Progressive Caucus Leader to WH: We're Ready to Fight, Join Us

[kpete]

Published on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 by Salon.com
House Progressive Won't Back Senate Healthcare Bill
The co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus says Senate healthcare bill won't fly

by Mike Madden

WASHINGTON -- The co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus says he won't support a plan to have the House pass the Senate healthcare bill, then change the legislation through budget reconciliation.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ). "Rather than retreat and go hide under the covers, I think what's important for Democrats -- particularly in the House -- is to push the envelope," Grijalva said. "It's time for some good old-time religion. And start talking to the base -- we need the base. If they stay home, we're in trouble."Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ). "Rather than retreat and go hide under the covers, I think what's important for Democrats -- particularly in the House -- is to push the envelope," Grijalva said. "It's time for some good old-time religion. And start talking to the base -- we need the base. If they stay home, we're in trouble."

"It has to be the whole thing" done through reconciliation, Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., told Salon Wednesday morning. "The whole issue of parallel -- do this or do that later -- I don't believe that will occur." Getting the House to agree to pass the Senate bill -- without changing even a single comma -- is the only way to send healthcare legislation to President Obama without the Senate having to vote on it again. But Grijalva thinks that option is virtually impossible. "If it is the Senate bill that we're asked to just merely vote on send to the president's desk for his signature, I think it's going to be difficult to round up a majority," he said.

House progressives will meet with leadership later Wednesday. If they won't go along with the Senate bill, it's just another reminder of how complicated the healthcare process is going to be after Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts Tuesday night.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2010/01/20/progressives
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/01/20-11

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Please oh please. oh please...

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. Single Payer + Reconciliation =

WIN

[ananda]

3. LOL LOL

They only need the so-called "base" to get in office if
the "base" gets disaffected.

However, that essentially means nothing. The corporate
kleptocracy that officeholders now serve once in office
is sociopathic and operates on a meme of greedy self-
interest only.

The only thing that will serve this country and its
people is a new economic model with the political
center to serve it, that model being one that is
human-centered with altruism and the public good
as its central meme.

Sue

[mitchtv]

4. but, but that would involve

working with Democrats,....