Ezra Klein: Demand an up-down vote in response to GOP ransom note

[FourScore]

Let's make a deal
Ezra Klein

John Boehner and Eric Cantor have responded to Barack Obama's invitation to sit down and talk health-care reform. They answered in the form of a ransom note http://gopleader.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=169716 . Here are their demands:

1) "Assuming the President is sincere about moving forward on health care in a bipartisan way, does that mean he will agree to start over?"

2) "Does that mean he has taken off the table the idea of relying solely on Democratic votes and jamming through health care reform by way of reconciliation?"

3) "If the President intends to present any kind of legislative proposal at this discussion, will he make it available to members of Congress and the American people at least 72 hours beforehand?"

4) "Will the President include in this discussion congressional Democrats who have opposed the House and Senate health care bills?"

5) "Will the President be inviting officials and lawmakers from the states to participate in this discussion?"

6) "The President has also mentioned his commitment to have 'experts' participate in health care discussions....Will those experts include the actuaries at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), who have determined that the both the House and Senate health care bill raise costs?"

7) "Will the special interest groups that the Obama Administration has cut deals with be included in this televised discussion?"

8) "Will the President require that any and all future health care discussions, including those held on Capitol Hill, (be televised)?"

Just screams "we would like to cooperate with you to reform the American health-care system," doesn't it? But don't take my word for it: You'll really want to read the whole thing. These are not folks who concern themselves with the appearance of good faith. The only thing missing is an obscure riddle that Obama must answer before he can speak to Mitch McConnell.

But I think the administration should release a counter-proposal. They will agree to literally every one of the GOP's demands -- including the ones that don't make any sense -- in return for one, simple promise: The final legislation is guaranteed an up-or-down vote in the House and the Senate. No filibusters. No delays. No procedural tricks. If the GOP wants a clean process, I bet a deal can be struck here.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/02/lets_make_a_deal_1.html

[KittyWampus]

1. What's your favorite color?

BRIDGEKEEPER: What is your favorite color?
GALAHAD: Blue. No yel-- auuuuuuuugh! < explodes and dies >
BRIDGEKEEPER: Hee hee heh. Stop! What is your name?
ARTHUR: It is Arthur, King of the Britons.
BRIDGEKEEPER: What is your quest?
ARTHUR: To seek the Holy Grail.
BRIDGEKEEPER: What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
ARTHUR: What do you mean? An African or European swallow?
BRIDGEKEEPER: Huh? I-- I don't know that! Auuuuuuuugh! < explodes and dies >
BEDEVERE: How do know so much about swallows?
ARTHUR: Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.

[T Wolf]

2. BUt they do not want a clean process - or any process at all. IF Obama continues to play with these

cretins, he will simply show that he is not up to the job.

Any American with at least half a brain will know that he has tried the bi-part way for over a year, with nothing to show for it. Those who will not see that will never be reachable, so fuck them.

But, there is a point where, if Obama continue to get nowhere with his compromising approach, many/most people will start to blame him for the failure to achieve anything. Fair or not - that is the outcome of always trying to not offend the enemy.

As many have said, Americans admire courage and strength (to our detriment, at times). The voters have shown that they were willing to give him a chance - but it is not an open-ended pass. He has to show results or the fickle, uncommitted "middle" will turn toward someone who at least appears strong.

Fuck the pukes for their sabotage and absolute refusal to work on the problems.

Fuck the Democrats for allowing the largest majority they will see to go to waste. Their failure is just as damaging, or even more so because, they had the ability to accomplish things.

[spanone]

3. how many times must they kick the President in the balls before he tells them to fuck themselves?