GOP to block health nominees in Medicare spat

GOP to block health nominees in Medicare spat - Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON – The Senate's top Republicans said Thursday they wouldn't allow President Barack Obama to fill health posts until his administration stops barring insurers from telling the elderly how Democrats' health overhaul could affect their benefits.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, and seven other Republicans wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius demanding she immediately lift what they called a "gag order" that calls on private companies that contract with Medicare to stop communicating with their elderly customers about the measure's potential effects.

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One such insurer, Humana Inc., headquartered in McConnell's home state, told its Medicare customers in a recent mailing that the bill could slash their benefits. The missive urged seniors to contact lawmakers to ask them to oppose it.

The Republicans' latest threat is retaliation after a federal agency told Humana and other insurers that work with Medicare to immediately stop such mailings or similar Internet postings. The order came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, known as CMS, which oversees the federal health programs for the poor and elderly.

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This is quite unconstitutional to issue gag orders for no other reason than to deter dissent over bills.

How authoritarian of them.

I don't know, sounds to me like that wasn't the reason for the 'gag order'.

Arena Digest: The Humana 'gag' - Politico Staff - POLITICO.com


It also is more ridiculous Republican posturing to block yet more nominations. Quit the stupid games and confirm the people that are nominated, or vote down the nominations. The gaming is like a never-ending temper tantrum.


If they have a problem with the 'gag order', then address it directly. Either they have a case, or they don't, but holding up (yet more) nominations is pure obstructionism. The party of no strikes again.

jackalope said:

It also is more ridiculous Republican posturing to block yet more nominations. Quit the stupid games and confirm the people that are nominated, or vote down the nominations. The gaming is like a never-ending temper tantrum.

If they have a problem with the 'gag order', then address it directly. Either they have a case, or they don't, but holding up (yet more) nominations is pure obstructionism. The party of no strikes again.

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Let's be real. Democrats have 60 votes in the Senate. Republicans, at best, could slow down a nomination with extended debate, but they cannot overcome a cloture vote.

You say they are the "party of no," but they are powerless in both the House and Senate to block almost anything the Democrats want to pass.

jackalope said:

I don't know, sounds to me like that wasn't the reason for the 'gag order'.

Arena Digest: The Humana 'gag' - Politico Staff - POLITICO.com

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Yet another new LOW standard being set by Democrats: it's okay to issue GAG orders to vendors of the Government who spread messages we don't agree with, but as your Politico article states, had it been a message that is in full support of the Government Health Grab plan, no problemo.

Bottom line; as long as it is a message YOU agree with, it's okay. Just don't go expressing views YOU don't agree with; then we will gag you.

:doh

jackalope said:

It also is more ridiculous Republican posturing to block yet more nominations. Quit the stupid games and confirm the people that are nominated, or vote down the nominations. The gaming is like a never-ending temper tantrum.

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Such stunning hypocrisy coming from the Left is not surprising. When Democrats block nominees for purely partisan politics it is fine; but when Republicans do it is just ridiculous posturing.

:rofl

jackalope said:

If they have a problem with the 'gag order', then address it directly. Either they have a case, or they don't, but holding up (yet more) nominations is pure obstructionism. The party of no strikes again.

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This fascinating denial suggests that the Party in the minority with the new Liberal THUGS in power have a say in anything.

I guess it doesn't occur to you that in their utter lack of transparency, Pelosi and her moronic minions have all but shut Republicans out forcing the minority party to resort to what can be concluded as the ONLY tactic left to get their voice heard.

Of course, you are only selectively outraged when it is YOUR party that is in the minority right? :doh

FlanaganReport said:

Let's be real. Democrats have 60 votes in the Senate. Republicans, at best, could slow down a nomination with extended debate, but they cannot overcome a cloture vote.

You say they are the "party of no," but they are powerless in both the House and Senate to block almost anything the Democrats want to pass.

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Any member of the Senate can block any nomination by putting an anonymous hold. Republicans have held up multiple nominations throughout the winter, spring, summer, and now fall.

Truth Detector said:

Yet another new LOW standard being set by Democrats: it's okay to issue GAG orders to vendors of the Government who spread messages we don't agree with, but as your Politico article states, had it been a message that is in full support of the Government Health Grab plan, no problemo.

