Oba-kabuki: Places everyone, places!
Photoshop credit: iPOTUS
Terrific. After hinting that they might show some brass and skip out on the Obama health care dog-and-pony show, House GOP Whip (or should that be “Whipped”) Eric Cantor said today that Republicans will show up after all. “Absolutely,” he warbles:
Oba-kabuki: Places everyone, places!
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Now Michelle…
So now the real test will see how they perform. If past performance is any indication… but hey, they could surprise me.
Stuck on Stupid. Anyone want to tell me again why we should not vote them all out?
I think Obama reads this blog. Today he admonished his fellow yaro-kabuki for “engaging in political theater” rather than having the courage to get down to the people’s business.
In other words, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
“Absolutely,” said the fly to the spider’s invite….
We need to elect believers, not hired intermediaries.
Electing these Republicans to represent us is like casting Don Knotts instead of Leonardo DiCaprio in “Titanic”. It’s not the script or that Don Knotts is a bad actor, it’s….. oh I don’t know…. miscasting maybe?
To paraphrase my comment on this subject from yesterday:
The usual pessimists are at play here.
I haveta point to Fred Thompson’s excellent advice…
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/02/09/fred-thompsons-summit-advice
See, I don’t see THE ONE as the super-duper duper you (you know who you are) seem to think him to be.
I see him as declining every day.
Or am I wrong…?
Seems that Boehner and Cantor need to have a pow-wow to determine whether they’re going to show or not. Over on FNC’s Web site, the line from Boehner is that it’s pointless to discuss the bills as they are.
I can understand the pressure to attend; to boycott would only offer Hope-a-Dope and the Obamazoids an easy, “See? We told you that they don’t have any ideas!” sound-bite.
But if Boehner is right that all that Hope-a-Dope wants to do is play around with symbolic GOP “input” so he can set them up for a fall later — which is highly likely — then it’d be perfectly appropriate to walk out en masse as soon as Hope-a-Dope tries to spring the trap.
At least that way, in response to the criticism from the donk media that would surely ensue, there’d be the ready and valid reply of “We entered in good faith, and left when it became clear that only bad faith was to be had.”
If there are any Republicans paying attention that would like to keep their job in the next election, please do the following:
Make Obama and the liberals vote against true healthcare reform.
Introduce/sponsor/sign on to a 2 page bill, 5 max, that caps healthcare provider liability under civil lawsuits and limits frivolous lawsuits against healthcare providers. Don’t accept any limitations or amendments. Keep reintroducing this bill until the democrats ban you from the chamber.
This would obviously be deficit neutral – it doesn’t cost the taxpayer a single dime. It would very visibly reduce healthcare premiums by reducing malpractice insurance costs. It would show that the republicans are really serious about meaningful healthcare reform that doesn’t balloon the deficit and doesn’t hide anything in a 2000 page bill.
We need to throw Boehner, Cantor and the other bums out. They are in the DC mindset and don’t give a rat’s behind about us, just their egos and “good” presence to the Washington MSM and elite.
I will not send a penny to the GOP nor Cantor and Boehner, that’s for sure.
If the R’s do show up, make your point on national tv. Make it so everyone will understand what you are saying. If you don’t you are toast!
L
I still dont understand why they dont tell him to come on over to their house, you know Congress where bills are actually introduced. By going to Obama’s setting he will completely control this Kabuki theatre in sucha a way that he will paint Republicans as obstructionists and that he has all these great ideas if only they would stop saying no and help him.
My question to Republicans in Congress why would you go to a press conference (that is what it will basically be) just to be talked down to and blamed for everything.
I am beginning to think that many of the Republicans in Congress are closet Masochists.
Truesoldier,
Did you see Glenn on Fox tonight? If so, you know what is going on. Both r’s and d’s are progressives.
L
I knew I could count on Fred to say exactly what I felt:
Don’t do it, GOP.
For those too lazy to read Mr. Thompson, or having too much fun wallowing in your defeatism…
Jeepers, reading some of you guys would almost make a body think you thought THE ONE was as good as HE thinks he is.
