not like what Pelosi said yesterday, but one thing for sure, she put many on notice in D.C. She pointedly stated, "...release the briefings....", while former Senator Graham of Florida backed up her claims in regards to the CIA and their truthiness.

As Lawrence O'Donnell stated this morning, "...Let's not pretend we are dealing with the first accusation from the Congress about the CIA lying in these kinds of briefings...."



It is the CIAs job to be professional liars, sorry but it is. Does anyone think this agency will be honest and straight forward with the public? We are the last to know anything of what happens at "the company". Why do you think many at "the company" were worried when Obama was elected? Because of what is happening right now, because they were right smack dab in the middle of it, period.

Now the credibility of Pelosi is in question and this story moves forward on releasing all information and putting it on the table. The Republicans wanted and needed, anything or anyone, to create a boogey man or woman, with Pelosi they have it. And yes, this makes the White House mad, the same White House that was going to release torture pictures only to do a turn around on the matter. So, no one should be surprised at the Republicans backing the CIA, 100%. They must because they have lost the national security argument thanks to the Bush Administration. But backing what the CIA did from the command of the Bush Administration, in the end, does not make it right. Why? Because when, not if, when all this information is put on the table, no one will walk away with clean hands, especially the Republicans, since they were in charge when all this was going on.

And President Obama? He has a fine web to weave, indeed. Next popcorn moment? What the White House will say in regards to Nancy Pelosi's statement on the CIA, yesterday. Oh, while typing this, former Senator Bob Graham was just on MSNBC, again, backing up Pelosi's argument about the CIA and reiterating the meticulous notes he took while in the senate and the truthiness of the CIA.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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