House Dem Refuses to Back Down from “Fascist” Remark
Email ABC News' David Chalian Reports: Congressman Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, refused to back down from his attempt to paint some of the rowdy health care town hall protesters as employing a “fascist tactic.”"The people who are bringing fascism into the debate are the people who are using fascist tactics not to disagree but to keep members of Congress from explaining their positions to their constituents and to keep their constituents from asking questions,” Rep. Nadler told ABC News’ “Top Line” when we asked him about his recent rhetoric in the Huffington Post. “If you want to go to a town hall meeting and ask hostile questions, skeptical questions, make very hostile remarks, that’s your privilege,” said Nadler.”But if you want to go to a town hall meeting for the purpose of making sure that nobody can be heard, that it can’t be discussed that is a fascist tactic and we ought to be labeling it for what it is. Now, I’m not saying that people who opposed healthcare are fascist. God forbid, I would never say that. But people whose aim it is to prevent the discussion, they are using fascist tactics,” he added.Serving as a reminder of just how tough it will be for President Obama to unify the left, middle, and center of his party, Congressman Nadler drew a bright red line in the sand on his vote for healthcare reform. The final version of the bill to come out of the House and Senate conference must have a government run/public health insurance option or Mr. Nadler will not be voting for it.
“I will not vote and many of us will not vote for a final House/Senate compromise without a public option in it because we’re not going to throw hundreds of billions of dollars at the insurance companies and enact a program that will be unsustainable in the long run,” Nadler told us.After sensing some shakiness in the Obama administration’s support for the public option, many liberal Democrats are stiffening their collective spine and making it clear to the White House that they feel they have already made sufficient compromises.”We’ve already compromised repeatedly. First we compromised by saying alright we won’t do a single payer plan, we’ll do a public option. Then we compromised by saying alright, the public option won’t be open to everybody. . . it will only be open to unemployed people or people whose employers don’t offer health insurance. Then we compromised by saying alright, we won’t base the reimbursement rates to doctors and hospitals on Medicare. And that’s it,” said Nadler.”Some people in the White House may have thought that alright, the House will pass a bill with a public option. The Senate, because we’re not cracking down on the Senate, won’t. The conference committee will come out with a bill and the liberals will cave in. Well, we’re not going to cave in.”You can watch the entire interview with Rep. Nadler HERE:
And don’t miss our chat with one of the best political reporters in town. The esteemed Liz Sidoti of the Associated Press dropped by to weigh in on the latest poll numbers and White House strategy on health care. She also took a turn at our caption contest of the day. You can catch Liz Sidoti’s analysis HERE:
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yes! Thank you, Congressman Jerrold Nadler! Yes. Yes. Yes.
Posted by: Amy in Maine | August 19, 2009, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
I hear Communist, Hitler, Marxist, fascist, the “n” word and saw my President as a “clown” on one of the “fascist” posters, and numerous of “hate” groups “strapped” with their guns at my President’s town meetings. God forbid if “anything” happens to this President due to these Fascist, racist, and Hitler-like people. Did you ask them to back down, even the elected ones who are aggitating this sentiment in America! Shame on you!
Posted by: tychisum | August 19, 2009, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm
Seems to me that the fascist label more fits the House Democrats who have taken 1930s Germany as their new government model… No wonder they are so upset at seeing real Americans stand and speak out… The truth hurts, doesn’t it DNC?
Posted by: Jon | August 19, 2009, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
The Republican Party and the Nazi Party both loved war and hated the free press.
Posted by: reason | August 19, 2009, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
AND YET Barney the Frank freaks-out at some guy who calls him a Nazi. Now folks ,if you really want to call someone a bad name, try “Communist” or if you want to get personal, how about “Joe Stalin”, the worst mass murderer in history.
Posted by: Ron | August 19, 2009, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
how laughable….nancy pelosi is the queen of facism. the world is watching this adminstration and democratic congress implode by self inflicted wounds…namely the truth. mainstream america has awakened and are touncing the tax and spend zelots.