Bottom line; as long as it is a message YOU agree with, it's okay. Just don't go expressing views YOU don't agree with; then we will gag you.

:doh



Such stunning hypocrisy coming from the Left is not surprising. When Democrats block nominees for purely partisan politics it is fine; but when Republicans do it is just ridiculous posturing.

:rofl



This fascinating denial suggests that the Party in the minority with the new Liberal THUGS in power have a say in anything.

I guess it doesn't occur to you that in their utter lack of transparency, Pelosi and her moronic minions have all but shut Republicans out forcing the minority party to resort to what can be concluded as the ONLY tactic left to get their voice heard.

Of course, you are only selectively outraged when it is YOUR party that is in the minority right? :doh

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Fascinating. Another strong conservative/republican argument in favor of obstructing. Or, perhaps, not fascinating at all.

jackalope said:

Any member of the Senate can block any nomination by putting an anonymous hold. Republicans have held up multiple nominations throughout the winter, spring, summer, and now fall.

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That does not matter. The Majority Leader can still bring something to the floor even if there is a hold on it, they just risk a filibuster, which would be easily overcome with a cloture vote.

FlanaganReport said:

That does not matter. The Majority Leader can still bring something to the floor even if there is a hold on it, they just risk a filibuster, which would be easily overcome with a cloture vote.

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Yes, of course he can. Let's have a cloture vote on every nomination, whether or not holds and blocks have anything to do with the nominee.

Wait, isn't that obstructionism?


What the hell is the POINT. You have an argument about the gag order, you fight on the issue of the gag order. Enough with the obstructionism !!!

jackalope said:

Yes, of course he can. Let's have a cloture vote on every nomination, whether or not holds and blocks have anything to do with the nominee.

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Well why not? Would that be better than no nominations going through? I can't help but think some of the reason the Democrats don't push it is because they want to leave open the idea that "Republicans are the Party of No."

Wait, isn't that obstructionism?

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I think it is just the manner in which the Senate works. Both parties have put holds, filibustered legislation, etc etc. It is not really anything new in my opinion.

What the hell is the POINT. You have an argument about the gag order, you fight on the issue of the gag order. Enough with the obstructionism !!!

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It is nothing new for Senators to place holds on things because of other issues.

That said, from a Republican standpoint, no fight over a "gag order" would be taken seriously if there was not something in place to make it so. Threatening to delay a nomination at the least gets the issue in the news, which is probably all they really wanted to do to begin with.

FlanaganReport said:

Well why not? Would that be better than no nominations going through? I can't help but think some of the reason the Democrats don't push it is because they want to leave open the idea that "Republicans are the Party of No."

I think it is just the manner in which the Senate works. Both parties have put holds, filibustered legislation, etc etc. It is not really anything new in my opinion.

It is nothing new for Senators to place holds on things because of other issues.

That said, from a Republican standpoint, no fight over a "gag order" would be taken seriously if there was not something in place to make it so. Threatening to delay a nomination at the least gets the issue in the news, which is probably all they really wanted to do to begin with.

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Both parties have put holds, no doubt. However the claim that this is nothing new is false. The level of filibusters since the Republicans lost the majority is at unprecedented levels.

Block, hold, filibuster, obstruct. That is the minority party of today. They have earned the nickname party of no, and they are continuing it with blocking nominations for reasons having nothing to do with the nominees.

If they have a problem or an issue, they should stand up and debate on that issue. Instead, they obstruct.

ps, the last comment about Republicans in Congress being taken seriously - the problem is, they aren't. The perception of Republicans is Congress is at all-time lows in polling. They only hurt themselves further with the more of the same nonsense.

jackalope said:

Both parties have put holds, no doubt. However the claim that this is nothing new is false. The level of filibusters since the Republicans lost the majority is at unprecedented levels.

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I would be interested in seeing a graph of filibuster activity if one exists.

Block, hold, filibuster, obstruct. That is the minority party of today. They have earned the nickname party of no, and they are continuing it with blocking nominations for reasons having nothing to do with the nominees.

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Well, I grew up in a political climate and family, so perhaps I just view that as "the manner in which politics works."

