Specter: "Town Hall Meetings Not Representative of All Americans"

by Samica Knight

Despite angry hecklers, Senator Arlen Specter believes that his town hall meetings concerning health care reform have been productive.

The Pennsylvania Senator, who recently made a switch to the Democratic party, said in the nearly 30 years that he has conducted town hall meetings, he has 'never seen people so angry.'

Specter held a press conference in Harrisburg Wednesday just hours after he faced another tough crowd of protesters concerning President Obama's health care reform bill. This, after a highly contentious town hall meeting Tuesday in Lebanon County where a heckler was shoved by another man. (read more)

Blue Dogs, White House, and House Leadership Strike a Deal

by mcjoan

CNN and The Hill are reporting that House leadership and the White House struck a deal with Energy and Commerce Blue Dogs to allow for E&C mark-up to continue:

In exchange for putting off a floor vote until after Labor Day, the Energy and Commerce Committee may be allowed to continue its markup of the healthcare bill this week even if an agreement has not been reached between committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and seven Energy and Commerce Blue Dogs over the content of the bill.

Asked if House leaders had told Democrats that there will be no House vote on healthcare before Friday, Blue Dog Co-Chairwoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) said, "I don’t think [leaders have] made public statements to that regard, but my understanding is that that would be part of an agreement, if they actually do move forward with an Energy and Commerce markup, that there will be no vote on the House floor until after Labor Day." (read whole story)

NewsArteests on: HEALTH CARE COSTS

BY DEAN ROHRER

BY JOHN OVERMYER

BY PAUL LACHINE

BY BARRIE MAGUIRE

BY JON KRAUSE

BY TIM BRINTON

BY STEVE ANSUL

BY BARRIE MAGUIRE