Obama should be selling timeshares in Cicero.
Why don’t the Republicans just say — ya know, in a representative republic we do what the people want and they sure don’t want this crap government takeover of health care.
We do what our people who elected us want us to do… Then talk the un-Constitutionality of the whole idea.
Rags, it’s not that Obama is so smart, it’s that “our” side is so dumb. That’s the point. Obama succeeded in placing himself in the driver’s seat before a podium, getting 99% of the camera time, directing questions and answering them with no follow-up opportunities by the questioners and more AT THEIR OWN EVENT in Baltimore. The Republicans signed off on this one-sided arrangement.
Now they are once again going to be the students in the audience being lectured by The One? Exactly how dumb are the Republicans anyway? With even a modicum of spine and a thoughtful leader, this would be manageable. Instead, these guys look for deals and snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory every time.
One of the drawbacks of Scott Brown’s victory in MA is that the GOP can no longer say that the Dems are the only ones in the room and so own everything. Now the GOP has to show some leadership and once again, we get the same half-pregnant and sometimes honest bunch that keeps reaching across the aisle. We need to get rid of these guys. Where is Jim DeMint in all of this? Get rid of Boehner and Cantor and we’ll have Jim DeMint.
I should have said: Get rid of Boehner, Cantor, McConnell, McCain, Graham and suddenly DeMint is the leader.”
(I got interrupted by a phone call and lost my train of thought.)
Pollster seems to agree with you.
At this rate, he’ll be in the thirties by November. Any candidate that wants to ride those coat tails isn’t going very far.
Granted, they signed-off on bad atmospherics. You may think they got rolled. I don’t.
What are the metrics that support your position?
I have polls that look pretty stinking good for my view.
Absolutely, they should show up and bring supportable data to defend and advance their position.
The GOP needs party discipline.
Rags – Thompson is dead on. Here’s the problem; the Republicans aren’t. Obama thinks he’s luring them into a trap where he looks all reasonable and bipartisan and hopeychangey. He knows the vast majority of Americans can’t stomach Washington and thinks he will make himself look like the solution and the Rebubs look like the problem. The party of no. Obstructionist. Out of touch. Yada. Yada.
If the Republicans would get on the same page and stand firm with a take it or leave it position (like Thompson’s) they could throw this right back in Barry’s face and hoist him on his own pitard.
Unfortunately, they are not that smart. They will let Barry control the venue, format and message, do his dog and pony show – then ask for his freakin autograph!
Rags, excuse me but if you look at the polls immediately after the Baltimore event, his numbers improved. The bump didn’t stick but it was clearly a victory for Obama which is why he is so interested in doing it again.
Everything is going the Republicans way right now but not because of anything they’ve done. They are reading the Democrats’ poll numbers and making the mistake that when the pendulum swings away from the “other” party, it is heading towards them. Wrong. This time the pendulum is swinging away from incumbents who are rightly being judged as being members of a one-party government.
The Republicans have gale-force winds at their backs and yet they inexplicably tentative, meek and muddled. They don’t have a leader. Even worse, they see Sarah Palin coming and this time, she is not an outlier to be easily dispatched with childish ridicule but an establishment-supported superstar candidate. Right or wrong. Agreeing to Obama’s challenge is hail mary pass that they don’t have the skill to complete. They should either negotiate favorable terms or like Michelle says, have the spine to walk away.
The problem is that these guys are desperate. They are dead and they know it but they will insist on playing out their run like the stumble bums they are until they are gone.
for the first time (and probably last) I agree 100% with zigzag
Stop!!! Get back!!!!
It’s a trap………..
O, Gawd…NOOOOO….!!!!
They should show up and say things like, “Mr. President, our position is that there are too many frivolous lawsuits driving our health-care costs up and good doctors out of practice. Will you join us in insisting on tort reform? If not, why not (in ten words or less)?”
Let him drift off into another wonkish filibuster of an answer, if he’s so inclined (and he increasingly IS so inclined) that says nothing. PEOPLE HATE THAT.
