Posted on 02/20/2010 9:54:46 AM PST by Free ThinkerNY
An efficient bit of political theater, capped by his insistence that “I don’t want to see this meeting turn into political theater.” It’s a little late for that, champ:
It is now clear that the “summit” the president has called for February 25 is not intended to consider different approaches to health care financing, but rather to create an illusion of momentum that might just lull disoriented congressional Democrats into ramming the health care bill through the budget reconciliation process…
The timing of this move (just after a congressional recess, when members of Congress won’t be spending much time at home again until Easter), the nature of the health care summit (a public relations spectacle intended to generate buzz in the political press more than to appeal to the public), and the character of the legislative plan (a quick hard push through reconciliation to avoid debate, amendments, and too much time to think) all seem designed to bamboozle rank and file Democratic members of Congress into taking a suicidal vote. But they are also aimed to slip the bill past the public, not yet alert to the danger. This stratagem is the perfect finale to a yearlong circus that has exposed the ugliest side of our politics.
With their plans to press ahead now clear, the Democrats have given Republicans little choice but to restate the full indictment of Obamacare at the summit and beyond.
The R-word is never uttered in the clip, but then why would it be? He has other people around to wave the stick for him while he’s busy offering carrots, from unnamed Democratic aides leaking to the Times (“It will be a reconciliation bill”) to threats about ramming through the public option from Reid’s office.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
President Busybody
And what would Bummer get anyhow? A runt bill, unable to actually do anything.
Real GOP Senators to Obambi...We will “nuke” you and this POS with Amendments.
An “Amendibuster”?
I like it!
The best that Obeyme can do is kick out the GOP through the backdoor like he did to the Dalai Lama. A really “classy” POS this Kenyan.
Don’t underestimate the ability of the GOP to get roped in.
How can they use reconciliation when they have wrote another bill? I thought if they added anything to it like Obama has said he plans to do that it had to be taken to the floor again and right back to 60 votes?
The sooner the civil war, the sooner the recovery.
Bring it on, Obamaloons.
Political Kabuki theater, maybe. This Potemkin village show is the ultimate in setting up straw men and demolishing them, all the while ignoring some real and FIXABLE problems.
There is an e-mail circulating that includes the words of Dr. Roger Starner Jones, of Jackson, Mississippi, about August 23, 2009. The text:
“If only passing emails around could make a real difference. This following is so true.
Subject: Fw: Fwd: “CULTURE CRISIS” ****
Pictured below is a young physician by the name of Dr.. Starner Jones. His short two-paragraph letter to the White House accurately puts the blame on a “Culture Crisis” insteadof a “Health Care Crisis”.. It’s worth a quick read:
Dear Mr. President:
During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.
While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that her payer status was listed as “Medicaid”! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer.
And, you and our Congress expect me to pay for this woman’s health care? I contend that our nation’s “health care crisis” is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a “crisis of culture”, a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one’s self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance. It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that “I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me”.
Once you fix this “culture crisis” that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you’ll be amazed at how quickly our nation’s health care difficulties will disappear.
Respectfully,
STARNER JONES, MD
If you agree...pass it on.”
Snopes agrees this is authentic.
I don’t understand why any Republican Senator or Member of the House would attend Obama’s shame. The Repugs have everything to lose and nothing to win by going along with this.
What Republicans should do is - a couple of days before the meeting announce their own meeting to be held separately. Then boycott Obama’s trick meeting.
At the Republican meeting - they simply announce that we must start with a clean slate on Health Care on table the whole thing. Also - at this (hopefully well covered media event) - the Republicans will spell out their essential provisions; tort reform, insurance competition across state lines, etc.
For the Republicans to attend Obama’s ‘setup’ meeting is to increase the chances that Congress will pass ObamaCare.
Sorry Bub, we’re playing hardball and if you’re stupid enough to try reconcilliation, we’ll initiate IMPEACHMENT for such UNCONSTITUTIONAL action.
Your move!
Agreed the GOP has a very bad habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
They only have to do that if they follow the rules. These are Democrats, so I think the part of the process that you emphasize is probably waived.
Surely the majority of the Dems are not stupid enough to do this. If so, they are delusional and will be punished severely in November.
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