Posted on 03/03/2010 9:58:32 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) US President Barack Obama on Wednesday was to ring the final round bell of the year-long bout over his historic health care plan, pushing Congress for quick action over stiff Republican objections.
Obama was set to deliver his televised exhortation at 1:45 pm (1845 GMT) from the White House's ornate East Room after vainly extending Republicans an olive branch, offering to include four of their ideas in the legislation.
The president was to lay out his plans for "moving forward into the final stage" of congressional action on what would be the most sweeping overhaul of its kind in four decades, a White House official said late Tuesday.
Obama, whose plan aims to extend health care coverage to tens of millions of Americans who currently lack it, "will urge Congress to move swiftly toward votes on this legislation," said the official, who requested anonymity.
The blueprint still faces an uphill road to passage, with Republicans united in opposition, and Democrats struggling to marshal their majorities in both chambers with a tentative self-imposed timetable measured in weeks.
The Senate and House of Representatives passed rival versions of the overhaul in 2009, and were on the road to melding them into a compromise bill when Democrats lost their 60-vote Senate super-majority in a shock January election that boosted Republicans to 41 seats in the 100-member Senate.
With Republicans suddenly empowered to stall the legislation indefinitely, the president's allies were expected to rely on an infrequently parliamentary tactic called "reconciliation" that requires a simple majority.
..
The approach has pitfalls: The method is reserved for measures that directly impact government revenues and outlays, and could open the door to a wave of Republican amendments aimed at burying the bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
US President Barack Obama, seen here on March 2, is to ring the final round bell of the year-long bout over his historic health care plan, pushing Congress for quick action over stiff Republican objections. (AFP/File/Saul Loeb)
Jobs is still his priority, right now it’s this health care reform SNOW JOB!!
#1?
some folks think #1 may very well be the TPers....
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/tp-to-bill-colombo-clinton-come-and-get-us-by-judi-mcleod/
US President Barack Obama speaks with patrons while eating lunch at "Mrs Wilkes' Dining Room" in Savannah, Georgia on March 2. Days after Obama was warned during a check-up to avoid high-fat foods because of his elevated cholesterol, he asked onlookers to let him get away with a small indulgence. (AFP/File/Saul Loeb)
The Presidents No.1 job is to protect this country. He totally ignores this fact. He also totally ignores our military.
Apparently Amercians don’t need any stinkin’ jobs this year.
The Won has to keep his priorities you know.
What, a speech at 1:45 pm? No prime time seizure of all the networks? What’s the matter, Barry? Why aren’t you really pushing your “health plan”?
the president's allies were expected to rely on an infrequently used parliamentary tactic called "reconciliation" that requires a simple majority
is his speech really going to go over that well? People are sick of him.
We are sunk if this healthcare plan passes.
Will he or won't he?
“The Presidents No.1 job is to protect this country. He totally ignores this fact. He also totally ignores our military.”
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Yep, but when it comes to “dissidents,” he’s all ears!!!!!
“Laddies, We’re Behind ENEMY WITHIN Lines...and surrounded, if ya can “grok” that!”
Semper Fidelis
Dick G
aka:
Gunny G
*****
What are the 4 Republican ideas that he plans to add? Are they tort reform, allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines like all other insurance, no federal funding for abortion, no cuts to medicare?
It’s not that they don’t respect Republicans , they do not fear them .
He’s going on TV? That’s something new.......
This is about the 4th or 5th “Final Push” for this P.O.S. idea.
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Obama wants to be on Biggest Loser after he gets impeached.
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