President Obama invites GOP leaders to health care talk

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

President Barack Obama says he has invited Republican and Democratic leaders to discuss health care legislation later this month.

In an interview Sunday with CBS' Katie Couric, Obama said he wants Republicans "to put their ideas on the table."

Obama and Congress' Democratic leaders are seeking a way to overhaul the nation's health care system even though Senate Republicans are again able to block legislation with filibusters.

(snip)
The White House says the Feb. 25 session will involve Republican and Democratic leaders from both houses of Congress, and will probably be held at Blair House, across the street from the White House.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100207/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_health_care

[DJ13]

1. How much more would be given up to get some Republicans to vote for it?

Its already a corporate welfare bill, how far will he go?

[Mithreal]

62. I didn't hire Obama so he could ask Republicans how to Govern.

[Autumn]

2. Great, finally getting somewhere.

As soon as we get their ideas maybe this health care reform will get done.

[hlthe2b]

5. Right... Want to buy some lovely ocean front land?

(nicely priced given its proximity to Kansas) Perhaps you forgot your :sarcasm: thingy

[Autumn]

11. I already own a beautiful bridge, and

let me tell you it was a real steal for 100 bucks. Of course I did get ripped off on the magic beans. :shrug: But live and learn.






Yes I did forget the :sarcasm:

[TheEuclideanOne]

29. Now, was a sarcasm tag really needed?

You must be sarcasmistically impaired. :)

[hlthe2b]

35. Yes... it was...

I suspect more flame wars have started on DU for lack of clarity/misunderstandings/and foolish assumptions than "real" disagreements. Being clear is a good thing, would YOU not agree?

[TheEuclideanOne]

49. Of course I would agree. You are very wise!

:sarcasm:

[bluestateguy]

3. If there is a reason for this, I don't know what it is

nt

[hlthe2b]

6. Obama seems to think he was elected Saint....

and not President, it would appear.... (sign me frustrated beyond belief...:shrug:)

[Mithreal]

19. +1

[sandnsea]

60. Hopefully he'll televise it

And let the entire nation see exactly what the problem has been. I'd love to see them go over the language on illegals, the language on the premium tax, on abortion, every single item that's been exploited. There just isn't going to be any other way to get through to some of these rushbots out there.

[buff2]

4. Oh,that'll work

:sarcasm: :eyes:

[Dr.Phool]

7. What was that definition of insanity again?

Keep doing the same thing over and over and over and over........

And expect a different result.

:crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

[nightrain]

16. yep. That's it!! Is there abuse/neglect in Obama's history? He is sounding like

a person who has been battered and keeps on going back. ick.

[Mithreal]

20. sadly, that is close to how I see it as well

[gateley]

8. Wonder if it'll be televised. I'd love that! nt

[yurbud]

9. this is breath-taking in its stupidity unless the Democrats put up a clear cut plan instead of

the current Rube Goldberg, insurance industry dictated bill.

[PSPS]

10. It's pretty obvious now that Obama is in on this stall-it-to-death charade.

Either that or obama's brain ain't what it's cracked up to be.

I hope we can nominate someone worthwhile for president in 2012.

[Iowa]

30. +1

[tranche]

51. Why would Obama initiate health care if all wanted was to stall it?

I don't understand.

[harun]

69. Politically it makes the Republicans look bad, that is why.

70%-80% of the public want reform. They can keep shining a light on the Repub's being against it to win political points.

[Joanne98]

12. grrrrrrr

[Gin]

14. the President is an idealist.....he needs to be a realist.....I like

his idealistic beliefs that we all get along....but he must deal with what IS...not what he wishes it to be.(IMO)

[Mithreal]

21. idealist in a sense

he acts as if he talks enough like one of them then they will accept him

I wish he was as much an idealist in terms of universal health care, peace, and investment in American people.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

72. Or perhaps he knows he can't count on a simple majority among Democrats?

I wonder if he simply doesn't have enough Dems in the Senate to pass this and is trying to pull a Republican or two to get a majority. There was never a filibuster-proof coalition in the Senate.

Public polls have nothing to do with this as members of Congress aren't tied to constituent polls for placing their votes, so regardless of what the people in Nebraska or Connecticut or where ever want, Nelson and Lieberman and who ever is going to vote at they wish. As this drags on, it only loses steam.

[No Elephants]

74. Is there more hope of a Dem Pres. getting a Pub to sign on than getting a Purple Snake to sign on?

As head of the Democratic Party and President of the United States--and still a popular one--, Obama has a LOT more leverage over fellow Democrats than he does over Republicans.

He is not going to direc DNC money to the campaign funds of Republicans, or campaign for them, or twist arms of Democrats in Congress to get Republicans better committee assignments, etc.

