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whats the problem?
whats the problem?
The head of C-SPAN has implored Congress to open up the last leg of health care reform negotiations to the public, as top Democrats lay plans to hash out the final product among themselves.
C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb wrote to leaders in the House and Senate Dec. 30 urging them to open "all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings," to televised coverage on his network.
"The C-SPAN networks will commit the necessary resources to covering all of the sessions LIVE and in their entirety," he wrote.
In a Tuesday afternoon press conference on health legislation negotiations, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared to object to the premise behind the request.
"There has never been a more open process for any legislation in anyone who’s served here’s experience," she said.
However, Republican leaders sided with C-SPAN's calls for transparency.
"As House Republican leader, I can confidently state that all House Republicans strongly endorse your proposal and stand ready to work with you to make it a reality," Minority Leader John Boehner wrote in response to the letter. "Hard-working families won't stand for having the future of their health care decided behind closed doors. These secret deliberations are a breeding ground for more of the kickbacks, shady deals and special-interest provisions that have become business as usual in Washington."
Democratic leaders could bypass the traditional conference committee process, in which lawmakers from both parties and chambers meet to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. Top Democrats in the House, Senate and White House were meeting Tuesday evening to figure out the final product in three-way talks before sending it back to both chambers for a final vote.
"We don't even know yet whether there's going to be a conference," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said responding to a question about the C-SPAN request. "It's not clear whether or not that's going to happen yet."
This format would seem ideal for closed-door meetings, which congressional Democrats have used many times to figure out sensitive provisions in the health care bill -- though President Obama pledged during the campaign to open up health care talks to C-SPAN's cameras.
"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," Obama said at a debate against Hillary Clinton in Los Angeles on Jan. 31, 2008.
Asked about the request to Congress, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he hadn't seen the letter.
"I know the president is going to begin discussions today on health care to iron out differences between the House and Senate bills," he said.
Lamb urged Congress in his letter to fling open the doors in the final stretch of the negotiations.
"President Obama, Senate and House leaders, many of your rank-and-file members, and the nation's editorial pages have all talked about the value of transparent discussions on reforming the nation's health care system," he wrote. "Now that the process moves to the critical stage of reconciliation between the chambers, we respectfully request that you allow the public full access, through television, to legislation that will affect the lives of every single American."
Lamb said his network would use "the latest technology" to be "as unobtrusive as possible" during the talks.
Obama has lied his ass off and the lefty dems don't give a . It's pathetic. The dems will lose a load of seats in 2010 because hard working Americans care. Obama will not win re-election. The dems will lose enough seats so we are not held hostage by Obama and his clan on all the BULL he is pulling.
Say what you want about ANY President. Compare Obama to any of them. It does not matter anymore. This cat lies all the freaken time. It's not even a question anymore. It's a nightmare. Americans donot want a liar as the President. He is done. Make all your excuses you want. Make all the arguments you want. The guy is done. All we can hope for is we can fix what this liar broke. The goal for Americans is to get rid of Obama. It starts with the 2010 elections. It will happen.
he changed his mind.
he can do that.
he's the "decider" now.
So have the voters. Obama the liar is out.
I know all of you board Republicans were going to Tivo the entire thing, just like you wanted to read the entire bill.
howd they vote, jack?
Thats how you justify Obama lying. Never take on the topic. Classic Chumpy.
Presidents lie
Obama lied
The sky is blue
The next Repub sucking prick will do the same
Water is wet
In the one area where Obama promised transparency, he did not deliver it. He must have known the political process is allergic to sunlight when he said it. Politicians lie to get elected. More at 10 o' clock.
The bills have been voted on in public. The negotiations between the house and senate will come to light once the bills have been combined.. so what's the problem?
oh wait the resident dead enders are feigning outrage again..
Seeing the results only after negotiations have concluded when we were promised real time access to deliberations, disappoints.
So does your shameless apology for the smoke-filled room.
Weak.
so you acknowledge that we will know what the final product is. what part of the deliberations specifically would you like to be privy to? or do you want to watch on cspan the senate and congressional representatives sitting at a conference table? Is it the appearance of accessibility you want honored? Or do you want to know word for word what is said?
All laws enter the public record. Did someone deny this? If not, why are you crowing about this commonplace?
Mr. Obama promised it did he not?
Undeniably.
the healthcare reform debate has been in the public view for the last year. he stated in the vidoeo that he thought the clintons failed because they came up with the legislation behind closed doors. So what I'm trying to figure out is what the democrat negotiations will provide us when we already know what they are working with. they are debating two well known pieces of legislation. hence why I mentioned we will know what the results are after they compromise. there is nothing in these negotiations that will surprise anyone.
hence the feigned outrage.
my point is the debate has been very public for the better part of the year and met that part of the bargain.
In your mind then, Mr. Obama kept his promise?
I don't pretend to know what people's intentions are. When he referred to the negotiations to be televised. Was he referring to the actual debating of the bills (which didnt happen under clinton)? Or was he referring to the conference between Congress and the Senate being televised? I don't know exactly but most people, including yourself, assign motives and then run with it.. I guess you took from he said that he was talking about the conferecing after the bills had been passed. Were the negotiations for the reform bills between the GOP and the Dems play out in public? I'd have to say yes they were. He did keep the promise that the debating and crafting of the bills were going to be public.
Of course I don't make it a habit to look up a soundbite from 2 yrs ago and then try and apply it to now..but that's just me.
It's not as black and white as some of you want it to be. What you just said is one of the major reasons he was elected. Turns out he lied about it and continues to lie about it. He was suppose to be different. He is worse! This was his platform. Open and honest. Everyday it's in your face without explanation. He has a long list of lies which have been well do ented. I never saw a man lie as much as he has and does, let alone a President.
This C-Span lie is just catching sail thoughout America. It's been out there for a long time but now more media outlets are covering it. I guess they figure he had enough time to make do on this "promise". C-Span is questioning it. This is a in your face lie. More media coverage are to come on his lies as the elections get closer.
The two wars we are still in will be HUGE come election time. Repugs were voted out of office the last 4 years or could not get elected because of war. It was the number one reason dems took the House, Senate and Presidency. Pull out if the repugs were wrong. It's that easy.
"war over, come on home"
Instead you hear
"fight over there so we don't have to fight here"
Sounds familiar. It's crazy how some people ignore this. Thank goodness all people don't ignore it.
The guy is a up. Nothing anyone can do about Obama now but come November.........
People should demand more from elected officials instead of accepting they lie. It's pathetic.
was the crafting of the healthcare legislation done in public jack? Simple yes or no question.
I'm glad you agree that he did keep the transparency promise that the bills would be negotiated publicly.
I haven't posted in this forum for really the better part of two months..........it's good to see that GGA's schtick still sucks and has yet to get even remotely funny.
It is however hilarious to see Winehole call him out on it in nearly every thread.
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