Lather, repeat, rinse…
The rules of engagement are that only the Republicans are only allowed to ADD to the bills as they stand, not to subtract or offer and alternative. That is why Obama refuses to start from scratch to build a new bill while refusing to guarantee that any of these “negotiated” agreements will be incorporated into bills.
The heart of negotiations is in establishing the rules and defining the scope of negotiations. The scope of these negotiations are limited to the Democratic bill. It is a no-win for the Republicans.
Politely as to “negotiations”…BULL.
But, on point…these ARE NOT negotiations.
This is a moment of theater…and it does NOT need to be Kabuki. It CAN be Conservative WWF.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/02/09/boehner_to_wh_why_are_we_going_to_talk_about_a_bill_that_cant_pass.html
Hmmm…
Kinda looks like this whole discussion could be…I dunno…silly…
Just because they’re going to show up doesn’t mean they’re going to cave in. I think it’s better to show up, listen, give their ideas, and get out.
– And they should be prepared to walk when Hope-a-Dope makes it clear that he’s only interested in trying to either hornswoggle them into surrender or to set them up for the blame when his socialized medicine scheme implodes.
It’d be the neatest thing since Reagan walked out on Gorbachev at Reykjavik.
Rags, what’s your point? We all agree that this is Kabuki theater. Are you arguing with me or using me as a jumping board to say something as if you are winning an argument? WTF??? Make sense.
No. We don’t agree on anything of the kind.
Neither do the folks at Hot Air….
I totally disagree with that!! These guys have been standing their ground and not one single republican vote was cast in favor of any healthcare bills. The dems had enough votes to pass it alone, if they hadn’t bickered amongst themselves. This current 2000+ page bill is all theirs. And it is because the republicans have been staying true to their constituants. What do you expect out of them? They have had NO power for the past year. All they could do was try and obstruct as best they could. If the dems had been able to get their ducks in a row, that healthcare bill would have been a done deal by now. I can’t fault DeMint, Cantor, Boehner, etc. on this stuff. And now, they are telling Obama that they will discuss healthcare only if the monstrostiy that is out there now is scrapped and they can start over. They also will insist on tort reform, NO money for abortion, and competition over state lines. These are non-starters for the progressives. The bill is DEAD, regardless of whether the republicans show up at the “summit” or not…unless they use the nuclear option, which will put the final nail in the coffin of democrats. They are truly desparate. I see it in every interview I watch. The dems are sweating, and not making much sense. Their talking points are falling totally flat, and they know it. I almost feel sorry for them…NOT!!
Maybe it’s the cock-eyed optimist in me, but…
The GOP does not need a game-changer here. Conservatives have to hold their own. The bill is dead now.
But they CAN do WAY better than just hold their own in this, as I’ve noted.
They CAN roll THE ONE in this setting, if they wish.
Insisting that the VASTLY HATED bill(s) be scrapped as a predicate to a meeting is GOOD stuff.
The polls support that.
Rags – This is exactly the point. Bohner says they’re not going / Cantor says they’re going – within hours of eachother. If Republicans had the sense God gave a peanut they would get unified and on message and take Barry to the cleaners. But they are not even talking to eachother. If they go in like this Barry will have them for lunch.
From Doug Ross@journal:
A good Republican leader could do a lot with that kind of thinking. Sadly,….
As I said on a similar thread,
They should ask if he’s willing to ask the Dem leadership in both houses for the withdrawal of all the pending confusing bills and work on a true bipartisan bill.
Obama will say no.
Ask why not, let him dig the hole a little deeper, then thank him for this time and leave.
Dick Morris hit this thing head on. He said Obama saw the ratings bump that Baltimore gave him and wants another. Besides, it gives his minions an opportunity to go on the Sunday shows and talk about how the Republicans had no ideas, etc.
Actually, maybe the GOP leadership should decline his invitation until the current bills are withdrawn. Good faith and all.
