Frozen Phase: Invite Won’t Thaw Health Care Politics
EmailBy Rick Klein: Maybe it’s just as well that this is the week that Washington froze solid. And yes, excessive amounts of snow fell, too. We’re stuck in a rut of frustration. Deep mistrust for institutions, unease with an administration’s wheel-spinning, no real basis (or, perhaps, incentive) for two bitterly divided sides to even talk — we may as well stay at home. As the new standoff over the summit that may never happen plays out, you can’t separate the politics from the policy — so long as both sides are comfortable that they’re playing the politics right. Bipartisanship doesn’t just happen, and it doesn’t get moving with an invitation alone. And politics in 2010 still looks like a zero-sum game. (There were winners and losers when President Obama visited Republicans for question time last month, and losers who want to make sure they come off as winners next time around.) That means … maybe not so fast: “If the starting point for this meeting is the job-killing bills the American people have already soundly rejected, Republicans would rightly be reluctant to participate,” House Minority Leader John Boehner and Minority Whip Eric Cantor wrote in a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel late Monday. Answered before it was asked: “A lot of people ask if this is starting over [on a health overhaul], the answer is absolutely not,” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at a conference in Washington Monday. Why play if you’re afraid you’re going to get played? “Even as Republicans publicly welcome President Barack Obama’s call for a bipartisan confab on health care, some privately worry that he might be laying a trap to portray their ideas as flimsy,” the AP’s Chuck Babington writes. Why try to play in the first place? “For Obama, it fits neatly into his post-Massachusetts strategy of painting the GOP as do-nothing obstructionists. The Republicans have spent the year almost uniformly opposing Obama’s agenda — and being rewarded by voters for doing it,” Politico’s Carrie Budoff Brown and Patrick O’Connor write. “Now Obama wants to use the meeting to call them out in public, to question whether they have any plans to fix the nation’s health care system and any willingness to help him do it.” You think, maybe? “It is not clear that Republicans and the White House are willing to negotiate seriously with each other, and Mr. Obama has rejected Republican demands that he start from scratch in developing health care legislation,” Robert Pear and David M. Herszenhorn report. “Don’t count on President Barack Obama’s upcoming health care summit to thaw the bitter political climate that has stalled legislation for months,” McClatchy’s David Lightman writes. From the left — Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., on the push for bipartisanship: “Good luck with that.” Looking for fans: “Hill Democrats were equally cautious,” Roll Call’s David M. Drucker reports. “They welcomed the bicameral leadership gathering — saying it was the type of presidential leadership that they’ve been looking for from Obama in their yearlong effort to enact health care reform legislation — but they speculated it might be coming too late to make a difference.” What would be the point, then? “Few on either side of the aisle are predicting that the president’s high-profile summit will be a vehicle to refashion health care legislation in a way that will attract any Republican votes,” NPR’s Liz Halloran reports. (What constituency are we left with, then? Recalling that a good chunk of Democrats would just as well be done with health care altogether already, is this a gambit in search of a strategy? Or would the White House be pleased with a rejection of a public invitation to talk?) Offense, from the White House: “Reports that Anthem Blue Cross is raising premiums on some customers by 39 percent on March 1, have prompted the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, to write a letter to the company, Golden State’s largest private insurer, asking the company to ‘provide a detailed justification for these rate increases to the public,’ ” ABC’s Jake Tapper reports. Not engendering much trust: “Two prominent House Democrats, Reps. John B. Larson of Connecticut and Linda T. Sanchez of Lakewood, are sponsoring a resolution that attempts to force Republicans to vote on whether they support privatizing the federal Social Security program, an idea that proved unpopular when President George W. Bush tried to enact it in his second term,” the Los Angeles Times’ James Oliphant and Noam N. Levey report. “It’s very cynical,” said Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. “This is why people in Congress don’t offer solutions to the big problems of the day.” From a similar department — new from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: “On Tuesday, the DCCC will be targeting dozens of House Republicans and NRCC candidates and calling on them to come clean with seniors and state whether they support House Republicans’ extreme budget plan that privatizes Social Security and Medicare. The DCCC will also be reminding voters of previous statements from House Republican incumbents and challengers on the topic of privatizing social security and will be calling on others to state their position.” That didn’t take long: “Despite his continued calls for collaboration, just two weeks after President Obama’s State of the Union address the window has closed on the areas of bipartisan cooperation he laid out, with Republicans saying his budget puts some ideas out of play and Democrats taking others off the table,” Stephen Dinan writes for the Washington Times. Gallup puts the president’s approval at 36 percent on both the economy and health care — both figures marking lows for his term in office. The president is at 44-47 approval-disapproval, in the new Marist poll. The federal government is closed for a second straight day, and scheduled House votes have been postponed until at least Wednesday. Highlighting President Obama’s day — one of the very few full schedules in town: “In the afternoon the President and Vice President Biden will meet with a bipartisan, bicameral group of leaders ‘to discuss working together on the economy and jobs,” the White House says,’ per ABC’s Sunlen Miller. “This is the first of the monthly bipartisan leadership meetings that the President announced in his State of the Union address two weeks ago.” First Lady Michelle Obama on what snow days are like these days, to ABC’s Robin Roberts: “That’s the beauty of living in the White House — you’ve got a lot of people who help out,” she said, on “Good Morning America” Tuesday. On her childhood obesity initiative: “We know that we need to do something big and get moving on it,” the first lady said. “My kids have to get up and move. They can’t sit in front of the TV. I have my girls involved in sports because I want them, as young women, to understand what it feels like to compete and to win and to run and to sweat.” On where thing stand a year in: “One of the things that Barack Obama said and continues to say is, change ain’t easy and it doesn’t happen overnight.” And on bipartisan outreach: “That is the beauty of Barack Obama. His hand stays out, positive and focused. It’s a gift.”
