Jon Stewart Laughs at Nancy Pelosi When She Pleads Ignorance on Failure of Health Care Website

Newsbusters ^

[Sub-Driver]

Jon Stewart Laughs at Nancy Pelosi When She Pleads Ignorance on Failure of Health Care Website By Matt Hadro Created 01/31/2014 - 12:47am

Comedian Jon Stewart grilled House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi over the failure of the ObamaCare website on Thursday night’s Daily Show, and got Pelosi to admit "I don’t know" why the company behind HealthCare.gov failed.

Stewart asked, "in terms of like, we're going to set up a health care web site that is an exchange. People are going to come to it. Why is it so hard to get a company to execute that competently?" Pelosi answered "I don’t know." Stewart laughed incredulously.

"Let me get the House Minority Leader, I can ask her. Hold on. What do you mean you don't know? How do you not know?" he wondered.

Pelosi defended ObamaCare as a bill that champions the "inalienable rights" of the Declaration:

"We worked very hard to honor our responsibility to pass a bill that honors the beliefs of our founders, life, a healthier life, liberty, the pursuit of your happiness."

Stewart continued to press her over the incompetance of the federal government:

"Is there a corruption in the system that needs to be addressed to give us the confidence that moving forward we can execute the programs better?"

Pelosi answered that "there's no excuse" for the web site failure, and that "it should have been prepared for." She added that in response to government problems, "do something about it." Stewart responded, tongue-in-cheek, "I was going to say that to you. I was actually going to say that to you."

Below is a transcript of the segment, which aired on January 30 on Comedy Central at 11:22 p.m. EST:

JON STEWART: I meant more in terms of like we're going to set up a health care web site that is an exchange. People are going to come to it. Why is it so hard to get a company to execute that competently?

Rep. NANCY PELOSI (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader: I don't know. And –

STEWART: [ Laughter ]

PELOSI: As one who -- that's my question.

STEWART: Let me get the house minority leader I can ask her. Hold on. What do you mean you don't know? How do you not know?

PELOSI: It's not my responsibility. But I will say this. We worked very hard to honor our responsibility to pass a bill that honors the beliefs of our founders, life, a healthier life, liberty, the pursuit of your happiness --

STEWART: Really.

PELOSI: Yeah. If you want to be a writer, if you want to be a comedian, if you want to be a camera person, if you want to start a business --

STEWART: But those are theoretical I'm talking about the practical, mechanical.

(...)

STEWART: I understand that. But I guess to back that up, the point is if you have two schools of thought. One school is thought is government has a role in our lives to help improve things, and that we can make a difference in peoples' lives. Given that the other group is it really isn't. And the group that makes that argument when they execute that plan --

PELOSI: It should work. Exactly. No, again.

STEWART: For instance, are there things in the procurement process? Has the regulation become so onerous that government can no longer be agile enough to tackle these kinds of programs?

PELOSI: Let me say that one of the things is the procurement process. Everybody knew about that. There's no excuse for this web site not to work. There's no excuse. And as they say, those who worked the hardest to make sure we had health care, but it will work and the policy is solid.

STEWART: But there's clearly something systemic that is going on that is making the VA unable to deal with the backlog. To make us unable to deal. To give you an example, Obama's IT guy, owns a small company, but he's clearly a brilliant guy, he arranged all of Obama's internet campaign stuff where he would find you, you would be in the bathtub and you would get an e-mail. It would bubble out of the water, "hey, have you thought about giving us money?" You couldn’t figure out how it happened.

PELOSI: Classified as those who bathed. They know what we do.

STEWART: That guy couldn't figure out the process. He couldn't figure out how to bid for that contract. He said it was a 300-page document. And it seems like it's obscured like that purposefully so that the larger companies have an advantage, because they have teams of lawyers and things that can do it.

PELOSI: Doesn't matter. What matters is it should have been prepared for. There is no excuse.

STEWART: Sure.

PELOSI: All that is okay.

STEWART: I'm not presenting it as an excuse. I’m presenting it as do we have a foundational problem? Is there a corruption in the system that needs to be addressed to give us the confidence that moving forward we can execute the programs better?

PELOSI: I don’t think there’s a corruption. There may be a risk aversion with going with the known and then just not being entrepreneurial enough to say -- question whether that is really going to do the job. But I would say this in terms of the backlog at the VA, again horrible but being addressed. And the fact that the VA.'s computers can't talk to the Defense Department’s computers to get the information is stunning.

STEWART: Seems insane.

PELOSI: But do something about it. Okay, okay.

STEWART: I was going to say that to you. I was actually going to say that to you. This brings up an interesting point though. Is it possible that the people within the system don't have enough distance from it to see the way that people in congressional offices end up going and become lobbyists at these corporations? These corporations lobby to get all kinds of arcane things put into the regulation that makes it harder for these small businesses. Is it that -- can our Congress maybe not see the corruption inherent in that?

[Sub-Driver]

Uh huh........

[Kozak]

They still don’t get it. In his heart Stewart thinks it’s just a question of tweaking things and getting more competent less corrupt people in government and it will all work GREAT.