Posted by: catman | August 19, 2009, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
What about corporate fascism? Mussolini explained that it was the merging of government and industry. Seems like that has been going on for a while with the whole lobbying mess. And don’t get me started on the bailouts. We live in a fascist society…no doubt. Time to bring economic freedom back.
Posted by: Huh | August 19, 2009, 3:04 pm 3:04 pm
It is really pretty shameful, that the Dems don’t seem to understand, that the PUBLIC, not just the GOP, is not happy with the health care plan.
Perhaps they still so giddy from their win, solely on the basis of the backlash against Dubya, that they don’t really think it matters, what the public wants.
Is that it…..Mr. Nadler? Do you just not care what the public wants??????
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | August 19, 2009, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
Congressman Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, can tell the facists from the townhall meeting crowds because he is one. After all, it takes one to know one.
Posted by: Ernie Nucup | August 19, 2009, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
Tychisum: Communist, Hitler, fascist. Weren’t these the words people used to describe Bush? He was also the first to be painted as a “clown.” But that’s OK because it’s Bush right? Liberals can dish it, but they can’t take it. Now you know what it’s like when someone criticizes the president you like. Enjoy the next four years!
Posted by: Richard | August 19, 2009, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
Facist is a very nice way of putting it. I would say almost terroristic. Most of these people don’t give a rats ass about healthcare reform. They are just typical obstructionist republicans who no matter how good the bill is, or how many uninsured and underinsured people there are in this country that need this approved to survive, are going to yell and scream and be as moronic as the whole republican party is right now. They have no plan. It is time that all Americans have healthcare. What I find really sad is that most of the people yelling at these Town Hall meetings are ones that will probably benefit in their lifetime from public health care. I’d say their as dumb as a kitchen table.
Posted by: Chuck | August 19, 2009, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm
Someone should ask nadler if americans who believe in country and consttutions are facist, what are the BLACK PANTHERS outside the polling places ,indicitive of? HE should know since the democrats not only sent them but also had charges dropped!
Posted by: william | August 19, 2009, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
I’ve been to several of these town halls and have to say I’ve seen two types of elected officials:
1) Those who want to tell their constituents what’s best for them — these are the ones who want to talk and have no interest in listening
2) Those who are truly interested in getting a reform program that benefits everyone. These are the ones who welcome questions and comments – even the rude ones. They listen, they answer questions when they can but they refrain from name-calling. Regardless of political party, this is the type of politician I’d vote for.
The politicians who are interested in what their constituents have to say run their meetings differently, and despite differing opinions on reform, there is a sense of unitedness in the room.
Posted by: me again | August 19, 2009, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
Isn’t is sickening that an important issue like healthcare reform has been reduced to this name-calling and false rumors about just what the health care bill will provide?
Folks, you can’t make a cogent decision if you are shouting and using charged words like Communist and Socialist? Do you even know what they mean? Just to be clear, Adolf Hitler HATED Socialists AND Communists. He imprisoned them along with the Jews.
But, the word “facist” describes a person or government that uses strong-arm tactics to beat the people into submission into accepting only their way as the true way. This certainly doesn’t describe our president who has been much too kind and too patient in trying to bring those that oppose a public option into the mix. For his efforts he has been villified by both the right and the left.
What happened to the sensible centerists that once served in our country?
And what has happened to thinking Americans who cannot see that they are being led into hysteria by the scare tactics of the insurance and pharma industry(s)?
Posted by: Nancy L | August 19, 2009, 6:15 pm 6:15 pm
they all need to be voted out and term limits passed – they live in lala land
and have no clue what the rest of us go through – they have health insurance from the govt, they have long vacation breaks, and for the most part they all have an obnoxious better than though attitude.. TERM LIMITS are needed!!
Posted by: sokadija | August 19, 2009, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm
Did any of you idiots live through the Bush Adm. ?
Posted by: Richard | August 19, 2009, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
Posted by: Nancy L | Aug 19, 2009 For his efforts he has been villified by both the right and the left.
What happened to the sensible centerists that once served in our country?…….Very good post, really enjoy reading it, kudos.