New from the war over war tactics — Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan, in a USA Today op-ed: “The most important breakthrough occurred after [Umar Farouk] Abdulmutallab was read his rights, which the FBI made standard policy under Michael Mukasey, President Bush’s attorney general. The critics who want the FBI to ignore this long-established practice also ignore the lessons we have learned in waging this war: Terrorists such as Jose Padilla and Saleh al-Mari did not cooperate when transferred to military custody, which can harden one’s determination to resist cooperation.” Brennan goes on (and if you didn’t know it was Brennan, who does this sound like?): “Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda.” USA Today’s “Our View”: “Ever since the botched Christmas Day plot to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner, the Obama administration’s national security officials have struggled to assure the public that they know exactly what they’re doing. So far, they’re achieving the opposite, and they’re needlessly adding some jitters in the process.” In other news — RIP, John Murtha. That means another special election, most likely for May, to judge and over-judge the state of the Obama agenda. “While U.S. Rep. John Murtha made his living as a skilled politician, it was his grit, his work ethic and his heart that most locals wanted to talk about Monday,” the Johnstown Tribune Democrat reports. “Murtha’s work ethic and dedication was a common theme among those reacting to the news of his death. The breadth and depth of the congressman’s contributions over a 36-year career left some at a loss for words.” Politico’s David Rogers: “A Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, the 77-year-old Democrat won national fame for standing up against U.S. military involvement in Iraq. But in Congress itself, he also symbolized an old-school generation going back to Tip O’Neill and the Democratic heyday of the ’70s, when the House was less divided by partisan ideology than by often regional interests.” “He was one of those guys that’d make the place work, and he did it with such a sense of joy and fun,” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos said on “GMA” Tuesday. “And he taught me an awful lot.” The AP’s Kimberly Kefling: “A Pennsylvania congressman and longtime friend of the late Rep. John Murtha says the congressman’s large intestine was damaged during gallbladder surgery and the complications led him to be hospitalized.” Implications: “Rep. John Murtha’s (D-Pa.) untimely death Monday makes the political map even more daunting for House Democrats, who will have to defend another highly competitive seat in what is shaping up to be a hostile election year,” Politico’s Josh Kraushaar reports. “The most likely special election date, according to Democratic sources, is May 18, the same date as the regularly-scheduled Pennsylvania primary election. … There will be no special primary to nominate candidates. Instead, county party leaders from Murtha’s western Pennsylvania-based 12th District will each select the nominees at a convention, and the winners will then square off in the special election.” Per ABC News: “Republicans have long viewed his predominantly rural district as a prime pick-up opportunity. Murtha’s was the only congressional district in the country to support John Kerry in 2004 and John McCain in 2008.” Chris Cillizza, at The Fix blog: “Murtha’s death also makes Pennsylvania perhaps the most competitive state in the country when it comes to the battle for the House. Republicans will target the 4th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th districts while Democrats see opportunity in the 6th and 15th.” Backing off: “Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., had blocked more than 80 presidential nominations now before the Senate, but tonight he relented, saying he had simply been trying ‘to get the White House’s attention’ on two important national security issues related to his state,” ABC’s Jonathan Karl and Kristina Wong report. Digging in — and giving unions fits: “Nebraska’s Democratic senator says he will join Republicans in opposing a union lawyer’s nomination to serve on the National Labor Relations Board. Sen. Ben Nelson is the first Democrat to come out against the nomination of Craig Becker. His decision likely means that Democrats cannot find the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster of the nominee.” AFL-CIO spokesman Eddie Vale: “A quick look at past statements by Nelson about the importance of Presidents receiving up or down votes on their nominees shows [the] hypocrisy of his opposition to Becker, who is imminently qualified.” Meghan McCain vs. Tea Partiers: “It’s innate racism, and I think it’s why young people are turned off by this movement,” McCain, co-hosting “The View,” said of former Rep. Tom Tancredo’s remarks at the opening of the Tea Party convention. “Revolutions start with young people, not with 65-year-old people talking about literacy tests and people who can’t say the word vote in English. It’s ridiculous.” On Sarah Palin: “I got a book coming out in August and I’d be happy to come back and tell you everything in August,” she said.
The Kicker: “How do I get my reputation back? Because I don’t believe I have done anything to deserve this kind of bashing.” — Gov. David Paterson, D-N.Y., to the AP, responding to rumors of a journalistic bombshell that hasn’t dropped yet. “Hi Mom.” — Words on the hand of Sarah Palin’s palm Sunday, as Palin campaigned for Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas.
For up-to-the-minute political updates check out The Note’s blog . . . all day every day:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
The Democrats want to spend our great-grand children’s money on programs that will help them stay in office. The Republicans want to use that against them so they can get in office to spend our great grandchildren’s money so they can stay in office. The only difference in the two is what they want to spend the money for. And that causes the big argument. Until someone actually steps forward to support a return to the limited nature of federal government required by the constitution, both parties should simply be ignored.