If they have a problem or an issue, they should stand up and debate on that issue. Instead, they obstruct.

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Well, with such a minority, perhaps the view is the only way they can orchestrate a serious debate is to conduct actions like delaying a nomination etc.

ps, the last comment about Republicans in Congress being taken seriously - the problem is, they aren't. The perception of Republicans is Congress is at all-time lows in polling. They only hurt themselves further with the more of the same nonsense.

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Well, the perception of Congress in general is at an all time low, so I am not sure we can really drawn conclusions based on that alone. That said, we certainly live in a partisan time, but it is nothing like it has been in the past, with brawls on the House floor, and beatings on the Senate floor.

FlanaganReport said:

I would be interested in seeing a graph of filibuster activity if one exists.

Well, I grew up in a political climate and family, so perhaps I just view that as "the manner in which politics works."

Well, with such a minority, perhaps the view is the only way they can orchestrate a serious debate is to conduct actions like delaying a nomination etc.

Well, the perception of Congress in general is at an all time low, so I am not sure we can really drawn conclusions based on that alone. That said, we certainly live in a partisan time, but it is nothing like it has been in the past, with brawls on the House floor, and beatings on the Senate floor.

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I will look for a filibuster chart for you. I've seen them, going only up to 2008, IIRC.

The comment re: Republicans in Congress are based on polling comparing Congressional Republicans specifically, not Congress in general.

And, pure obstructionism isn't the typical manner of a minority party conducting themselves. What is typical is loyal opposition, not obstructionism.

jackalope said:

I will look for a filibuster chart for you. I've seen them, going only up to 2008, IIRC.

The comment re: Republicans in Congress are based on polling comparing Congressional Republicans specifically, not Congress in general.

And, pure obstructionism isn't the typical manner of a minority party conducting themselves. What is typical is loyal opposition, not obstructionism.

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Filibuster chart:




The Real Story of the 110th Congress: The Right-Wing Block-And-Blame Game | OurFuture.org


There are other ones at this google link:
Google


Interestingly, at the google search, I found a blurb about a chart from 2005 rebutting Republican complaints of obstructionism regarding blocking nominees. At the time the blurb was written, twenty-six of the blocked noms (which was over 75% of them !) were initiated by Republicans.

Seems to me even more than 26 noms have been blocked by GOPers this year. They are taking their own over-reaching to new heights, if the data from the blurb is correct. I cannot verify it b/c all the links go to dead pages. (It was the first link on the Google search, in case you're interested.)

jackalope said:

Fascinating. Another strong conservative/republican argument in favor of obstructing. Or, perhaps, not fascinating at all.

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....versus another Liberal hypocritical attempt to justify unconstitutional actions by a Government spiraling out of control. :2wave:

jackalope said:

Filibuster chart:

The Real Story of the 110th Congress: The Right-Wing Block-And-Blame Game | OurFuture.org


There are other ones at this google link:
Google


Interestingly, at the google search, I found a blurb about a chart from 2005 rebutting Republican complaints of obstructionism regarding blocking nominees. At the time the blurb was written, twenty-six of the blocked noms (which was over 75% of them !) were initiated by Republicans.

Seems to me even more than 26 noms have been blocked by GOPers this year. They are taking their own over-reaching to new heights, if the data from the blurb is correct. I cannot verify it b/c all the links go to dead pages. (It was the first link on the Google search, in case you're interested.)

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I appreciate the links.

I wonder if this chart accounts for things like a filibuster on the motion to proceed to the measure’s consideration, a filibuster on the measure itself, which would make two cloture votes on one issue, which could possibly inflate the numbers.

Also, given that cloture votes are unlikely to really fail, the increase in cloture votes in a Senate that was split more or less 50-50, it might actually speak more to bipartisanship than it does to partisanship. Just a thought.

Harry Guerrilla said:

GOP to block health nominees in Medicare spat - Yahoo! News

This is quite unconstitutional to issue gag orders for no other reason than to deter dissent over bills.

How authoritarian of them.

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Let me get this straight... it is 'authoritarian' of the Republicans to use common rules to put pressure on the Dems to stop limiting what the companies can say? Really?

That's just bassackwards.