I guess he can promise not to veto bills with their pet projects in them.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

78. Well, it would appear that Obama doesn't have that power or is unwilling to use it ...

... on the Dem dipshits holding this all up.

I believe it was good that he allowed the bill to be built in the Congress (unlike what Clinton tried, which made him a target and I believe in part pushed him into being such a pro-business/screw the middle/working/lower classes president). Seems that if the House and Senate - with a large majority in each house - could build the bill, it would have a better chance of passing. I do believe that he and his people worked closely with Dems in both houses to craft something passable (though it pisses me off that they started from the compromise position).

But he clearly cannot or will not use his position to get the dipshit Dems to step in line. For whatever reason, that isn't happening. I believe he certainly has the power. I believe he is unwilling to do it.

So why?

Possibilites:

- he wants to pass it without the Dems who would support it, leaving them twisting in the wind come election time? (why not?)
- he wants to have these bi-partisan meetings and televise them, so the Republicans will (on tape) look like the idiots and obstructionists that they really are, just in time for mid-terms? (please, please, please)
- he really thinks a Repub or two will join with the Dems on the vote (like you, I doubt it)
- he really does not want it to pass? (doubt it ... even pro-business people see how this would help not only people but businesses - except insurance and pharma - in the short and long term)

What else it there? Seriously, open to other theories as to why a very popular president with majorities in both the House and Senate is unable or unwilling to push the Dem dipshits holding this up?

[thereismore]

13. My heart sank. Dear President, you are playing with your base. nt

[stillwaiting]

15. For the love of God! There is NO way that I believe that Obama believes...

...that the Republican Party will work with Democrats to pass Health Care unless it gets INFINITELY worse than an already
extremely shitty bill.

The Republicans only want to knee cap Dems and Obama. Period. They don't give a damn about passing bills that help
the average American person. EVER!

I guess that means the Democratic leaders will include Harry Reid, Baucus, Nelson, etc. and will exclude the good guys for the most part.
Then there's the Republicans. Whoo-Ahhh!

[nightrain]

17. yep, and welcome to DU.

[rpannier]

18. Here we go again nt

[DFW]

22. Sheeee-IT, man, why wait? I'll put Republican health care ideas on the table right here and now:

:shrug:









There, that sums it up, Mr. President, with no detail left out. OK, Mrs. Lanningham, what's next?

[Joe Bacon]

56. Wait a second! You forgot their ideas!

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

[DFW]

63. Not really--I was just a little more hesitant to spell them out

My picture was equal to your thousand words, but it adds up to the same thing.

[Catshrink]

23. He's really a slow learner, isn't he?

[Roland99]

24. That will be one short meeting. Preview of a highlight of the minutes >>>>

- Tort Reform
- Tax credits
- No public option
- Interstate selling of policies

And probably a bonus mention of busting unions.

[Moosepoop]

25. Evidently he's responding to polls wanting GOP input

From the linked article in the OP:

Polls show that many Americans feel Obama and his congressional allies have not sought enough GOP input, although Democrats say Republicans have shown virtually no interest in seeking a realistic agreement.

I don't know what polls these are or who was polled, or when. But I think the gauntlet has been thrown down, so to speak, with Obama giving the other side one last chance to put up or shut up.

My hope is that this session will be televised. We know that the Repubs don't have any meaningful ideas, so they would have two choices -- either don't show up, publicly proving their unwillingness to participate once and for all, or show up with no workable ideas, publicly proving the same thing once and for all. After that, hopefully the Dems will have the perceived justification to just move forward without them.

[GinaMaria]

26. OMG! They've voiced their ideas

They want torte reform, only torte reform and nothing else. Obama already schooled them on this. Why not bring advocates of single payer to the table and listen to their ideas for a change? Why not bring average voters to the table to talk about what they need? Why not bring in experts from other countries where they have a single payer option and a private option that work in the same market? Why not bring all those who have done this before to the table so we can learn what worked and what didn't? You know leverage knowledge and experience in this area.

The repukes do not intend to work with Dems. They are the party of resistance. They will go against anything Obama wants to accomplish. How is it that everyone can see this, yet some pretend they can get around it?

So frustrating!

[cindyperry2009]

27. Maybe it's the Machievellian (sorry about the spelling) in me

I think this is a chess move. Let the thing be televised and the public see the obstructionism. What do you think?

[Mithreal]

32. Democrats need to stop playing chess and Govern.

Elections have consequences or was that only chess games, can't remember.

Anyway, hello, post more often. More dialogue is good.

[No Elephants]

34. Welcome. Sorry, but we've heard too much about possible chess moves here. So far, not one

of the speculations has proven true. So, speculation about Obama playing 3 dimensional chess doesn't not usually get far here now.