Posted by: wantingbalance | February 9, 2010, 8:31 am 8:31 am
The sad part is that Obama has made it clear that he is only playing politics. He and his congress had a super majority. didn’t anything done and claimed that the republicans were the party of NO obstructing his every move. Well even to a dope, this is obviously playing politics (if you don’t get this, please look up what a super majority signifies before posting drivel!)
Why believe anything he says after his continuous posturing and falsehoods?
Posted by: jonny | February 9, 2010, 8:31 am 8:31 am
Red…Blue….it doesn’t matter. If they are smart, they will stay away from this lose-lose situation.
What was he thinking of?
Posted by: Larry | February 9, 2010, 8:32 am 8:32 am
It is a trap. Otherwise he wouldn’t have waited to have an audience of 100 million people to announce it.
Posted by: wheresmymoney | February 9, 2010, 8:54 am 8:54 am
Republicans will be authoring heir own destruction if they turn down Obama’s health care invitation over partisan demands. They simply cannot walk away from this, especially after they threw a fit over no cameras at the Dem meetings.
Posted by: matt | February 9, 2010, 8:56 am 8:56 am
I had such high hopes that President Obama was actually going to deal fairly and openly.
I had such high hopes that the Republicans would accept in good faith.
I thought this time there will be bi-partisanship. That both sides would set down and openly create a health insurance reform package that would represent the will of all Americans.
Sure compromise would be necessary; it has to happen when we have such glaring differences of opinion.
I’m disappointed in the President mostly. He said there would be bi-partisanship; he’s the one that extended the invitation. But instead he tells everyone that if Republican suggestions do not suit HIM, they will be discarded.
This is not how our Congress should work.
Posted by: malcat | February 9, 2010, 9:00 am 9:00 am
Maybe now that the Democrats in the House and Senate have proven that they can’t even agree with each other…..
…..there may be room to discuss some common sense health insurance reform.
How ’bout allowing individuals to band together to buy group health insurance without being an employment based group?
They could negotiate favorable rates just like large corporations and unions do.
Why does the law only define a ‘group’ as ‘people who are employed together’?
Its time to say bye bye to that stupid regulation.
And how ’bout ending the exemption for ‘self insured plans’?
Employers in a self insured plan act as the insuring party — they collect the premiums and the employer pays the claims (not the ‘insurance company’), and they keep the extra.
If an employer wants to ‘play insurance company’, then he should be regulated like one.
And how ’bout standardizing all insurance forms and information systems to cut down on paperwork (estimated to account for 20 cents of every health care dollar)?
These are some common sense reforms nearly everyone could agree on.
Posted by: Joe White | February 9, 2010, 9:00 am 9:00 am
I smell a “RAT”. All of the sudden Obama wants to put this on C-SPAN when he never put the Dems on C-SPAN like he said he would. You are not fooling anyone Obamma.
Posted by: billy bob | February 9, 2010, 9:02 am 9:02 am
I doubt the Republicans will be on TV again engaging with Obama, the last time there was 140 of them and he put them all to shame. The truth of the matter is we are a country and somebody has to run it. We need roads and schools and cops. We do a great job with the Military. The post office takes a letter in just 2 days someplace a thousand miles away for 47 cents. I would rather it be run by the people for the people than big business for a profit. Look at the Blue Cross company in California just raised everyones premiums 40% yet they made 2.7 Billion in the last quarter of 2009. in one quarter. The only way to keep these greedy hogs from growing fatter off of sick people is a public option.
Posted by: Macrose | February 9, 2010, 9:17 am 9:17 am
So much for “the great uniter and healer of all America’s past sins”. Keith olberman and chris matthews are still wetting the bed at night thinking about obama.
Obama has his own party running scared now, and the rest of the world viewing us worse then it did under Bush- they don’t respect us. I don’t care if America is liked- I would rather be right then liked.
Atleast under Bush the world knew that America’s pres said what he meant and meant what he said.
BO on the other hand, says whatever is on the teleprompter in front of him, usually coupled with a couple of jabs at his own country. All those years in Rev Racist’s church sure paid off!
Posted by: Dave | February 9, 2010, 9:22 am 9:22 am
Obama and the democrats have NEVER intended to be true partners for bipartisan ship. He and the leadership have LIED about how they would handle the health care reform process from teh start.
Obama, Pelosi and are not to be trusted!
Posted by: scott jeffries | February 9, 2010, 9:25 am 9:25 am
The olive branch was nothing but show anyway.
Posted by: LongT | February 9, 2010, 9:31 am 9:31 am
***Republicans will be authoring heir own destruction if they turn down Obama’s health care invitation over partisan demands. They simply cannot walk away from this, especially after they threw a fit over no cameras at the Dem meetings.
Posted by: matt | Feb 9, 2010 8:56:08 AM
***
There is a difference between “partisan demands” and ideological concerns i.e. how to pay for it, how much it will cost, public option or not, market reforms or government intervention through subsidies and reforming Medicare/Social Security/Medicaid to insure solvency or just ignore the problems therein.
The Democratic leadership seems far more concerned with creating a new federal entitlement program, rather than actually fixing the problem or healthcare cost.
And why is the President now willing to hear the Republican concerns, only after he lost the Democrat super majority in one of the houses of Congress?
Posted by: bobtherepublican | February 9, 2010, 9:33 am 9:33 am
They should go. He won’t listen to their ideas, though. He wouldn’t listen in the beginning. The Democrats want to own Healthcare and have control over the people. That’s it. A power grab. The Republicans are trying to block that. People in Washington don’t get it. We want reform, not a Government take over.
