Today in Washington D. C. - Aug 4, 2009 - Are we now becoming the "Obama Banana Republic?"

Senate resumed consideration of H.R. 2997, the fiscal year 2010 Agriculture appropriations bill. The bill provides $124.5 billion for the USDA, the FDA, and farm programs. The Senate will vote on two amendments by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) which would strike an earmark for the Iowa Vitality Center and remove funding for a watershed program that previous presidents have proposed to eliminate. Yesterday, the Senate voted to invoke cloture (end debate) on the Kohl-Brownback substitute amendment to the Agriculture appropriations bill and rejected a McCain amendment to strike $17.5 million for Rural Utilities Service grants. Sen. John McCain continues to learn that his "My Friends" - the Dems across the isle - are really not his "friends." While we can be mildly glad to find him offering amendments against earmarks, his prior compromising on issues has made him a "left behind lame duck."

Later this afternoon the Senate is expected to finish work on the Agriculture appropriations bill and begin floor debate on the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

In this last week before the Senate's August recess, Senate Democrats seem disorganized and rattled by the health care debate. Democrats who are willing to meet with publicly with constituents are taking heat from citizens at town hall meetings, and they seem unsure what to do, other than attack. As discussed later, President Obama has called Democrat senators to the White House in an attempt to regroup.

According to The Hill, there seems to be disagreement among Democrats on the Finance Committee and their leadership over whether there’s a September 15th deadline for bipartisan health care negotiations. “[Sen. Max ] Baucus . . . downplayed reports the he had until Sept. 15 to complete work on the bill. . . . But Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the third-ranking Democratic leader and a Finance Committee member who is not part of the negotiating group, touted the Sept. 15 deadline during a conference call with reporters earlier Monday.” At the same time, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), who’s part of Baucus’ negotiations, told reporters that there is “not a firm deadline.” The word is that the Democrat leadership does not care what the people have to say and are willing to use political procedure called "reconciliation" [a deceptive term] to block discussions and negotiation. Such procedure would allow the Senate to treat this new health care bill simply as a budget bill requiring only 51% of the Senators to agree verse the normal 60 votes.

Outside of Washington, things appear more troubling for Democrats. The ARRA News Service reported on Senator Arlen Specter and the health and human services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius being heckled and booed in Philadelphia at a town hall meeting. Other news reports reflect that in Austin, a throng of protesters enveloped Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), at a supermarket where he was meeting with constituents. They carried signs that said ‘No Socialized Health Care’ and chanted ‘Just say no!’ In Morrisville, Pa., Representative Patrick J. Murphy (D-PA) expected 25 people at a ‘Congressman on Your Corner’ event on Saturday. Instead he was met by a boisterous crowd of about 150 and a barrage of questions on health care. Politico points to two more such meetings. Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) “was the latest member of Congress to face a hostile crowd as he took questions on health care at a town hall event.” And Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH) “was heckled on several occasions by those opposed to the reform plans proposed by Democrats and President Barack Obama,” according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Apparently not equipped to defend their health care plans on the merits, Democrats have taken to attacking the people questioning them. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin declared such meetings as “a sucker-punch,” claiming that it’s simply a tactic to drown out discussion. And this morning, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said to reporters, “I hope people will take a jaundiced eye to what is clearly the astroturf nature of grassroots lobbying.” According to Politico, “Gibbs suggested protests against Obama’s health care push were the product of ‘manufactured anger.’” Has anyone else noticed that Robert Gibbs is no Tony Snow? It is hard to believe that a person who doesn't appear to be informed over half the time and is evasive, insulting or arrogant the rest of the time is the White House Press Secretary.

The Washington Post noted that everyone involved isn’t necessarily on the same page: “The meeting comes as Senate Democrats are growing increasingly weary of bipartisan health care reform negotiations being run by Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT). . . . And some Democrats have grumbled the president is not doing enough to back a government-run health insurance program, which some liberals view as an important step in any reform effort.” Well, let have the government run insurance industry.

With Democrats scrambling to respond to criticisms of their unaffordable government-run health care plans, President Obama is bringing Senate Democrats to the White House today to regroup [or better said a group indoctrination]. It’s telling that Obama feels the need to huddle with Democrat senators just days before they leave on recess to get everybody pointed in the same direction on a central policy of the president's, which many assumed would be passed by this point. Isn't one of our unique designs in government is "separation of powers"? When did the people of the U.S. elect their Senators to fall into line with pressure by the President or his White House staff? Are we now becoming the "Obama Banana Republic?"

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Tags: Obama Banana Republic, Banana Republic, health care reform, Max Baucus, Chuck Schumer, Jeff Bingaman, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!