Steele: 'Moderate Democrats Sacrificed Their Principles'

Hey Michael... I'm not at home with my family. I'm sitting in my office working. You see, I need the money for health care.

As opposed to Mr. Steele and the other Republican leaders and the right-wing commentators who have no principles whatsoever.

Some fact-checking:

"Tonight a number of moderate Democrats sacrificed their principles"

False. Historically, the Democratic party has embraced freedom of debate and discussion; you could say that a willingness to discuss difficult subjects is one of the core principles of the Democratic party.

"to give Harry Reid a victory"

Is the bill passed yet? No? Then, false.

"that brings America dangerously closer to having a government-run health care system."

False. No reputable economist or health insurance professional believes the bill will create (or even foster at a later date) a 'government-run health care system'.

"Make no mistake: this was not a free vote."

False. Senators are allowed to vote however they want. There have been no reports of Reid seriously threatening committee chairmanships or other Senate privileges for Dems who vote no.

"A vote in favor of this procedural motion paves the way for the bill's final adoption,"

True. Bills that get to the floor have a much higher probability of passing, in the end.

"which would impose a government-run health care experiment on America"

False. See above, Mr. Steele.

"that increases premiums,"

False. Economists say otherwise.

"increases taxes,"

True. But it has to be paid for and the budget has to be balanced somehow.

"cuts Medicare"

Dubious. The "cuts" to Medicare reflect a series of wasteful programs that do not make senior citizens healthier and are exhorbitantly expensive.

"and allows for taxpayer-funded abortions."

False. It's not in the bill, Mr. Steele. Read, please.

"As the recent elections in Virginia and New Jersey showed,"

Dubious. The national political mood is extremely weakly correlated with state election results.

"Harry Reid's health care scheme is exactly what voters do not want."

Dubious. Most voters don't actually know what's in thhe bill.

"President Obama, Harry Reid and their liberal Senate allies will surely gloat and pat themselves on the back for winning tonight's vote"

True. They'll probably be happy, but this isn't really a matter of substance.

"in the dark of night during a rare Saturday session,"

True. It was Saturday. And meetings of the Senate on Saturday do happen sometimes.

"while Americans were home with their families."

Mostly true. I was on a train, the Senators were in the Senate chamber and a lot of reporters were in the Senate chamber watching the Senators. (We're Americans too!) But I suspect most Americans were in fact at home with their families.

"But as they do, those moderate Democrats who voted for Harry Reid's bill will have to answer to their constituents."

True. Blanche Lincoln voting against a public option is going to kill her chances of re-election. She will have no supporters on the left, and no friends on the right either. She might be primaried out, paving for an easy GOP victory.

Still, the same might happen to Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and a handful of other Republicans.

So a lot of the stuff in your statements is just plainly, utterly false. Mr. Steele, I know you're worried, like Sen. Hatch is, that if this bill passes it will seriously endanger the GOP. But please don't let your rational political concerns interfere with the facts. It just makes you look like an idiot.

Yet again, a blind, moronic political move by Steele.

Even if this is what you think, you don't start harassing the moderates you need to kill this bill on its final vote.

I know how you can REALLY get these senators on your side, Michael. How about questioning their patriotism every single day until the vote. I'm SURE that'll do the trick.

Funny hearing that a vote to proceed with debate is regarded as "unprincipled" by the party that spent years whining about how everything deserved an up-or-down vote.

Are Michael & Sarah dating now? Boosts the IQ to 70.