Posted by: Mac | February 9, 2010, 9:37 am 9:37 am
Obamas party. The party who campained saying that the Republicans are all about big oil. The democrates who took in over 23 million in donations the bulk from EXXON and MOBIL OIL. Wow, guess if you realy want to screw the poor this is the way to do it. At the gas tank
Posted by: Jim Rod | February 9, 2010, 9:39 am 9:39 am
“And why is the President now willing to hear the Republican concerns, only after he lost the Democrat super majority in one of the houses of Congress?” – bobtherepublican
Ya Right. The country waited 3 months in 2009 for 3 GOP and 3 DEM Senators to work out a bill. While the negotiations were going on, the GOP Senators were openly boasting about their plan of delaying and killing any bill. So much for hearing about GOP concerns.
The level of history re-write attempts in GOP circles is unbelievable.
Posted by: New Wave | February 9, 2010, 9:40 am 9:40 am
“wantingbalance”…your posting name is noit correct. It is not “balance ” with a”limited federal government as required by the constitution” that you want. You and those that use the “constitution” as an excuse, want a “fantasy land return to the past”. With 300 million people and counting. With 30 million of those uninsured. With the middle class deteriorating and the poor getting poorer, that is not possible. Instead your posting moniker ought to be “wantingtoreturntothe past”. If we do not wake up the conservative right with their campaign of fear and hate will turn us against one another and we will destroy our nation.
Posted by: CND FOX | February 9, 2010, 9:43 am 9:43 am
Why carry the water for an UN-popular president who won’t even include you in crafting major legislation?
This is politics as usual in Washington. 1st term President, wait it out, and see if the people validate his proposals through the midterms. It happened like this under Clinton ’94, and it’s happening now with Obama. What’s the big deal? It’s just politics as usual in DC.
Posted by: jafo | February 9, 2010, 9:47 am 9:47 am
This is what I think…Obama would love to look like the good guy….as long as it’s his way.
Posted by: LongT | February 9, 2010, 9:49 am 9:49 am
Washington gridlock is in full swing and neither party is willing to do whats right for the country. We the voters have allowed this to happen by continuing to vote those politicians in office with their own political agenda. You see it on both sides, neither side willing to trust the other and we the people suffer.
To those in Washington that want to obstruct the running of the country, GET OUT! We have had enough of partisan bickering by both sides. We need problems solved NOW!
Posted by: indymind | February 9, 2010, 9:50 am 9:50 am
If the Republicans do not respond, he simply needs to “call them out for the hypocrits that they are” and use reconciliation votes to get our nation on the right track. Much of his “disapproval rating” is due to the fact that he has not proven that “he has a pair” to get what he believes in. That is why so many of us voted for him. For health care reform. For financial regulation. For balancing the playing field for those of us in the
middle class. For progressive, enlightened change. To break the hold of the “rich oligarchy” that wants to keep things static. I hope he shoves this one right up their you know what. I really believe his approval ratings would go up if he has the common sense and courage to do that.
Posted by: CND FOX | February 9, 2010, 9:51 am 9:51 am
Rupublicans have to make it very clear they want to start over. They want to take out the special givaways that were included in the original fiasco called a healthcare bill. How can you give exemptions to unions, who already make a higher wage than the average American, unless you are a government worker. The original healthcare bill had slime all over it. I think the American people, who want healthcare, but do not want all the added and shameful ammendents in the bill. Why shouldn’t they start over. The biggest problem for both Republicans and Democrats is what to do with the 20,000,000 illegals American taxpayers are required to cover now. The first thing both parties have to do is take care of the illegal problem, then move to the healthcare issue.
Posted by: Carl Peterson | February 9, 2010, 9:52 am 9:52 am
This administration has made no genuine effort to work together, from day one.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | February 9, 2010, 9:54 am 9:54 am
The Dems and Obama have lost the battle over govt. run healthcare and now Obamma wants to try and pin the Republicans down on their proposals but the problem is that when you have already made an apple pie, how do you bring oranges into the recipe? The only way to do that is cook another pie with an apple and orange recipe. Obamma will not do that.
Posted by: billy bob | February 9, 2010, 9:56 am 9:56 am
So the Republicans are afraid that Obama is setting a “trap” to prove that their ideas are flimsy. Really?
Last week, to celebrate the victory of Scott Brown and the Tea Party convention, Anthem Blue Cross of California raised its rates for individual policy holders by 30 to 39 %. The Republicans find nothing wrong with this because most of them get campaign contributions from Blue Cross, including Congressman Bob Wilson and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnel. Do either of these Congressmen tell their constitutents that when they pay for health insurance they are also giving a campaign contribution to the GOP?
The GOP plan allows health insurance companies to raise their rates whenever they please. It also permits health insurance companies to deny individuals coverage when they get sick. It permits health insurance companies to do business across state lines, which means that all health insurance companies will re-locate to states with no regulations, permitting health insurance companies to rob the public blind.
The GOP plan only grants medical care to about 3 million of the 36 million uninsured. Hardly much of a reform.
And the GOP plan does nothing about Medicare Advantage which is really a cash cow for campaign contributions for the GOP.
So yes, maybe Obama is setting a “trap”- but it’s a trap that the GOP has set for themselves.