I think just not showing up would be worse than going and getting lectured to, providing they have hind legs to stand up on and fire back. Let the people know they’ve got their own plans, and there are principle they will no sacrifice on the altar of bipartisan bull-crap.
obowmacare, crap and tax, and shamnesty all need to fail big time…let him be nothing more than the worst prez in history…the less he and congress do the less it cost the American taxpayer…
Voters don’t want this bill. All the Republicans have to say when they refuse to go is that there is no point. The will of the people has been ruled out of order by Obama. Even his fellow Dems understand this. That’s why they want to drop it and move on. It’s Obama who was taken to task for not showing any leadership. This is an easy belt-high fastball right down the middle. The Republicans should be hitting this one right out of the park but that’s not characteristic of these Bad News Bears.
Don’t be so pessimistic and give up too early.
That is a given. And I think Boehner needs to remind the President that he promised to focus on jobs and the economy. Healthcare needs to wait. Right now, it is a colossal waste of time because it has no chance of passing. Obama needs to buy a clue! What a doofus. He just can’t give it up, and his approval rating is tanking! Is he back to snorting stuff?
The question should include, ‘and here is the data to support the fact that frivolous lawsuits drive up the premiums that the medical profession pays, and which they pass on to their customers.’
Wonkish or not, if it saves money and brings down the costs of healthcare and is publicly demonstrated, then Pres Obama has been boxed into a corner.
And, please no Sen McConnell, Rep Boehner, or Rep Cantor at the meeting, just the people who have the wonkish details at their finger tips to respond to Pres Obama.
You knew I could not resist -
It is, lather (wash), rinse, repeat . . .
AGAIN…!!!! An EXCELLENT point.
Remind people THE ONE said last year his FIRST priority was jobs…
and he said that was Numero Uno THIS YEAR.
EVERY FORUM THE PRESS GIVES US, THAT SHOULD BE DRIVEN HOME.
I wasn’t sure there were actually any hard and fast rules. Both sides are still setting the agenda.
Moreover, it isn’t about starting from scratch, it is about presenting data to support the better bill. If the data supports a position and is superior, it should be done.
And yes, if the data supports no bill, then that should be the case, as well.
No more war of words, no more hyperbole, no more grandstanding, it is time for both sides to put up, or shut up.
I agree that there is benefit to setting the agenda. However, there is no reason to get into the meeting and not offer all of your suggestions, including scrapping the whole thing. Just present the data to support that position. Money talks and everything else walks.
The Republicans can win when they present the supporting documents and data to advance their position.
And yes, ask questions. My favorite is the one Pres Obama dodged at a White House meeting -
Do you spend six million dollars to save a premie, or six million dollars to save an 89 year-old diabetic with a heart condition? Or, both? Can we afford to do it all?
Many of you do not like addressing my questions, but Pres Obama cannot avoid that one, and win the healthcare reform he wants.
There is no formal list of rules but Obama made it clear that the starting point is the bill (the one voters have made clear they don’t want) as it now stands. From there, Republicans are welcome to make suggestions on what else should be in the bill or ideas to tweak the bill but “we are not interested in old ideas”.
Let me put it another way, we are interested in your ideas in how to improve major league baseball but only in the context of the New York Yankees.
See the problem? It’s all Kabuki theater and the Republicans have nothing to gain by playing.
Whatever the Republicans are risking by refusing to participate is that they may lack the communication skills to effectively explain to the voters that they refused to help the President sell a health care bill that no one wants. The risk lies not in saying no. It lies in their own inability to explain to voters that they gave them what they were demanding in the NY23, VI, MD, and MA elections and in the national polls. Is that so hard to do? It is for people as dumb as the GOP.
Like children on Halloween elbowing their way to the front door hoping to get the best prize.
“We saw what those other guy’s got”.
What an embarrassing spectacle.
==============================
McCain has to be a driving force here.
Maybe. But the OPPORTUNITY lies in SAYING YES to things that support market-based solutions.
THAT is where the emphasis needs to be.
Even the NYT is saying that the GOP has…and has had…ideas to offer.
BTW, how do you differentiate THE ONE’s SOTU bounce from a purported Baltimore bounce?
I’ve never seen any poll that tried to do that.
OK, we disagree.
Here’s my suggestion. Jim DeMint schedules a press conference with all Republican leaders attending. He reads the following statement:
Just a thought.
