Today Donald Berwick, installed by Obama via a recess appointment as the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, gives his first address at a Medicare and Medicaid conference in Washington, D.C.
Which senator can be held most responsible for the recess appointment? Well, wouldn’t the Senate Majority Leader object to the recess appointment, considering how Berwick had the votes? Wouldn’t Harry Reid be able to hold the line on a hearing for a key nominee? It was Republicans who yearned for a hearing and a recorded vote on Berwick and his views on rationing of health care. One group is now trying to make this a big issue in Nevada’s Senate race:
Dr. Berwick was able to bypass Senate confirmation proceedings to head the HHS Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by being appointed over the Senate’s Independence Day recess.
“Not only won’t Harry Reid break with president Obama on appointing Berwick “Rationer-In- Chief”, he was the President’s chief accomplice in making sure the Senate couldn’t ask him questions and American couldn’t hear the answers” said Daniel Weber, AMAC president. “While recess appointments have been done by other presidents they came only after Congressional Hearings were held. This was totally different. Reid and Obama were frightened that the truth might come out. Even some Democrats criticized this thwarting of the Constitution.”
“The inside the beltway media has given Reid a free ride on this. But we have a right to know need to know about Harry Reid’s discussions about Berwick with the President as well as his Chicago associates Rohm Emanuel and David Axelrod”.
“Why were they so afraid of letting Berwick appear before a committee?” Weber asked. “Why did Majority Leader Reid not only help President Obama insult the senate but use his influence to make sure Americans and Nevadans didn’t find out about Berwick’s radical left views on health care rationing.” “Harry Reid should tell the people of Nevada who he talked to at the White House about the “hide-the-truth” on Berwick bargain”.