[mrsmel]

This from the witch who said “We have to pass it before we can know what’s in it”. Now doesn’t that just make perfect sense-if you’re a leftist intent on destroying the country if you can defeat your political opponents in the process? That was all that mattered to this sorry excuse for a representative of the People-it didn’t matter what was in it, she was too caight up in the glory of spiting her political opposition to care. Now it’s going to catch up to her and the rest of them, unfortunately it has to hurt the People first, and too many of them of them are stupid enough to accept however they will try to pass the buck. They weren’t passing the back when Polosi strode around with that huge gavel in her hand.

The gibme voters will still support them, they’re getting their gibmes rgardless.

[silverleaf]

“We worked very hard to honor our responsibility to pass a bill that honors the beliefs of our founders, life, a healthier life, liberty, the pursuit of your happiness.”

this is an incredible statement

she thinks the government’s “responsibility” is to PURSUE OUR HAPPINESS (for us)

like abortion on demand and S&M leather festivals with sex booths?

her interpretation of the founding documents of our republic is as distorted as her face, her whacko-brain, and her amorality

[livius]

Actually, I think he got it. Notice that he kept asking about corruption in government contracting. Isn’t the company that screwed up a basically simple website the Canadian company where Michelle’s best college friend is an owner or head executive? It was a no-bid, no-cap contract.

So I’d say he was asking some pretty good questions.

[SouthernClaire]

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/stewart-laughs-in-pelosis-face-after-she-admits-she-doesnt-know-why-obamacare-site-failed/

It’s worth watching. I got a kick out of it, anyway.

[BuckeyeTexan]

That statement struck me also but for a different reason. Now we get down to the truth of it all. Democrats believe we have an inalienable right to a “healthier life.”

And they’re gonna give it to us ... whether we want it or not.

[miss marmelstein]

It’s not her responsibility. Shades of the Nuremburg trials, lol.

[BuckeyeTexan]

Hey, Nancy! The pursuit of my happiness requires the absolute destruction of Godless liberal values. How does that grab ya?

[mrsmel]

They (the ‘rats) are being awfully nonchalant about the catastrophic failure of CommieCare, which, combined with their utter indifference to passing a bill no one had read, leads me to believe that they never cared if it worked as it was proclaimed to, because all along it to be a mere stepping-stone to simgle payer. In fact, it suits their plan that it doesn’t work and is actually hurting people. That gives them their excuse and jump-off point to go into open, unapologetic nationalised “healthcare”-this, at the same time that Britain and other places are seeing their own versions fall apart. Leftists are nothing if not single-minded in pursuing their ideas, the human cost just isn’t a factor, even though they claim to the party of the people in every nation. Humans are just their little cogs in creating the great communist machine, it’s been the case everywhere it’s been done. If our version follows the usual pattern, dissenters will be purged one way or another before they’re finished. It’s amazing how they hypnotise people that they are only party that is for the people, when they are the ones who wouldn’t quail at imprisoning, exiling, or otherwise persecuting real humans because the agenda is the important thing. Any square pegs must be hammered into the round holes, instead of shaping the holes to fit the humans.

[xrmusn]

On his remark of ‘corruption’ because these people leave office and go to work for the lobbyist firms etc...

I remember back in the 60’s or possibly the 70’s, legislation was passed that stopped retiring Military types from going to work for the people they were involved with just prior their retiring.

The ‘game’ basically was the Retiring Gen/Adm etc would write the specs for a job, retire on Fri, then Monday show up at the same office with his new job.

That had been going on for years but I guess they figured it got so blatant they had to stop the practice.

There was a long term Senator in 2012 (Lugar R IN) that was running and it was disclosed that his ‘home’ was in Virginia and he just went back ‘home’ for elections and campaigning.

Really can’t blame the Senator for that, just the voters and the ‘machine’ that kept sending him back to represent people he had no connection to.

Also, how many actually go back ‘home’ when their terms are up? Probably enough to kind of figure they are ‘Afraid’ to face the people they have be misrepresenting all those years.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-— the beliefs of our founders, life, a healthier life, liberty, the pursuit of your happiness.” -—

I see what she did there.

[Liz]

CAN WE START HANGING THE "FAREWELL NANCY" BANNERS NOW? Look at 'em----eleven Democrats (to date) lock-stepping their way to retirement---absconding to no-show jobs. Scared stiff of the mess Obamacare got them into. Soon to be powerless....in the minority pit when voters get a crack at 'em.

===========================================

As far back as 2008, at the presidential debate in Nashville, Democrat candidate Obama advanced his signature plan that was ultimately enacted (by an historic straight Democrat party-line vote) into the "Affordable Care Act :

OBAMA: "No. 1, let me just repeat, if you’ve got a health care plan that you like, you can keep it. All I’m going to do is help you to lower the premiums on it. You’ll still have your choice of doctor.”

Repeated over and over ---- with the promise that every American family would be saving $2500.00 on healthcare costs.