Posted by: William Joseph Miller Los Angeles | February 9, 2010, 9:59 am 9:59 am
Well it is always easier to be criticising those with the power than actually having to wield the power. Tghe democrats blocked everything they could that Bush wanted to do, so now the whiny democrats suddenly have amnesia. The big issue for the president and why his approval is plummeting with no signs of abating is his consistent appearance of partisanship. Why would anyone deal with such a snake? He claimed all this transparancy and honesty and failed to deliver. All I can say is that we are not all stupid moonbats out in the real world!
Posted by: jonny | February 9, 2010, 10:15 am 10:15 am
The proposal is simple. Can the GOP openly debate the issues they have with the healthcare bill? If they cannot logically state what they disagree with, then they are the party of NO.
That’s their FEAR. The people will now know that their so-called disagreements with the health care bill are not based on ANY facts.
They started going down this path with all the ‘hoopla’ about C-SPAN cameras. If they do no show up, we’ll see a section cleary labeled GOP with empty seats while the Feb 25 discussions are held in the full view of all Americans. In otherwords, they have put themselves in a box.
Posted by: New Wave | February 9, 2010, 10:18 am 10:18 am
WilliamJosephMiller…Great post because you relate to issues that the shallow minds do not think about. Now you know why why “conservatives” push the topic of “states rights” so much. It helps their big rich contributors to hide, continue to rip off the middle class and keep the conservatives in power. My only question is “how long do you think it will take for the middle class and blue collar people who support conservatives” to figure out
the fraud and scam being played on them?
Posted by: CND FOX | February 9, 2010, 10:30 am 10:30 am
For a year the republicans have tried to meet with Obama. For a year Obama would not answer the republicnas. For a year the republicans have tried to present plans like tarp reform and buying across state lines. The dems are suffering at the polls and because of that they want the Republicans to join in when in fact Obama will not listen as he did not listen at the republican retreat. The American majority does not want Obamas, Pelosi and reids plan. I would let the dems sink in their own stupidity.
Posted by: Jim Rod | February 9, 2010, 10:35 am 10:35 am
Republicans have been there from the beginning. They sat in on subcommittee meetings for months, co-sponsored some of the proposals in both bills and still voted against it. Most Americans don’t know that they have been in on shaping parts of both bills since March. Most of their “ideas” have been shot down by credible economist and do nothing to address the uninsured. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid may have shot down some of their ideas and embraced others, but that’s how democracy works. The Congress is made of majority Democrats; they don’t have to include 80% of the Republican ideas. And for Republicans to claim they know what’s best after eight years of doing nothing about health care except push an unfunded Medicare RX bill designed to buy the votes of seniors who don’t have to worry about paying off the national debt because they will be dead (est. $500B to $1Trillion over ten years). Where was the Tea Party then? They had no problem with the biggest entitlement program since the New Deal because it benefits them. Expanding coverage to millions will cost about the same amount, generate its on revenues (w/o adding to the deficit, actually reducing it) and keep health insurance companies honest. The bill are not perfect but no major legislation is right out the gate, Civil Rights laws took years to get right and they are still being debated.
The problem is the structure of the Senate. What Dems should do is call them on their threat to filibuster, on a jobs bill first, financial regulatory reform and everything else they oppose. Let the American people see them defend their “new ideas” which are really old ideas that got us into this mess.
Posted by: SJLaw | February 9, 2010, 10:37 am 10:37 am
Lets see here, BO spent the last year blaming Repubs and Bush for everything that went wrong, NOW he wants to invite them to meet and “Talk?” about Obamacare reform.
BO is just a wolf in sheep’s clothing and won’t change now! Just a opportunity for BO to bash Repubs and claim them as a scapegoat!!
Posted by: morphy | February 9, 2010, 10:38 am 10:38 am
It’s time for action. Does the GOP have the GUTS to publicly state what they object to in the current bills?
And suggestions to revolve exactly what they disagree with?
Time to Man Up.
Posted by: New Wave | February 9, 2010, 10:43 am 10:43 am
The republicans have complained about many details of the bill.
They have also made specific proposals.
Time for some of you to read some newspapers.
Posted by: jonny | February 9, 2010, 11:01 am 11:01 am
To all of you who use the same speech of the republicans party “spend our grandchildren’s money” How come you did not think of this over the last eight years when you spend a surplus and turned it into a 1.3 deficit? This money would not have to be spent if you had exercised good judgement when you were in. I am sick of this same rhetoric over and over. I live in a republican state which is in the red. Closing fire houses, laying off police cutting teachers salaries, no money for infrastructure. Why would I listen to a republican? It is time for you to step up and work for us now with this administration or shut up….espcially on health care. This is your opportunity to get your ideas out there and I don’t understand why you are afraid of it….if you are serious about doing something good for the people. Again…put up now or shut up.
Posted by: talmag | February 9, 2010, 11:04 am 11:04 am
So what’s wrong with debating the merits of GOP ‘specific’ proposals vs the proposals in the bill publicly?
What are they afraid of?
Posted by: New Wave | February 9, 2010, 11:05 am 11:05 am
JimRod…you can continue to espouse that mindless “Faux News” rant as long as you want, until it blows up in your and the Republican’s faces. The President is finally boxing them in and calling them out for the frauds and hypocrits that they are. “Dodge and delay” only works for so long and their time is up.
Posted by: CND FOX | February 9, 2010, 11:11 am 11:11 am
The only fraud out there is obama.
