"I'm going to have all the negotiations around a big table. We'll have doctors and nurses and hospital administrators. Insurance companies, drug companies -- they'll get a seat at the table, they just won't be able to buy every chair. But what we will do is, we'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN, so that people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents, and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies. And so, that approach, I think is what is going to allow people to stay involved in this process."On the campaign warpath, Barack Obama promised, several times, that health care reform would be negotiated publicly. This commitment to transparency is probably the chief reason I voted for him.
That was then.
President Barack Obama is making sure that the final bill is hammered out behind closed doors, away from those obstructionist Republicans and the prying eye of C-Span. PolitiFact, a nonpartisan Pulitzer Prize winner, rates this a broken promise.
In contrast to Obama, LV Congressman Charlie Dent has consistently promoted more transparency in government. Yesterday alone, he conducted two town halls in Allentown. Last year, I counted 29 of them throughout his district. In October, he demanded cameras in the powerful Rules Committee. "[W]e have seen 300-page amendments offered to the Rules Committee in the middle of the night and key policy proposals rejected on a straight party-line vote without thorough consideration. Sunlight will be a powerful disinfectant against these practices.” In December, he followed that up with a resolution demanding cameras in the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
Dent is now demanding that any new Health Care compromise spewed out of those closed-door meetings, be made available to the public for at least two weeks before a vote. In a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (you can read it below), Dent and several colleagues also insist that the legislation be posted on the Internet, in its entirety, for no less than 14 days prior to a House vote.
Dent Letter to Pelosi Demanding Transparency
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThat's the playbook.... slow it down... a little bit more.
ReplyDeleteI could take Dent more seriously if he had called the Bush Administration to task for all its backroom dealings.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that it makes me no less disappointed to see the Obama Administration play the same game.
The behavior isn't new. The person engaging in it is and he ran a campaign where he said he wouldn't in 2008.
ReplyDeleteThe President better watch himself on issues like this.
I'm guessing the period for public comment will be null and void as well before he signs it.
Be careful what you say on the campaign trail. People might take you at your word.
I think this is good. As part of the transparency, let's get a count of how much everyone has received from the insurance lobby that spends millions a day screwing us by buying our politicians. Dent can start by disclosing his insurance lobbyist doggie bags.
ReplyDeleteDent's not running the country by holding secret meetings. Yesterday's Joe Biden transparency czar meeting was closed to the press. Even lefties in the media acknowledge the extraordinary secrecy of this gang. They get away with it because as Obama half-joked last year at the National Press Club, "You all voted for me, with the exception of the FOX News table." Then there was uproarious laughter. Again, yesterday's Biden meeting on transparency was closed to the press.
ReplyDeleteDent and the Republicans have contributed nothing but obstruction to the whole Health care debate. All they need to do now is shut up!!
ReplyDeleteObstruction is very popular and has lots of supporters.
ReplyDeleteMany of them are planning to fumigate and dry out the so-called Kennedy Senate seat on January 19.
Charlie Dent hasn't been a serious candidate for we the people in decades. Finally some people waking up. The Congressional 15 District is stall a NCR - No Choice Race for we the people.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Dent doesn't past the Equity Test!
ReplyDeleteSalary + Benefits = Accomplishments in Office.
You base your decision on this you would throw all of them out and lower
there salary benefits program.
The People need equity of law in being represented.
The Pa Congressional 15 District Race is a Stinker Race!
Top Down Stinks.
"Charlie Dent doesn't past the Equity Test!
ReplyDeleteSalary + Benefits = Accomplishments in Office."
Yeah! He's the asshole that got $15 million for road work on 412 so they could move the new mega-jobs center/casino in there in the first place.
Do you know that Congressthings get paid $15 million a year. I do -- I heard it on the radio.
Furthermore, Dent is the lamebrain who stood up to my pals in the black helicopter patrol and advocated for the deployment of whole body imagers at airports six months before the Underwear Bomber.
Yeah, and Charlie Dent is the piece of crap jerkwad that has consistently supported stem cell research funding.
Well f you, Dent.
Finally, even though two of my family members have Parkinson's disease -- I don't want a no account asshole like Dent going down to DC and advocating that my family should be helped.
My family will Glenn Beck our way into developing our own cure!
Screw Dent and his effectiveness, intelligence and caring. That lousy bastard.
With mouth-breathing friends like that ....
ReplyDeleteCharlie supports unrestricted abortion and grisly experimentation on the remains that would make a Nuremberg jury blush. He also supports the death penalty - even for retards. He supports two prolonged, bloody wars with absolutely no end in sight. He supports bombing of innocents in Pakistan. He just supports a lot of death whenever and wherever he has the opportunity.
