The Health Care "Open Process" Behind "Closed Doors"

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): “There Has Never Been A More Open Process For Any Piece Of Legislation.” (“Pelosi Responds To C-SPAN: ‘There Has Never Been A More Open Process,’” The Hill, 1/5/10)

For More Than 80 Days Democrats Have Been Conducting “Secret” Negotiations & Making “Backroom” Deals “Behind Closed Doors”

This Month, Democrats Are Conducting “Secret” Negotiations“Democrats Are Starting To Mash Together The Senate And House Health-Care Bills, All Of The Negotiations Taking Place In Secret.” (“ObamaCare On Drugs,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/2/10)

In November and December Democrats Secured Senate Votes in “Backroom Negotiations”“After Months Of Buildup, The Historic Debate On Health Care Reform Opens On The Senate Floor Monday — But The C-SPAN Cameras Won’t See The Real Action.” (“Dems Seek Deal As Sen. Debate Begins,” Politico, 11/30/09)

“The Next Phase in the Democrats’ Health Care Push Will Be Waged in the Privacy of the Senate Leadership Office, where Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will attempt to do something that has eluded him all year: negotiate a compromise on the public insurance option that can garner 60 votes and win over a public still leery of reform.” (“Dems Seek Deal As Sen. Debate Begins,” Politico, 11/30/09)

Sen. Harry Reid Is Conducting “Backroom Negotiations” To Secure Votes For The Health Care Bill. “Nelson, who has said he will vote against the bill because of the public option, will be a prime target of Reid’s backroom negotiations.” (“Dems Seek Deal As Sen. Debate Begins,” Politico, 11/30/09)

In October Senate Negotiations Were an “Invitation-Only Affair . . . Behind Closed Doors”“But Now, As A Senate Vote On Health-Care Legislation Nears, Those Negotiations Are Occurring In A Setting That Is Anything But Revolutionary In Washington: Three Senators Are Working On The Bill Behind Closed Doors. Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-NV) sits at the head of a wooden table at his office as he and Sens. Christopher J. Dodd (D-CN) and Max Baucus (D-MT) work to merge two competing versions of health-care legislation into one bill. The three men will be joined by top aides as well as by members of President Obama's health-care team, led by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. The sessions started on Wednesday and could be completed this week.” (“Small Group Now Leads Closed Negotiations On Health-Care Bill,” The Washington Post, 10/18/09)

·         Senate Negotiations Were “An Invitation-Only Affair In Reid's Office.” “But after weeks of Senate Finance Committee public hearings, the Senate negotiations are now an invitation-only affair in Reid's office. The majority leader is unlikely to expand his group, even as some senators unhappy with parts of the legislation, such as John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV), have asked to be in the room.” (“Small Group Now Leads Closed Negotiations On Health-Care Bill,” The Washington Post, 10/18/09)

Health Care Discussions Began Last Spring With An “Undisclosed Meeting” Of Corporate Lobbyists“At A Meeting Last April With Corporate Lobbyists, Aides To President Barack Obama And Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) Helped Set In Motion A Multimillion-Dollar Advertising Campaign, Primarily Financed By Industry Groups, that has played a key role in bolstering public support for health care reform.” (“Exclusive: How Dems Set Stage For Corporate-Backed Health Care Campaign,” Politico, 10/16/09)

·         The “Previously Undisclosed Meeting” Led To The Creation Of Two Groups That Have Done Millions In Advertising Supporting Health Care Reform. “The previously undisclosed meeting April 15 at the offices of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee led to the creation of two groups — Americans for Stable Quality Care and a now-defunct predecessor group called Healthy Economy Now — that have spent tens of millions of dollars on TV advertising supporting health reform efforts.” (“Exclusive: How Dems Set Stage For Corporate-Backed Health Care Campaign,” Politico, 10/16/09)

·         “One Ethics Expert, However, Said The Meeting Still Raises Issues. No Matter How Careful Messina And Selib Were To Avoid Conversation About Healthy Economy Now, Their Mere Presence At What Proved To Be The Coalition’s Creation Raises Questions, according to Bill Allison, a senior fellow at the Sunlight Foundation, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group that advocates for greater transparency and ethics in government.” (“Exclusive: How Dems Set Stage For Corporate-Backed Health Care Campaign,” Politico, 10/16/09)

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