The Virginian-Pilot
©
U.S. Sen. Jim Webb's quick call for a halt on health care legislation has put him at the center of efforts to force President Barack Obama to rework his reform strategy.
Webb's statement late Tuesday, following the election of Republican Scott Brown to the Senate, assuaged GOP concerns that Democrats might try to force a quick vote on health care before they lose their filibuster-proof majority, said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
"What is clear is that there will be no further action in the Senate - thanks to Sen. Webb - until Scott Brown is sworn in," McConnell told Congressional Quarterly.
Shortly after Massachusetts voters elected Brown to fill the seat left vacant with the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy, a liberal Democrat, Webb said that Brown's victory was a referendum not just on health care "but also on the openness and integrity of our government process."
"It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Sen.-elect Brown is seated," Webb said in a statement.
Senate Democrats, who have enjoyed a 60-vote majority, will lose a seat when Brown is sworn in, meaning passing a health care bill without any Republican support would be close to impossible. No Republicans voted for the Senate health care bill last month.
Webb was the first Democrat to call for debate to be suspended. His comments were echoed Wednesday by Republican leaders and some Democrats.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon that he agrees with Webb but also wants some form of health care reform to be passed.
"I believe a complete economic recovery, including deficit reduction, will not be possible until we reform our expensive and inefficient health care system, and I hope we can move forward in a bipartisan way," Warner said.
Webb's comments are the latest sign of his irritation with how the Obama administration has handled health care reform.
Webb voted for the Senate health care bill when it passed on Dec. 24 but has said he'll wait to see what final legislation emerges when the Senate and House merge separate bills.
He has blamed Obama for failing to lay out a detailed piece of legislation rather than relying on separate congressional committees to draft competing reform bills. The lack of leadership contributed to the emotional public debate and confusion, Webb said.
"It's been the most frustrating process that I have observed or participated in in the 33 years that I've been involved in the American political system," Webb told an audience last week at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk.
"If this administration had health care reform as its number one priority this year, they should have a bill. They should have a very specific proposal that we could have debated."
Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Just listen 2 us
damn it....we, the people, have spoken.....and when 50% or greater of us are say we dont like it then listen to us.....YOU, the House and Senate, work for US. Try not to forget it.
Dems need some spine!
As long as Democrats keep listening to double agents like Joe Lieberman they will always be seen as impotent. Last time I checked they still have large majorities in congress but act like scared puppies everytime the right wing noise machine gets ramped up. What I can't understand is when republicans under Bush had the slimmest majorities they were able to force votes and ram through anything they wanted. They even passed special legislation for Terri Schaivo, despite how descpicable their tactics, but Dems have a 59-41 seat advantage, and acting like punks. If they cave in to the teabaggers then they aren't fit to be in charge!
e-mail says it all
I had sent webb another e-mail asking him why he all of a sudden changed his mind over health care.
I found his response, as well as 2 other responses to other questions in my JUNK MAIL folder! All 3 were the same form letter.
Should have known! Even Microsoft knows what webb's comments are!
Jim Webb
Apparently Mr. Webb has been listening to his constituents, something that is a RARE practice amongst the Dems these days. KUDOS Sir.
Hardly
The only thing he is listening to is his re-election possibilities. He saw what happened in the blue-est of states, and has seen what happened in the red state of Virginia. He knows his days are numbered.
This is nothing more than a re-election campaign poster slogan.
Bull #$%@
They are rats on a sinking ship. Pelosi is singing a different story all of a sudden, this still does now negate the fact that our representatives tried to shove this crap down our throats. And what about what they did to buy the votes needed, lord what a bunch of liars and filled with strife and greed. Reality about November hit a nerve I imagine. What do they take us for, I assume what was said along the way is the American people will forget after we throw them a bone or two. Stand up and be heard regardless of what party you are for. They are playing with your and my money. Stop letting them think we are a bunch of sheep that can be sated with a quick giveaway or false promise. Hold them to the promises they make show them we run America and they are supposed to do our will, not scheme and make their own pockets full. Once in office they are set with no needs for the rest of their lives. There are only a hand full of honest politicians left, with their hands tied by the rest. They have become braised and corrupt with our money. Your taxes are an investment like any transaction, make them earn what they take.
This will be the first time
This will be the first time I have said this since Webb and Warner have been in office or even campaigning for office. I hope it doesn't have to be the last.
Thank you both for slowing this health care atrocity down.
I know some aren't able to put the positive spin on this, but, I am willing to give you both the benefit of the doubt. Please don't make me regret it.
We do need to do something to insure kids in college after they no longer qualify for insurance under their parents policy. We need to do something to stop the soaring health care costs. The elderly that cannot work need to be taken care of. Not able bodied folks who are to lazy to get up and go get a life and take care of their own.
BUT, please do not allow this to happen in a back room deal. Let this be done out in the open and ALL Americans know what it is ALL about.
Jim Webb
Sentator Webb was the 1st to speak out against pushing this health care reform bill through but if Coakley had won, it probably would have been a different story. We need balance in congress and we have not seen it in the last year. For Obama to go on TV and say he inherited this, what a weasle! Does he know he signed up to DO THE JOB of the president, he needs to stop whining and start listening to the American people. The dems have ignored our pleas up until now! They better not pull any shenanigans or they will lose their jobs!
Some at the VP still don't "get it."
While some in Washington are starting to "get it" that the great masses of "unwashed" are truly angry and determined to be heard, apparently Daryl Lease, editorial writer for the VP, remains tone deaf.
His column, page 9, today's Hampton Roads section, "Sign right here on the dotty line," is an extremely sarcastic, mean-spirited, and downright silly attempt to humiliate and ridicule all things conservative.
He includes John Boehner, Newt Gingrich, Southern voters, George Bush, and Tea Party Patriots in his snarky tantrum.
This column sounds like it was written by Nancy Pelosi.
I wonder where Daryl's been for the last ten months.
Keep fanning the flames, Daryl.
really?
What good have conservatives ever done? Conservatives were against voting rights, against social security, against fair housing, against medicare, and supported segregation. So why shouldn't conservatives be called out for their history?