Posted by: we'r1 | August 19, 2009, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm
Actually — go read this article again. He’s not calling anyone a facist — he’s saying that some are using facist tactics to get their point across and he does have a point. However, I disagree with his choice to “stop compromising anymore” and that he’ll vote ONLY for a bill with a public option. I have yet to see where the majority of constituents of any district actually are in favor of a public option. On the plus side tho, this is the FIRST article I’ve read that has taken the time to show me what they feel they (the dems) have already compromised in an effort to reach an agreement on a bill.
Per the article, “We’ve already compromised repeatedly. First we compromised by saying alright we won’t do a single payer plan, we’ll do a public option. Then we compromised by saying alright, the public option won’t be open to everybody. . . it will only be open to unemployed people or people whose employers don’t offer health insurance. Then we compromised by saying alright, we won’t base the reimbursement rates to doctors and hospitals on Medicare. And that’s it,” said Nadler.”
I can honestly say that TODAY, I have learned something about the process that the health care bills have taken and I do find that refreshing. I’m still not for a public option, I’m still not for taxpayer funding of abortions (you can have one if you want, but I don’t want to pay for it), I’m still not for paying for a government option to insure illegal aliens, I’m still in favor of tort reform so that we can practice pro-active medicine, not defensive medicine, I’m for insurance reform to include not dropping insured when they become catestrophically ill, I don’t approve of medical insurance caps when medical costs have risen so out of hand, I’m still for insurance portability despite “pre-existing” conditions, and I have yet to see how any of the reform “options” are going to bring down costs and make health care more affordable and accessable.
When those issues are addressed and explained to me in plain simple terms that I can understand, I’ll be the first one to sign on and agree with a proposed health care bill. Until then, sorry — just can’t get on board with $1.2 trillion in additional spending that will NOT bring us $1.2 trillion in value add. Someone needs to stop spending my money without asking me first.
Posted by: Lauri | August 19, 2009, 7:31 pm 7:31 pm
American needs to know that insuring all American is like saving your own life. Insured healthy worker pays taxes and since Medicare and Social Security is a straight tax that everybody pays that especially good for Senior on Medicare. These people are paying for your Health Care. Uninsured workers that get sick stay sick longer and inturn is not paying taxes and may become disable and stop paying taxes all together. Remember a ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So by making sure all workers stays healthy, that mean more taxes for the fiscal Health of the United States. It simple, think about it.
Posted by: attacked tired | August 19, 2009, 8:17 pm 8:17 pm
This bill is all about rationed health care and long-lines to increase the death rate of seniors while directing care to illegal aliens… Seeing the failure of the Canadian and European models should be a clear warning to America and trust me, the seniors and those with serious medical conditions know what is in the works – a heartless, cruel and frankly, evil, bureaucracy out to get rid of them in order to promote it’s own powers and interests…
See Germany in the 1930s for the equivalent model of government that the Democrats have now become.
Posted by: Jon | August 19, 2009, 10:25 pm 10:25 pm
Well, some politicians seem to think that if the public disagrees with them, that those persons must be fascists, I suppose.
Never mind that the politician is supporting his political party’s bad plan, rather than representing his constituents, which is what he is supposed to be doing.
This is exactly what is wrong with the political processes in this county, and why major changes are needed.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | August 20, 2009, 11:57 am 11:57 am
A goverment health care option will become death panels and rationing.
No its not in the current bill.. it will come as a requirement in about 10 years as a public option bankrupts our country.
“oh but we can afford war”…. ect.. arguments are stupid.
This will make the cost of every war America has ever fought PALE in comparison.
It simply cannot be paid for at the current level of care… there is not enough money in the world and will not be.
Wake up liberals.. your heart is in the right place.. but you should not let your heart override your logic..
Name something your goverment does well.
Medicare and Medicaid are broken bankrupt entities that will require HUGE injections of cash just to stay broke.
Social Security is already predicted by the CBO to cost 50% of our GNP by the year 2050.
We dont have the money and cannot do this..
Even Can cant do it.. and they dont even have to pay for a military.. we protect them with ours.
Wake up and be reasonable.. the goverment is not your savior.. they are at best a necessary evil.
Posted by: cale | August 20, 2009, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm