Republican Sen. Hatch cites liberal blogger (FDL) in healthcare speech

[babylonsister]

Ugh.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/73495-republican-sen-hatch-cites-liberal-blogger-in-healthcare-speech

Republican Sen. Hatch cites liberal blogger in healthcare speech
By Tony Romm - 12/23/09 02:08 PM ET


Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) on Wednesday cited evidence opposing Democrats' healthcare bill from a rather unlikely source: liberal blogger Jane Hamsher of firedoglake.

While railing on Democrats' legislation, which Hatch this afternoon said was an example of "everything that is wrong with Washington today," the Utah Republican channeled Hamsher's latest critique of Democrats' proposed individual mandate.

"I can't think of a bigger giveaway for the insurance companies than the federal government ordering Americans to buy their insurance products," Hatch said on the floor, referencing a provision in the bill that would require Americans who decline insurance to pay a penalty.

"Jane Hamsher, publisher of the liberal blog 'firedoglake, said the following," Hatch continued. "Having to pay 2% of their income in annual fines for refusing to comply -- with the IRS acting as the collection agency -- just might wind up being the most widely hated legislation of the decade."

The line was a direct quotation from a list of "10 reasons to kill the Senate bill" that Hamsher blasted to her supporters soon after Senate Democrats abandoned their plans for either a public option or a Medicare expansion.

A version of that list also appeared on Hamsher's firedoglake blog, to mixed reactions.

In any case, Hatch's decision to cite Hamsher is sure to earn him the liberal blogosphere's further scorn. While few of its most resonant voices have advocated against the bill or pined Democrats to drop it, almost all agree with her criticism that President Barack Obama and Democrats surrendered their healthcare bill's core principles to Senate moderates and Republicans.

[frazzled]

1. Hmmm, that last paragraph ...

In any case, Hatch's decision to cite Hamsher is sure to earn him the liberal blogosphere's further scorn.

Um, no. The (false) argument is what one expects of the Republicans. The scorn should be directed to Ms. Hamsher, who fed him the line.

[ClassWarrior]

2. Good. For once we're the ones putting words in their reps' mouths.

NGU.

[ipaint]

3. It's going to be hard for some people to stop playing the liberal victim to the republican

school yard bully. The big bad republican used something a liberal said against us, oh noes!! Bad, bad liberal.

A 30 year habit of capitulation and weakness is difficult to break.

[laughingliberal]

4. The good news here is he repeated the giveaway to the insurance company part

The more times people hear that instead of 'government takeover,' the better. We need to get this anger people are feeling over HCR off the idea of government run programs and heading straight for the private, for profit industries. Orrin Hatch can not stop the bill from passing but a Republican talking about a government giveaway to industry? Priceless.

[chill_wind]

5. Yes, the GOP would have never figured that idea out

without Jane Hamsher.

[TiberiusGracchus]

6. At least seven liberals voted their principles with the amendment to ban vote-buying with earmarks

Bayh, Feingold, McCaskill, Webb and others voted their conscience to prevent this travesty from happening in the future...

But of course the amendment lost because it was proposed by a rethug. DESPITE the fact that it wouldn't affect THIS bill in the least, it would've prevented the sort of naked legislative prostitution that turned our most promising attempt at healthcare reform into the biggest insurance industry bailout in known history.