Posted on 02/10/2010 6:33:41 AM PST by ricks_place
I've been trying, because I'd truly like to see health reform pass, to find something nice to say about President Obama's plans for a summit. Another summit, that is, nearly a year after the first one. Here's the best I could come up with: It can't hurt. Consider it Chicken Soup for the Legislative Soul.
When the president used his Super Bowl Sunday interview with CBS News' Katie Couric to launch this Hail Mary summit pass, he explained that "what I want to do is to look at the Republican ideas that are out there. . . . 'How do you guys want to lower costs? How do you guys intend to reform the insurance market so people with preexisting conditions, for example, can get health care? How do you want to make sure that the 30 million people who don't have health insurance can get it?' . . . And if we can go step by step through a series of these issues and arrive at some agreements, then procedurally, there's no reason why we can't do it a lot faster than the process took last year."
Sure, like in the movie "Dave," where the faux president and his accountant buddy order some chow, roll up their sleeves, and straighten out the budget books. Except this time, in half a day at Blair House with the opposition party pulling up a chair. On live television.
To take this at face value is to assume that (a) these conversations have not been occurring over the past year, which flies in the face of Democratic assertions that they have accepted numerous Republican ideas, or that (b) Republicans are correct that they've been shut out of the sausage-making, which ignores the endless weeks of negotiations among the Senate Finance Committee "Gang of Six."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The flies are willing to land on his web.
Expect another lecture and beratement.
Barack Obama treated Republicans like dirt when they had no power. Like dirt.
Now he wants to pretend like he is interested in working with them??
Barack Obama showed his true character in the first year of his administration--for EXACTLY one year later, in Massachusetts, the people destroyed his filibuster-proof Senate.
Barack Obama's character is poor--and he is NOT to be believed.
(As an aside: George W. Bush was not like this. He brought in Democrats for advice and consultation even when his party controlled the legislature. His character was also revealed in those acts. Though I didn't always agree with Bush's decisions, his character was not in question.)
All this is smoke and mirrors. He doesn’t intend to consider anything from the right. This is just a vehicle to entrap GOP into thinking they might have some input. Toss them a chicken bone and maybe they’ll be satisfied, meanwhile we’ll continue on our own agenda. He desperately needs “bipartisanship” labeling on his (Pelosi-Reid actually) health care package. But even if it goes down in flames, he can always point to Pelosi and Reid and say THEY are the ones who failed HIM!..............
Chicken soup? I believe the word ‘placebo’ is more apt here.
A fallacy!
I can see them in the White House now, snickering. Would this kind of preemptive strike entice Republicans to cooperate? Not en masse, but enough such flexibility might pick off a few. It would show a Democratic Party willing to stand up to its own special interests for the public good, and a Republican Party -- assuming it balks -- unwilling to compromise.
Interesting scenario. It would present the Republicans with a bit of a sticky wicket. I can easily see a few Republicans breaking ranks and voting for a bill with tort reform. It would be seen as a brilliant, and probably successful maneuver by Obama.
Wonder how much of a possibility this is, given the entrenched opposition of the trial lawyers.
The idea that Obama doesn’t know the Republican ideas is so laughable that it should be considered satire.
Obama should be roasted, publicly, by every person with a brain, especially those in Congress!
How can a President NOT know all of the various ideas out there, and retain any respect at all?
One day he says he’s seen their ideas and read them. A few days later, he says he wants to see their ideas.
Mister, YOU LIE.
The Compost already got there marching orders from their Marxist leader to pressure these moronic so called GOP leaders to the gallows.
I called and plan to call again Cantor , Bonehead and McConnell office and demand they do NOT attend !
Tennessee has joined several other states in trying to pass a Health Care Freedom Act. NO COLAs for granny, retired Military or retired fed employees. BIG NEW fees for Tricare for Life retired over 65 Military's secondary health ins. (DOD bill already passed, delayed but goes into effect 2011)
New Dem mantra: Woof, woof eat dog food granny....ala let them eat cake.
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