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The Spectacle Blog
Despite 7 hours of talking, Thursday's White House health care summit ultimately did nothing to change the dynamics of the debate. President Obama, at least for now, ruled out the idea of scrapping the current health care bill and taking "baby steps." And Republicans won't be willing to sign on to the current health care bill with a few mere cosmetic add ons to create the illusion that Obama wants to integrate GOP ideas.
In my view, Republicans got the better of Democrats when it came to making the case against the current version of health care legislation. But even viewed differently, it's hard to argue that Obama did any better than a draw. And he needed much better than a draw, because the public overwhelmingly rejects the Democratic health care proposals and many Democratic members of Congress remain skittish. (Just 25 percent of the public supports passing a bill similar to House and Senate legislation, according to a CNN poll.)
"The question that I'm going to ask myself and I ask of all of you is, 'Is there enough serious effort that in a months time or a few weeks time or six weeks time, we could actually decide something?'" Obama mused at the conclusion of his remarks. "And if we can't, I think we've got to go ahead and make some decisions and then that's what elections are for."
It's unclear whether this means that he'd give Republicans and Democrats six weeks to find a bipartisan agreement before proceeding to reconciliation or give Congress six weeks to pass something altogether. And after the six week time frame, it isn't clear whether those "decisions" involve whether or not to use reconciliation, to pursue a smaller bill, or to scrap the effort and campaign against Republican obstructionism looking toward November.
But regardless, Democrats are still in the same place they've been in the weeks following Scott Brown's election, and the same questions still remain. Are they willing and able to pass what they need to through reconciliation on the Senate side? And regardless of what's possible in the Senate, are there enough votes in the House to pass anything? Earlier this week, I explained why health care legislation faces a tough road to passage in the House, and I think everything I wrote still holds. We'll have a better sense of things in the coming days and weeks, as some key moderate Democrats in the House start to take public stances one way or the other. But if this summit doesn't do the trick, that's it. Obama is out of ammo.
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More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/02/25/hc-summit-wont-change-anything
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MaggieL| 2.25.10 @ 6:28PM
If Obama believes we have elections to make decisions, I direct his attention to MA-SEN. If that fails to make a point, there's November 2010.
Pingback| 2.25.10 @ 6:45PM
Summit – preliminary roundup… « Time for Thorns links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Siegfried X| 2.25.10 @ 7:10PM
Yes. Obama needed to knock out the Republicans in order to win, and he couldn't do it.
There is still danger though. The Democrats will keep working their own caucuses and the RINOs, looking for some magic wording that brings enough aboard.
Dein| 2.25.10 @ 8:02PM
Iam glad the republicans got to show their common sense proposals and i believe they are gaining more public support/right now the dems DON'T HAVE THE VOTES and the longer it goes on the weaker their position Reid and pelosi and obama are embarrasments to themselves and the country
around the track| 2.25.10 @ 8:32PM
I don't care how "good" the Republicans and their proposals looked. Politics 101: you do not give your opponent a chance to advertise his agenda, particularly if he has the stature of a president. Yes, Obama is the president, he has stature and can---as he indeed did as the minutes show--dominate.
Pingback| 2.25.10 @ 9:56PM
Taking In The Summit – Blog Watch links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
KEYBOARD555| 2.25.10 @ 10:32PM
This meeting today meant nothing to Obama. A warning to the American People------Look who Obama surronds himself with, the Chicago Machine. People that don't live in Ill., have no idea how corrupt these people are. Check the history of Ill, and see how many people, that bucked them have come up missing. They get what they want, at any cost. This is the worst bill to ever come through congress, but Obama will never stop till he gets it passed, even if he has to do it a few parts at a time.
BHG| 2.25.10 @ 10:38PM
The Republicans were very shrewd in turning the conversational table on Obama. Say, what about your promise not to add to the deficit?
Obama has never, ever been a policy wonk. His disinterest in the nitty-gritty of legisdlative work was spotted by Harry Reid when Won-Won was in the Senate.
I have a feeling Obama's always been a convenience - the diversity crowd have always needed a brown face to soothe their consciences and make themselves look good. He's always had someone to make him look good.
He had no defense to Ryan, Cantor et also he had to respond with put downs aka talking points because he didn't have the mastery of "his" own administration's legislation.
Pingback| 2.26.10 @ 12:06AM
Joanna Pacitti Kicked Off American Idol : MediaBytes with Sh | Net Novac | Oglašavanj links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 2.26.10 @ 1:35AM
Bruce Willis Glad To Play A Funny Cop For A Change In ‘Cop Out’ – MTV.com : World on links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Inge| 2.26.10 @ 5:35AM
The dems came to this show thinking they will dominate, and didn't. Their arguments were hollow, uninterested, and simply went to the motion. Obama did not come across presidential, his arrogance, irratibility, and schmuck attitutde did him him.
They will attempt to pass this monster, but after the show, I do not think that all dems are on a kamikazee mission.
martin j smith| 2.26.10 @ 7:54AM
The Repubs did surprisingly well--they didn't let the RINOS dominate eir show. Obama did not get what he wanted except to state that " I am the President "
Overall for the show itself, Repubs won by a good margin.
But everyone knows this was just a show the purpose of which was to show that Repubs have no ideas,just complainers and so justify "reconciliation"
The problem: Repubs out did BHO and his merry band and this made our dear leader mad. Oh, angry --right. Anyway they go away sulking and say they will jam it thru anyway. That is my view of this farce.
Becky| 2.26.10 @ 7:58AM
On body language, Obama was a loser. I only watched clips on tv, and the hand on face bored/contemptuous look was overwhelmingly negative to me. It seemed he was just biding his time, impatient with Republicans. He didn't go to listen, his closing statement said as much.
I thought the Republicans where respectful, cordial, and surprisingly seemed well informed. The Democrats engaged in emotive anecdotal argument. Although Obama's thoughts turned to insurance when his daughter was in the emergency room, when my son and husband were both in critical care emergency room care after their accident, I was glad for the medical staff and signed the insurance forms without reading or regard for what they meant. Choosing between a blood and flesh dr and a brick and mortar hospital and a piece of paper, I'd pick the dr and hospital everytime.
Tim| 2.26.10 @ 8:42AM
Scott Brown's victory, and the tea party movement in general are the reasons we don't have a McCain out there right now putting together a compromise healthbill.
In short, FEAR keeps the RINOs in line, fear of this conservative battlestation....
Heatpacker| 2.26.10 @ 10:31AM
Any independent/moderate voter with the slightest bit of perspicacity, observing a few minutes of this political gab-a-thon, must have invariably come to this conclusion: the Democrat Party is populated by fatuous, arrogant, posturing blowhards who think that maudlin anecdotes are the foundation on which health-care reform should be built. One person is using borrowed false teeth - the whole system needs to be rebuilt! No one with an ounce of common sense should take these nattering ninnies seriously.
Pingback| 2.26.10 @ 9:15PM
American Grand Jury links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 3.8.10 @ 6:18PM
Demokraci grają va banque | Spin Room links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 3.9.10 @ 11:32AM
Demokraci grają va banque | FREE-MEDIA.PL links to this page. Here’s an excerpt: