White House signals openness to health compromise

AP on Yahoo ^ | 9/3/09 | Charles Babington and Jennifer Loven - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON – Even as liberals urge President Barack Obama to demand bold, far-reaching changes to the nation's health care system, the White House signaled openness Thursday to compromises that might attract moderate congressional Democrats as well as some Republicans.

Obama believes in "fundamental principles" about overhauling health care, top presidential adviser David Axelrod told The Associated Press, but "he's not dogmatic about how we get there."

Axelrod's comments did not definitively answer how hard Obama will push for the most ambitious parts of his proposal, including health insurance for virtually all Americans and a government-run plan to compete with private insurers. But his diplomatic tone was in keeping with the administration's approach of refusing to flatly demand several parts that are dear to Democratic activists who helped elect him.

Those are the type of conciliatory hints that frustrate many liberals.

[A CA Guy]

Beware incremental government options.

[John123]

the White House signaled openness

How 'bout... no chance in hell?

[steveab]

The devil is in the details.

[NormsRevenge]

US President Barack Obama, seen here in August 2009. Obama headed back out on vacation Wednesday, trailed by a string of political challenges requiring his urgent attention, including his stuttering health reform drive and Afghanistan. (AFP/Mandel Ngan)

[vollmond]

Get out of Cheney’s house!

[American Constitutionalist]

Beware of any Olive leave branches of compromise from this administration.

[Typical_Whitey]

Start with a simple Premise... Government cannot manage healthcare and should not be in the Healthcare business between the Doctors and the Patients.

Now we can talk.

[Dutch Boy]

He is willing to get anything passed regardless of what it is. He will then slide all kinds of crap in when no one is looking.

[NormsRevenge]

U.S. President Barack Obama waves after walking out of the Oval Office before departing the White House in Washington for the Presidential retreat in Camp David September 2, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES POLITICS)

[paulycy]

How about this for a plan, Mr. President:

[A CA Guy]

What gets me pissed is McPain is out there trying to help Obama.
Someone please have a special election and remove the old John. He served our nation well as a military guy, but since then, not so much IMO.
Retire McCain...

[airborne]

Compromise?

We know what compromise gets you...

[Shermy]

“Beware incremental government options”

Myth.

The bills are fascist-care, Super Romney care, government working as an arm of the insurance companies.

[Carl LaFong]

Jennifer Loven Obamapropaganda.Ask for it by name.

[Tarpon]

Yep ...

No bill

Tort reform first.

[4Speed]

“not dogmatic about how we get there”
Define “There” Dufuss....DETAILS you Idiots ! !.....We are tired of Congress passing Laws they don’t even read....and we are FAST getting tired of LYING SOBs in DC.
Read your Polls .... losing has consequences and the latest score is...
Health Care 3
Constitution 76
in a lopsided loss at home.

[rednek]

No Quarter! This is a fight to the death................red

[Dr. Sivana]

Napoleon had imprisoned Pope Pius VII, attempting to get him to sign off on a bunch of matters regarding the operation of the Church that Pope Pius VII understood to be non-negotiable (e.g. Gallicanism, selection of Bishops, etc.). Because the Mass had been outlawed by Napoleon pending an agreement, the stakes were high. Pope Pius VII would not budge on key points, but compromised where he could.

Eventually, the Pope was given a document that he thought he could sign (e.g. Pope picks Bishops from short list presented by gov. etc.). No sooner did he sign the document than it was published with an Appendix that he did not agree to, including many of the points he would not agree to.

The moral of the story, don't make deals with weasels in power.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I'm sure McCain and Snowe and the rest of the RINOs would be more than happy to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.