Obama has proven himself an unreliable partner. He can’t possibly think we are all mindless moonbats. I know there are plenty, but some of us can actually think for ourselves.
Posted by: jonny | February 9, 2010, 11:21 am 11:21 am
Washington DC was closed for the week and no one really missed them!
Send our money back to the states and close it down for good!
Posted by: ELF | February 9, 2010, 11:21 am 11:21 am
I’d like to recommend a book called The Second Civil War by Ronald Brownstein which tells how extreme partisanship paralyses Washington and polarizes America. Also I would like to recommend you reading Mr. Krugmman’s remarks which expound on this theory that we are not helping our country with this polarization in fact we are hindering it’s growth and some day…we will have no growth or standing in the world. That will not be President Obama’s fault…it will be the fault of all those Senators and Congressman who only press for their own agenda.
Posted by: talmag | February 9, 2010, 11:23 am 11:23 am
jonny … look at your post and see what you just said (the mindless moonbat) part. It doesn’t matter what the President thinks. I believe you just answered your own question. That is exactly most of the time, most of us pay no attentionwhat you and people like JimRod have to say. Because it is always lacking depth and substance and is filled with “right wing sound bite nonsense”.
Posted by: CND FOX | February 9, 2010, 11:27 am 11:27 am
cond fox: Actually I could care less what you think. There is nothing but left wing nonsense in anything you say.
Those of us in the middle will determine the results in the next election. Not the moonbats or the palin lovers. sorry to burst your little bubble.
Posted by: jonny | February 9, 2010, 11:32 am 11:32 am
What are they going to change over night. The republicans have no ideas but just saying no to everything till they elections. Why would you want to vote for someone you just payed to go to washington and do nothing?! they dont have ideas ready to go and present? what have they been doing this whole time just saying no and going back to their offices to watch fox news. what a joke. Im an independant but at least the democrats are trying to do something about our broken healthcare system that keeps us all one medical problem away from financial disaster. they should go and prove to us what they have been doing for the year. my guess…nothing
Posted by: brian | February 9, 2010, 11:37 am 11:37 am
The GOP declared war on the Democrats from day one of the Obama administration – they said they wanted him to fail and would work for that. Hillary knew it would be this way. Unfortunately, everything she predicted has come to pass. Obama’s great ideals and beautiful oratory have not altered the political realities of DC. Hillary knew what to expect. Politics in DC is now a blood sport. You’ve got to be a political warrior to get good things done, to even be taken seriously. The GOP senses they have Obama on the ropes, they most certainly will not want to work with him now. The country has never been more in need of good leadership, yet its leaders seem only focused on scoring petty political points. No wonder folks want to turn out all incumbents right now.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | February 9, 2010, 11:41 am 11:41 am
Indymind: you are right…I’m SO sick of the bickering and politics. I believe Pres. Obama truly wants things to get better but with the Party of No and also some of his own Dems….it’s like a bunch of two year olds. Vote any of these clowns that do not compromise and try to work things out, OUT. I don’t care what party. And I’m also tired of some of these posters slamming this president for every little thing he does from the very beginning. Don’t they understand these things went on for MANY years? It will not be fixed overnight but IF Congress continues to act like children nothing will get done. And do away with term limits. And perhaps no party should have a majority. How about each state electing one Dem, one Repub. and one Independent? with term limits.
Posted by: Barb | February 9, 2010, 11:43 am 11:43 am
I’ve come around to supporting term limits. That might be a way of rooting out career politicians in Congress who are only focused on amassing power and securing their position. These guys in DC, these prima donas, have to know it’s not about them and their careers, it’s about solving the peoples’ problems. Their time in DC should be of limited duration just like the president’s.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | February 9, 2010, 11:51 am 11:51 am
Republicans should not participate unless they have a guarantee that the entire healthcare bill wii be begun anew.
Posted by: Ron | February 9, 2010, 11:54 am 11:54 am
GOP and their dwindling support cry about not being “allowed to join in the crafting of the bill”. Duh… I saw you on TV telling us how you were going to kill the bill, telling us how Obama was going to fail.
Now you want a “DO OVER”?! Quit crying and do your job… quit running around trying to defend your pitiful position in the party of NO!
Posted by: DewyB | February 9, 2010, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
The televised health care meeting proposal has made GOP become “a deer in headlights”. They have been put in a box and they know it (or they put themselves in a box).
Posted by: New Wave | February 9, 2010, 12:21 pm 12:21 pm
The American people don’t want this bill. Sure there is some people who support it but that is the small minority who plan to benefit of this piece of crap. It will bankrupt the country and come at the expense of hard working Americans and our seniors on Medicare who need coverage the most. And after one year everyone should realize what the President says and what he does or what results in policies end in are two different things. I didn’t realize a President could lie or be so wrong.
But if the President really wants to show how sincere he says he is he will treat unions like he treats every American which means no special deals AND he’ll include real tort reform such as loser pays. Only in America do we have such horrible tort laws which makes everything here more expensive.
Posted by: DontTrustBO | February 9, 2010, 12:32 pm 12:32 pm
New Wave -
How do you figure obama has put the GOP in a box?
So obama is going to expose the GOP for not supporting an intentional hard drive to the left, through his phony HCB’s i.e. HR3200. He has proven to be not believable.
Do you really think he would change course and huddle with the GOP, if he had a choice.
