Michael Steele Invokes “Harry And Louise” Without Mentioning They Back Obama’s Plan
With the new Washington Post poll showing Obama slipping on the issues, Republicans smell blood on health care, and RNC chair Michael Steele just delivered a speech this morning flaying Obama’s health care plan as a “dangerous experiment.”
But Steele seemed to complicate his message a bit with this line:
We all remember Harry and Louise. Harry and Louise helped save us from Hillary Clinton’s health care experiment in 1994. This year, Harry and Louise have been replaced by another couple — Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.
Harry and Nancy aren’t really doctors…but they are playing doctor in Washington, experimenting with health care, insisting on a big government takeover.
Actually, Harry and Louise, who famously starred in the ads that helped kill Bill Clinton’s health care plan, are still around. But this time, they’ve gone to bat for Obama’s plan, which is to say, they support the “dangerous experiment” Steele attacked today.
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Hey Greg, do you have a link to Steele’s remarks?
Oh and DNC, DSCC, and any other Democratic advocacy groups who might read this blog, how hard is it to pull archived footage of Republicans complaining about health care reform during the Clinton years and then mix it with footage of the same bullsh*t arguments being made today by Steele and other GOPers? I mean seriously, these ads should write themselves.
Wow, this could be the easiest smackdown against Steele yet.
Hey Michael…how much have Health Insurance premiums gone up for people in this country since 1994? Now shut up.
Health Insurance Premiums have not gone up as much for congress and fed employees. Congress will keep what it has, but then, they are the new priveleged feudal lords and the people that elect them are their serfs. Through history the only thing that changes are the sources of power that produce the elite and the methods the elite use to stay in power. If you are not one of the elite you are a serf. If you are a middle class serf just live your life as comfortably as you can afford and try to pass it on to your kids if you have any.
Yo SG — I don’t have a link…will update if I find one. And I agree with you and BBQ about the ads. I’ve been surprised that the similarities to 1994 haven’t been hit on more.
I concur with SG and BBQ – why in the world aren’t they pulling the very ads from 1994 and comparing to present day…it is pretty obvious…the R’s are using the same arguments now that they were then…you could do a comparison and then ask something along the lines of “In light of everything that has happened to the American People, Have R’s changed their view of anything in the last fifteen years?” – I mean you can completely deflate these GOP talking points, because as we all know…R’s don’t really want to change anything about healthcare, except maybe tax cuts, they never have…they do not want change…they want to keep it the same – FORGET 60 and go with Reconciliation!!
Thanks Greg. I was hoping you had one because it seems that nobody has put it up online eventhough supposedly the text of his comments were sent out to everybody. From what I understand it drew heavily from Frank Luntz’ leaked memo on how to kill healthcare and thats another thing that has been lacking in the push back from Democrats. Every single Republican is using Luntz’s rhetoric and nobody calls them out for it. And make no mistake, its clear that his memo was all about KILLING health care reform not shaping it to more like what a Republican would want. Probably because what a Republican would want would be what we already have.
Jenn D, I read somewhere that in order to use reconciliation Obama would have to wait until November. For some reason, they wrote it that way.
One more thing, Michael Steele will be on Hardball tonight with Chris Matthews and although I am boycotting MSNBC for as long as they keep Pat Buchanan on the payroll I am sure most of you might want to tune in because there will probably be several youtube worthy moments. I fully expect Tweety to beat him down mercilessly, especially on health care.
@SG: I agree that it’s shocking Dems haven’t hammered this point home…but less so when you remember, it’s Democrats we’re talking about. They have the messaging instincts of mercury-laden tuna.
I also think the Luntz angle should be a line of assault, but not only because it was designed soley to kill healthcare. I think there’s a very powerful angle about how they are only opposing it by political means for political gain – totally ignoring the plight of so many Americans.
If you drive that point home, over and over again, you not only take out their arguments on Health Care Reform…but you develope a meme against all their nay-saying. “Ignoring the problems our country faces to score political points? Looks like the Party of No got their new political talking points from Luntz again!” could then become an opening arguement for every battle coming up – climate change, EFCA, DADT, etc.
Greg, TPM has the text of the speech posted. Check out his “reforms”. The dude claims that just by doctors posting online what the costs of their procedures are that those costs will just magically go down. Talk about unicorns, ponies, and pixie dust!
SGW–you should send that idea for the ad to OFA. That or at least suggest the idea of using it as a talking point. I am phonebanking this week and I am going to be using it myself. Thanks for that. And by the way–if any of you have time do some phone calls I can tell you it makes a difference.
It doesn’t seem like it would be wise to compare the Repub strategy via the same ads as ran back in 1994 . . . considering that those ads WORKED!
@jennD: Going the reconciliation route means that reform of the insurance industry would probably NOT be included. There’s a mess of complications when you go that route:
“The key question is what would be included under reconciliation and what would be the status of pre-existing industry deals, such as one struck with pharmaceutical companies that would reportedly raise $80 billion in revenue over 10 years or one with hospitals that agreed to take a $155 billion hit over a decade . . . many of the broader initiatives, such as insurance market reforms, would most likely not go on reconciliation. . . many of the health care reform proposals can’t be scored by the CBO and would not be able to go on reconciliation, unless there was a 60-vote majority willing to waive the Budget Act. “A lot of people don’t understand how difficult it is to meet all the Byrd rule exclusions,” he said, adding that Democrats looked at the idea back in 1994 during health care negotiations. . . If health care reform gets lumped into reconciliation, Dove said the process will not be pretty. “It involves weeks, sometimes months, of people coming in and going through in detail what it is they’re arguing for or against, and then the Parliamentarian weighs the back and forth,” Dove said. “It’s not fun.”
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_5/vested/36701-1.html?type=printer_friendly
But this is just how Steele rolls, baby!
I was recently told by my new insurance company that my treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis will not be covered. The longer the appeals process takes, the more damage is done to my joints. Private insurance — now that is a dangerous experiment.
I think Dick Steele is at it again. The voice of the Republican Party has spoken, but once again Dick you have put your foot in your mouth.It’s not important that Harry and Louise are the examples that you have to support your theory about the healthplan but that they are in favor of it.Dick you should get your facts straight before you start flapping off at the chops.