Congressional Cellophane

In 2006, when the Democrats once again regained a majority in Congress, they promised a new era of transparency in government. Then, with an abetting media that pummeled President Bush with virtually no quarter given, Barack Hussein Obama promised the same see-through form of government, leading to an easy electoral victory over Republican candidate John McCain in the General Election that landed him in the White House and the most powerful position on the planet.

The problem is, the people who voted for Obama never really had much time to realize the suffocating peril of the Democratic brand of "transparency" and so, were caught off guard once the product was delivered November 4th, 2009. Sadly, there is no return policy such as offered by the Home Shopping Channel. We bought the goods with a certain risk attached and now stare forlornly at the pile of steaming dung in our living rooms, and are stuck with the monthly payments.

Retailers years ago began packaging products in clear, cellophane wrapping so that consumers could see the product before buying. It was designed to boost sales by offering the consumer a better visual of a marvelous product. Now, the Democrat controlled Congress is moving with a stealth that defies their early promises of transparency, trying to ram through their vaunted health care reform bills, which will be presented to the public in a plain, brown wrapper. Perhaps when we open it they will yell "SURPRISE!" in unison.

Pelosi and Reid are moving swiftly to reconcile both chambers' versions of the bills they each passed last year. In the process, they have basically told their impotent Republican counterparts to take that plastic bag marked "this is not a toy" and place it over their heads. (And I still can't imagine just how terrible the final product will be, when the Democrats so cavalierly seem poised to jeopardize the super-majority they currently enjoy. Certainly they must realize the political suicide they undertake).

Not only are the Republicans being left out of the process, but pesky House Democrats who object to the "federal funds for abortion" aspects are also being avoided. Henry Waxman (D-CA) is going back to Washington on Tuesday to hold secret meetings with both leaders, a full week before the House officially reconvenes. And Waxman says that the process for moving the bill forward will not involve the standard House/Senate conference committee - where normal reconciliation takes place - so that the Democrats can avoid the motions to select and instruct conferees in the Senate. It seems that they can't be bothered with protocol which would require another 60-vote majority for final passage.

All of this chicanery and yet, the majority of Americans - 52% as of yesterday - are opposed to it. Our elected officials clearly believe that they no longer work for us, the people. And the once dedicated watchdogs in the press clearly no longer care.

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No Mail For You!

Democrats continue to raise obfuscation to an art form, wantonly contradicting the fiscal predictions of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) by insisting on telling the American people that their proposals will actually reduce the deficit. One Democrat congressman even went so far as to tell a town hall meeting that Obama's Universal Health Care would create a $6 billion surplus, much to the chagrin of the audience who promptly heckled him nearly off the stage. Hannity discussed this meeting and the video clearly shows that the audience is obviously better informed than the congressman assessed.



Last night President Obama had yet another televised press conference in which he blathered on at length about a proposal which he has previously admitted that he is unfamiliar. When a caller to a show that Obama was on recently asked about the provision on page sixteen of the bill that would prohibit people from getting new private insurance, Obama confessed that he was "unfamiliar with that portion" of the bill. That doesn't stop him from bloviating on the subject with platitudinous rhetoric, however.

Now we have the controlling Democrats in the House of Representatives who are actually blocking House Republicans from sending out mailings to their constituents that are critical of the health care proposal. According to Roll Call:

Democrats are preventing Republican House Members from sending their constituents a mailing that is critical of the majority’s health care reform plan, blocking the mailing by alleging that it is inaccurate.

House Republicans are crying foul and claiming that the Democrats are using their majority to prevent GOP Members from communicating with their constituents.

The dispute centers on a chart created by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Republican staff of the Joint Economic Committee to illustrate the organization of the Democratic health care plan.

When the Democrats retook Congress in 2006, they promised transparency and bi-partisanship. We have seen neither from them. All during the excruciatingly long campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama promised a new atmosphere of cooperation and transparency. So far he has managed to break his promises one by one, teaming with his fellow Democrats in ramming through pieces of legislation that no one - including those who actually vote on them - has had time to read.

Now, even in the face of growing opposition to this health care plan and accompanying evidence and analyses that portend economic disaster, Obama and Congressional Democrats simply say that all of it is untrue. Deny, deny, deny. This is how they claim that their motives for blocking Republicans' correspondence with their constituents are based on rules. That seems awfully convenient; simply censor your opposition by claiming that they are lying.

I hope the Democrats savor the flavor, and remember this tactic's usefulness in 2011.

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