Posted by: OB | February 9, 2010, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
DontTrustBO et al: All these rants are not necessary. Does the GOP have the guts to debate their health care ideas publicly? That’s the question.
Posted by: New Wave | February 9, 2010, 12:43 pm 12:43 pm
The GOP may be able to undermine and even paralyze Obama’s effectiveness, but they can’t govern this way. In fact their passion for destroying Obama shows their complete unfitness to govern. They drove the country off a cliff for 8 years and now they’re blocking the rescue effort. The GOP is the last group I would want to be in charge.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | February 9, 2010, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm
Come on. We know all the countries problems were caused by Obama right? Housing market collapse – Obama’s fault. Banking collapse -Obama’s fault. Two front unwinnable wars – Obama. If we just go back to the “do nothing about health care and give tax cuts to the rich” policies everything will be great again. It’s a proven doctrine!
Posted by: I only listen to Fox News | February 9, 2010, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
We need to get rid of these career politicians. I would also like to see a law enacted requiring all public office holders to serve in the military as grunts. If they are not willing to die for our country then they are not qualifed to guide it.
Posted by: Jpublic | February 9, 2010, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
I just can’t take this BS any more. The Democrats have no excuses. They could have passed anything they wanted if they could have agreed among themselves.
They won the elections, they earned the right to do this. It makes me think that maybe some of the democrats realized that the middle/right is where most of the country is.
As a middle/right conservative I can live with what the majority party wants to pass. And then work like hell to change/correct if we can regain the majority. That’s how the system works.
I am getting very weary of the current stalemate however, Maybe we should consider a few changes to make our system work better.
(1) term limits-no more career politicians.
(2) no more attorneys as legislators-seems like a conflict of interest to me.
(3) this goes with item #1, no pensions plans for legislators, as they should not be there forever.
)4) make legislators BUY THEIR OWN HEALTH INSURANCE. That might make them more aware of what everyone else is having to deal with.
(5) no more deficit spending.
This should be a good start!!!
Posted by: tony f | February 9, 2010, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
As much as I don’t like Newt Gingrich, I think he hit the nail on the head when he said that Congress is so owned by the special interests that health care reform should be done in steps instead of one fell swoop. Two things that would rein in costs would be the GOPs desire for tort reform and the Dem. House’s desire to make the insurance companies spend 85% of our premiums on health care compared to 71% now. In other first world countries, 94% of premiums paid to private companies go to health care and 6% for overhead. In the USA now, 22-25% goes to overhead (skyscraper headquarters, corporate jets, bloated commissions, bonuses, etc) and 3-5% for profits.
If a couple things like this is done FIRST, then later extending health care, at a basic level, to all adult Americans and full coverage to children would cost 20%-25% less than otherwise.
I think it’s a tremendous shame that every other first-world country extends good-quality health care to all it’s citizens and we’re too selfish to do so for ours. In all first-world countries, 700,000 people per year declare bankruptcy because of medical costs. All 700,000 are in America!
But realities being what they are, the GOP is opposed to extending coverage to all Americans – their plan extends it only to 3M of the 30-45M citizen who don’t have it – so that section of the nation will have to suffer now, and many will be denied insurance later because of “preexisting conditions” that were diagnosed between jobs and insurance.
But at least we should be able to make a dent in the problem. Note that when Hillary’s plan failed, she did not try to get small pieces through so we kept sucking money out of the middle class to pay for our way-out-of-sync healthcare costs. I hope the Dems have learned from that.
Posted by: The_Mick | February 9, 2010, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm
Pubs whined about the lack of TV coverage…Obama says ok negeotiations are now on TV. Pubs whined about being “shut out”…Obama says ok Americans can now hear what you’re offering them.
Now the whine that it’s a “trap”? THEY REQUESTED THESE THINGS!
Or is it more likely they were just playing politics and had no real intention of trying to solve the health care issue? It’s musch easier to say “no” and offer no solutions. (Just like the do nothing solution they offered for the six years they controlled Congress and te Presidency.)
Obama called their bluff and now Pubs are scared! They’re doing damage control before the meeting even starts. Too funny!
Posted by: Let's hear YOUR solutions! | February 9, 2010, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm
Term limits in congress! Let’s find someone in Congress willing to write a bill and then vote anyone who says “NO” out of there! Otherwise we’ll have to pass a constitutional amendment and let the country vote. Washington is dysfunctional and all the fingerpointing in the world is not fixing it. We voted the Republican bums out…now we’re saying the same about the Dems just a year later. We can’t trust them to change, so let’s change them regularly!!
Posted by: JJL2010 | February 9, 2010, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm
It’s just incredible that the democrats “STILL” don’t get it!!! God, are they just dumber than a doorknob? Their conduct begs two questions, one that Sarah Palin asked in her speech to the Tea Party folks the other night. AND that is…..You folks who voted for the nappy headed POTUS, “How do you feel about that Hope-y – Changey-y stuff now (a year later)? What has obama done for you? Think now. AND, #2 “CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?”
Posted by: Richard | February 9, 2010, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
The GOP has frozen Washington and their proud of it. Quite frankly they have nothing to be proud of. If I had the power I would boot every one of them out of Washington and never vote for them again. Learn to work together or get out. GOP ran things for 8 years – the rich got richer the poor got poorer and our deficit grew leaps and bounds. Either join the movement for change or get the hell out of Washington.
Posted by: confidential416 | February 9, 2010, 1:29 pm 1:29 pm
confidential416 – AWESOME! I couldn’t agree more!