LOCK-STEPPING PARTY LOYALTY NOT SEEN SINCE 1940's ERA EUROPE Obama And The Dumbos marched in lockstep. The persistent Dumbocrat drumbeat ---- in obeisance to Obama ---- kept ringing reassuringly in our ears: "If you like your plan, you can keep your plan."

=================================

SIGNING "THE BIG EFFIN' DEAL" (now known as "The Big Effin Debacle")

"Those Democrats leering over my shoulder owe me bigtime. This
healthcare bill insures we have a permanent Democratic majority."

" All except those Tea Party types, swallowed hook, line and sinker my promises that they could:
(1) keep their existing health plans,
(2) keep their own doctors that they like,
(3) keep their 25-year-olds on the family health plan,
(4) never be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition,
(5) sign up instantly on my tech-savvy government Web site,
(6) buy insurance only after becoming seriously ill."
(7) save $2,500 in annual premiums in the bargain....
(8) All without any new taxes."

"Them sonovagun Tea Partiers will rue the day they criticized my wonderful bill."

=====================================================

I devoutly believe that Obamacare will be chronicled in history as a blunder of Ceausescuian proportions.

Boobamba’s signature legislation —— formerly touted as his main “accomplishment” -—— has been an unmitigated disaster.

[SouthernClaire]

Correct you are, Mrsme1. What amazes me is that they cannot connect the dots to understand what harm they are bringing upon themselves, nor do they seem to care enough to try to understand. They do not live in reality and no matter how a person tries, the thickness of their skulls usually cannot be overcome. If one should break out and discover the truth, it’s usually too late.

Healthcare was simply the vehicle used to bring about their true agenda. They will understand sooner or later, but it’s still going to be too late for them. They won’t know how to think through their problems. They’ve never been exposed to it.

[exDemMom]

Pelosi answered that "there's no excuse" for the web site failure, and that "it should have been prepared for." She added that in response to government problems, "do something about it." Stewart responded, tongue-in-cheek, "I was going to say that to you. I was actually going to say that to you."

How about not trying to execute a hostile take-over of an industry which no one in government has any experience in running?

Most elected politicians are lawyers; how can they possibly know anything about running an insurance company or providing health care? Their job is to provide a regulatory framework to minimize fraud and crimes connected to various businesses, not to run the businesses. And even that job has metastasized. Right now, they should be reviewing and pruning laws, not passing even more of them like hoarders.

[txrefugee]

It’s not the website, Stupid. It’s the fact that the Computer Generation is too smart to sign up on a government site that can spy on them for the rest of their lives. Only truly ignorant people or desperately sick people would do such a thing.

The entire ObamaCare fiasco will fail without massive bailouts. That’s when Congress should kill it.

[exDemMom]

This all jumps squarely into “cognitive dissonance” territory. If the government can’t competently direct how insurance should work, how can it possibly run the healthcare industry without making a HUGE mess of it?

They have had nationalized “health care” in Britain for decades, and the system still does not work as advertised. Women give birth in hallways, people wait months for specialty care, people die when they need care beyond the basic and have a hard time even receiving basic care. If, after at least six decades, the Brits still can’t get it right, why would anyone think that it would work well in the US?

The government’s only job is to provide the regulatory framework—giving hospitals safety standards and so forth—not to try to run and micromanage every business. Micromanagement never works.

[Liz]

Stewart was asking Pelosi some pretty good questions---about corruption in government contracting....the company that screwed up the healthcare.gov website employs Michelle’s college friend. It was a no-bid, no-cap contract.

SUCKERS FOR CRONY CAPITALISM---Michele's schoolmate raked in mega tax dollars for the bugged-up web site. Toni Townes-Whitley is Senior Vice President at "CGI Federal" for Civilian Agency programs. She graduated Princeton 1985, same dumbed-down class as Michelle Obama. Both are members of the racial separatist organization----Association of Black Princeton Alumni.

"I wake up every day wondering how I ever graduated from Princeton

======================================================

We, the people, ripped off by CGI for $$hundreds of millions wonder how a nincompoop like you graduated, too.

=======================================

PRINCETON GRADES MICHELE'S THESIS: The spelling and grammatical errors in Michelle O's Princeton Thesis are mind-boggling. The whining document is an exercise in victimization, Black racism, and displays her gross incompetence in stark detail. Princeton graded her thesis: "runs the intellectual gamut---all the way from A to B." And they passed her (/snix).

==================================================

DO THIS NOW Now's a good time for Obama's campaign-era articles to go viral---how Obama bragged about his campaign team's "tech savvy"---how they ran and won, "financed by their clever use of tech."

[norwaypinesavage]

The only problem, is that you have to laugh. You have to laugh AT her. The only other option is to pity her. You can’t pity someone who holds such power, and executes it with such ignorance.

[SouthernClaire]

“Micromanagement never works.”

---

Hi ExDemMom,

Micromanagement DOES work.

For them.

It’s one of the many fine tools utilized to strangle anything good.

They understand that should there exist good people, smart enough to go about their own affairs on a day to day basis, then there is no need for THEM and they suffer by becoming unnecessary. It’s them or us, and they hold the keys (power) for making laws. Once the people become educated (really educated, not indoctrinated), they cease being powerful.