Besides, the public that cares at all about politics pretty much already gets all the references to the Party of No. And the rest either get their info from Republican talk radio or bury their heads and try to find a job or pay their bills.

[Luciferous]

39. That's what I was thinkning. He wants it televised so I think it's his

way of telling the Republicans to put up or shut up. He wants them to outline specific plans for fixing healthcare. Since they only have half-baked ideas and no concrete plans it will make them look bad.

[KoKo]

28. Uh Oh......but, President Obama ...I thought you already heard the Republicans HC Reform and

that's why the Health Care Insurers and Big Pharma WROTE THE BILL?

:eyes:

I'm sorry, President Obama ...I just never get where you are coming from these days...and I do wonder why I voted for you since you seem to be a "Changling." :-(

[DallasNE]

31. Put Up Or Shut Up

I like it!

Will the Republicans actually bring any ideas to the table. Will those ideas have been quantified by CBO as revenue neutral. How many new people will be covered. Let's compare and contrast the proposals -- provided the Republican are serious and show up with a proposal rather than simply to grandstand. Presidents usually have the upper hand in such meetings so how will the Republicans dance out of this one, or can they.

[Mithreal]

33. Republicans aren't needed to govern. All they are doing is stalling.

A leader would see that.

[DallasNE]

37. I Think You Are Missing The Point This Time

They are being asked to bring their proposals to the table with them so how can they stall this time. The House can still pass the Senate bill then reconciliation can be used to correct the problems in the Senate bill so it is not like the Democrats don't have any leverage. This time it is put up or shut up for the GOP.

[Mithreal]

38. The President should focus on the People, not the Republican Party

Is the President empowering them by continuing to reach across the aisle? Isn't it time for him to move on?

Put up or shut up was a little over a year ago, November 2008.

Don't even bother with Republican officials anymore. If you want dialogue with Republicans talk to average American Republicans.

Our perspectives, yours and mine, are a little different. I am open to possibly being wrong, but that is my take on it.

edited for some semblance of clarity

[AlinPA]

45. You make a very good point here. (and it is very clear the way you wrote it)

[Mithreal]

71. thanks

[No Elephants]

36. He refuses to meet with single payer advocates, but he started by meeting with health insurers, big

Phrma and big medical providers and now ends with meeting with Republicans.

House Progressives try to meet with him and he stonewalled until after the Senate was well on the way to passing the giveaway bill.

Meanwhile, doctors advocating single payer walk across the country to meet with him, but no go. He prefers a staged photo op with doctors willing to settle for the Senate bill, telling them to bring their white coats to the WH with them. And he's still showboating in D.C. and Baltimore about "If you know of a better way, tell me." Trouble is, two female physicians women who tried to respond to that fake challenge by asking someone to pass a piece of paper to him about Medicare for all got arrested.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02052010/profile3.html

Shame!

[SlingBlade]

44. Sorry Assed state we'er in here in Democratic Land, Huh.

[No Elephants]

75. Yes, but not only in Democratic Land. In the United Corporate States of America.

Democrats were our only hope (or so I thought).

Ironic that the administration of the President who campaigned on hope and change ended my lifelong hope that Democratics were much different from Republicans and things would be different when Democrats controlled the federal government.

[SlingBlade]

77. It was my life long hope as well my friend

"Was", being the operative word here.

I spose that boat I've always wanted along with huge stretches of open ocean
with few other human beings is just around the corner for me.

I'm seriously deep sixing this political farce we call democracy in America
But I'll definitely sit here and watch on the sidelines until the tide comes in.
Just so I won't ever forget, Sock it to me, hit me hard.

Thank You Barrack Obama and your whole supporting cast

You fooled me, Fooled me good.

[tpsbmam]

48. This was pretty much the nature of my latest letter to him....

along with my refusal to send yet another contribution that they had the balls to request. I volunteered, contributed & voted -- I've made it clear that they need to stop asking me to do any of the above until they stop kissing up to the Republicans & the traitorous conservative Democrats and completely dismissing the people who got them elected in the first place. I don't do abusive personal relationships and I don't do abusive political relationships. That's what this has become -- abusive. They can go to hell.

[SandWalker1984]

58. That's pretty much what I said too. Then I blocked their email address.

I will only donate now to individual candidates that I support. I refuse to give money to Rahm & company so he can call me retarded while he cashes my check. :argh:

[No Elephants]

76. I've written similar things to the WH, my Senators (not Kennedy) and my Rep. And, when the DNC

calls for money, I tell them the same thing.

The thing about individual candidates: in the end, they usually vote with the rest of the Democrats, unless they are Purple Snakes, whom I would not support in any case.

I love my Rep, as an individual. He is not a New Democrat. He is a member of the Progressive Caucus. He, like Kennedy, voted against the Iraq War and against the Patriot Act. However, I cannot help but wonder if he would have done that if his vote had been needed. Because, when push comes to shove, Pelosi gets his vote.

