Giffords/Blue Dogs take a stand on health care

by David Safier
This morning the Blue Dog Dems sent out a letter, signed by most of their members, including Giffords, that is going to complicate and delay health care legislation.

Extracting the exact meanings and implications of the letter is way above my pay grade, but it looks to me like it's self contradictory and an attempt to slow the legislation way, way down.

On one hand, the letter wants the legislation to be "deficit neutral." On the other hand, it demands "fair reimbursement" for health care providers, and knocks a "'Medicare-like' public option" that would pay too little for services. It also wants to make sure rural providers are adequately compensated.

According to Matthew Yglesias,

The letter also demands bipartisanship. "The American public is looking for us to work together." No mention of the idea that, if the Republicans Party of No refuses to bend, they're the ones unwilling to work together. The Blue Dogs are carrying the Republicans' water by blaming the Dems for lack of bipartisanship.

The kicker for me is the near the end, where they demand the legislation, including all amendments and changes, be available for the House members and the public to read thoroughly before a vote. That sounds perfectly reasonable, except that the only time I ever hear that argument is when the Rs are trying to stall. They hold up a 1500 page copy of a bill, slam it to the ground and demand time to read it. But if the Dems ever asked for extra time, they'd be told if we delay, Osama bin Laden has already won. My sense is this is a stalling tactic, not a genuine concern.

I'm not an expert on the legislation or how to divine the intentions of a letter like this, but what I read concerns me deeply. I've asked that Giffords let us know where she stands. She just did. It looks like she and the other Blue Dogs have decided to stand in the way of the kind of health care legislation we desperately need.