Posted on 08/28/2009 6:34:29 AM PDT by csvset
NORFOLK
If Congress wants meaningful health care reform, its leaders must stop rushing to pass a bill and hold legislative hearings to air the pros and cons of specific proposals, U.S. Sen. Jim Webb said Thursday.
"My thought right now is to slow this down," the Virginia Democrat said. "Open it up. Have some hearings. Let people get their different viewpoints out in a very public way."
The problems today with angry people shouting at each other during community forums around the country and the confusion over what might be included in any health care overhaul have their roots in the Obama administration's failure to present a specific framework for reforms, he said.
Instead, the president has left to Congress the task of creating a proposal.
"We've got five different committees bubbling up legislation, and it's all supposed to come together," Webb said, but none of the panels have had Washington hearings in recent months.
While some of the issues with health care have been talked about for years, he said, there should be new hearings on specific proposals.
"By not having these hearings, I think we have encouraged the type of frustrated environment that's out there," Webb said during a meeting with The Virginian-Pilot's editorial board. The senator also spoke about the issue at a private Chamber of Commerce meeting in Norfolk.
"There's a lot of worry out there - a legitimate worry out there - that the government is going to stuff something down their throat in terms of the nature of the care they're going to receive," he said.
Webb has not scheduled any town hall gatherings with constituents to discuss health care because he doesn't believe they're necessary.
"We listen constantly. I don't need to go to a town hall meeting and have a thousand people screaming to say that we've been able to listen to them," he said. "We've responded to 34,000 pieces of mail and e-mail in our office on this issue."
Webb has said he favors overhauling health care to deal with rising prices and to provide coverage for people who are unable to get insurance. He has been supportive of a government insurance plan to compete with private insurance if it can lead to lower costs by competitive pricing.
He restated his desire to examine other systems as possible models for overhauling health care, including the Department of Veterans Affairs. Webb, who recently returned from a multi nation trip to Asia, said the United States also should take a harder look at health systems in Singapore and Switzerland.
Congress is scheduled to resume consideration of health care legislation when it returns Sept. 8 after a month long recess.
Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com
STFU Webb you freaking nutjob.
Surpried he hasn’t started shooting into the crowd yet.
Well looks like we are slowing the Communist front a little. Hope Obama and Co. get exposed before it is too late.
Naw.... it’s just over-exposed for what it actually is.
It heated up, because people who read HB3200 broke into a sweat reading it, then became beet=red woth rage as to the plain reading of this “dung heap” (tip-o-the-hat to Sen Tom “Dung Heap” Harkin for popularizing the term “dung heap”).
Overheated??
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, Senator...
By the bye, if you think this is ‘overheated’, you’re going to find that you ain’t seen nothing yet, if you play the ‘nuclear option’.....
“...and the confusion over what might be included in any health care overhaul have their roots in the Obama administration’s failure to present a specific framework for reforms, he said.”
Is he nuts? obama gets up every DAY and tells us outright LIES about this thing.
If he thinks it’s overheated now, he ain’t seen a THING! Keep pushing this crap on us mr. senator...
“My thought right now is to slow this down,” the Virginia Democrat said. “Open it up. Have some hearings. Let people get their different viewpoints out in a very public way.”
I am betting those hearings will be as fruitful and public as Obama’s pledge in 2008:
“During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama said several times that he intended to negotiate health care reform publicly. In fact, he said, he’d televise the negotiations on C-SPAN, with all the parties sitting at a big table. That way, Americans would be more engaged in the process and insist on real change.
“That’s what I will do in bringing all parties together, not negotiating behind closed doors, but bringing all parties together, and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are, because part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process,” Obama said at a debate in Los Angeles on Jan. 31, 2008.” — Politifact, Updated July 10, 2009
FROM
http://www.rightwingnews.com/mt331/2009/08/7_lies_of_the_obama_administra.php
There’s something really creepy about this guy!
Translation.....
We must retreat to a position that we can defend. We are getting our butt whipped and the casualties are too great. The enemy has broken our lines and we must get the hell out of here ASAP
Pop. of Switzerland (2007) - 7.6 million
Pop. of Singapore (2006) - 4.5 million
Pop. of Canada (2009) - 34 million
Pop. of USA - (today) - 307 million
Switzerland and Singapore don't have a government insurance plan. How can Webb be for the government option and say we should look at those couintries? Typical politician trying to have it both ways.
Strategists would likely say this foreshadows the next Obama move. If he shifts right he has another shot at this. Kennedy’s dem only strategy is as dead as he is.
OK... include tort reform and GET ILLEGALS/UNDOCUMENTED OUT OF THE SYSTEM.... then just watch the temperature fall !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s because he’s insane and apparently gets off on writing child porn stories.
Allow me to translate for this rude clown who does not belong in the Senate:
“Obamacare is killing the Democrat party. We need to do this piecemeal or sneak it in under the radar as much as possible. I want my party to continue to have complete control of the Congress and White House and Judiciary, so we need to pretend like we give a damn about what the American people think.”
Jim Webb is a girlyman coward.
Sounds to me like Barry won’t be able to count on him...as “slowing down” will kill the bill; which is what we want, don’t we?
Everyone should read the comments at the link.........some are just down right hilarious!!!!!
You sure got that right. Weird vibes.
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