Odopo has backed the repubs into a corner, show or they’ll be labeled “the party of NO” once again, but when he starts the side stepping the repubs get up and go in unison…they come out as the party trying, not Dr. NO.
I got the impression from Cantor that’s exactly what they are planning on, the dems are not going to cave on health care no matter what. They were too close to back off now even knowing the unclean are against the proposed government run health care. And the repubs will be looking good when their ideas are rejected. They cannot accept any part of the two h.c. plans voted on and passed by the House and Senate or they lose it all…NO Compromising.
No argument there but that is not going to happen. Those are exactly the “same old” ideas that Obama has categorically stated over and over again that he doesn’t want to hear. He categorizes them as Republican attempts to obstruct “new” ideas. This is pure political theater, a foolish and desperate attempt to win back public support by imagery.
The imagery will again feature Obama lecturing Republicans like wayward children, chairing a meeting as if Congress is subservient to the President. That is not the way our government works and Republicans should not be part of it.
The Republicans have been dealt a royal flush but they are playing like they want to win with two pair without building the pot. They have too strong a hand to allow Obama to call the shots. He is on the ropes. Make it show. Make him sweat. Publicly. Say no.
The problem with storming out of the meeting is that it looks so bad.
BTW, I just heard Boehner express the same sentiments I expressed in my suggested Jim DeMint statement. “There is no point having a televised discussion about a bill that has no chance of passing. Let’s move on or start from scratch.”
That’s more like it. “HELL NO!!!”
My guess? This event is as dead as the DemCare bill.
Well, hell…
I just got around to listening to the sound bite of Cantor…
I think Michelle just plane got it wrong. Or she heard stuff I didn’t.
I still love you, Michelle….
But you miss the object of the exercise.
Nobody gives a rat’s asp what THE ONE says about the ideas. He’s increasingly seen as a liar (correctly).
It shows the people that those GOP ideas have been…and are…out there; quite the OPPOSITE of what THE ONE has been saying.
THAT is the purpose of the exercise.
Expect nothing more than a political circus, with lots of smiles and speeches dedicating themselves to the solving of problems. Nothing will be accomplished other than that.
That has potential, Repubs come out on top without giving Dr, No the limelight he so desperately needs, the dems won’t start over.
It would get the point across to public that the Repubs tried and once again no cooperation from the left.
“it looks so bad”, this is not a social get together, it is a war for the future of our country…I don’t really care if someone’s feelings gets hurt or what it looks like to anyone.
I want my country back.
Rags, first, I didn’t realize that there was a stated exercise and that I was missing the point(????). The theme of this thread is “Kabuki Theater”. That is what I have been addressing my point to.
Second, Obama IS going to dictate how this event is run. He is going to run it in a way that puts him front and center, in control, and the Repubs are going to look like petulant children. Just like last week. And it is very likely that the Republs will again rush to the podium for autographs and photographs with the President to commemorate this historic event. Did you ever watch how both parties lionize presidents when they enter the chambers to deliver his SOTU? Same thing. It’s something I never understood when Bush was president. The very people who were trashing him at every opportunity would be there begging for his autograph like school children.
I have seen Republicans snatch defeat from the jaws of victory so many times….
The Senate Republicans are beyond bad. If McCain, Grahamnesty, or Orrin Hatch attend………… Obama will take their lunch and gleefully eat it on national TV.
Someone ease my paranoia, please.
Phil, thanks to you my paranoia meter just pegged.
I agree with Phil, because that is history.
Try this. You know that Lincoln commercial featuring that hotter than hot Sia song that you can’t get out of your mind once you hear it? Free download. Try it.
*P-BO has already come out and basically said he will not start from scratch, and that the GOP will HAVE to accept some Dem proposals already out there; That should be enough for the GOP to come out now with the following:
**It would be counterproductive for us to spend time and energy on 2 bills that were rejected by your own party, especially while many sectors of the country are bleeding jobs like a stuck pig.
**We absolutely must follow the wishes of the American people not to ACCEPT Dem proposals that mandate anything, raise costs, fund abortions, cover illegal aliens, and/or constrict market based solutions.
