AlterPolitics

This is the kind of leadership those on the Left have been craving for.  According to Huffington Post Nancy Pelosi called together a closed door meeting at the Democratic caucus, and she is pressuring the Representatives to ‘stand up and be counted’ on a robust public option:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ramped up the pressure on wavering Democrats Friday morning, calling on them to state in front of their colleagues where they stand on a “robust” public health insurance option.

Robust has become a code word on the Hill that means a public option tied to Medicare rates; it is the preferred policy of progressives.

At a closed door meeting of the Democratic caucus, Pelosi ordered the party roll to be called. Reporters outside the room could hear names being called out loudly.

The question they faced, according to Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.): If the health care bill has a robust public option, will you vote for it on the House floor?

I’m in awe!  Why hasn’t Sen. Harry Reid displayed this kind of leadership over in the Senate?!

The ONLY WAY the Republicans in the Senate can squash health care reform is by getting ONE Democrat to join them in stopping an up or down vote.  The Republicans can’t do it alone — they need ONE DEMOCRAT to become the ‘Benedict Arnold’ of health care reform — and Harry Reid seems more interested in providing this or that Democrat cover, than exposing them to the American public for what they are.

I’ve had my differences with some of Speaker Pelosi’s past positions (i.e. providing cover for Bush Administration illegalities), but I have earned a great deal of respect for her, as of late.  By the way, it’s worth noting that when Pelosi called the closed door meeting, several Democratic Congressional members literally fled the room, terrified of exposure:

Some members left the meeting in an apparent attempt to avoid the roll call. Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kansas), a key swing vote, left before the roll was called and told Huffington Post he has yet to be surveyed. Asked if he’d back the robust public option, he demurred. “I’m gonna wait and see,” he said.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), exiting the meeting, told reporters that the survey would continue throughout the day.

Democrats should start taking note of these Senators and Congressmen who evade their responsibilities to the American people.  They are desperate to keep their true intentions on health care reform from being made public.  We need to target each and every one of them during the next elections.  It’s time the American people focused on rewarding ONLY the ones who put OUR interests first, and punishing the ones who legislate counter to our best interests — regardless of their party.  A Democrat or Independent (i.e. Joe Lieberman) who legislates like a Republican, should be targeted like a Republican.

MoveOn.org is now gathering votes from its members on the following question:  “Should MoveOn refuse to support the re-election of any senator who helps block an up-or-down vote on a health care reform bill with a public option?” PLEASE, Go here and vote ‘YES’ to MoveOn’s question.  Trust me, this will give these ‘wavering’ Senators something significant to consider as they position themselves on probably the most important issue now facing our country.

UPDATE:

Jane Hamsher of FireDogLake has just revealed from sources at Huffington Post that Harry Reid is busy at work pulling a fast one over on the American people:

“[Reid] is just one or two Senate votes shy of having a filibuster-proof majority in favor of a public option for health insurance coverage with a provision allowing states to opt-out.”

“One or two votes shy?” That means Reid is allowing members of the Democratic caucus to threaten a filibuster behind closed doors, which dictates what will be in the bill he brings to the floor, but he won’t tell the public. It’s the “silent filibuster” that I guess you don’t need to know about, because you’re not a member of the exclusive club who decides whether you get affordable health care while Wellpoint gets a bailout.

Reid is essentially taking the very opposite approach of what Nancy Pelosi just did, today.  While Pelosi is forcing Dems in Congress to go on the public record — thereby exposing their positions in favor of, or against, the public option, Reid is providing cover for the Blue Dog Health Insurance pawns in the Senate — allowing them to destroy real health care reform behind closed doors.

It appears MoveOn needs to add Harry Reid to that running list …

UPDATE II:

Here’s a new video by Who Runs Gov that lists the different Blue Dog Democrats, some of whom will likely be standing with the Republicans and voting to deny Americans real health care reform :

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vcyb3IKOqg[/youtube]