Posted by: Jackson | February 9, 2010, 1:52 pm 1:52 pm
Just to set the record straight. Ronnie Regan was a master at using the teleprompter! Your so called teleprompter complaining is now a mute point.
Posted by: Jackson | February 9, 2010, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm
At least Obama can speak. Bushie still couldn’t speak even when he had a teleprompter. The sooner you conservative republicans admit that he was a bumbling idiot the sooner you can join the cause and help the country. I’m sure you’re christians, yes? I don’t think God is to proud of the way the party of NO is acting. Not very christian to me.
Posted by: Jackson | February 9, 2010, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
Obama will use the summit to try to mock the republicans. As a result, they will fight harder. Obama ia out of his league. 9 more months!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Rodney | February 9, 2010, 2:04 pm 2:04 pm
The call for bipartisanship in a year too late. Obama would have a better case if he and Pelosi and Reid had reached out and worked as equals with Republicans during the time they had complete control over everything. As it is, we know there can never be any trust between the parties until there is new leadership all around. Once again we will need to wait for a new slate before we can hope for laws the will help America as a whole.
Posted by: tiredtoo | February 9, 2010, 2:14 pm 2:14 pm
Obama is a sheep in wolf’s clothing and does a leopard change its spots?.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
This meeting is a trap.
Posted by: calif Guy | February 9, 2010, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
Heated discussion today. Still right wing and left wing blaming each other for getting us here and not doing anything about it. I ask that you’d all take a deep breath and refer back to the opening comment on today’s note for the most insightful perspective and most practical solution anyone has offered. We need less expensive healthcare and we need jobs. We need to secure our own country. We need to get our noses out of other countries business and restore power to the individual states. We need to cut federal spending and begin to pay down our debt. We need to make sure those who have paid into Medicare and Social Security get their just desserts. Whether left wing our right wing these are the things that we need to focus on, not bragging rights, not incumbency, not control of the people and their votes. We are one nation and as such we’re all in this together. We just need to act like we understand that and move toward solutions together.
Posted by: gollywiggle | February 9, 2010, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
Obama has met with Republicans and spoke to them on several occasions. For instance, I remember him speaking to the GOP before the Stimulus bill and then incorporating some of their suggestions into the legislation. No president has ever tried harder to break the partisan gridlock. No Party has ever been more dedicated to bringing government to a halt for its own perceived gain. Btw- The attacks for using a teleprompter are just jealous jabs at Obama for being such an effective speaker. Just like the jabs at Gore for being so boring was just jealousy that he was smart as-a-whip. The GOP likes their leaders dumb as a doorpost and able to speak only with crib notes on their palms.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | February 9, 2010, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
Bi-partainship to Obama means that the Republicans should agree with him. Obama is a Status, a Socialist whom thinks it’s his way or no way.
Posted by: Peter King | February 9, 2010, 2:32 pm 2:32 pm
Richard…even as people like you descend into the “screaming shrill minority you deserve to be” we will hear you, but that does not mean we will really have to pay attention to you. Why do people like you who just reiterate “faux news soundbite rhetoric” even bother to post?
Posted by: CND FOX | February 9, 2010, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
In my state I can’t even save on auto insurance since the insurance companies are regulated to the same price structure.
Maybe letting insurance companies compete across state lines (like the republicans suggest) could help bring down costs.
By the way, whoever brought up the USPS as being efficient and a bargain might do well to look at how far in the hole the USPS is budget-wise!
Posted by: Ed Taylor | February 9, 2010, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
There doesn’t seem much point in having the summit since it doesn’t seem that the Obama or the Democrats plan to change anything. That just makes it sound like grandstanding, which we have had way to much of.
As far as California, don’t they have a State insurance board or commission to look into this? If changes need to be made, California has the right to make them now. The Federal government really doesn’t need to be involved in that unless California asks them to after their own investigation.
Posted by: win | February 9, 2010, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
Amazing! We have not seen any post from the right-wing deficit ‘Police’ on GOP Sen Shelby holding all President’s nominees in order to get earmarks.
Posted by: New Wave | February 9, 2010, 3:21 pm 3:21 pm
New Wave; If power was restored to the states the money would stay at state level eliminating both the expense of federal bureaucracies and the pursuit of earmark legislation by members of both parties. As the situation stands the only way the states can get money for in-state projects is to beg the federal government for funding. Why do we send the tax dollars to Washington only to get back pennies on the dollar for the needs of the states?
Posted by: gollywiggle | February 9, 2010, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
New Wave; In other words, let’s say you have enough money to make a car payment but you don’t have a checking account and the money must be mailed to your creditor. So you give the money to a friend to write a check for you but the friend holds 50% of the money for administration fees leaving you to come up with the other 50% of your car payment. How long would it be before you opened your own account. That’s what’s happening today in big government. There’s plenty of revenue generated by the states to take care of government business within the states but the Federal bureaucracies must be fed, leaving the states short on funding.
Posted by: gollywiggle | February 9, 2010, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm
HATE TO TELL FOLKS WHAT THEY MIGHT KNOW….BUT SOME VERY DEVIOUS PLOT IS AFOOT BY THE PROGRESSIVES AND THEIR DEMOCRATIC PUPPETS TO SHOVE THIS HEALTH BILL THROUGH.
POLITICS AT ITS WORSE IS AT PLAY….
Posted by: CRAMOS | February 9, 2010, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm