The Democrat Health Care Game

Despite President Obama's numerous campaign pledges to have the health care debate be deliberative and open and  televised on C-SPAN, he and his congressional allies are determined to keep negotiations swift and secretive.

The President's staff met numerous times behind closed doors in the West Wing with the very "special interests" they berate in public - those of the pharmaceutical and insurance industries.  The White House then tried to block FOIA requests as to the names of the visitors at said meetings. As Tim Carney reports, such visits have only increased as of late.

Now Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are set to resort to the "ping pong" process - a back and forth closed door haggling game between the offices of Democrats in both houses to reconcile their different versions of ObamaCare. This is a clear end-run around the democratic process and an outright breaking of Democrats' continued pledges to have an open and honest debate on the reform.

Finally, C-SPAN is calling the Dems' bluff, sending a letter requesting that the process be deliberated in an open forum and televised.  Mrs. Pelosi responded with the  outrageous claim that "There has never been a more open process for any legislation."

Patients First has launched a website called www.LetTheCamerasIn.com.  Check it out, sign the petition, and tell congress that a massive government overhaul of the  nation's health care system isn't a game.