**Once again, we ask that you review our various proposals offered up in Congress over the last 12 months.
One more thing that would make their position more credible might be for the Repubs not to ask for Dear Leader’s autograph. What were they thinking?
Showing up for this farce doesn’t accomplish what you want. Refusing to attend it using Boehner’s simple and dead on rationale (Why meet to discuss a bill that has no chance of passing and that voters have made clear they don’t want? Let’s move on.) kills the bill once and for all. Most Dems want this bill killed too but the Repubs get the credit.
Fly, you named about the three worst RINO’s in the senate, no argument here.
That’s the ticket! You should change your sign in to Doctor Phil.
What Healthcare meeting?
Fly, no charge. I’m a bit psychotic myself.
It looks like a catch 22 whether they show and walk out or no show…depends on how the public sees it. of course. Say they no show for the reasons you stated above, will the LSM show the country why they no showed? I doubt it…if they do, it will be slanted to the 0.
The LSM is catering to a small and shrinking audience. They didn’t cover the Tea Party rallies either except to insult us and call us “teabaggers”, hateful bigots, and so on. Did it work? Nope. Same with this. If the Republicans do the right thing, it will resonate loudly where it counts: the grassroots. We have our own information networks.
They must show or President Obama would just spend the time pointing at the empty seats saying how the GOP is doing nothing.
While this might be a “dog and pony” show, what the GOP needs to do is show the dog does not bark for the master on demand and instead of talking about the dead health care agenda they need to push the talks to the economy and jobs with their plan and agenda for it.
PP, I just became aware this meeting will be on t.v. Walking out would be a little over the top, enough to set back a number of the politically correct crowd…I was under the assumption it was going be in another transparent meeting closed to the public. Oooops.
Just saw Cantor on Greta saying they need to start the talks about lowering health cares cost since that was the originial topic that started this health care proposal a year ago.
HHS Sebilious stated the dems WILL NOT START OVER…that doesn’t leave many doors open now does it?
That being the case it’s a stand off before it starts if the Repubs have any ah ah ah backbone?
I really doubt it. If the Republicans don’t show, the Dems themselves will call on him to stop it. This bill is killing the Dems in the polls and neither of the unreconciled bills have a chance of passage. Obama is just prolonging the torture and making the damage worse. Everyone except Obama and the nutroots want to move on.
So where does the 0 benefit by pushing this if his own side can’t pass it now?
He was roundly criticized by his own party last week for not showing any leadership on this issue. This is important because he essentially asked his party to fall on their swords for him in pushing his now failed agenda. He then turned on them after the MA election leaving them hanging. Obama is already a failed presidency without the support of his own party.
This is his only hope for salvaging a bill that is his signature issue and for which he showed no leadership. It is up to the GOP to end it. He will get no support from his own party. They want to end this too.
Let’s just hope they intend on giving him hell…making a mockery of his policies. And they should all know by now that the first one to capitulate gets the axe next election.
Don Knotts falls in and turns into a tuna.
Repubs fall in and turn into mackerels.
Every time the Reps take the high road like this, they get rolled by the press so I’m not sure why they should do anything. They aren’t expected to cooperate so why do it? If they do and stand their ground, they look like hypocrites for saying they want to cooperate but not agreeing with the other side…which is politically worse. That’s what’ll happen.
It’s the Newt Gingrich flaw. He makes 100 great points, then in an attempt to be bipartisan he says something like “the Dems get some things right” (paraphrasing) and ends up handing the opposition the political ammo to undercut his entire argument. ALL of his great points get lost under “Dems do right” press glee.
If the Republicans were smart (Hey, I said if…), they would send just one representative to sit across from Obama and present the Republican ideas. That would take all of the drama out of the TV spectacle.
Could you imagine the sight of Obama sitting on a dais, with one Republican sitting amongst hundreds of empty chairs opposing him? Oh, how the Democrats would whine! Even if the Republican was respectful, informative, and cooperative, the MSM would still howl about how they refused to cooperate with the President’s agenda.
