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The Spectacle Blog

Play The Deciphering Roland Burris Game

By Philip Klein on 12.14.09 @ 8:03PM

With reports swirling that Democrats agreed to ditch the public option and the the Medicare expansion in order to get the votes needed to pass a health care bill, Sen. Roland Burris took to the Senate floor.

Burris, a single-payer advocate and strong government plan backer, is one of a handful of Senate liberals who Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would need to win over to pass a scaled back bill.

Depending on how you look at them, Burris' remarks could either be viewed as him preparing to cave in, or standing his ground.

He started his remarks with a history of past compromises that were required to create programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

“Our most optimistic ideas must often be tempered with a pragmatic reality,” he acknowleged.

Burris said, "“Let us pass this health care legislation, but let us also do it right. Let’s not pass something just to pass something.”

Then he used a Ghandi quote that suggested some compromises went too far. “All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals," he said, quoting Ghandi. "Any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender.”

While saying he had few details about the compromise being discussed, he said, "I do have deep reservations, deep concerns about what I’ve heard up to this point."

“I am committed to voting for a bill that achieves the goals of a public option, competition, cost savings and accountability," he explained. "I will not be able to vote for lesser legislation that ignores these fundamentals. I will continue to fight every day to strengthen this legislation until it’s final moments on this floor.”

He wrapped up his remarks by saying, "My colleagues may have forged a compromise bill that can achieve the 60 votes that will be needed for its passage, but until this bill addresses costs, competition, and accountability in a meaningful way, it will not win my vote.”

View all comments (12) | Leave a comment

Ken (Old Texican)| 12.14.09 @ 9:07PM

Are his lips moving?

Yeah?

He's lying.

Real American| 12.14.09 @ 10:10PM

it's idiotic that Burris (and other liberals) pretend that the government selling health insurance constitutes real market competition. They should just be honest and admit that they want the government to run every mundane aspect of our lives.

Matt| 12.14.09 @ 11:00PM

I think Burris is the most interesting man in the Senate. He speaks out of both sides of his mouth, and he ends up siding with some really appalling positions, but because he's a pariah in his party he throws some surprises out from time to time.

I wish the Dems had a house full of Burrises.

dum&dummer;| 12.14.09 @ 11:05PM

real american, key words in your post are, they should just be honest. if liberals were ever honest about anything they would never get elected. i think maybe the electorate is finally beginning to understand this. at least i hope.

Dave B| 12.15.09 @ 3:46AM

I feel it necessary to bring the argument back to a basic premise. The Constitution, that these idiots swore an oath to uphold and protect from enemies foreign and domestic seems to have become nothing more than a piece of toilet paper to wipe themselves. As a law enforcement officer for over 34 years I am appalled that there are people in power that are entrusted with such an important task and public trust... to uphold and defend our Constitution, and they are doing what they're doing. Can you imagine a soldier or a police officer acting in such a way as to totally ignore what our duties are supposed to be, the oaths we took, and not being called to task for it? We can not accept the premise that government has any right whatsoever to interfere with our private lives to the extent they can dictate ANYTHING about our choices of insurance, medical treatment, nevermind force us to pay for others to partake in what many consider morally wrong (abortion) and make legislation to throw us in jail for not buying something that the government MANDATES us to buy. Where the hell in the Constitution, the Declaration, or anywhere else is that even remotely comparable to what our Founding Fathers envisioned or what they fought, sacrificed, and died for? Where did they find that type of power?
I'm of the opinion that these bastards pushing this stuff and other stuff through or trying to should be considered borderline traitors. When I see what many of them are doing with respect to restricting our military, law enforcement, border patrol, CIA, Federal law enforcement officers, their stances on granting non-existent rights to terrorists to the extent they offer them platforms to spew their anti-American rhetoric on a world wide platform while at the same time endangering citizens of this country that are begging them not to do such a thing, inflicting additional pain on them... I believe that treason by way of aiding and comforting the enemy, violation of the allegiance owed by somebody to his or her own country, e.g. by aiding an enemy, and comforting the enemy is not out of the question. I see the rights of citizens being violated at voting booths by Black Panthers being ignored but rights being bestowed upon terrorists that murdered thousands of our citizens. This President, our Attorney General, and all the czars and cabinet appointees that seem to think they are in a high school and have just been voted in as the class President and other positions because they were "cool" must be slapped back into the reality of our situation. They act as if majority rules in this country unless the majority rejects them and their ideas, and over two-hundred years of history, our founding documents, and the will of the people can be completely ignored. These naive idealogues are dangerous bastards that are going to destroy our country, compromise our safety and our children's futures because they think it's
"neat" and "in" with the elitist morons that have always been anti-American and anti-capitalist. No hyperbole here. Police officers and soldiers learn to to on "hyper-alert" about our environment in order to survive so we might be the first ones that see what's going on in reality. "Ideas" and "theories" don't affect us, we don't consider them, we only see what is actually happening and the circumstances as they really exist. Most of us are waiting for others to catch up. We're already wondering where the hell everyone else is and why they don't see what we are seeing. What's it going to take? Are you waiting for the Government to order us to disarm you or throw you in jail for not buying insurance? Much like hunters that appreciate wildlife, fishermen that appreciate conservation, farmers that must slaughter for meat but love, care for, and respect animals more than most, we appreciate and cherish the rights that we have sworn an oath to protect. Our country is on the brink and the men in uniform know it already.

Ret. Marine| 12.15.09 @ 5:37AM

Yeah I see this rant, all beit true, as a sign of frustration Dave, much like the rants of other post. You are not alone with these truths. It has almost come to a point in this country that being a law abiding, tax paying, hard working sensible person with the courage and conviction to "do what is right" is looked at as if there's something wrong in our heads. As I sit this early morning, it's 4:22 in the am I should be sleeping. But as Rome burns around us I can no longer get the eight most think is usual and required for one to make sound decisions. We as a free peoples are at a tipping point here Dave, and like you, I feel the burdens of all the insanity around me. You know that edgy feeling one gets right before doing battle, or pulling over a person who just doesn't look right in their demeanor or actions. You are not alone, likely many, many more are at this point as well but, articulation is not the best of their suits, we all feel it coming. So keep the powder dry, your spirits up and look forward to the day when We the People assign one another to bring to justice those who would wish our types off to the dust bin of history. If they had the conviction and courage to do the right thing, we would not be in the mess we see around us today. They will get their turn in justifing their dangerous deeds, their traitorist actions, and their greedy ambitions will be exposed. Maybe the day after we will be able to sleep and turn off the frustration button while knowing the "reset" button has been turned on. But, as you may know Freedom is an eight to your eight and the rest will come later for many of us.

James| 12.15.09 @ 9:18AM

laptop power supply, as a farmer, I agree with you. Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" so well described something which happened when I was in the service it made me shiver. I think the song applies again.

DGS| 12.15.09 @ 9:25AM

I stumbled upon this story while looking for something else. It, along with the readers' fatuous comments, served as a good reminder about why I am not a conservative anymore.