My Senior Senator is Kerry, a member of the DLC. My junior Senator is now Scott Brown. Kirk, who was Kennedy's hand picked place holder, sent me a form email, saying how proud he had been to vote for the Senate health care reform bill. (That was in response to an email I had written him months earlier, expressing my unhappiness with it.)


Hope? Not a lot.

[Old Codger]

40. Apparently

He is a slow learner they are not going to give in on anything.... this whole thing has become asinine anymore...

[Barbara2423]

41. Barack begging the republicans - again

Is he stalling? Something does not make any sense. Perhaps Barack is a closet Republican.

[SlingBlade]

42. So Physicians for change go to Jail, Re-Pugs go "Discuss"

Just stick a fork in 'em boy's , He's juuuuust about done ! :banghead:

[scentopine]

55. yes - liberals are shut out, only repubs, corporations and the rich have representation -nt

[droidamus2]

43. I only have one question to ask

WHY????

[AlinPA]

46. He must be the only Democrat who has not given up on trying to work with them.

[Doctor_J]

47. I wish he would start leading instead of following

this is a disaster - after a year they're still "putting ideas on the table"

[AlinPA]

50. Wasting time ...again.

[Democat]

67. There is a reason for them to waste time - it's called strategy!

Unfortunately, it's the Republican strategy and Obama is going along with it.

If they can waste enough time, they will take back the House or Senate and then Obama will be even more useless than he has been so far.

[SlingBlade]

52. Ahh. Cheer up folks. Take another drink of "Change" and

call me back in late October. For a prediction.

Which reminds me of a quote ...
" We don't need another Republican Party in this country " :argh:

[regnaD kciN]

53. Hopefully, the results will be the same as the last time he "talked with" Republicans...

:evilgrin:

[BlueJazz]

54. In other News, "Miss Kitty" (a Newborn Calico Kitten) invites her Friend for a "Talk"

[yurbud]

57. in other news, vegetarians invite Jeffrey Dahmer to improve America's diet...

[johnnyplankton]

59. Call me insane, but if he exposes their arguments like he did last time...

It might make some Americans wake up to the fact that the
Repugs have no plan, and don't want to solve the problem. If
that makes me sound naive, tough shit.

[Mithreal]

61. Anyone who doesn't know already hasn't been paying attention.

There exist higher priorities than bipartisanship.

I didn't hire him to ask the Republicans how to GOVERN!!!!!!!!!

Please excuse the anger, it's real and I am really tired of holding it inside.

[yurbud]

68. how is he going to do that when he is constantly asking for their input and ignoring progressives?

His actions make it look like the opposite of what you are saying, like he believes the Republicans have all the good ideas and his party doesn't (which of course is not even remotely true).

He can't pander to the corrupt and then turn around and say he can do better than them.

[Suji to Seoul]

64. Enough already! These GOP Bastards would rather see you tarred, feathered and sent straight to Hell

than work with you, Barack. And stop listening to that DINO Rahm!!!

Why do we need them? They didn't need us for how long???

FUCK THESE GOP MOTHER FUCKERS!!! To quote George Carlin: "Fuck in the asshole with a big rubber dick. . .then break it and beat them to death with the rest of it."

I hope the Republican Party dies. I hope the entire party breaks into the Teabagging assholes, the Fundie Creeps and the Cowboy Libertarian scumbags!

God damn, I fucking hate Republicans, and I don't even live in the country anymore!!!

[bamacrat]

65. Man someone is trying hard to be a one term president. n/t

[Democat]

66. Republicans will run out the clock on Obama, as they did on Kennedy

How stupid are Democrats? All Republicans will do is waste time until they take back the House or Senate, and Obama and Democrats will keep playing along.

[Zorra]

70. Yeh, like that will help anything. nt

[Jefferson23]

73. And will this be confined to ideas offered, or will anyone be

challenged with substantiated facts as they spew the same crap about medical malpractice as a serious cost problem related to health care.

Tort Reform Unlikely to Cut Health Care Costs

Studies Show Malpractice Awards Are Not Big Driver of Skyrocketing Costs
http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unli...

I want to hear anyone defend (Blue Dogs included), WHY they do not wish to eliminate a federal antitrust exemption for health insurance.



From the OP: "He said he would seek specific answers from Republicans on how they would propose to lower costs, extend coverage to the uninsured and revise insurance rules which currently block those with pre-existing conditions from getting coverage.

The half-day meeting will take place on 25 February, after a congressional break between 15 to 19 February.(end)


If Obama is going to publicly throw this ball in their court, GREAT strategy!

If no honest conversation about how to achieve meaningful health insurance reform is the result, then fuck them all.