Willing To Talk, With Preconditions

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_02/022312.php


snip//

Republicans are effectively arguing that the only way to talk about the health care reform proposal is to ensure that there is no health care reform proposal. The plan that was crafted over months of debate, hearings, analysis, and scrutiny -- the one endorsed by the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Cancer Society, and the AARP -- has to be thrown in the trash immediately or Republicans aren't interested in having a conversation.

This was especially rich.

In their letter, Boehner and Cantor called on Obama to take reconciliation off the table as a "show good faith" to the GOP.

"Eliminating the possibility of reconciliation would represent an important show of good faith to Republicans and the American people," the letter said.

I see. Republicans would be more willing to talk about health care reform if the president agrees in advance to give Republicans the opportunity to kill health care reform.

Tell you what, GOP. You take the filibuster off the table as a "show good faith" and I'm sure Democrats would be willing to take reconciliation off the table as a "show good faith." What do you say?

For its part, the White House seems unimpressed by the Boehner/Cantor letter, and does not appear inclined to meet the GOP's demands for "ground rules."

In the larger context, it's a reminder that the summit invitation puts Republicans in an awkward spot. If they participate, they'll very likely lose the policy debate. If they reject the invitation, they'll look petty and small (even more so than usual), giving Dems ammunition to further characterize the GOP as knee-jerk partisans, unwilling to even have an open and bipartisan conversation.

—Steve Benen

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. NO Preconditions!!!!

Why should literally YEARS of work be thrown away for a group of people whom haven't even been trying to be helpful/concerned about the problem?!

[babylonsister]

2. Luckily, the WH 'seems unimpressed'. :) nt

[secondwind]

11. hey, Babylon, you go girl! Love them hearts!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. I know. Good to hear

For somebody who is supposedly *weak* :eyes: and trying too hard to be chummy with Republicans, Obama is doing a good job of sticking to his guns over things like this (and Gitmo). Now, if only Congressional Dems (i.e. Senators) had the same "spine," who knows what we could accomplish.

[COLGATE4]

3. In the words of (some) great philosopher

Fuck them and the horse(s) they rode in on!

[Jennicut]

4. Obama made a good call on this summit, put them in a tough spot like Benen said

[thunder rising]

5. I like it! Take the filibuster and reconciliation off the table in a mutual "show of good faith"

I had to put it in a title line in case the ADD crowd (like me) didn't get the point in your OP.

[babylonsister]

6. For some reason, I just don't see that happening. They can't

even agree to meet in the same room. :shrug:

[thunder rising]

9. After thinking about it, this would amount to reinstating the old filibuster rules

where the opposition actually had to keep talking. However in this case, they would have to remain on topic since it would be a debate. So, they couldn't just read the phone book.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. why bother with the GOP as they want to completely privatize healthcare and SS

[iceman66]

8. The gall of these Republicans!

Demending a sign of "good faith" when they have been acting in BAD faith since day one!

[Vincardog]

10. The GOP will agree to talk if everyone else agrees to their demands before hand. Fuck that

[Cha]

12. Oh, the gopers painted themselves into

an ugly corner again.

[cilla4progress]

13. What kills me is

the GOP always saying the "public doesn't want HCR...". Did not Obama run on this? The problem is, he's conciliated away too much. I hope he includes single-payer at these talks. It's a crime, if he doesn't.