So screw your Parkinson's sob story. You're lucky Dent doesn't drop a bomb on your relative's shaky ass. Charlie would likely agree that your defective shaky kin should've been aborted anyway, or shipped off as cannon fodder for one of Charlie's wars.
Furthermore, Dent is the lamebrain who stood up to my pals in the black helicopter patrol and advocated for the deployment of whole body imagers at airports six months before the Underwear Bomber.
ReplyDeleteYou think this is a good thing.
heehheeee hhaahhaaahaaaa
American are lost in the woods and
crying to Stalin for help in there last day of life. You idiot!
Still doesn't past the equity test!
"So screw your Parkinson's sob story. You're lucky Dent doesn't drop a bomb on your relative's shaky ass."
ReplyDeleteAhh, just another classy liberal. Why don't you type it up and send it in as a letter to the editor?
"heehheeee hhaahhaaahaaaa
ReplyDeleteAmerican are lost in the woods and
crying to Stalin for help in there last day of life. You idiot!"
Ding-ding! Sounds like we got a Skousen Reader here!
What's amazing is that people who read Skousen are actually able to read at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5FBCHKu2KU
ReplyDeleteOnly dumb idiots give aid to the elitist at there own expense. The wealthy have there own planes and don't go through radio active body scanners and allow personal data to be kept and shared by unknown entities.
See only terrorists support Charlie Dent! The lovers of black oops and corruption. Your lucky I don't know who you are.
ReplyDelete"So screw your Parkinson's sob story. You're lucky Dent doesn't drop a bomb on your relative's shaky ass."
I believe that remark was extremely insensitive, and abortion opponents often get like that.
ReplyDeleteWhere was Chuckie back when the Rs had the power in Congress demanding transparency? ... Oh that's right, you only want/demand transparency in Washington when you aren't in power.
ReplyDelete"Only dumb idiots give aid to the elitist at there own expense. The wealthy have there own planes and don't go through radio active body scanners and allow personal data to be kept and shared by unknown entities."
ReplyDeleteJohnny Carson playing the Great Karnak might say: "May a diseased Yak blow his underwear up on your next flight."
You're so dumb, you're probably trying to ask someone to read and tell you if this post is about you.
"Where was Chuckie back when the Rs had the power in Congress demanding transparency? ... Oh that's right, you only want/demand transparency in Washington when you aren't in power."
ReplyDeleteThe R's were in power for 2 years since Congressman Dent has been a U.S. Representative. Those years were 2005 and 2006.
Please state the following:
1.) What issues of government opacity are you referring to during that time period?
2.) What did Congressman Dent do regarding those incidents that indicated he was opposed to transparency.
3.) What issues are we talking about?
4.) Do they rise to the level of seriousness where special interests are being invited into secret House/Senate/Administration meetings to cut deals that are unavailable to the average American?
Please show your work.
"See only terrorists support Charlie Dent! The lovers of black oops and corruption. Your lucky I don't know who you are."
ReplyDeleteUh-oh. The obligatory Anonymous posting blog tough-guy.
Hey tough guy -- I'm the other tough guy and you're lucky I don't know who you are.
:) Are you going to beat me up with your words now?
:) Are you going to use your typing judo on me?
:) Bye! Bye! Tough Guy!
I like Charlie because he supports herd thinning social and foreign policies that keep undesirable populations in check. He's a Rockefeller Republican who gets it.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:20 PM,
ReplyDeleteGive me a break. All of the Republicans have been hypocrites, including Charlie. They have hammered Obama on everything that they themselves did nothing to correct. Our health care system for one.. They now say they support health care but not Obama's plan..Where was their plan when they were in charge. Oops, they had none. I wouldn't have the space to go on and on about their hypocracy...They are a pathetic party with nothing to offer. They opposed Social Security and medicare and mostly every other social program that has helped Middle Americans. They always will!!
Social Security and Medicare, have sentenced our children and grandchildren to pay for this generation's irresponsibility. The so-called greatest generation and the one it spawned are the most selfish generations in US history. It's a good thing young people don't vote.
ReplyDeleteI was going to comment that Dent is a hypocrite on this issue but someone else did - they all tire me anymore - voting is like pissing in the wind - you find relief but you get your pants wet
ReplyDeleteFor those who are blinded by party politics:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rense.com/general89/23r.htm
Dent has to go!
ReplyDeleteUse your write in option.
Your only chance to save America!