Of course, that would be true, since the President’s agenda is to manipulate the scene to score cheap political points…
As usual: Republicans seizing defeat from the jaws of victory.
Reminds me of the Jews in Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe, fixated on the hope that everything would come up roses if you just give them another chance. And we all know how that turned out. Amazing.
First question to Obummer at the summit:
“Where’s the beer?!”
Okay, I was kidding. Real first question:
“Is Tort Reform on the table, or are you too beholden to the Trial Lawyer Lobby?”
Boom, taste my nightstick!
Boehner came out just the other day and said almost exactly those words. Aren’t any of you hearing these things?? You keep criticizing the republicans, but I see a lot of fight left in them!! Boehner has said that it is a waste of time when Obama’s own party couldn’t get this passed with the majority in Congress. So, that should be that!! Didn’t anyone else hear him say that? Cut a little slack…please. They are in a tough situation and are fighting back. NOW, if they give in even a little after all that, THEN we can criticize. Right now, I am hopeful they will stand their ground. They have every reason to do so, and no reasons to give in!! NONE!! And they know the people are behind them all the way in their stand.
Non-starters:
Scrap the monster bill and start over
Tort reform
Competition across state lines
NO FUNDING FOR ABORTIONS
No Mandating that everyone buy ins.
There is a lot more wrong with this bill, but that is good for starters. Besides, these aren’t even starters because Obama won’t accept them and neither will Reid or Pelosi. The bill is dead.
THIS IS JUST POLITICAL COVER TO ALLOW DEMS TO SAY IN OCTOBER “WE TRIED TO GET gop SUPPORT, BUT THEY ARE THE PARTY OF NO” WHEN IN FACT, BOENER ET AL SHOULD BE THE PARTY OF “HELL NO, YOU DUG THIS HOLE, YOU CAN’T GET OUT OF IT, AND WHY SHOULD WE THROW YOU A LIFELINE WHEN YOU TOLD US LAST YEAR TO SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, AND WATCH HOW WE BRILLIANT DEMOCRATS RUN THIS GOVERNMENT.”
Scrappy, I don’t get all the hyperventilating DOOM on this thread.
Michelle was, IMNHO, just WRONG in her Cantor depiction.
Others didn’t read it that way…
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/rubin/234621
As Andy Hardy, “Hey gang let’s put on a show–Right here in the barn! (With the BS already spread around)
I agree. Let’s give the Republicans a chance to show what they will do. They just might surprise us. And, as I said before, they have stood up to the pressure so far, with no one voting for these crappy bills! They are on the same page as we are. Now, let’s just pray they make the right decision and don’t allow themselves to look weak in any way! Oh, and keep McLame far far away from Obama with his hand out!!
Despite the invite to the GOP to the summit, the Dems will ram through reconciliation anyway.
How and when have the Reps gotten rolled by the press? No matter. Don’t be so pessimistic.
Who doesn’t expect them to be cooperative? The cooperation begins when the Reps show up at the White House with their binders of facts at the ready.
It isn’t about standing your ground, it is about the facts. You can have your own opinion but you can’t have your own facts. Pres Obama said he was looking for facts, substance and proof that what is offered will work. Well, bring it on and show him.
You can’t disagree on the facts when backed up by the substance offered in the binders the Reps bring with them.
The ‘press’ is a pretty big place. There are many outlets that deliver the news. Yep, each has it’s own bias, but no one will be able to hide when the meeting is carried live on television.
Each media outlet will put up the clip that supports their bias. The reality is that you, the individual, will be able to make up your own mind on whether the proceedings have been cooperative, or not.
[NOTE: When I say binder, I am dating myself, and one of those computer notebooks will work just as well.]
The problem with Leo DC in “Titanic” was that I spent the whole movie waiting for him to die. It took entirely too long.
ECS, P.O.O.P.
Pres Obama said he was looking for facts, but Pres Obama isn’t looking for facts.
Pres Obama is looking for force Republicans to support a dem healthcare plan.
Pres Obama will control this forum and quash facts.
You cheer these attempts by Obama. Michelle doesn’t.